What pen(s) are you using today?

[Misfit]

I honestly thought it was common to fill through the nib. 

[Estycollector]

Early '30's Esterbrook "Dollar Pen". 

 

 

[Penguincollector]

  Through the nib is how I was taught to fill my pens, also helps to prime the feed. I also clean and rotate my pens often, so they’re always clean going into the ink bottle or miser. 
 

  Today I got to use a lot of other people’s pens- a Urushi’d Platinum President F, a Pelikan 100 N in OBB, a giant Magna Carta of some sort,  an MB 146 IB, and a Pelikan old style M800 BB stubbed by Masuyama. There were a few more, but I wrote in someone else’s notebook per their request so I don’t remember. 

[inkstainedruth]

Today has been a blue black sort of day:

1) Parker Vacumatic Red Shadow Wave, F nib -- Waterman Mysterious Blue.

2) Pelikan M205 Blue Marbled, M nib -- Pelikan Blue-Black.

3) Sailor 1911S Loch Ness Monster, MF nib -- Sailor Souboku

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Gloucesterman]

5 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

Flushing the converter through the nib (as I commonly do) would flush out any detritus lingering in the converter, feed, or nib.

Thanks for pointing out what I omitted. My original idea was referring to someone mentioning refilling with the same ink and therefore flushing/refilling using the same ink bottle. From the perspective of flushing the pen with water, I usually remove the converter after one or two flush cycles and then soak the pen, nib down, in a small cup of water. Depending on whether I change color/inks, I will run at least one rubber (baby) bulb of water through the nib (lower pressure) until it runs clear.

[USG]

13 hours ago, Misfit said:

I fill most pens through the nib. The exceptions are when I want to reuse a cartridge, and with recessed nibs. My Kaweco had a different ink in it, and the converter was empty. There was likely some of the former ink left, since I didn’t clean the pen. 

 

8 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I could be wrong, but I think filling through the nib means that a greater volume of ink passes through the feed in a much shorter period. That suggests to me that there would be some 'cleaning' or flushing effect. 

 

6 hours ago, Gloucesterman said:

My thoughts would be similar.

 

In addition, filling through the nib would also mean that any paper dust contaminants that were on the nib are flushed into the ink container - even if the amount is minuscule.

The are pros and cons to both sides of the action.

Just my two cents worth...

 

3 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

Flushing the converter through the nib (as I commonly do) would flush out any detritus lingering in the converter, feed, or nib.

 

3 hours ago, Mercian said:

The general consensus is that filling (and flushing) through the nib does improve the effectiveness of cleaning, because it ‘attacks’ any sediment/gunk in/from two directions instead of just one, and so is more-likely to dislodge it.

If I recall correctly, it is @Ron Z’s recommended filling method.

 

That said, do look at what Gloucesterman wrote above (although one could minimise the chances of that happening by placing the nib in running water prior to re-filling).

 

I’d add that filling one’s pen through the nib removes the prospect of causing unnecessary/accidental wear-&-tear when constantly unscrewing and re-screwing the nib/feed unit.
Of course, you may have no need to fear that occurring, but I am a Weapons-grade scapegrace klutz, and so am somewhat wary of undertaking any more dis-/re-assembly than is really necessary 😉

 

1 hour ago, Misfit said:

I honestly thought it was common to fill through the nib. 

 

So let me think about this:

What about the large amount of expensive ink that gets absorbed in the tissue wiping off the nib and feed after a fill, never mind the mess it makes?  The price of ink was never a factor in the old days but now, it's a consideration.  I've read that some people put the ink back in the bottle if they want to change inks, rather than flush it down the drain... a process I always thought had the potential to contaminate the whole bottle.

 

Anyway, what about cartridge converter pens.  Aside from the people here, the cartridge converter public probably has more pens than we can count that never were fed through the nib.  I know that through the years I've used and refilled countless cartridges, never drawing ink up through the nib.  I have no idea if that hurt my pens.

 

Then there are the designers and manufacturers who came up with cartridges and the fact that there are more cartridge converter pens than any other kind.  With my recent interest in inks, I perfer converter pens for their ease of cleaning and ease of refilling withe a syringe.

 

What about all those ink bottles with mouths so small that you can't get a nib into them. That's right Diamine, I'm talking about you...  Every time I try, I keep hearing those Dylan lines, "Ain't it clear that I just can't fit".  How was I going to get ink from one of those little bottles into a Sailor KOP or one of those 149 clones, the X159s that I'm currently using for ink evaluations...

