I am wondering if someone can help me understand how to use a bladder filler. I am frustrated because I cannot "see" how much ink is in the bladder. A few times I thought I had filled the pen properly but it turned out I had only wet the nib. It seems I can only get ink into the bladder if I "pump" it, but I guess that injects ink back into the bottle, which risks contamination. Should I make my peace with the bladder or just see if I can find a piston version that fits? Any thoughts would be most welcome, and thank-you in advance!
Bladder Trouble
- Thread starter BentonClay
- Start date
When you say "bladder filler" - do you mean a lever-fill older pen, or a converter that is squeeze-style?
- Thread starter
- #3
Squeeze-style converter
I'd suggest a piston-style converter, what pen?
- Thread starter
- #5
It is a Fuliwen of which I cannot determine the model number.
So, are you saying I can freely swap in a different kind of converter? I guess that should have been obvious to me. If I can swap in a cartridge, why not an alternate converter!
I guess I would have liked to use the bladder filler because it looks like it has a larger capacity than a piston.
So, are you saying I can freely swap in a different kind of converter? I guess that should have been obvious to me. If I can swap in a cartridge, why not an alternate converter!
I guess I would have liked to use the bladder filler because it looks like it has a larger capacity than a piston.
You need patience. Be sure you have the pen inserted deeply enough into the ink so the filling hole is covered. Squeeze the nib. You can do so before or after inserting into the ink bottle. Release the squeeze bar and wait 3 or 4 seconds to allow the ink to be drawn in. The first squeeze won’t fill the sac fully. With the pen still in the bottle squeeze again. Again wait 3 or 4 seconds. You should be close to full. If you’ve flushed the pen and let it dry before filling then there isn’t anything in the sac to be squeezed into the bottle on the first squeeze. On the subsequent squeezes the only thing you’re putting back in the bottle is ink that you just took out.
If you suspect bladder problems,
#1) See your doctor
If you think your pen might have bladder problems,
#2) Fully flush your pen before refilling to avoid any chance of cross-contamination
#3) You know you have your pen as full as it will get when your squeeze does not expel any air bubbles
#1) See your doctor
If you think your pen might have bladder problems,
#2) Fully flush your pen before refilling to avoid any chance of cross-contamination
#3) You know you have your pen as full as it will get when your squeeze does not expel any air bubbles
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
I would call that an “aerometric” converter. They are artifacts of the day and age when you didn’t need to know exactly how much ink was in the pen because you just filled it up ever couple of days or so from the same bottle, probably blue or black. I rather like the aerometric converter on my Pilot Metro; it is super easy to clean. Anyway, fill it just like @Ted A said and you’ll be fine.
If you want higher capacity, use a long international cartridge (assuming it takes international), and then refill cartridges with a syringe - otherwise as stated above... 
- Thread starter
- #10
Thanks for all the suggestions. I didn't think about the element of time. I assumed the ink would rush in instantly. And tip about bubbles... golden!
As already stated, put pen in ink above the fill hole, squeeze and wait a few seconds, repeat. An alternate way if you want, fill as described once, remove pen and invert (nib up), gently squeeze until ink starts to come out, reinsert into ink while holding squeeze bars and fill rest of the way up. But the first way shoudl be sufficient enough.
I give it a good "full" squeeze, insert nib feeder hole into ink, release the squeeze on the converter, and then ... wait. It takes a bit of time for the converter to slowly expand and pull ink into the pen.
When I first started using that style of converter, I had the same problem as the OP. Adopting this method helped a lot.
... depends.
When I first started using that style of converter, I had the same problem as the OP. Adopting this method helped a lot.
If you suspect bladder problems,
#1) See your doctor
... depends.
