Learning not to fill the pen until it is full

[Isaac]

I have a bad habit of completely filling up pens. I really do not use pens as often as I once did. When I received my Edison Menlo, I filled it to the brim with Montblanc British Racing Green. Now this color is discontinued, and I have been using the pen for a good 2-3 weeks. I want to flush the pen out, but it still has a good deal of ink, which means ill be wasting the ink. I dont want to return it to the mothership, in fear of contaminants.

So word to the wise. Unless you know your gonna finish a fill, dont fill it to the top.

 

[andrew98]

Maybe empty the contents into a sample vial and put it back into that pen later if you ever feel like it?

-Andy

 

[Dave258]

I used to do the same thing, Isaac. Try to fill the pen until it was completely topped off. I realized the same thing you did, the ink lasts a long time!

 

[Slivovitz]

Since I decided to reduce the number of simultaneously inked pens, I've had a similar thought, particularly when filling up a piston filler. I haven't used my TWSBI ROC 100 in quite a while, but it holds a heck of a lot of ink.

Some of my vintage lever fillers don't keep me waiting all that long before they're empty, particularly the ones that don't have fine nibs. On the other hand, I got 40 journal sized pages out of one of my vintage Conklin Crescents. With sac fillers in general, I have found ways to measure how much ink they take in, but you can't really tell how much you have left.

Much as I understand wanting to empty a pen to move on to the next ink, this is all very much a hobbyist's perspective. From a practical point of view, the longer it lasts on one fill, the better.

 

[milkmanv1]

I also learned this just recently, but for a different reason.

I only filled my Hero halfway or so on it's first inking, it ran through the ink pretty quick, so for my next inking I filled it to the top...and it leaks into the cap when it's that full!

Another day, another lesson learned. AND another reason why chinese pens are so inexpensive.

 

[nemo]

I haven't filled a large capacity pen all the way for over 10 years. My Pelikans usually only get 40%.

Little lever fillers with a #16 sac are a different story.

 

[Eeyore]

I only filled my Hero halfway or so on it's first inking, it ran through the ink pretty quick, so for my next inking I filled it to the top...and it leaks into the cap when it's that full!

Another day, another lesson learned. AND another reason why chinese pens are so inexpensive.

The same will happen with an expensive Parker 51.

That is why you must blot the feed after filling. Especially important on pens with a (partly) hidden nib. People used to have an "inktlap" (don't know the English word) for that purpose.

(not targeted at you ... but the knowledge that the previous generations had about filling and using fountain pens, is rapidly becoming obscure nowadays, unfortunately).

 

[milkmanv1]

The same will happen with an expensive Parker 51.

That is why you must blot the feed after filling. Especially important on pens with a (partly) hidden nib. People used to have an "inktlap" (don't know the English word) for that purpose.

(not targeted at you ... but the knowledge that the previous generations had about filling and using fountain pens, is rapidly becoming obscure nowadays, unfortunately).

I don't feel singled out at all! I'm a fountain pen noob and will have to learn what some older people would find commonplace on my own. At 20, fountain pens are lost upon most people of my generation, but it's amazing what a fine writing instrument will inspire you to do (caligraphy, improving penmanship, and pen-and-ink drawings.)

Sorry for some minor thread jacking!

 

[Eeyore]

A great thing of online forums is that a lot of information can still be found. I think fountain pen usage is a bit like wet shaving. Not that I propose shaving with your Parker pens

 

[Isaac]

Ive tried dipping my pens today. I had a few letters to get out, and used three different pens. Hopefully the cleanup is not a hassle, and I only really used what I needed.

 

[andrew98]

Ive tried dipping my pens today. I had a few letters to get out, and used three different pens. Hopefully the cleanup is not a hassle, and I only really used what I needed.

No more hassle than it normally is to flush out a pen. I can't imagine dipping ink out of a Noodler's or Pelikan bottle. The odds of me tipping one of those over would be pretty high. Diamine ink bottles, on the other hand, would be better able to resist my unintentional efforts to spill ink.

I too hardly ever fill piston fillers all the way. It takes forever to use up that much ink, and I usually want to move on to another pen before I empty even a Pelikan M200.

-Andy

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I am so experiencing this right now... darn pistons!

 

[oc_in_fw]

I am so experiencing this right now... darn pistons!

I only have one piston filler- my M200. It will get Pelikan Blue-Black exclusively from now on, if I can help it. I will save ink rotations for CC pens.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I only have one piston filler- my M200. It will get Pelikan Blue-Black exclusively from now on, if I can help it. I will save ink rotations for CC pens.

But it is my favorite

I need to just get another BB and get it ground