Using fountain pens as dip pen holders

[jbb]

Old, broken fountain pens missing their nibs and/or caps can make great dip pen holders. Although not all dip nibs will fit it's not that hard to find ones that will. If the feed ends up fitting too that's even better (a homemade dip-less dip pen) but either way it's a good use of an unusable fountain pen. In my experience, really large-sized dip nibs won't work -- ones that are about 1¼" long or less seem to be the best.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4501042254_e77af598a5_o.jpg

[bernardo]

Cool!

 

You could contribute to the "Show us your dip pens" thread...

 

Regards

[jbb]

Cool!

 

You could contribute to the "Show us your dip pens" thread...

 

Regards

 

Okay. I've done that now. I didn't want to railroad your post too much. Here's a link to the "Show us your dip pens" thread for those who haven't caught it yet: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/150013-show-us-your-dip-pens/page__st__25__gopid__1497165entry1497165

Edited April 7, 2010 by jbb

[rwilsonedn]

What a great idea!

ron

[hehiheho]

I do it too. I remove the feed, and place a ferrule instead. It turns the fountain pen into a dip pen holder. Safari works very well for that purpose.

 

It also allows to place a cap on the dip pen. Why do I want a cap? I like to carry my dip pens with me.

[jbb]

I do it too. I remove the feed, and place a ferrule instead. It turns the fountain pen into a dip pen holder. Safari works very well for that purpose.

 

It also allows to place a cap on the dip pen. Why do I want a cap? I like to carry my dip pens with me.

 

Do you carry a traveling inkwell with you too?

[hehiheho]

I do it too. I remove the feed, and place a ferrule instead. It turns the fountain pen into a dip pen holder. Safari works very well for that purpose.

 

It also allows to place a cap on the dip pen. Why do I want a cap? I like to carry my dip pens with me.

 

Do you carry a traveling inkwell with you too?

 

Yes. That is actually an issue. I can only find vintage stuff, which I am not totally confident with, even after replacing the weakest parts by new parts. I have always thought that one day I'd ask here if somebody knows a modern item that can be conveniently used as a travelling inkwell for dip pens (maybe something for chemistry?). Never actually did.

 

[FranklinChristoph]

I don't use dip pen nibs, but I use my fountain pens as dip pens for writing checks, etc, because I don't use those specific FPs enough to fill them. Good use of your pens here in my opinion -

[CS388]

 

 

Do you carry a traveling inkwell with you too?

[/quote

 

I have always thought that one day I'd ask here if somebody knows a modern item that can be conveniently used as a travelling inkwell for dip pens (maybe something for chemistry?). Never actually did.

 

 

 

An old contact lens case (Barrel style). I snipped out the centre, which hangs from the lid. Designed for carrying liquids.

 

Available from most high street chemists. Cost in UK - approx £1.50p. Could be useful. I use one for mixing inks.

 

If using for dipping, would suggest also carrying a lump of Blu-tac (eg) to prevent toppling over.

 

 

Edited to try and attach photo

Edited April 8, 2010 by CS388

[hehiheho]

 

Do you carry a traveling inkwell with you too?

 

I have always thought that one day I'd ask here if somebody knows a modern item that can be conveniently used as a travelling inkwell for dip pens (maybe something for chemistry?). Never actually did.

 

 

 

An old contact lens case (Barrel style). I snipped out the centre, which hangs from the lid. Designed for carrying liquids.

 

Available from most high street chemists. Cost in UK - approx £1.50p. Could be useful. I use one for mixing inks.

 

If using for dipping, would suggest also carrying a lump of Blu-tac (eg) to prevent toppling over.

 

Thank you for this brilliant idea. I have already seen some plastic tiny bottles like this one. But I thought it would never be stable enough. I never had the idea of carrying blu-tack with me. Great idea.

[ZeissIkon]

Seems to me that a variation on jbb's PVC pipe ink well might work pretty well as a traveling well. If you use 1" size, a hose cap and washer (probably available at the same home improvement store that sells the PVC threaded plug) should fit over the threads to give a liquid-tight seal when hand tight. Test first (you would with just water in PVC, to be sure the glue joints are tight), but this ought to be secure enough to travel in a purse, messenger bag, etc., easy to open, reasonably steady standing on the flange, and deep enough to dip nicely without requiring too much ink.

[jbb]

Regarding antique traveling inkwells, I've tested a couple for water-tightness and the really do seem to work. The seal often needs to be replaced (I use leather) and I always test them upside down with water in them before taking them anywhere with ink.

[Margana]

Such a great idea, jbb, and you've used a couple of real beauties to illustrate it.

