What do you with the empty bottles of ink?

[Scrawler]

18 hours ago, Brettman said:

I laser engrave the empty bottles and give them away as gifts.

That is a really nice novel idea

[Chimera01]

On 3/6/2023 at 9:26 AM, Toolattack said:

The Jacques Herbin ink bar at Paper Papier in Ottawa - ready to refill your ink bottles!

 

Wow! What a great idea. Does anyone know if there is one in the UK?

[irrigger]

On 3/6/2023 at 3:26 AM, Toolattack said:

The Jacques Herbin ink bar at Paper Papier in Ottawa - ready to refill your ink bottles!

 

 

I can see a road trip in my near future!

[inkstainedruth]

You and me both!  Only I'd have to get my passport renewed to do it....

Now thinking of a story some friend told about going to something up in Ontario years ago.  One of their passengers was a girl who'd been born in the USSR.  When they got to Customs, the girl was told "If they ask you where you're from, you just say "the US!"  And years before that, my husband told me of a family trip up to the Bay of Fundy, with his sister's then college roommate (who was from IIRC Singapore) along.  So imagine an old Travel-all (I think that was the vehicle) towing a boat trailer -- with something like ten people in the car, and the kids ranging in age from college aged to toddler).  Apparently there was some problem at the border, and my husband's dad was in the building for a long time, and his mom said "In five minutes, I'm going to start sending kids in, one by one...."  (Apparently the real issue was that they had lost the license plate for the trailer, unbeknownst to them, and the Customs agent was getting their itinerary to be able to call ahead to let the local authorities know, so they wouldn't have any problems.

Of course the BEST story like that I ever heard was something like 40 years ago.  When I first joined the SCA, the first event I went to turned out to be a "Royal Progress" (the then King and Queen showed up to give out awards).  And that set of Royalty went EVERYWHERE, in order to clear up the backlog of who deserved recognition for what they did.  And at that point, the East Kingdom (which back then included the Canadian Maritimes and Quebec, plus down the East Coast states as far as Baltimore, MD) ALSO included the groups in Europe.  So they went to the European events and groups as well.  At the time "Drachenwald" was mostly US military bases in Germany, but stuff was just getting started in the UK as well. 

So the King and Queen took a ferry across the Channel to the UK.  Now, the King looked like a druggie (he wasn't) and the Queen like a hippy "earth mother".  And the King decided to wear his chain mail shirt under his clothes rather than to worry about luggage weight limits.  But had also brought an assortment of pointy objects, as gifts and such.  So he presented the Customs official at IIRC Dover with the list of everything he brought -- including the weaponry.  And the official looked at the list and made some noise about having to "talk to my supervisor" and disappeared into the back.  And the couple are panicking at that point, and thinking that at after coming all that way they'd be denied entrance into the country.  

And then, from the back, they hear something like this:
"CHAIN MAIL!  NOBODY has come across the Channel carrying swords and wearing chain mail in NINE HUNDRED YEARS!" [pause] "And then, they DIDN'T stop at CUSTOMS!" And the official came back out and basically said, "Go!  Just... GO...."  And waved them through.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Toolattack]

4 hours ago, Chimera01 said:

Wow! What a great idea. Does anyone know if there is one in the UK?

Hi @Chimera01 I’ve tried to find one in the UK with no luck - maybe a trip to Paris is the answer!

[amper]

On 3/4/2023 at 9:08 AM, kazoolaw said:

Curious:  what do you consider "a reasonable deal" or "a good price?"

 

 

In this case, $15 for a clean, no chips, pre-reunification (W. Germany) shoe bottle.

[amper]

On 3/6/2023 at 4:24 PM, 51ISH said:

Changing the subject completely has anyone ever had ink cartridges 'go off' over time?

Admittedly they were cheap 'no name' ones and I've had them for years, but it seems like they have gone 'thick' or evaporated.

 

Yes, of course. Plastics aren't 100% impermeable to gases, and over the years, the water will transpire right though the plastic. I have 30 year old sealed Pelikan 4001 carts that are totally dry, but if you fill them with water, they will reconstitute immediately.

