Are Cartridge Pens Dissed?

[Florida Blue]

Some classic pens have no filling system at all and yet they seem to be very prized by collectors. You just unscrewed the barrel and filled with an eyedropper

 

I think the bias towards pens with integrated filling systems is based on a perception of superiority rather than any real difference in quality.

[PeterPenPencil]

The only difference between a converter and the cartridges is that cartridges make the ink more expensive in the long run (or maybe at the short!). Some people use only one cartridge, which they refill it with a syringe after it becomes empty. I go the cheap way too...

[WaskiSquirrel]

I don't like throwing away cartridges and won't use them.

 

Converters bother me a lot less. I prefer a built-in filler, but I can live with a converter. My biggest problems with converters are that many have a limited ink capacity, and I also find that some of my favorite inks do not work in them: they are too viscous to allow air to bubble up from the feed so I end up unable to write.

[Garageboy]

The collector and filler geek in me wants the TD

The user in me wants the CC for ease of cleaning and affordability

Either way, the Imperials are very underrated pens

[pajaro]

I think the TD fillers are fun to use. I have repaired them. If I like the way a pen writes and looks I put up with the filling system. I don't become deterred from using a pen just because its proponents or detractors stand on a snobbish soapbox. I just leave them to be obnoxious and try to curb my bemusement. People are funny. Pens write. You pay your money and take your choice.

[Mardi13]

Personally I am wondering about cartridge pens being easier for traveling. So easy to pack an empty pen and a cartridge or three.

[The Blue Knight]

Honestly if sad enough they look down you for the filling mechanism you use I'd avoid them. I use cartridges on and off and use it as a means of sampling some new inks and I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

[ac12]

 

"But amazing as it is, some people do prefer to be able to just pop in another cartridge of the ink they always use and not fuss with a bottle, syringe, or wiping their nibs"

 

Makes me wonder - how many c/c pens are used with cartridges only. Except for a couple of cheap Sheaffers,I have converters in all my c/c pens. Of course, if people didn't use cartridges, Waterman et. al. wouldn't sell them.

 

Well, until a couple years ago when I discovered FPN and got a converter for my old Parkers, I used to ALWAYS use cartridges.

It never registered in my head that I could use a converter and bottle ink like with my P51 desk pen, and the ink cost would be MUCH cheaper.

My guess is the majority of c/c pens are used with cartridge ink, simply out of convenience, and probably the fear of making a mess with the ink bottle.

[Sasha Royale]

Any ink supply system, in a fountain pen, must be able to supply ink to the nib. It must be durable and reliable in repeated use.

This adds to the cost/price of the pen. The cartridge fountain pen is the exception. It is manufactured without an ink reservoir.

The user installs a new reservoir at frequent intervals, and at the user's expense.

 

The c/c pen has a lower production cost and keeps the user as a paying customer.. It is a great concept.

 

Disadvantages: Ink in pre-filled cartridges cost three times that of ink in bottles. Ink variety is very limited.

Advantages: Cartridges are very convenient. Pen maintenance is much easier. The pen is very forgiving of neglect.

George Parker had these advantages in mind, when he named his introduction cartridge pen the model 45.

[kazoolaw]

"Yes" to both of your questions.

 

As to why, many of the reasons are listed above.

 

Oddly, many of the adverse comments are based on issues of perceived style issues without addressing actual disadvantages of the system. For example , proprietary cartridges, tendency to leak around the opening of the cartridge, failure of the cartridge when trying to install it, the requirement of handling/disposing of an empty cartridge, the inability to do a partial fill with an ink to use for a limited time and then switch to a different ink, the lack of a built-in flushing mechanism to clean the pen, on most cartridge fillers one has to remove the barrel to replace the cartridge leaving you to juggle the cap,section, barrel, used cartridge and new cartridge, etc.

 

Personally, I am unimpressed with the recycling argument as it would require monitoring a a person's entire lifestyle to see if it's effective: no carbon credits.

 

You can find fault with any of the filling systems, which is why there are so many.

 

Now, go enjoy writing something.

 

gary

[79spitfire]

I have both, use them regularly and take full advantage of the fact that some of the cartridge pens are cheaper......

 

Sheaffer Imperials are awesome writing pens, Cartridge, Converter or TD....

 

I also have a sweet "compact II" with a 14k nib, and it has cool little windows so I can see how much ink it has in it!!

[Komitadjie]

I use both quite a lot, and for different purposes. My C/C pens are the ones I use for playing with inks, since they're so very easy and quick to clean with a bulb, and the cartridges are quick and easy to look through to check ink supply. Likewise, I use the C/C Vanishing Point for my daily use writing, since my standard ink is Platinum Carbon Black, which I tend to flush until totally clean once a week, just to make SURE the pigment doesn't start to build up in the collector.

 

I use my non-C/C pens (Parker 51 and Shaffer Snorkel Valiant) for constant use, with unchanging colours. The Snorkel has a steady diet of Waterman Blue thus far, and the '51 infrequently changes between Waterman Red, and Diamine Wild Strawberry.

 

To be entirely honest, given the CHOICE of identical pens with the same components in every way save the ink-containment system? I'd rather a C/C. I love the design and novelty of the various filler mechanisms, but for *my* personal real-world use, the C/C is just a lot more straight-forward to use. If I could find a fine-looking pen that uses Long Internationals, was as reliable a starter as my Parker 51 aero, and had a nib as smooth and fine as my Shaffer's Triumph? I'd be one darn happy camper!

[Roger W.]

Yes cartridge pens are the bottom of the barrel. They are great I still use the first pen I bought back in 1980, a Sheaffer school pen, inked up presently. Targas are often fitted out with cartridges and I can't say they are disrespected. I'm eyeing that cadmium Imperial and I think that is cartridge only - great color pen. My favorite filler though would be the touchdown.

 

Roger W.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Roger W.

[sandy101]

I use both systems. The cartridge pens go with me in my pencil case with some spare cartridges in a slim box. It's just easier. Not all C/Cs are created equal. Most of my modern Parkers take converters in theory, but they don't seem to work as well. They seem to be very fussy about the type of ink - my P45 will take J Herbin inks with gusto, but my Parker IM or Frontier will not.

 

The worst thing about cartridges is the proprietorial systems - ordering platignum, platinum, parker, pilot and A N other system soon racks up to a hefty bill for a small amount of ink. As such, converters are more convenient as a bottle of ink can serve more than one pen at a much cheaper cost. If you're planning on using cartridges all the way I'd suggest choosing international standard pens and maybe another brand to save you lots of cash. In the UK at least, international standard and Parker seem to be available in most stationers - the other brands are not as available unless you go on line.

 

Cartridges are cleaner and much easier to use and are much more portable and there's nothing wrong with them. I don't find them inferior at all.

[Komitadjie]

I syringe-fill my cartridges, personally. One shell will last me many, many refills, so purchasing new ones is not such a large deal. I typically use the first fill as portable ink, the way a cartridge is usually used, then just use the spent shell to let me syringe-fill the pen. I don't go through more than a cartridge in a day, so I can always just top up again at night when I get home.

[PDW]

I've a stack of Lamy cartridges ready for my Safaris/al-Stars/ST etc. When they're empty the cartridges refill nicely, but I like the Lamy blue, turquoise and black anyway. But today I took a blue al-Star in to work with a converter fitted, as I knew my bottle of Autumn Oak would have arrived and I couldn't wait to get it home and get the syringe out.

 

And my aerometric P51 went to work with me as well.