Eyedropper Pen Filling

[inkstainedruth]

Blunt syringes: Plenty of choices available on Amazon - very inexpensive.

 

Eyedropper - stainless steel: Here's a different eyedropper question:

 

I 'm aware that metal pens are not recommended for use as eyedropper pens because of concerns that the metal will react with the ink and both corrode the pen and contaminate the ink. This makes sense with pens made of aluminum and brass, which are quite reactive, but would a stainless steel pen be suitable for use as an eyedropper pen?

 

I dunno. I use glass or plastic eyedroppers, which are pretty inexpensive, and easily washed out.

Ruth Morrisson @yahoo.com

[inkstainedruth]

There are multiple different sorts of stainless steel. Some start rusting the moment container of water wanders past, others will withstand the sea (especially useful on boats...).

 

Were you to have a pen with parts made of marine grade S/S, and you used pH neutral inks, and there were no other metals in the ink path (except for the nib, which is usually electrically isolated from the rest of the pen), then you should have no problems.

 

OTOH, it's going to be pretty heavy.

 

I ran into this a few years ago when I was looking for food-grade stainless steel wire for a project. I went to a place that sold metal sheeting and wire and asked and they were like "No idea..." So I went to a restaurant supply and said "Is x type of stainless steel wire safe to be used around food?" And they didn't know either, but looked through various catalogs for me. And the stuff I was considering turned out to be the same type of steel as what is used for steam table trays, as it happened. So I went back to the metal sales place and said "Yes, this is what I need." They asked "How much of it do you need?" and I said, "About five feet...." And they handed it to me and basically said, "Go. Just. Go...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[dcwaites]

 

I ran into this a few years ago when I was looking for food-grade stainless steel wire for a project. I went to a place that sold metal sheeting and wire and asked and they were like "No idea..." So I went to a restaurant supply and said "Is x type of stainless steel wire safe to be used around food?" And they didn't know either, but looked through various catalogs for me. And the stuff I was considering turned out to be the same type of steel as what is used for steam table trays, as it happened. So I went back to the metal sales place and said "Yes, this is what I need." They asked "How much of it do you need?" and I said, "About five feet...." And they handed it to me and basically said, "Go. Just. Go...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Given that these guys probably deal with it by the mile...

[inkstainedruth]

 

Given that these guys probably deal with it by the mile...

 

Yeah, that was kinda the impression I got...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ada]

Thanks for the explanation, Noihvo. I was curious because it never occurred to me to use anything other than an eyedropper, but I don’t use cartridges and had several eyedroppers for some reason or another long before I had any eyedropper pens.

[Goudy]

I normally fill using a long pipette. If I'm travelling with the pen I take a small eyedropper bottle full of ink, protected inside an old bakelite bottle holder in case it leaks. The holder doubles as a stand for the pen when filling.

 

[Arkanabar]

I use transfer pipettes.

 

http://www.lcmlab.com/Transfer_Pipettes_s/80.htm

As do I. The 3ml pipettes typically sold by retailers like the Goulet Pen Co. and Anderson Pens can also be used to refill Pilot cartridges (once you remove the little sealing disc) and Platinum cartridges. It's possible that some of the really fine-tipped transfer pipettes (e.g., these or these) could refill even international cartridges.