Ink Bottles In A Plane?

[sharonspens]

I believe the point here is that you CAN do it take bottles on planes, but whether you will NEED that much ink for a seven day trip is in question. I generally have several pens with me, but I have learned for travel to carry one or two FPs, generally those that take standard cartridges, and a rollerball. That usually keeps me going, especially on vacation when I want to be enjoying the experience instead of just writing about it.

 

Have a good time!

 

Sharon in Indiana

Oh, I forgot the other part of your question. I travel by plane 2-4 trips a year. Personally, when I buy bottled ink during a trip and I'm flying, I wrap the bottle/box tightly in a bag and stick it in a shoe or something that will protect it while in the checked bag. I have never had a problem. I also travel with pens with cartridges or otherwise inked. I never pull them out at Security, and have never had a TSA agent ask about them. They only time my FPs caused a problem at a security checkpoint was when I was entering a Federal building to see the region's assistant attorney general. That security agent saw the pens onscreen, and insisted that I pull them out so he could see they weren't weapons.

 

I don't usually carry my FPs out of the country, primarily because my international trips tend to last a couple of weeks and I worry about losing them. That's just me, though.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[WaskiSquirrel]

If you plan seven pens and inks for seven days...why bother traveling? You'll never use it all!

 

I suggest 1-2 pens and 1-2 inks. Do not bring the original bottles. They may leak. My car has a lovely Noodler's Black stain on its floor because the one bottle I brought with me tipped over during the trip. I hate to think what the bottle might have done in a bag that was being slung around an airplane, whether checked luggage or carry-on. You may also get some trouble when the TSA inspects your luggage if you have that many bottles of ink. Put the ink in a secure bottle like a Nalgene bottle, and don't worry if you bring too little. You probably won't use it up. Also, put the bottle in double ziplock bags.

 

By the way: fill the pen to the top before flying. You may not have trouble, but you do not want to risk it. Air pressure changes do interesting things.

 

And while you're in Canada, don't be so caught up on the pens (which you get to enjoy at home) that you forget to truly experience everything Canada has to offer.

[de_pen_dent]

Ink your pens and take them... all this worrying about how to transport ink is simply not necessary.

 

Case in point: I am going on a 3+ week trip to Namibia next month - am taking 6 pens, fully inked. That should last me the entire time quite easily. You dont need to take 7 ink bottles for a 7 day trip.

Edited July 26, 2014 by de_pen_dent

[Chrissy]

If you must carry ink I recommend you try and find some Nalgene half ounce bottles. They will keep it safe without leaking, and you would have plenty of ink for 7 days. Heck I'm taking one to the US to last me for 19 days.

 

You still have to put it in a ziplock bag and pass it through security separately if you take it in your hand luggage. However, it should also be safe in your stowed luggage.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Chrissy

[Roberto Escritor]

I take a Pelikan 30ml bottle (containing whatever ink that I wish to use) and put it into a clear ziplock bag, which I then put in my ziplock bag that has all of my liquids. It has never been an issue. Enjoy your trip!

[Amyj]

If you have empty hotel shampoo bottles (twist, not flip cap and NOT conditioner bottles), put some ink in those, cover with plastic wrap and twist the cap on.

I've had no problem from TSA in my 4 recent plane trips carrying my fountain pens or ink cartridges, although I've been travelling to countries that still use these types of pens. Just make sure your pens are either empty or stored correctly before you take off, my brother got a hand full of ink from my Sheaffer 100 when he decided to look at it after my last flight.

[Sasha Royale]

I take a Pelikan 30ml bottle (containing whatever ink that I wish to use) and put it into a clear ziplock bag, which I then put in my ziplock bag that has all of my liquids. It has never been an issue. Enjoy your trip!

 

Ziplock bag inside another ziplock bag is an excellent idea. Ziplock bags are cheap. Double ziplock bagging, or even triple is

not a bad idea. Your clothes will appreciate the (paranoid) precaution.

 

As a college kid, I traveled in Europe. I packed the smallest tube of toothpaste available. When it ran low, I went to a shop and

bought something that I was sure to be toothpaste. Adds to the adventure.

 

You have an opportunity to try some other inks.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Sasha Royale

[e17]

7 pens for 7 days is an attractive idea to me...

 

But you could get around the bottle problem, I think. Why don't you ink before leaving your 7 pens with ink?

 

This way, no bottle to handle, small plastic containers, shampoo bottles, etc - I don't mean these ideas are bad, just trying to remove something from the equation.

 

My 2 cents... and "Welcome to Canada sir! Enjoy your stay."

 

 

edit: hum... after reading all the previous posts, I see I'm not the only one with this suggestion. It should be a good one, so .

