Best way to fill con-70

[wtlh]

I just wish to share my experience with the pilot con-70 converter, and the solution I found to work with it.

 

I find it is okay to suck directly from an ink bottle, only if the ink bottle is still quite full, as the pen has to be straight, doesn't work if it is slanted. You have to press firmly and quickly repeatedly until you see a lot of bubbles come out, otherwise it is not filling.  Results depend on the ink.  For inks with high surface tension, that is, easy to form bubbles, I often get lots of bubbles inside the converter, and after everything has settled down I actually get very little ink in the end.

 

This last part also means I could not use it with small 5ml plastic bottles which I carry with me while travelling.  Either nothing gets sucked in, or too much bubbles are created and violence of the process also causes frequent spilling and splashing ink everywhere.

 

Then, I used a Visconti traveling ink well.  All problems solved.  Just insert the pen into the inkwell, flip, press the con-70 several times and you are guaranteed to have a 100% full fill.  No bubbled, just a highly efficient and satisfying filling process.

[inkstainedruth]

I'll admit that none of my Pilot pens has a CON-70 converter (most of mine either have Con-20 or Con-B converters, IIRC).  But I also don't tend to remove the converter to fill pens.  It's actually a bit better (helps to prime the nib and feed) to fill through the nib and feed).  

Okay, you have to wipe off the excess ink from the nib and section, but, well, that's one of the reasons why I buy tissues in bulk....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[wtlh]

2 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

I'll admit that none of my Pilot pens has a CON-70 converter (most of mine either have Con-20 or Con-B converters, IIRC).  But I also don't tend to remove the converter to fill pens.  It's actually a bit better (helps to prime the nib and feed) to fill through the nib and feed).  

Okay, you have to wipe off the excess ink from the nib and section, but, well, that's one of the reasons why I buy tissues in bulk....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I also felt the friction fit converters are made of harder plastic than cartridges, and fits tighter. I don't think they are designed to be used as reusable cartridges. Constantly pulling them out and refitting them may cause excessive wear to the feed.

 

I certainly can see scratch marks on the con70 when pulled from my Namiki, same for Pilot custom 74.  While the feed may be made of a harder plastic, constant rubbing with a tight fit converter will surely gradually damage it.

 

With Pilot pens, if one wants to pull the converter out and fill with a syringe, then why not just use an empty cartridge?  When I am using my Namiki Capless --- which really sucks at using a converter, due to the extremely high breather hole ---, I always use a cartridge, and have with me a plastic 5ml eye-dropper bottle containing ink while travelling.  They are a couple of quid for a bunch on eBay or Amazon.  They seal well and are quite tough, can be safely carried in a pocket.  I usually just throw the bottle in amongst my toiletries.

 

Filling then becomes just as convenient and easy as any other system:

 

1. Open the eye dropper bottle

2. Open the pen, pull off the cartridge,

3. Insert the head of the eye dropper bottle into the cartridge opening, squeeze in a few drops

4. Replace the cartridge

5. Cap the bottle

 

No mess, sometimes I don't even need a tissue.  IMHO Pilot has the best cartridge for refilling purposes due to its large openings.