# Fountain Pen ink resivoir options



## Andrew_K99 (Jun 22, 2012)

I've been reading a lot about fountain pens but my knowledge is still quite limited, so bare with me.

There are quite a few different resivoirs opinions including the seldom mentioned ink cartridge.  This has led me to wonder, are ink cartridges a faux pas for fountain pen affectionados?  Are the other options (convertors, bulb filler, etc.) more acceptable?  Is there one that you would consider the most accepted?

Thanks
Andrew


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## IPD_Mr (Jun 22, 2012)

Here is the problem with cartridges. Us fountain pen nutz like to play with ink and we like our ink in a bottle not some plastic tube.   :biggrin:  Also a good bulb filler, button filler, piston (not converter) and vacuum pens actually will hold more ink than the cartridges. Bottle ink is also cheaper by far. I fill my vacumatic a little more than twice a week at work. That is about a cartridge package a month. Anywhere from $3. to $6. I get several months out of a bottle.  Yes there is a convenience to cartridges for things like travel but you will find most FP people just plain prefer bottles over plastic tubes.


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## watch_art (Jun 22, 2012)

carts are not hated by all -- some folks refill them with syringes and some even have little rubber plugs or use hot glue to seal them with again.
a lot of people who use the Pilot Capless (vanishing point) keep and refill the carts with their preferred inks b/c the converters hold so little ink.


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## penmaker56 (Jun 22, 2012)

To add to what everyone else is saying, the ink in plastic cartridges does evaporate (thru osmosis) over a long extended storage period. But, if they are being used in a daily writer, it shouldn't be a problem.


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## Brooks803 (Jun 22, 2012)

watch_art said:


> carts are not hated by all -- some folks refill them with syringes and some even have little rubber plugs or use hot glue to seal them with again.
> a lot of people who use the Pilot Capless (vanishing point) keep and refill the carts with their preferred inks b/c the converters hold so little ink.


 
I'm going to have to look into this some more. I bought at Pilot vanishing point at the ATL pen show and that converter holds so little ink I run out ALL THE TIME!


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## paintspill (Jun 22, 2012)

i've been using bottle ink since i switched to a fountain pens about a year ago and just put a cartridge for the first time last week. they both seem to perform about the same although i found the cartridge to not be as rich a black but i'm sure theres different kinds. i will agree with the playing with ink comment above. however i do put a cartridge in all the fountain pens i sell so people can use it right away and include the filler part should they want to switch


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## Texatdurango (Jun 22, 2012)

paintspill said:


> i've been using bottle ink since i switched to a fountain pens about a year ago and just put a cartridge for the first time last week. they both seem to perform about the same although i found the cartridge to not be as rich a black but i'm sure theres different kinds. i will agree with the playing with ink comment above. however i do put a cartridge in all the fountain pens i sell so people can use it right away and include the filler part should they want to switch


There is a vast difference between the ink that comes with the pen kit cartridges and good quality ink cartridges.

I used to laugh at those who tool out the kit nibs and trashed them as being wasteful BUT..... I will not use the "kit" cartridges for anything and do toss them in the trash.

I have not tried a lot of different cartridges because I started using Private Reserve and liked it so haven't found any reason to switch.  

One of the prizes I got during the birthday bash was a bottle of Blue/Black "Everflow" ink from IndyPenDance.  If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing! 

Playing around, I made a "shortie" pocket pen a few years ago that only uses cartridges so I bought an ink syringe and use the Everflow ink in a cartridge........ pretty ink!


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## carpblaster (Jul 24, 2012)

I read where if you put the ink cartridge in a jar of water , it will last longer,like a balloon,at first its hard then air seeps thru the plastic, while in water it cant evaporate because the water wont let the air in the ink catridge seep out, I keep all mine in water
carpblaster


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## Chasper (Jul 24, 2012)

Yet another consideration, with cartridges the ink flow is one directional; always out.  With bottled ink it is drawn in and then flows out.  The two way flow thru the feeder assembly contributes to preventing clogs.  I've used the same fountain pen with bottled ink  for as much as a full year without disassembling and cleaning.


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