[amper]

On 3/7/2023 at 12:28 PM, ParramattaPaul said:

The question is why? Why is the current recycling system merely a bandaid? Is it how it is managed, how it is processed, the types, or is it individual particpation?

The why is because "recycling" turns out to mostly be "downcycling". Very few materials, particularly plastics, can be recycled into high quality new goods. Glass, yes; metals, yes; paper, to some extent; plastics, almost never, especially if they have been used to hold food. Glass and metals can be heated to the point where impurities can be burned off. You can't do that with plastics. The best you can do is wash them, and that takes huge amounts of water, detergent, and energy, and that has negative environment consequences, as well, so perhaps unsurprisingly, it doesn't happen very often.

The idea is supposed to be "reduce, reuse, recycle" *in that order*, but the advent of mass municipal recycling programs allowed people to forget all about the reduce and reuse part, and continue consuming at ever greater rates, under the fiction that their waste was being recycled.

My town leads the US in diversion rates, supposedly we divert over 61% of our solid waste from landfills. I've spoken with our Town Manager and he informs me that the truth is that while there is a ready market for steel and aluminum recycling, there is much less of a market for glass recycling, and it's even worse for paper and plastics. So, I've switched to buying as much in tins as I can and forgoing anything packaged in glass or plastic if I can help it, and composting as much paper waste as possible. We have curbside compost, single-stream recycling, and pay-as-you-throw trash by the bag.

I'm convinced that recycling has been a net detriment to our society, not because recycling doesn't work, but because people continue to consume, believing there are no negative consequences, so long as they dutifully "recycle".

I've written about this before, but bulk retailing can be of great value, if it is managed well. Unfortunately, in most supermarkets which offer bulk goods, they aren't managed well, and so there is the impression given to consumers that bulk goods are inferior, stale, and dirty, and in the case of foods, too often infested with insects like meal moths. To change this impression, bulk goods sections need to be conspicuously staffed and constantly rotated and cleaned in full view of customers, so that people feel and know they are buying fresh, clean, high quality goods. And the best would be to keep the bulk goods behind a counter where only staff members can parcel them out, the way it used to be in my grandparents' day.

[amper]

On 3/8/2023 at 2:57 PM, inkstainedruth said:

"CHAIN MAIL!  NOBODY has come across the Channel carrying swords and wearing chain mail in NINE HUNDRED YEARS!" [pause] "And then, they DIDN'T stop at CUSTOMS!" And the official came back out and basically said, "Go!  Just... GO...."  And waved them through.... 

Best. Story. Ever.

 

True story, my Dungeon Master bought me a chainmail hauberk last year. I have no idea why. My PC is a Fighter, but she doesn't wear chainmail.

 

[51ISH]

15 minutes ago, amper said:

 

Yes, of course. Plastics aren't 100% impermeable to gases, and over the years, the water will transpire right though the plastic. I have 30 year old sealed Pelikan 4001 carts that are totally dry, but if you fill them with water, they will reconstitute immediately.

Thank you amper for taking the time to reply 👍

 

To be honest I hardly ever use cartridges, I did get the syringe out and give it a go, but the last time I got so covered with ink I was about 12 years old 🤣🤣  I ordered some new ones 👍

[amper]

1 minute ago, 51ISH said:

Thank you amper for taking the time to reply 👍

 

To be honest I hardly ever use cartridges, I did get the syringe out and give it a go, but the last time I got so covered with ink I was about 12 years old 🤣🤣  I ordered some new ones 👍

 

I really don't use cartridges anymore, either. The ones I have are old stock from the early 90s, when I was the purchaser for a Pelikan dealer, and the only recent ones are a few Cross cartridges for my one Cross fountain pen.

[51ISH]

11 minutes ago, amper said:

The why is because "recycling" turns out to mostly be "downcycling". Very few materials, particularly plastics, can be recycled into high quality new goods. Glass, yes; metals, yes; paper, to some extent; plastics, almost never, especially if they have been used to hold food. Glass and metals can be heated to the point where impurities can be burned off. You can't do that with plastics. The best you can do is wash them, and that takes huge amounts of water, detergent, and energy, and that has negative environment consequences, as well, so perhaps unsurprisingly, it doesn't happen very often.

