My First Fountain Pen - Pink Pilot Vanishing Point

[85AKbN]

I've been researching the VP and Decimo FPs and found this useful site / page. Near the bottom is a list of references (main reason I saved this link). Most are for the Decimo, but since they are similar FPs they may apply to both.

 

http://peaceablewriter.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/tale12/

 

One link is on the con-20 and con-50 convertors (the con-70 does not work with the VP or Decimo):

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/138435-con-20-con-50-vs-cartridges/

 

It's an old 2010 thread and the con-50 has since been changed to include a metal piece that floats, slides around insdie the convertor. Brian from Goulet pens video explains:

 

http://www.inknouveau.com/2012/08/pilot-con-50-converter-doohickey.html

 

[Lyander0012]

 

 

 

The pen comes with a convertor, and I'm currently using it for the Sailor ink I bought. Do you think I can use a syringe to get the ink out of the Pelikan catridge and put it in the converter?

 

Actually, provided you can get the proboscis (my brain isn't working all that well right now, so I'm not sure whether to use that word or "needle") of the syringe through the mouth of the converter, I don't see why not. Haha, most people would normally only resort to syringe filling with a cartridge though; this is new ground, as far as I know XD

 

Good luck!

 

Kevin

[Lyander0012]

 

Thanks. Next time I will get a dye-based ink.

 

Actually, whether or not you should go for a dye-based ink or not depends on the nature of the ink (whether it's FP friendly or not) and if you need permanence. Dye-based inks are good for general fountain pen use, but they're not all that resistant to washing off or the like. Pigmented inks are more likely to clog up your pen's feed, but so long as you wash your pen regularly and use it often, there shouldn't be any problems. Personally, I'm fond of pigmented inks the like of Sailor's Nano ink range since they are highly water-resistant and are made to last. As I said, it depends on what you need ink for, haha.

 

K.

[Namwan]

 

Actually, provided you can get the proboscis (my brain isn't working all that well right now, so I'm not sure whether to use that word or "needle") of the syringe through the mouth of the converter, I don't see why not. Haha, most people would normally only resort to syringe filling with a cartridge though; this is new ground, as far as I know XD

 

Good luck!

 

Kevin

 

Kevin, that's the first time in my life I've ever seen that word : proboscis. I had to google it, and it's supposed to mean an animal's snout?

 

By the way, I don't even know how to open the cartridge. I watched a video on youtube on how to fill up a pilot vanishing point, and I understand that when we put the cartridge inside the pen and press it down, it's supposed to open up automatically? I pressed hard but nothing happened.

[Namwan]

 

Actually, whether or not you should go for a dye-based ink or not depends on the nature of the ink (whether it's FP friendly or not) and if you need permanence. Dye-based inks are good for general fountain pen use, but they're not all that resistant to washing off or the like. Pigmented inks are more likely to clog up your pen's feed, but so long as you wash your pen regularly and use it often, there shouldn't be any problems. Personally, I'm fond of pigmented inks the like of Sailor's Nano ink range since they are highly water-resistant and are made to last. As I said, it depends on what you need ink for, haha.

 

K.

 

But in terms of appearance, they look the same on paper, right?

[a_m]

 

But in terms of appearance, they look the same on paper, right?

 

 

Why dont you simply use the Pilot ink. I had good experience with it - and its near washproof

 

My review of pilot ink

 

 

And yes, the Pilot VP pen looks fantastic.

Edited December 3, 2013 by a_m

[jde]

As has been pointed out, the only ink cartridges that will work in your VP are those made by Pilot/Namiki (and NOT the Pilot/Namiki Parallel carts which are for the Pilot Parallel pen). Alas, many of us have made the same mistaken purchase as you, a box of carts that don't work in the new pen. Now you know a new question to ask when you purchase your next pen: does the pen use a proprietary ink cartridge and converter?

 

Pilot makes a red ink cartridge, but, sadly for you, no pink. As others have pointed out your converter can use any brand of ink.

 

Because your VP has a broad point, when you use a converter, you will use up your ink fill very quickly in the course of your day. Won't make that much difference to switch to the Con-20 squeeze, IMHO. You need to keep a bottle of ink nearby if you want to use it at work, ay? Or move to the cartridges: blue, blue-black, black, red, green or purple. The cartridges hold much more ink. Even so, be sure to keep a spare nearby!

 

The Sailor Sei-Boku is a great ink. If you like it use it. If you want to use a different ink, be sure to flush your nib and converter with water.

 

Very nice review of your first pen! Lovely, lovely photos. Hope you will not be discouraged in any way!

 

 

I've been researching the VP and Decimo FPs and found this useful site / page. Near the bottom is a list of references (main reason I saved this link). Most are for the Decimo, but since they are similar FPs they may apply to both.

