How I rank the standard fountain pen filling systems
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- In this video I rank the standard fountain pen filling systems.
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The opinions are my own, based on my own experiences with the product. Not to be used for reference or as gospel.
1. Cartridge/converter
- Easy to clean. I also like to change inks often, so I don't need a big ink tank in my pens. I use refilled cartridges in most Pilot pens.
2. Eye dropper WITH STOPPER (Opus 88)
- Easy to clean. I use these for the handful of 'always in a pen' inks - my go to's that are always available.
3. Piston filler
- Ease in cleaning depends on the pen. I hardly ever fill these pens. I also don't reach for them often.
4. Vac filler
- I only own one - TWSBI VAC 700R - Iris. I bought it because of the Iris colors, plus I saw someone screw off the grip section in a video. I fill and clean that pen with a syringe.
My list:
1. Lever filler
2. Piston filler
3. Vacuum filler
4. Cartridge/converter filler
I've never used eyedropper filler.
My list; in descending order:
1) Piston filler
2) Converter
3) Vacuum fill
4) Bulk filler
5) Cartridge
6) Touchdown- least liked
Hi Mick, do you happen to know who the companies are that recycle ink cartridges?
Yeah converter hands down for all the reasons articulated. It’s so easy to clean.
1. I prefer to refill cartridges.
2. I tolerate converters.
3. I find new cartridges handy when travelling.
4. All other fill mechanisms I avoid.
Interesting and informative vid, thanks Mick.
I've (far too) many FPs both old and new so have experience across all filling systems both in use, repair and restoration. Will focus my comments on those you noted except 3 B) below. Fair enough as they make sense with contemporary availability in mind.
1. Power vacuum system with two chamber versions as they are superior. Cleaning is not such a big issue for me. All dual chamber systems are great for two big reasons. One can use all the ink without burping when managed properly. Also flying and altitude changes are not a problem. This is an old system available from De La rue / Onoto back in the early 1900s, probably others. Visconti originally had a single chamber system (1990s) which was less good but they evolved to two chamber vac version.
2 Piston. Again no issue with disassembly and cleaning. Pelikan in most cases facilitate easy piston system removal. Coupled with threaded nib removal, again on most models, makes for easy cleaning. In an effort to peg the geek meter, (old) Pelikan 100N pistons are the same size as MB146. MB146 pistons are the same as MB149s too.
3 A) Eyedropper with two chambers (eg Opus 88) is great. Single chamber and not engineered in the first instance (removed cartridge converter and makeshift sealed section) is avoided like the plague for mine.
3 B) Eyedropper for safety pens. These are a real favourite. They are easy to restore when using modern conveniently available O-ring seals. More importantly, a filled pen can have the proverbial shaken or be subjected to pressure changes without any mess resulting. Great when the go and they're wet and ready to write when deployed.
4. Cartridge converter. Boring and comparatively low capacity. Also they are not all standard so various needed and costs vary. That can be a PITA
5. Cartridge but usually refilled. Less waste and ink choice is a big pro.
The refilling system of the refilling systems (not a clerical error) mostly used is a small medical syringe and blunted needle with cover. I will often remove (if unscrew able) nib/feed/collar and fill with syringe. It gives great control, is super clean in the filling process and is subsequently easily cleaned. This technique works with all of the above, allows for secure seperate ink transport when travelling and in some instances clean recovery of unused ink.
Hope this overly long post makes sense.
Very nice video! Great justifications, well presented, cheers! Watching as I write from my visconti homo sapiens and its darned vac filler😂
My favorite fiĺling system? That gigantic converter in the Jinhao 9019. It has or is close to, the capacity of a vac or piston filler. It's easier to clean than even a regular converter and it can be replaced. No special tools are needed either. Perfect.
If possible, I will match the ink capacity of the filling system to the ink consumption of the nib. Since ¾ of my pens are fire hose triple broads that drain an entire converter in one or two sheets of writing, my favourite filling system is the inkidome(Japanese eye dropper). I'm not that big of a fan of converters, because the nipple can wear out and become too loose to hold on to the converter. I suspect that doesn't bother people as much these days because we've shifted from owning one or two nice pens to owning dozens, so people just don't experience the degree of wear on their pens like they used to.
I'd also like to point out that the disassembly of vacuumfillers is not so much a fault of the filling system as it is one of the manufacturer's desire to cut costs manufacturing the pen, gluing it shut and then gaslighting the user by saying they'll break it if they take it apart for cleaning. But yes, if you can't do that, they are best reserved for a pen you'll use the same ink with for months at a time.
If you want to keep your section clean in a CC pen, syringe fill an empty cartridge then drop some ink into the feed from the section and let it drip out the nib into the bottle. That way you get a larger capacity of a cartridge while having a ready-to-write pen.
I was hoping for a review of the filling systems in terms of - you know - being filling systems. Listened until he altered ranking based on "environmental sustainability". Honestly? Not in the top 30 criteria for me and there are TONS of other variables that determine relative sustainability above and beyond what you do with the cartridge when you're done. I mean, why not buy ink in a 50 gallon drum and rinse it out when you're done if that's your leading concern? I *am* sorry. He *did* say these were simply his opinions, and that's fine. Just adding mine to the pile.
@@patdenoli7271 an actual review of the filling systems would be an excellent idea for a video. I’ll put some thought into how that would work and add it to the list. Thanks for the suggestion. As the video title suggests, and as you point out, this is MY ranking… which systems I like for what ever reason I like them. Mainly it’s ease of use and cleaning. Everyone will have different reasons for liking different things. So yeah, this video was never designed as a review of them… just a video about how I rank them in my own personal use. Thank you for your comment!
My ranking from bottom to top would be:
Cartridge - I am sure most of us started this fountain pen journey using cartridges. Easy to install and convenient. Some of us will refill the cartridge as the converter may not hold a sufficient amount of ink and generally less than a cartridge amount, if you use international long cartridges.
Converters - these can be simple to use, clean and jave tje choice of thousands of different bottles inks and in some respects easier to fill tham refilling a cartridge, But woth some exceptions hold less ink tuam a cartridge. One of those exceptions being the converter on a Jinhao 9019 which rivals the inl capacity of many piston filling pens.
Vacuum filler - Even more ink capacity but the downsode is that it may take multiple attempts to get a full fill. One may have to resort to the "super fill" method. Cleaning is more labor intensive than piston filled pens but it does handle a lot of their ink.
Piston filling - Easy to draw ink into the barrel and usually holds more ink that a cartridge. The downside is cleaning. It can take time to do so but is also relatively easy, especially if the pen's grip section can be removed.
Bulk / Eyedropper Filled - Perhaps the best method for me. It holds the most ink. You need either an eye dropper or a blunt nose syringe, fill the barrel, screw on the section applying a generous amount of silicone grease and voille you have a pen that will write a long time before emptying. Cleaning the barrel is a breeze.
Enjoy your videos.
Piston filler is my favorite but I've only owned TWSBIs with this filing system, they're amazing, I can't speak to others.
TWSBI Go's plunger filler is an honorable mention, I wish they'd bring that filling system to a nicer pen body.