The idea is supposed to be "reduce, reuse, recycle" *in that order*, but the advent of mass municipal recycling programs allowed people to forget all about the reduce and reuse part, and continue consuming at ever greater rates, under the fiction that their waste was being recycled.

My town leads the US in diversion rates, supposedly we divert over 61% of our solid waste from landfills. I've spoken with our Town Manager and he informs me that the truth is that while there is a ready market for steel and aluminum recycling, there is much less of a market for glass recycling, and it's even worse for paper and plastics. So, I've switched to buying as much in tins as I can and forgoing anything packaged in glass or plastic if I can help it, and composting as much paper waste as possible. We have curbside compost, single-stream recycling, and pay-as-you-throw trash by the bag.

I'm convinced that recycling has been a net detriment to our society, not because recycling doesn't work, but because people continue to consume, believing there are no negative consequences, so long as they dutifully "recycle".

I've written about this before, but bulk retailing can be of great value, if it is managed well. Unfortunately, in most supermarkets which offer bulk goods, they aren't managed well, and so there is the impression given to consumers that bulk goods are inferior, stale, and dirty, and in the case of foods, too often infested with insects like meal moths. To change this impression, bulk goods sections need to be conspicuously staffed and constantly rotated and cleaned in full view of customers, so that people feel and know they are buying fresh, clean, high quality goods. And the best would be to keep the bulk goods behind a counter where only staff members can parcel them out, the way it used to be in my grandparents' day.

 

I've written about this before, but bulk retailing can be of great value, if it is managed well. Unfortunately, in most supermarkets which offer bulk goods, they aren't managed well, and so there is the impression given to consumers that bulk goods are inferior, stale, and dirty, and in the case of foods, too often infested with insects like meal moths. To change this impression, bulk goods sections need to be conspicuously staffed and constantly rotated and cleaned in full view of customers, so that people feel and know they are buying fresh, clean, high quality goods. And the best would be to keep the bulk goods behind a counter where only staff members can parcel them out, the way it used to be in my grandparents' day.

 

Very interesting read and all valid points especially regarding the bulk goods section. I think you summed up the problem at the very end....

"the way it used to be in my grandparents' day"

I did 15 years working in supermarkets in the '70's / '80's mostly as a manager, but all my early years centered around fresh foods. Even 20 years ago when I used to take my Mom shopping I was appalled at the lack of care, experience, and quality control in the fresh food Depts. It may well be different in the US, but from what I see on this side of 'The Pond' we don't care about customer service and attention to detail any longer, staffing levels have been cut to a minimum as shoppers 'switch' to companies like Lidl and Aldi in order to get their 'best bang for their buck'. We have even stopped putting 'sell by' dates on most fresh products now including fruit and veg and milk! 😮

[51ISH]

33 minutes ago, amper said:

 

I really don't use cartridges anymore, either. The ones I have are old stock from the early 90s, when I was the purchaser for a Pelikan dealer, and the only recent ones are a few Cross cartridges for my one Cross fountain pen.

 

I have a couple of Chinese pens I bought around 10+ years ago that came without a converter, and none of my converters seem to fit 'well enough' to risk it! 🙂

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, amper said:

The why is because "recycling" turns out to mostly be "downcycling". Very few materials, particularly plastics, can be recycled into high quality new goods. Glass, yes; metals, yes; paper, to some extent; plastics, almost never, especially if they have been used to hold food. Glass and metals can be heated to the point where impurities can be burned off. You can't do that with plastics. The best you can do is wash them, and that takes huge amounts of water, detergent, and energy, and that has negative environment consequences, as well, so perhaps unsurprisingly, it doesn't happen very often.

The idea is supposed to be "reduce, reuse, recycle" *in that order*, but the advent of mass municipal recycling programs allowed people to forget all about the reduce and reuse part, and continue consuming at ever greater rates, under the fiction that their waste was being recycled.