 

It's completely logical to fill through the nib and I suppose I should do it more often.  In fact the other day I put a little Polar Glow into an M800, (through the nib), so I could compare it to a sample of Nitrogen, (that I had to syringe into an X159).

 

 

[Baka1969]

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

I honestly thought it was common to fill through the nib. 

So did I. I fill through the nib also. 

[Baka1969]

47 minutes ago, USG said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let me think about this:

What about the large amount of expensive ink that gets absorbed in the tissue wiping off the nib and feed after a fill, never mind the mess it makes?  The price of ink was never a factor in the old days but now, it's a consideration.  I've read that some people put the ink back in the bottle if they want to change inks, rather than flush it down the drain... a process I always thought had the potential to contaminate the whole bottle.

 

Anyway, what about cartridge converter pens.  Aside from the people here, the cartridge converter public probably has more pens than we can count that never were fed through the nib.  I know that through the years I've used and refilled countless cartridges, never drawing ink up through the nib.  I have no idea if that hurt my pens.

 

Then there are the designers and manufacturers who came up with cartridges and the fact that there are more cartridge converter pens than any other kind.  With my recent interest in inks, I perfer converter pens for their ease of cleaning and ease of refilling withe a syringe.

 

What about all those ink bottles with mouths so small that you can't get a nib into them. That's right Diamine, I'm talking about you...  Every time I try, I keep hearing those Dylan lines, "Ain't it clear that I just can't fit".  How was I going to get ink from one of those little bottles into a Sailor KOP or one of those 149 clones, the X159s that I'm currently using for ink evaluations...

 

It's completely logical to fill through the nib and I suppose I should do it more often.  In fact the other day I put a little Polar Glow into an M800, (through the nib), so I could compare it to a sample of Nitrogen, (that I had to syringe into an X159).

 

 

I'd be quite interested in your findings. I'm a fan of the Organic Studios Nitrogen color. It's one of my favorites. My biggest issue with the ink is that it is not waterproof or resistant. It bleeds when you even mention the word water to it. Which is a shame because it severely limits its use for me. Please keep us updated. 

[Misfit]

I’m using the Kaweco Sport Classic in red with a 1.1mm stub nib filled with Diamine Blue Edition Ho Ho Ho. 

[A Smug Dill]

[Particular_Song3539]

@A Smug Dill that eye blinding red is so heavy on the "Chinese New Year" vibe but surprisingly it looks good with the black color.

I am surprised you didn't use a reddish and more festival color tone though 

[AmandaW]

14 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

❤️

[Misfit]

I like @A Smug Dill’s new avatar. As someone born during the year of the dragon, I’m enjoying learning more about this year’s wood dragon. I am a wood dragon by birth. I learned about the azure dragon which ties in to the wood uh, season. It’s not that, I just forgot the English word that was suggested to describe the elements. Wuxing is the category name, with changing states of being as the suggested English understanding. 

[Misfit]

48 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

I think your Twist is redder than my candy apple red Twist with lime grip. 

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, USG said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let me think about this:

What about the large amount of expensive ink that gets absorbed in the tissue wiping off the nib and feed after a fill, never mind the mess it makes?  The price of ink was never a factor in the old days but now, it's a consideration.  I've read that some people put the ink back in the bottle if they want to change inks, rather than flush it down the drain... a process I always thought had the potential to contaminate the whole bottle.

 

Anyway, what about cartridge converter pens.  Aside from the people here, the cartridge converter public probably has more pens than we can count that never were fed through the nib.  I know that through the years I've used and refilled countless cartridges, never drawing ink up through the nib.  I have no idea if that hurt my pens.

 

Then there are the designers and manufacturers who came up with cartridges and the fact that there are more cartridge converter pens than any other kind.  With my recent interest in inks, I perfer converter pens for their ease of cleaning and ease of refilling withe a syringe.

 

What about all those ink bottles with mouths so small that you can't get a nib into them. That's right Diamine, I'm talking about you...  Every time I try, I keep hearing those Dylan lines, "Ain't it clear that I just can't fit".  How was I going to get ink from one of those little bottles into a Sailor KOP or one of those 149 clones, the X159s that I'm currently using for ink evaluations...

 

It's completely logical to fill through the nib and I suppose I should do it more often.  In fact the other day I put a little Polar Glow into an M800, (through the nib), so I could compare it to a sample of Nitrogen, (that I had to syringe into an X159).

