# Convertor or Cartridge?



## micah (Jan 10, 2012)

Hey guys! I've made a few fountain here and there for friends and have always just used the cartridges. They just seemed like the easier way and since I am fountain pen ignorant I just assumed they work just as well. 
My question, is there any reason to use the convertor rather than the cartridges?


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## joefyffe (Jan 10, 2012)

A lot better selection of Inks.  Inks and papers are to fountain pen users like rubber is to Goodyear!  Do a Google for Private Reserve Ink.


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## MartinPens (Jan 10, 2012)

Ditto,
I include the cartridge, but it likely just gets tossed by the avid fountain pen user. Same thing with the standard nibs. I go with a Bock nib. I thought of purchasing the Private Reserve cartridges for the fountain pens, but wasn't sure about the expense vs the interest. Any thoughts on that?

Regards

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## PenMan1 (Jan 10, 2012)

I usually sell between 1,000 -2,000 pens per year.  This year I sold nearly 500 fountain pens (THAT's a big FP year for us).

I GIVE AWAY a free Schmidt high end converter AND a coupon for completely FREE bottle of high quality ink to every customer. This year, I had 6 customers that took the converters and 2 that cashed in the free ink coupon ( and ITS REALLY EASY TO REDEEM).

Both of those customers are European and what I call "Iron Block Europeans ( formally East Germany).

Before Schmidt (Private Reserve), International cartridge ink was pure junk that would clog a quality pen. AS one customer put it " I just want to write with a nice pen and good ink. I DON'T want to carry around a suitcase to service my pen, and I DON'T want to end up with stained hands EVERY TIME I refill the pen".

I make a custom "nostalgic" pen with no "bling" that resembles a Parker 21. It is a bulb filler and costs $75. WHEN it sells (rarely) it is to the "Iron Blockers". Apparently they don't care for bling and don't mind carrying the "suitcase".

My suggestions is to "86" the bottled ink, keep a few converters for the 1-2 customers that want them and work a deal with an ink distributor that will ship your customer free ink. Wanna know the cost and hassle of carrying bottled ink? IT'S RIDICULOUS and IT DOESN'T SELL at my shows.

Private Reserve cartridges work WELL for me.


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## MartinPens (Jan 10, 2012)

Wow! 
Thank you for that. I will need to rethink this. I will buy some Private Reserve cartridges and see how it goes.
Thanks

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## chrisk (Jan 11, 2012)

Before making any decision please consider the following issue: http://www.penturners.org/forum/f50/incompatible-converters-jr-gents-75505/

After a few bad experiences with those "not sitting well" or "not filling" converters I decided at least temporarily to abandon the converters. But I still wait for a definitive solution from Dayacom...

Anyway I found out that here the converters unconditionals are quite scarce.

@PenMan1
Andy do you think that the Pelikan and Waterman International cartridges aren't reliable? I use those products (I give a couple of cartridges for free with each F/p) for they are easy to find here but if you had bad experiences with those cartridges I'm ready to reconsider.


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## ashaw (Jan 11, 2012)

All my fountain pens come with 6 cartridges plus convertor.


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## PenMan1 (Jan 11, 2012)

Chris:
I've had little experience using Pelikan ink in Dayacom feeds. Pelikan is difficult to get here and requires an Internet order or a trip to a specialty store, over 100 miles away.

Waterman ink works well and flows nicely and is available at more locations. But again, it's the "specialty store" thing. I have to pay more than two times what I pay for Private Reserve. IMHO, the Private Reserve flows as well as Waterman. I can actually make a few dollars selling the Private Reserve at discounted pricing.

The "shelf ink" that is available at the few office suppy stores here will actually clog my pens. It appears similar to the "free" cartridge that comes with component sets.


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## chrisk (Jan 11, 2012)

ashaw said:


> All my fountain pens come with 6 cartridges plus convertor.



Do you simply offer the converter (or cartridge) or do you install them asking the customer to try the pen? Personnally: 1) I adjust the nib before 2) installing the cartridge 3) ask the customer to try and 4) generally readjust the flow ink. Every time I did this process with a converter, especially (but not only) for a JrGentII Fountain pen... what a mess! The converters (either Schmidt ones or those sold by Lou Metcalf) simply don't fit. This issue is explained in the link above and aknowledged by a CSUSA representative...



