# Replacement converters



## Muggsy1776 (Jul 31, 2011)

I made a fountain pen for a close friend of mine who is an avid fountain pen user.  I understand that after quite a lot of writing the converter has lost its ability to suck up the ink (a common problem as I understand).  It is a Jr pen and my question to the membership is who has good, high quality replacement converters? I don't want to replace it with one that will only wear out in a quick time of every day use.


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## juteck (Jul 31, 2011)

Exoticblanks has a few to choose from.....

http://www.exoticblanks.com/index.p...rt&page=shop.browse&category_id=130&Itemid=60


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## PenMan1 (Jul 31, 2011)

The best "converter" I have found is the Schmidt. It comes standard with the higher end component sets or can be ordered "stand alone" for around $5.

Since the birth of Private Reserve International ink cartridges, virtually all of my FP customers have changed over. You may want to try some of the cartridges (available from several vendors here). It is quality ink and eliminates the hassles and dirty hands that come with using an ink pump.


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## ed4copies (Jul 31, 2011)

"They say" the Schmidt converter is excellent.

Apparently Schmidt heard them, cause they are also pricey, compared to others.

True fountain affectionados may already have a favorite--you might ask your customer what he would like.   
Just a thought!!


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## Chthulhu (Jul 31, 2011)

Schmidt makes many of the converters offered by fountain pen manufacturers. They're probably the best of those that fit the "international standard" used in kit fountain pens. They're considerably more reliable than the ones you find in packs of five or ten from eBay sellers and pen kit suppliers, and they can be user-serviced as well: the metal collar at the knob end unscrews to allow access to the piston for cleaning and relubricating, which is usually all that's needed to make the things work well again.

The drawback to most converters is that they tend to hold less ink than their respective cartridges.

Serious writers would be more likely to buy pens with built-in piston filling mechanisms and much greater ink capacities. Who, when seriously engaged in writing, wants to have to stop and refill often? A standard short cartridge holds only about 0.7 ml of ink; a matching converter holds a bit less. Self-filling pens hold *much* more ink.


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## ed4copies (Jul 31, 2011)

PenMan1 said:


> The best "converter" I have found is the Schmidt. It comes standard with the higher end component sets or can be ordered "stand alone" for around $5.
> 
> Since the birth of Private Reserve International ink cartridges, virtually all of my FP customers have changed over. You may want to try some of the cartridges (available from several vendors here). It is quality ink and eliminates the hassles and dirty hands that come with using an ink pump.




Thanks Andy!!!

I never realized that!!  But I checked and you are absolutely correct--the converter IS SCHMIDT labeled!!  While I rarely praise Dayacom, this IS a nice "value added"!!


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## IPD_Mrs (Jul 31, 2011)

We also carry converters at www.indy-pen-dance.com/Piston-Converter.html . We do have the Schmidt piston converter's as well. There are at least TWO different kinds of Schmidt piston converters, the ones that come with the higher end kits are the "cheaper" of the two as I understand it. We carry the higher quality one. 


Linda


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## ed4copies (Jul 31, 2011)

To this point I had not mentioned that Exotics sells them, but I guess it must be ok, huh??

Yes, we do.


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## IPD_Mrs (Jul 31, 2011)

Muggsy1776 said:


> It is a Jr pen and my question to the membership is *who has* good, high quality replacement converters?


 

As stated above, the question asked is what was responded to.  This isn't a vendor classified advertisement so I don't think there was any reason I should not have answered that question with a truthful answer - we carry the item(s) in question.    

Linda


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## ed4copies (Jul 31, 2011)

Then you won't mind if I add that we have SEVERAL different designs, some sourced from Private Reserve, some from other sources.  Schmidt does offer several variations and we stock most of them.

http://www.exoticblanks.com/index.p...tegory_id=130&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=60

This is the "gold banded" which Schmidt considers the "high end".  We also offer others, but we don't want to clutter with links.

Couldn't agree more!!


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## maxwell_smart007 (Jul 31, 2011)

This vendor bickering needs to stop right now...It's childish, to say the least.  Keep all commerce to the appropriate forums, please, and we'll all be happier.  

Andrew
assistant moderator


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