 

 

I genuinely believe most pen users fill through the nib. Firstly, it is simple and easy to do.  Secondly, any of us who have used lever, button, or piston filled pens are used to filling through the nib. Thirdly, It -- at least in my mind saves feed wear and tear (removing and refitting the converter or cartridge) over the long term (read many years).  That said, I appreciate that there are members of this community to always syringe fill their pens.

 

In reply to the first highlighted with bold print question above, I appreciate that many here use inks much more expensive (and possibly rare) than the Diamine and Blackbird inks I use.  I also appreciate that inflation may impact our love of pens and inks. To the latter, my son in California tells me that inflation there has motivated banks to begin dispensing USD 50 instead of the USD 20s they were dispensing.  That said, I have to say I doubt that the amount of ink I wipe off of a nib after filling is 'large'.  I suspect that it amounts to 1ml or 2ml at the most.  It would be interesting to have someone actually test how much is wasted.

 

Speaking to the second bold highlighted statement, I assume you refer to those who have cartridge converter pens and only use cartridges.  Working on that assumption i suspect that they -- as I did in my school days -- simply replace an empty cartridge with a new, full one and (as I did in my long-ago school days) occasionally rinse the nib with running water.

 

Regarding your comments about ink bottles with small mouths (highlighted in bold).  You mentioned Diamine, which I commonly use.  The 30ml bottle (Diamine Oxford Blue) is the smallest I have.  The nibs on the Onoto Magna and CS Churchill have the largest nib/feeds I have and both fit into the 30ml bottle.  I have to guess that the Sailor KOP or a 149 clone (neither of which I possess) feeds must be significantly larger.

[Misfit]

I don’t know if it’s advisable, but I “wipe” my nib and feed on the ink bottle lip.  It does often require wiping the section. I sometimes use a small stream of water to clean off a section. 

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, Particular_Song3539 said:

I am surprised you didn't use a reddish and more festival color tone though

 

It didn't make the cut for my selection of Chinese New Year pens:

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Misfit said:

I like @A Smug Dill’s new avatar.

 

Thanks. That was something I drew for the stickman thread a while ago; and I thought it would be a better avatar for this week, being Chinese New Year and all, than the well from The Ring. 😰

[Baka1969]

[Misfit]

@A Smug Dill That is a great grouping of pens. I like the looks of all of them. 
 

I got a very heavy Jinhao 999 double dragon pen for the Year of  the Dragon. 

[USG]

3 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I genuinely believe most pen users fill through the nib. Firstly, it is simple and easy to do.  Secondly, any of us who have used lever, button, or piston filled pens are used to filling through the nib. Thirdly, It -- at least in my mind saves feed wear and tear (removing and refitting the converter or cartridge) over the long term (read many years).  That said, I appreciate that there are members of this community to always syringe fill their pens.

 

In reply to the first highlighted with bold print question above, I appreciate that many here use inks much more expensive (and possibly rare) than the Diamine and Blackbird inks I use.  I also appreciate that inflation may impact our love of pens and inks. To the latter, my son in California tells me that inflation there has motivated banks to begin dispensing USD 50 instead of the USD 20s they were dispensing.  That said, I have to say I doubt that the amount of ink I wipe off of a nib after filling is 'large'.  I suspect that it amounts to 1ml or 2ml at the most.  It would be interesting to have someone actually test how much is wasted.

 

Speaking to the second bold highlighted statement, I assume you refer to those who have cartridge converter pens and only use cartridges.  Working on that assumption i suspect that they -- as I did in my school days -- simply replace an empty cartridge with a new, full one and (as I did in my long-ago school days) occasionally rinse the nib with running water.

 

Regarding your comments about ink bottles with small mouths (highlighted in bold).  You mentioned Diamine, which I commonly use.  The 30ml bottle (Diamine Oxford Blue) is the smallest I have.  The nibs on the Onoto Magna and CS Churchill have the largest nib/feeds I have and both fit into the 30ml bottle.  I have to guess that the Sailor KOP or a 149 clone (neither of which I possess) feeds must be significantly larger.

 

Well said @ParramattaPaul.  We had similar school experiences.  😀

 

My only comments are:  a 1mm loss is a lot for a 2mm sample and good luck filling from the nib in those small vials.  I never thought of using anything but a syringe or an eye dropper in the samples.  In fact I like eye droppers a lot.  Easier to clean than a syringe.  I use them to refill my wide mouth Pilot and Sailor cartridges and converters or where ever else they fit.

 

I think that I've spent so many years wiping ink off the nib and section that precision filling, using a syringe or eye dropper, has a kind of clinical appeal.

 

Anyway, I'm not locked into any one style.😀👍