 

http://peaceablewriter.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/tale12/

 

 

Thanks for the link! Yes, except for the size difference the Decimo and VP are alike.

Edited December 3, 2013 by jde

[flatline]

If you're doing enough writing to run the converter out of ink in a day, you should probably consider refilling cartridges. You can still use whatever inks you want, but the cartridges have significantly more capacity than the converters.

 

--flatline

[lisantica]

I enjoyed your post and video.

[Bonekrusher]

Is that the standard vanishing point, I did not know they came in a leather case, I keep looking at that pen, (not in pink of course), but I always end up getting some thing else, and as far as all the things you need to know about pens and ink, just surf the different sites, like this one or other ones out there and the answers are there. Like what inks to avoid with fountain pens, which inks soak through your paper or bleed, which nibs are wet writers, and you may find yourself addicted to buying different color inks like I am, but its still a lot of fun.

[Bonekrusher]

Never mind my first question, I just looked at the pic again, thats a limited edition.....nice

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Congratulations on your new pen! Pilot does make pink cartridges. Look here. I used to use them all the time in my pink Pilot Capless Décimo pens. I have two pink ones and a lavender one.

 

Here is a picture of my Pilot Capless Décimo with a pink cartridge. I think you might only be able to get them in Asia though.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3260/3543641994_577f196828_o.jpg

Now I prefer Diamine Hope Pink and the Pilot Con-20 converter. I have Pilot Con-20 converters in all my Pilot Capless pens. Diamine Hope Pink is nearly exactly the same color as the Pilot pink cartridges.

Dillon

Edited December 3, 2013 by Dillo

[jde]

 

Hi,

 

Congratulations on your new pen! Pilot does make pink cartridges. Look here. I used to use them all the time in my pink Pilot Capless Décimo pens. I have two pink ones and a lavender one.

 

Here is a picture of my Pilot Capless Décimo with a pink cartridge. I think you might only be able to get them in Asia <snip.

 

 

Always something new to learn! Love that info, Dillon.

[Lyander0012]

I'm on mobile, so I'll be uncharacteristically brief here: pigment based inks are usually more saturated, "denser" in colour. Also, they're perhaps a bit less prone to shading (with a few exceptions).

[Namwan]

Hi everyone, I feel so right now, my pen isn't working properly. I've read some links online, and I've tried washing the nib and convertor, but nothing happened. Right now I am using a Pilot catridge that came in the box with the pen.

 

Here's a video I took (don't forget to switch to HD before watching) :

 

 

 

 

I also noticed this space between the slit of the nib. I'm not sure whether or not it's larger than normal, since I did not take a clear picture of it as soon as it came out of the box, but I looked at other pictures of nibs online and the space is not as large. Did I press too hard? Is this causing the ink not to come out properly?

 

 

 

[WayTooManyHobbies]

It does look like the nib is sprung. More knowledgeable members will certainly chime in soon, but you can probably pinch it together.

[vickiehof]

Hello Namwan,

 

I hope that your nib can be easily repaired. I have the same 18K Broad nib in my Vanishing Point. I love the pink color of your pen.

 

I cringed when you mentioned that you let someone use your pen to fill his information card. Many people do not know how to use a fountain pen and they can easily press down too hard on the nib and damage it.

 

I keep a few cheap ball-points to lend those who need a pen. I NEVER let strangers use my fountain pens.

[Namwan]

Thanks Vickie. So the problem is with the nib, right? Since you also have a Vanishing Point, is the hole between the slit of your nib much smaller?

 

Thanks for the advice for not letting strangers use it. I forgot to think that they might press down too hard, but then again I might have done so myself while I was testing the flexibility of the nib.

[vickiehof]

My tines are closer together. I just took pictures of the front and back of my nib and tried to upload the 2 pictures from "photobucket" but an error message said that I couldn't upload from that site. That's the site I've used in the past to post pictures on this forum. Grrrrr.

[DanF]

I had the same thing happen after letting someone use my VP, even after telling her to use very light pressure, she didn't get it.

 

Don't try to flex this nib for line variation, it's not meant for that.

 

I was able to get mine back into shape by pressing it down on a hard smooth surface with it turned upside down (clip facing down), which applies force in the opposite direction of what originally deformed it. Don't overdo this, and support the feed with your finger so that it doesn't break. Once the tines are back together again, it may need further adjustment if the tines aren't even (up and down).

 

One way flow is controlled is how close together the tines are. The farther apart they are, the heavier the flow will be, until they get so far apart that the ink can't reach the tip by capillary action. That's what has happened to your pen. If they are too close together, they will restrict the flow of ink flowing to the paper. Usually some ink will still transfer, but it will be rather dry.

 

If you aren't comfortable doing this, it may be best to send it back to Nibs.com and have them do it for you. Then don't lend it out anymore, and don't try to flex it for variation.

 

Dan

Edited December 4, 2013 by DanF