[Rabbit]

nice! I did this a few years ago with a Parker Sonnet-- The feed in those unscrews and I removed the nib and then added a dip pen nib onto the feed and screwed it back into the section. This way I could use ink in a converter and have the feed like a normal fountain pen. It worked really well! The only problem though is that most dip nibs will rust if you try to cap it and store it for even a couple days. It would definitely be satisfactory for a single sitting long writing session though if you disassemble and clean afterwords. I did take a picture of this, but I have no idea where that picture is at the moment.

 

--Stephen

[hehiheho]

Seems to me that a variation on jbb's PVC pipe ink well might work pretty well as a traveling well. If you use 1" size, a hose cap and washer (probably available at the same home improvement store that sells the PVC threaded plug) should fit over the threads to give a liquid-tight seal when hand tight. Test first (you would with just water in PVC, to be sure the glue joints are tight), but this ought to be secure enough to travel in a purse, messenger bag, etc., easy to open, reasonably steady standing on the flange, and deep enough to dip nicely without requiring too much ink.

 

I have searched for that in the forum, and found. Interesting, indeed. Similar to the contact lens case jbb has shown, earlier here.

 

 

Regarding antique traveling inkwells, I've tested a couple for water-tightness and the really do seem to work. The seal often needs to be replaced (I use leather) and I always test them upside down with water in them before taking them anywhere with ink.

 

I use silicone for the seal. But all the antiques I have seen seem somehow weak. Maybe this is just an irrational fear.

Edited April 9, 2010 by hehiheho

[jbb]

Regarding antique traveling inkwells, I've tested a couple for water-tightness and the really do seem to work. The seal often needs to be replaced (I use leather) and I always test them upside down with water in them before taking them anywhere with ink.

I use silicone for the seal. But all the antiques I have seen seem somehow weak. Maybe this is just an irrational fear.

I worry about it too. I've put my traveling inkwells in ziplock bags when they're in my purse.

[altair]

I too have looked long and hard for a good travel inkwell. This is the best one I have found (cross posted from the Show us your dip pens! thread). From Bulgaria, made of Bakelite, with a rubber gasket so that the lid screws down very securely. It is low and stable to begin with but it is spill-proof as well. There is a cone surrounding the dip hole that penetrates into the inkwell far enough that you can turn the open well upside down without losing any ink.

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z10/dellaq/IMG_2120.jpg

[viclip]

RE makeshift travelling inkwells that'll stand upright, consider the following:

 

a) in the camping section of your favourite store, look for a round waterproof match case. Nowadays they're made out of orange plastic usually. They have a threaded cap which torques down onto a rubber gasket ergo your precious campfire-lighting matches stay dry; by the same token ink placed therein won't leak out. The model which is available to me locally, needs to have the flint at the bottom of the unit pried out (otherwise they're a tad wobbly when standing upright);

 

&/or in the firearms section, look for containers designed to hold gun oil &/or bore solvent. Military surplus units used to be available that were made out of fairly heavy brass with leak-proof gaskets, maybe they can still be found in more specialized establishments.

[hehiheho]

[...] But all the antiques I have seen seem somehow weak. Maybe this is just an irrational fear.

I worry about it too. I've put my traveling inkwells in ziplock bags when they're in my purse.

 

I am not alone, someone else carries dip pens! Still, I am maybe the only one who carries them in the pockets of trousers (along with a traveling inkwell).

 

 

RE makeshift travelling inkwells that'll stand upright, consider the following:

 

a) in the camping section of your favourite store, look for a round waterproof match case. Nowadays they're made out of orange plastic usually. They have a threaded cap which torques down onto a rubber gasket ergo your precious campfire-lighting matches stay dry; by the same token ink placed therein won't leak out. The model which is available to me locally, needs to have the flint at the bottom of the unit pried out (otherwise they're a tad wobbly when standing upright);

 

&/or in the firearms section, look for containers designed to hold gun oil &/or bore solvent. Military surplus units used to be available that were made out of fairly heavy brass with leak-proof gaskets, maybe they can still be found in more specialized establishments.

 

Thanks! But as you mention the first possibility is not stable, and I am not sure to understand what is described in the second part. Anyway, in my country (EU), finding a firearms shop is already difficult; I guess this solution is not for me.

[hehiheho]

I have found the ideal inkwell. It is the "de la rue" design with a wooden frame, like this:

 

http://vintagefountainpens.co.uk/uk2ecommerce/product/vintage_thomas_de_la_rue_travelling_inkwell_finished_in_pewter_and_rosewood_dates_from_the_late_19th_century_full_working_order_/

 

I paid less than half of this price for a similar item in very good condition.

 

Stable, no leak. Perfect. I carry it in my trousers' pocket, and there is no leak at all (I had to replace the spring and the seal, though).