PenMan1 said:


> Chris:
> I've had little experience using Pelikan ink in Dayacom feeds. Pelikan is difficult to get here and requires an Internet order or a trip to a specialty store, over 100 miles away.
> 
> Waterman ink works well and flows nicely and is available at more locations. But again, it's the "specialty store" thing. I have to pay more than two times what I pay for Private Reserve. IMHO, the Private Reserve flows as well as Waterman. I can actually make a few dollars selling the Private Reserve at discounted pricing.
> ...



The opposite for me as far as the Pelikan cartridges are concerned: easy to find and cheap. I have the same problem as you with Waterman: twice as much and specialty store thing. As for the Private Reserve ones, I cannot simply find them here.


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## PenMan1 (Jan 11, 2012)

Chris:
In Brussels, Private Reserve is likely to be sold as Schmidt. If you can't find the Schmidt, please PM me. My sister worked in Brussels and still has contacts there. If you are interested, we may be able to get some to you.


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## micah (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys! I think I may stick to cartridges for now.
What do you think about J. Herbin ink vs. Private Reserve? Is the extra cost worth it?
Also, I will definitely be using the Bock nibs.


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## PenMan1 (Jan 11, 2012)

One of the members here,  Goulet Pens, used to sell the Herbin ink. He is likely your best source for information on that brand. 

I only know that J. Herbin is difficult to get here (again, the 100 mile trip or specialty order). For me, there are other quality inks that are available through vendors here (Exotic Blanks, Classic Nibs, Indy Pen Dance are a few) at discounted pricing. Each of the vendors I named will be happy to discuss the different inks with you.

I like using the products of the vendors here. First, most, if not all, are penmakers and understand our needs. Secondly, they can have the product to me very quickly (or directly to my customer, if I need it really fast). And finally, they offer pricing so that I don't have to keep tons of inventory to make a few dollars on ink refills.


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## PenMan1 (Jan 11, 2012)

Update:
I just noticed that Classic Nibs is now carrying the J. Herbin ink in bottles AND international cartridges. He pricing is quite reasonable, too.

It would be worth an e-mail to Roy (Oklahoman). Roy is wonderful to deal with, and very knowledgable of the properties of different inks.


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## micah (Jan 11, 2012)

PenMan1 said:


> Update:
> I just noticed that Classic Nibs is now carrying the J. Herbin ink in bottles AND international cartridges. He pricing is quite reasonable, too.
> 
> It would be worth an e-mail to Roy (Oklahoman). Roy is wonderful to deal with, and very knowledgable of the properties of different inks.



Yep. That's where I'd be ordering from. The private reserve though is like half the cost or more, so I was wondering if it was worth it...


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## chrisk (Jan 11, 2012)

PenMan1 said:


> Chris:
> In Brussels, Private Reserve is likely to be sold as Schmidt. If you can't find the Schmidt, please PM me. My sister worked in Brussels and still has contacts there. If you are interested, we may be able to get some to you.



Andy,
Thanks for the offer but I think I'll continue with Pelikan cartridges. For me they're the Private Reserve equivalents here: cheap and available. As for Private reserve cartridges in Belgium, I meant that I never seen them round here. But in Brussels one can find the Schmidt stuff (Rollerball refills...) in specialty shops.

@micah
I found out that some of the converters guys and gals use the converter for they want to change inks at will. If you could have some cartridges of different colors it would be easier (well it's my hope at least) to persuade your customer to abandon the cartridges and several bottles of inks apparatus.
Personnally (after a quite happy selling experience) I now carry cartridges in... violet and pink...:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## cwolfs69 (Jan 11, 2012)

chrisk said:


> PenMan1 said:
> 
> 
> > Chris:
> ...



i keep a decent supply of cartridges in several colors. i give the customer2 of their choice on purchase and offer them 5 cartridges or a 12 pack of whatever color they would like for a decent price. i give the filler with the pen and explain to them how to get ink from my web site. most prefer the cartridge when they find out the availability of colors. yes, the old time, tried and true fountain pen guy will have his own ink and just want the filler.


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