Lol

Edited July 26, 2014 by e17

[blINK]

I went to Miami for a 3 day conference 2 weeks ago. I brought 4 pens, 2 regular size bottles of ink, 4 samples, my ink towel, syringes, journals. The whole nine. This was by car, btw. I figured I would be taking copious notes and would spend the evenings by the pool or in my room, looking at the water journaling.

 

I ended up using one pen and I didn't even use a ml of ink.

 

I only mention this because, like clothes, when I go away, I always overpack pens and ink. 7 pens and a bottle of ink seems like a lot to me. Unless, of course, your vacation is a dedicated writing trip.

 

I agree with the idea of inking up a few pens and going with those. The less to worry about, the better. That was my takeaway from my trip a couple of weeks ago.

[Icywolfe]

On board is a 10ml container or less in a zippy bag. Within another zippy bag if you are taking more than 1. Up to 3-4 I think.

 

I remember TSA being pissy about taking my Cross Cartridges on board. Even while one was in my pen. I never knew how little the other parts of the world uses fountain pen.

[RMN]

 

Well, these replies say I shouldn't bring bottles.

 

 

These say I can!

 

Now, I don't know what to do.

-William S. Park

Valuable lesson learned, William.

 

If you ask people for their opinions you will never get just one answer.

 

But that does not mean these answers are not valuable, as they all give a reasoning.

Study them, weigh them and then you decide for yourself. You're clever enough for a 13 yr old....

 

 

But a question to you: Why do you need 7 pens and 5 inks? What would happen if you bring only 1 pen and 1 ink?

 

 

D.ick

[Chrissy]

Well we aren't the ones who might get stopped and lose their ink bottles. So it matters much less to all of us than it might matter to you.

 

It's your ink and your decision at the end of the day. Good luck to you, and have a great vacation

[LWJ2]

I put my fountain pens in a ziplock bag in my checked luggage -- filled prior to leaving. On the plane, I carried my Parker 45 ballpoint. FWIW, I usually dress "business casual" when flying. Wear loafers, not lace-up shoes, and just send them thru the X-ray, I discovered my loafers have steel re-inforced shanks the hard way.

[Historian]

As others have said, you don't need 7 pens. I'm going on a three week trip to Greece and I'm taking a fully inked TWSBI Vac700 and, just in case, a bottle of ink.

 

I travel quite frequently by plane -- 6-7 times a year -- and I always wrap up the ink bottle in bubble wrap, put it in a plastic bag and shove it in a shoe or in the middle of a pile of clothes. Never had any problems.

[perth]

I've put inks in my check in luggage and have never had any problem before.

[Michigan]

I regularly travel with a 30ml Pelikan ink bottle (inside a ziploc bag for extra security) in my carry on bag. No problems to this day,

I used this solution for carry on luggage in the old days before security theater became a real drag at the airport. Since those changes, I have doubled up on Ziplocs and put it in my checked luggage.

[Buzz_130]

I travelled internationally once per month, and I brought my fountain pens on my trips. If you follow the rules about the bottle size (TSA will check the number of oz or ml), you'll have no problem getting through security.

 

I'll add on a similar comment to many above. Just bring a few pens full of ink, and you'll enjoy the vacation even more. I usually bring a 5 pen wrap with one of the spots filled with a matching pencil (Parker 51 or Sheaffer w/ military clip). Four pens, 1 pencil, lots of meetings, notes, bad paper... no problem. They are easy to keep in order, easy to place nib up during flight, and enough where I've never run out of ink. Enjoy the vacation!

 

Buzz

[amk]

I'd stick to cart fillers for carry-on though I know it cramps one's style. Never had a problem taking cartridges with me.

 

I have successfully brought ink back from trips to India and Thailand in checked baggage; the bottle inside the box, inside a plastic bag, inside another plastic bag, taped up, and all wrapped up inside my sleeping bag liner and towel in the middle of my rucksack. That worked. The idea of tucking a bottle in a shoe is another good one.

 

Another idea comes from my recent experience trekking in Iceland - knowing I'd have to wade across rivers, I invested in a waterproof bag for my camera from a mountaineering store. (A few shown on this web page, http://www.ellis-brigham.com/equipment/travel-equipment/dry-bags-and-waterproof-cases). Fortunately my camera didn't get dunked, but I did notice my notebook, also sat inside the bag, didn't get damp at all despite four days of successive rain and the fact that pretty much everything else in my backpack was on the moist side.

[Icywolfe]

I'd stick to cart fillers for carry-on though I know it cramps one's style. Never had a problem taking cartridges with me.

 

What is your home airport? Every time I took a non presealed (Presealed: Gel/Roller ball pen ) pen I remember the TSA jacking my cartridges that were in a zippy bag and in the open for TSA to see. (Last time it was in my bag a I had a armed police come up to me and asking what was that.....

Edited July 27, 2014 by Icywolfe

[ShallowJam]

I haven't flown with pens before but if I did I would fill them full, put them in ziplocs just in case, and take my inks in my carry on