German "online" Fp - Cartridge Size?

[craigs63]

I got an "Online" pen at the Chicago show the other day, and believed the vendor when he said it takes a standard international cartridge.

 

#$*%&$ !

 

I have a box of "Zenzoi" cartridges, I tried one, but the end of the feed didn't quite fit the tip of the cartridge.

I'd also bought a Retro 51 at the show, and it came with a cartridge (I won't use the word "standard").

It fits the end of the feed fine, but when I put the feed + cartridge into the barrel, it doesn't go in all the way.

 

There seems to be a metal post in it that stops things from going in past a certain point.

(I tried tapping it on a cutting board, thinking maybe they jammed a cartridge up in it or something).

 

I am trying to find this exact pen on "Online's" site, or more information on a possible proprietary cartridge they use.

The ones I have (Zenzoi and Retro 51) are 1.5" long, that's a "short", right?

 

Found it - it's a "Tango" model. At least someone's gotten a cartridge and converter to work in one.

https://fourwordsfourworlds.wordpress.com/tag/online-germany/

Edited May 7, 2019 by craigs63

[Brandywine]

Maybe your cartridges are to blame, I don't know either of these brands.

 

Online pens do use standard cartridges, but only the short ones are really standardized.

The long ones may differ, but they usually fit into pens where two small ones can be inserted (flat ends together!)

Some pens only take a single short cartridge.

 

The original Online-cartridge is longer than a short and shorter than a long standard.

It has two ends: one will fit standard (and Online) pens and the other end is for Lamys.

This has become the de facto standard for budget cartridges.

[Brandywine]

OK, I checked the model name, and what a coincidence: I have that model in my desk (and I'm not impressed BTW)!

 

This is one of those pens that take only one short standard cartridge

And yes: The standard short cartridge is 1.5 inches long, I just checked!

The space in the pen is larger than a short cartridge, but too small for two short or one long or even a converter!

Maybe one of these double-ended Online cartridges fits, but I don't have any to test that.

 

Back in the good old times most German pens (mostly Pelikan or Geha) were designed as follows:

You could insert two cartridges (with the butt ends together) and by screwing the section in the cartridge in front was opened.

That was so natural to me that I thought every pen worked that way (kids can be so naive )

Of couse that was not true! the Kaweco Sport (and others) did exist back then (and before) although I did not know it!

Only after I left school the long cartridges were introduced to be used instead of two short ones.

But as their end is flat and not pointed some pens may not take them when their section gets thinner in the end.

And they tend to differ in length!

[whych]

OK, I checked the model name, and what a coincidence: I have that model in my desk (and I'm not impressed BTW)!

Back in the good old times most German pens (mostly Pelikan or Geha) were designed as follows:

You could insert two cartridges (with the butt ends together) and by screwing the section in the cartridge in front was opened.

That was so natural to me that I thought every pen worked that way (kids can be so naive )

Of couse that was not true! the Kaweco Sport (and others) did exist back then (and before) although I did not know it!

Only after I left school the long cartridges were introduced to be used instead of two short ones.

But as their end is flat and not pointed some pens may not take them when their section gets thinner in the end.

And they tend to differ in length!

Are you sure the Kaweco Sports were not piston fillers? They only became cartridge fill when brand was resurrected and the modern ones were introduced.

[Brandywine]

Are you sure the Kaweco Sports were not piston fillers? They only became cartridge fill when brand was resurrected and the modern ones were introduced.

 

 

The Kaweco Sport was introduced in 1911, the current design is taken from the 1935 model.

Ink cartridges were introduced by GeHa in 1950,

So the the earlier Kaweco Sports must have been piston fillers for lack of alternatives.

But that is a deduction, I don't know it. That was before my time!

[AidenMark]

 

So the the earlier Kaweco Sports must have been piston fillers for lack of alternatives.

But that is a deduction, I don't know it. That was before my time!

 

You are right. I have a lovely cork-piston, gold nib Kaweco Sport from the 50s (or earlier).

[craigs63]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

I suspect my "Zenzoi" cartridges are non-standard, and have a box on order, of what I hope will be standard, short, international-sized cartridges.

The Online pen (change that name!) is writing ok with the cart that came with my Retro 51, but seems to dry out a lot between uses (could be the ink to blame). My wife picked it out, we'll see how much use it gets vs. the others.

[bluebellrose]

I got an "Online" pen at the Chicago show the other day, and believed the vendor when he said it takes a standard international cartridge.

 

#$*%&$ !

 

I have a box of "Zenzoi" cartridges, I tried one, but the end of the feed didn't quite fit the tip of the cartridge.

I'd also bought a Retro 51 at the show, and it came with a cartridge (I won't use the word "standard").

It fits the end of the feed fine, but when I put the feed + cartridge into the barrel, it doesn't go in all the way.

 

There seems to be a metal post in it that stops things from going in past a certain point.

(I tried tapping it on a cutting board, thinking maybe they jammed a cartridge up in it or something).

 

I am trying to find this exact pen on "Online's" site, or more information on a possible proprietary cartridge they use.

The ones I have (Zenzoi and Retro 51) are 1.5" long, that's a "short", right?

 

Found it - it's a "Tango" model. At least someone's gotten a cartridge and converter to work in one.

https://fourwordsfourworlds.wordpress.com/tag/online-germany/

I have one and the jinhao or daiso carts dont fit. Your standard carts aren't standard

[Eccles]

I got an "Online" pen at the Chicago show the other day, and believed the vendor when he said it takes a standard international cartridge. #$*%&$ !

 

The ONLINE website suggests that a standard international cartridge/converter fits, so I tried one in my wife's new pen that came only with a single cartridge; same result and comment!

I went through my box of spares and found that a standard Lamy converter fits nicely... the one that fits the Safari and Al-star... go figure!

Glenn.

[LuisAAbrilRomero]

I bought an Online Switch in Germany, and the pen takes both short and long Standard International cartridges without any problems.

[Eccles]

 

I... found that a standard Lamy converter fits nicely... the one that fits the Safari and Al-star... go figure!

Glenn.

 

The Lamy converter didn't seal quite as well as I had hoped; it worked, but with minor seepage past the end of the converter into the section. So another rummage produced a Platinum converter that seems better so far, but it's early days.

Glenn.

 

Update: Pen has lain on its side for 10 hrs. with no sign of ink seepage from the converter. I think this one's a success.

G.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Eccles

[Luci]

Late to this thread, but in my experience with two mini sized Online pens, standard short cartridges work fine. I don’t know of any non-Lamy pen that uses Lamy cartridges.