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Post by alcyone on Apr 26, 2018 7:54:34 GMT
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Post by radellaf on Apr 28, 2018 20:31:53 GMT
Refilled cartridges are in maybe 10 out of 50 pens. A little harder to rehydrate nib, feed, & ink if a pen has been sitting a while is the only disadvantage. And with the international ones you gotta watch for cracks around the mouth. Pilot are pretty tough ones. Just got some CON40s but dunno about the ball-bearing rattle and haven't figured out if those can be removed.
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Post by wuddus on Apr 29, 2018 18:57:23 GMT
I've actually taken to refilling cartridges with a syringe rather than using a converter most of the time. Saves all that wasted ink that clings to the outside of the pen that you need to clean off with a rag. I always miss a bit too, and end up covered in ink. With cartridges and a syringe, I usually manage to stay ink free.
I also have a stash of unused carts, so if the one I've been using isn't fit for refilling, I'll throw in a new cartridge and start all over again. Cartridges tend to hold a bit more ink than a converter, so I get an extra page or so before I have to dig the inks back out again.
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Post by jamberrychoux on Apr 29, 2018 21:08:53 GMT
I've actually taken to refilling cartridges with a syringe rather than using a converter most of the time. Saves all that wasted ink that clings to the outside of the pen that you need to clean off with a rag. I always miss a bit too, and end up covered in ink. With cartridges and a syringe, I usually manage to stay ink free. I also have a stash of unused carts, so if the one I've been using isn't fit for refilling, I'll throw in a new cartridge and start all over again. Cartridges tend to hold a bit more ink than a converter, so I get an extra page or so before I have to dig the inks back out again. I will have to give this a try. I just bought a syringe from jetpens.com, so I am assuming that it will do the trick. Will probably have to find a good youtube video to see how it should be done properly so that the ink doesn't end up all over me instead of staying in the cartridge!
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Post by MKB on Apr 29, 2018 22:56:24 GMT
It's fairly straight forward, and really tidy with a syringe, especially if you do it over a sink or something to catch mishaps. A blunt syringe is nice for handling without worry. Here is what I do, spelled out in a little extra detail.
CLEANING: When cleaning out the old ink in the cartridge for the very first fill (or if changing a color), I use the long-needle blunt syringe filled with water to go all the way in and flush the ink out of the back of the cartridge. I do this repeatedly until clear water comes out. (This is a good time to fill the cartridge with water, empty the syringe, then pull the water out of the cartridge into the syringe to see how much ink you will need for a fill.) Then I fill the cartridge half way or more, cover the end with my finger and shake vigorously which sometimes frees additional ink trapped in corners. Once it is thoroughly clean, I shake out as much water as possible, like a thermometer. You can let it dry fully, but I don't worry about minuscule amounts of water.
FILLING: Have the pen section ready and standing by to receive the filled cartridge. I pull a little air in the syringe first so that when I am done I can easily push most of the remaining ink out with the air behind it. This has the risk of a little spatter vs. slightly more cleaning effort with no space in the syringe body, so no big deal either way. Dip the very clean syringe tip into the ink bottle and draw up your approximate fill amount. Lower the syringe tip about 1/3 or more into the cartridge and carefully plunge the ink (I sometimes fist grip the body of the syringe and plunge with my thumb for better speed control). Fill up very near the top, but remember some room may be needed for the part of the pen section that goes in it before the outer rim is sealed. Set the syringe down and over your sink or whatever, hold the cartridge upright while pushing the pen section down until fully seated. Put the pen back together, cap the ink and clean out the syringe. It's best to not leave the ink bottle open and exposed to contaminates that might float in, so I try to cap it as soon as practicable.
I do a similar fill at work for my work pen, a Pilot Capless, only instead of a syringe I am able to do it with one of those long disposable plastic transfer pipettes into a Pilot cartridge which has a wide mouth (I removed the sealing disk with tweezers after the initial seal was broken). With the pipette you have to be a little more careful to let the air escape out of the cartridge without the ink getting in the way, so I let the ink run down one side of the cartridge.
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Post by radellaf on Apr 30, 2018 0:05:51 GMT
Two good ones from the Goulets: There are various sizes of "disposable transfer pipettes" that I find are as good or better than syringes for some purposes, including cartridge refilling direct from a bottle. Syringes are better if I want to store some ink or a custom mix for a while, and of course a 5-20mL syringe with a long needle can blast water into a cartridge for cleaning much more effectively. 0.25mL ones are what I use most, and I got a 50 or 100 pack for less than $10 on eBay from China. They're just small enough to fit an international opening. There are fine-tip versions that will easily fit. Only surprise is when you get a bubble and aren't holding the cartridge with a bit of paper towel, it can make a small mess. I've had a couple cases trying to add water to a partly dried out cartridge (from being in a pen for months) where the water just didn't wanna go in, blocked by air somehow until I got the angle right. A needle or fine-tip pipette wouldn't have that issue. Link to some 1ml ones, $5 for 100 from a US seller: www.ebay.com/itm/1ml-Disposable-Polyethylene-Eye-Dropper-Set-Transfer-Graduated-Pipettes-50-Pack/282072432051
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