My town leads the US in diversion rates, supposedly we divert over 61% of our solid waste from landfills. I've spoken with our Town Manager and he informs me that the truth is that while there is a ready market for steel and aluminum recycling, there is much less of a market for glass recycling, and it's even worse for paper and plastics. So, I've switched to buying as much in tins as I can and forgoing anything packaged in glass or plastic if I can help it, and composting as much paper waste as possible. We have curbside compost, single-stream recycling, and pay-as-you-throw trash by the bag.

I'm convinced that recycling has been a net detriment to our society, not because recycling doesn't work, but because people continue to consume, believing there are no negative consequences, so long as they dutifully "recycle".

I've written about this before, but bulk retailing can be of great value, if it is managed well. Unfortunately, in most supermarkets which offer bulk goods, they aren't managed well, and so there is the impression given to consumers that bulk goods are inferior, stale, and dirty, and in the case of foods, too often infested with insects like meal moths. To change this impression, bulk goods sections need to be conspicuously staffed and constantly rotated and cleaned in full view of customers, so that people feel and know they are buying fresh, clean, high quality goods. And the best would be to keep the bulk goods behind a counter where only staff members can parcel them out, the way it used to be in my grandparents' day.

Thank you.

 

[Arkanabar]

7 hours ago, 51ISH said:

 

I have a couple of Chinese pens I bought around 10+ years ago that came without a converter, and none of my converters seem to fit 'well enough' to risk it! 🙂

The Chinese standard cart looks like a short international to the naked eye, but they do not have the same throat diameter.  Try a Chinese converter, Baoer or Jinhao, and see if that does any better.

[51ISH]

1 hour ago, Arkanabar said:

The Chinese standard cart looks like a short international to the naked eye, but they do not have the same throat diameter.  Try a Chinese converter, Baoer or Jinhao, and see if that does any better.

 

Thanks for the tip 👍 Unfortunately, all my other Chinese pens are larger and came with the longer converter and they don't seem to fit either. 🙁

[51ISH]

2 hours ago, Arkanabar said:

The Chinese standard cart looks like a short international to the naked eye, but they do not have the same throat diameter.  Try a Chinese converter, Baoer or Jinhao, and see if that does any better.

 

Found one! 👍  I 'found' an old Hero Calligraphy set I bought and never used, and there is one in there! Not the best quality I've ever seen 🤣🤣....But it works!

Thanks again 👍

[knarflj]

On 3/8/2023 at 2:57 PM, inkstainedruth said:

...

And then, from the back, they hear something like this:
"CHAIN MAIL!  NOBODY has come across the Channel carrying swords and wearing chain mail in NINE HUNDRED YEARS!" [pause] "And then, they DIDN'T stop at CUSTOMS!" And the official came back out and basically said, "Go!  Just... GO...."  And waved them through.... 

 

 

🤣 That's a great story, @inkstainedruth!

 

And thanks everyone for the various ideas on using old bottles.  I just ran into a small stash in my closet the other day, from back in the day when I only owned one bottle of ink, which I replaced when I used it up.  Hadn't realised that stage of my life had lasted as long as it had....  

 

I particularly like the "fill with coloured water" idea: a little colour on the windowsills would definitely cheer our Michigan winters.

[Anushka]

On 3/7/2023 at 8:24 AM, 51ISH said:

 

😮 😮 🤣 🤣

 

I've not completely emptied a bottle yet. I just keep buying more...🙂 

 

So, I'm a keeper not a 'toss__'  Sorry, that really come out right 😊

 

Changing the subject completely has anyone ever had ink cartridges 'go off' over time?

Admittedly they were cheap 'no name' ones and I've had them for years, but it seems like they have gone 'thick' or evaporated.

 

I haven’t had any “go off” but many that have evaporated to a pathetic smear on the inside of the tubes…

[Anushka]

I have several empty glass Noodlers bottles, I’ve washed them and have plans to make iron gall ink (just so I can say I did) haha

other times I’ve used them to store home mixed colours in.