filling Lamy Z24 converter

[bdk880]

I received some samples of ink from The Pear Tree Pen Company to test in my safari. The converter I have, the Z24, did not come with any instructions on how to use it. I just sucked some ink into a syringe, filled the converter, and then twisted it to expel any air. Then, I inserted it into the pen until it clicked into place.

 

I was wondering if this was the best method. I did a search of FPN, and found others were inserting nib into ink and twisting the converter to get the barrel to fill up. This seems much more messy, than using a syringe. There is the issue, of wear and tear on the converter, but they are not that expensive to replace.

 

Is there a definate way to fill the converter or just a matter of preference?

 

Also, I flushed the pens out with just plain tap water, dried them with a towel, and tried to shake out any excess water. I did not really wait for them to dry before filling with new ink. Is there any danger to the pen if there is some water present in the nib, ect..?

Edited January 25, 2008 by bdk880

[HDoug]

Easier to leave it in the pen and dip the entire nib into the ink. Then swab the nib (and section). The converter has tiny protrusions on it that allow the tiny arms on the section to grip them. I just noticed that the other day. I had the converter misinstalled on my Safari for a couple of years, but that didn't have any adverse effect...

 

Oh, you should twist the ink in, then twist out (counterclockwise) a few (3 - 5) drops, then twist some air back in. Converters need a bit of air in them just to ensure that they don't spit up a glob of ink on the paper.

 

Doug

[Dip Head]

I'll bet there are many ways to accomplish the filling of a pen. However, I'm having great success with just sticking the nib into a bottle and drawing it up through to the converter. I also clean my pen by drawing tap water up through the nib and then pushing it right back out again. Repeating until clear.. Haven't worn out a Lamy Safari or converter yet.

 

Your inks should all be water based, don't worry about a bit of water left in the pen - it will mix just fine and won't hurt the pen a bit.

 

Cleaning it for storage would be another matter though. Then I'd dry all the water out completely before putting it away.

 

The Safari's are workhorses, you'd have to be awfully tough on one to hurt it!

[bdk880]

Thanks for the advice. Still new to the whole FP experience. I will fill the converters the way you guys have suggested.

[anlezark]

I just bought a converter for my Al-Star. The ladies at the shop really didn't know if it was the right one, but since they only sold Safaris and Al-Stars at the shop, I assume it was the Z24. In the shop it was called the Lamy Lady Converter, and on the receipt it was called the Z26. But the girls in the shop said that it would fit into any pen that took the T10 cartridges.

 

The converter came in a plain snap-lock bag with no markings on it (Other than the word "Lamy"). It looks like pictures I have seen of the Z24, with a red cap, whereas pictures I've seen of the Z26 show a metal band and a black cap. It is about 2mm longer than the T10 converter.

 

Is there any way to tell if it is the right converter without putting it into my pen? I guess I'll just try it and see...

[kiavonne]

I just bought a converter for my Al-Star. The ladies at the shop really didn't know if it was the right one, but since they only sold Safaris and Al-Stars at the shop, I assume it was the Z24. In the shop it was called the Lamy Lady Converter, and on the receipt it was called the Z26. But the girls in the shop said that it would fit into any pen that took the T10 cartridges.

 

The converter came in a plain snap-lock bag with no markings on it (Other than the word "Lamy"). It looks like pictures I have seen of the Z24, with a red cap, whereas pictures I've seen of the Z26 show a metal band and a black cap. It is about 2mm longer than the T10 converter.

 

Is there any way to tell if it is the right converter without putting it into my pen? I guess I'll just try it and see...

 

The Z24 is for the Al-Star and Safari, it is the red-topped model. My Al-Star and Safaris came with converters when I ordered them. The Z25 & Z26 are both black-topped. I ordered the Z26 for my Studio (which I hope both will arrive today).

[James P]

You can go here, to the Lamy USA website to match your converter with their photos of the Lamy converters they sold.

 

AFAIK, the Z24 is the only Lamy converter with a red twist knob.

 

Hope that's helpful!

 

James

[anlezark]

Thanks kiavonne and James - sounds like I have the right one. I can't beleive i didn't think of just going to the Lamy website

[wongandy1]

I received some samples of ink from The Pear Tree Pen Company to test in my safari. The converter I have, the Z24, did not come with any instructions on how to use it. I just sucked some ink into a syringe, filled the converter, and then twisted it to expel any air. Then, I inserted it into the pen until it clicked into place.

 

I was wondering if this was the best method. I did a search of FPN, and found others were inserting nib into ink and twisting the converter to get the barrel to fill up. This seems much more messy, than using a syringe. There is the issue, of wear and tear on the converter, but they are not that expensive to replace.

 

Is there a definate way to fill the converter or just a matter of preference?

 

Also, I flushed the pens out with just plain tap water, dried them with a towel, and tried to shake out any excess water. I did not really wait for them to dry before filling with new ink. Is there any danger to the pen if there is some water present in the nib, ect..?

 

Hi,

I've also bought a ink converter recently and I have been advised by a pensalesman how to use a ink converter. His advice works fine for me, it isn't messy and the salesman also said that this was the definate way to fill it. You will have to do the following to fill your ink converter:

 

1. insert the ink converter in the pen.

2.Dip the nib into the ink well making sure that the feed area behind the nib is completely submerged.

3. Twist the plunger counter-clockwise until all the air has been expelled from the chamber.

4. Now twist the plunger clockwise to draw the ink into the resevoir.

 

I hope this answers your question.

[Jinnayah]

There's one side issue that I don't think anyone's mentioned. The ink samples are probably not deep enough to submerge your nib into for filling. If not, what you were doing syringe-filling the converter is just fine. You could also put the tip of the converter into the small sample bottle, fill it with the plunger (leave a little empty room for the nipple to go into), and then wipe off the end before installing it.

[urbanachiever]

Ha! I just bought a Lamy Safari with converter and 4 ink samples as well. I usually fill the Lamy by inserting the nib (with converter attached) into the ink bottle, plunging, and drawing up the ink. I found out that it's handy to wear a glove on one hand to avoid the inevitable ink stains. However, those bottles of sample ink are pretty shallow. I just filled up the converter by itself, wiped off the excess from the converter, and then attached to the pen. Worked fine for me!

 

Only problem I had was that I got bored of one ink rather quickly and wanted to put it back in the bottle it came in. Without thinking, I added the PR Quick Dry Midnight Blue (I tired quickly of this) into the PR DC Tradeshow Electric Blue bottle. So now I've got a kind of mix in one bottle, and never got to try the unadulterated Electric Blue. D'Oh!

[Chip]

Easier to leave it in the pen and dip the entire nib into the ink.

 

 

Unless you are dipping in Bay State Blue with a yellow Safari. ;-)