Uses For Empty Ink Sample Vials?

[Rissa13]

How do you guys use your empty ink sample vials? I like trying out new inks so I have more ink samples than I have bottles of ink, but at this point I don't really like the idea of throwing out the empty vials-it seems wasteful because they're plastic-but I also don't know many other uses for them that makes keeping empty ones around worth it. I don't mix my own inks either. Can you recycle them? Or if anyone else has some alternative use for the vials (even outside of the fountain pen world) please share them with me!

[Karmachanic]

mixing/diluting inks

nib storage

small item storage

gifting samples

shipping nibs for grinds

[Shaggy]

I put spare nibs and feeds in them. I also use them for sample sharing.

[goodpens]

+1 for sharing samples

 

Or

 

Rx bottles for travel

Geocaching

[Chouffleur]

There's always going into the crack cocaine business.

 

Slightly less addictive than ink.

Edited October 2, 2020 by Chouffleur

[A Smug Dill]

I echo the suggestions from others. You can trade ink samples, or small amounts of useful substances such as Molykote 111 and Photo-Flo, with fellow hobbyists or just give them away; and you'd need small (and preferably resealable) containers such as sample vials.

 

I also store nibs and feeds (and my preferred size of 1.8ml screw-top sample vials work great for holding single nib-and-feed units), assorted agitators (springs, ball bearings, plastic beads, etc.) that can be inserted into disassemble-able converters and refilled cartridges, screws, pins used in tailoring, etc.

 

I have a couple of them, sans lids, glued to a broad plastic card to serve as a stable stand for wet/stained q-tips and make-up applicators that I use to do ink swabs.

 

The O-ring inside the screw lid may fit some pens one may want to 'convert' for 'eyedropper' use.

[inkstainedruth]

Another idea for you, Rissa13: if you like an ink you've tried, and get a full bottle of it, you can save the (already labeled) vial to use for travel refills. I do that all the time, even flying (as long as they're under four ounces, and in a ziplock bag, the TSA doesn't seem to look twice at them for carry-on luggage -- whereas the security people in the Spokane, Washington airport confiscated my facial cleanser and astringent).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[chromantic]

They're handy for piston-fillers when the ink level in the bottle has dropped too low; use a syringe to fill the vial, fill the pen and pour any left in the vial back in the bottle.

[Intensity]

+1 for sharing samples

 

Or

 

Rx bottles for travel

Geocaching

 

Ohh Rx containers -- great idea!

[Chouffleur]

They are also handy if you're starting a Murder Hornet collection.

 

https://weather.com/news/trending/video/first-ever-live-murder-hornet-caught-in-us

[Rissa13]

Another idea for you, Rissa13: if you like an ink you've tried, and get a full bottle of it, you can save the (already labeled) vial to use for travel refills. I do that all the time, even flying (as long as they're under four ounces, and in a ziplock bag, the TSA doesn't seem to look twice at them for carry-on luggage -- whereas the security people in the Spokane, Washington airport confiscated my facial cleanser and astringent).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

This got me thinking about using them as containers for toiletries if you'll only need them for a day or so-finding tiny containers is hard and sometimes you just don't need an entire 5 oz of face wash or whatever! Not the point you were trying to make but I think it'd work

 

Edited October 4, 2020 by Rissa13

[chromantic]

Rx bottles for travel

 

 

I carry a small stack of Tylenol #3 in one in my bag, hopefully I'm never stopped and searched:

"What are these?" "Tylenol #3." "Do you have a prescription?" ""On the big bottle at home." "Hmm ..."

[mhguda]

Jammed about a half dozen in a larger container without their caps, they hold pens. Container should be weighted down a little but the vials make a good start for such a pen stand.

[inkstainedruth]

 

I carry a small stack of Tylenol #3 in one in my bag, hopefully I'm never stopped and searched:

"What are these?" "Tylenol #3." "Do you have a prescription?" ""On the big bottle at home." "Hmm ..."

Tylenol #3? Yikes! I was given Tylenol #2 once years ago when I had a wisdom tooth removed. The codeine made me so nauseous that I ate watermelon for two days straight -- it was the only thing I could get down (and KEEP down). I told my mother about it and she was going "WHAT? I only take that on rare occasions when my foot and ankle are particularly bad...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Runnin_Ute]

1, Ink - when a bottle gets low- I just did this with an almost empty 62.5 ml bottle of Pelikan 4001 Blue Black. I could no longer fill the Pelikan 140 from the bottle. I had about 7 or 8 ml left, took two 5 ml vials.

2. Ink - share

3. nib storage

4. Many others. I have empties I bought as empties. I have probably 80 sample vials (both 5 ml and 10 ml sizes) with ink in them. So having a few empties isn't a bad thing.

[tim77]

They are also handy if you're starting a Murder Hornet collection.

 

That's a pretty large ink vial! European hornets are even bigger (although less murderous if you're a bee).

 

A fellow beekeeper once told me that you should never swat a hornet, because doing so releases a pheromone that attracts more hornets. The same principle applies to honey bees, at least in the vicinity of a hive.

 

So instead of a rolled-up magazine, keep those hornet/ink vials handy!

[chromantic]

Tylenol #3? Yikes! I was given Tylenol #2 once years ago when I had a wisdom tooth removed. The codeine made me so nauseous that I ate watermelon for two days straight -- it was the only thing I could get down (and KEEP down). I told my mother about it and she was going "WHAT? I only take that on rare occasions when my foot and ankle are particularly bad...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

When I was prescribed them during my first bout with cancer, I learned to take just 1 and, when the pain came back, take another because taking 2 at once would make me very nauseous.