How to refill a fountain pen with ink?

Despite the fact that ballpoint and gel pens are increasingly used in everyday life, true connoisseurs of writing materials prefer to work with fountain pens so that they can write in beautiful handwriting. Parker ink pens are especially popular, as the stationery of this company is an attribute of prestige. To truly enjoy working with such writing instruments, you need to know not only how to fill the fountain pen with ink, but also how to insert and use it correctly. You will learn about all this from this article.

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Types of pen cartridges

Let us dwell on the description of the cartridge, so that it would be easier for you to pick it up at the stationery store. The cartridge is a plastic cylinder with straight or rounded walls. At the factory, the reservoir is filled with ink for fountain pens.

Important! Cartridges are also available with special ink for calligraphy, but such capsules are not recommended for use with fountain pens.

The main differences of all cartridges (except for color, of course) are:

1. Physical dimensions
2. The shape of the working flange. On the one hand, the capsule has a blind end, and on the other, a flange that is worn on the needle of the handle feeder or simply inserted into the handle. There is a simple device inside the flange that locks the ink inside the capsule. Constipation is of two types:
   • Thin membrane.
   • A small ball made of plastic (sometimes made of metal). After the ink gets inside the barrel, the ball moves freely inside the capsule and mixes the ink, preventing them from sticking to the walls.

Important! Many manufacturers of office supplies earn not only from the sale of fountain pens, but also from the sale of cartridges for them. Therefore, some companies are developing writing accessories for their own standard cartridges.

The most common cartridge standards:

• International This name is unofficial, since many manufacturers from Europe, America, China and India produce pens specifically for this standard.

Important! The most popular short capsules are International, and they are most often available at the stationery store.

• Parker. Cartridges of this standard are available in two types - short and ordinary. The Parker standard is used in Lamy pens, but only of a short form, since the shape of the back of some models of pens does not allow the use of conventional capsules.
• Standard Schaeffer. Although many Sheffer pens can use cartridges of the International standard (short).
• The American company Cross has its own cartridge standard. The stepped shape of the working flange successfully counteracts all attempts to use capsules of other manufacturers in Cross handles.
• The cartridges of the Japanese company Pilot are distinguished by their corporate standard. In addition, the company produces special shortened cartridge for mini-pens of its own production.
• Platinum (Japan) is also distinguished by its standard. In addition, only in cartridges of this company metal balls are used, which during the emptying of the tank begin to knock and notify the owner about the need to quickly replace the capsule.

Important! In addition to the above, at least a couple of types of cartridges from various companies that are specially designed for their own fountain pens are also known, these are Sailor and Waterman.

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How to refill and paint a fountain pen?

How to insert and change the rod? There are several types of various inks in office supply stores that differ in consistency, color and quality. To refill the fountain pen with ink, use the product labeled “fountain pens”. The filling method depends on the filling mechanism.

Important! When buying a new cartridge for your pen, be sure to use only the ink tank that is suitable for it in shape and size so that its replacement is simple and quick.

Method 1

If the handle has a piston filler, proceed as follows:

1. Disassemble the pen case.
2. Scroll the ink piston inside the housing counterclockwise.
3. Dip the pen in the ink bottle completely.
4. Turn the clamp all the way in the opposite direction.
5. Unscrew the clamp slightly (until the first drop appears) to remove air from the container.
6. Remove the feather from the vial, wipe it with a cloth.
7. Reassemble the handle in the reverse order.

Important! Even the most accurate user of such a pen will at least sometimes leave a blot on an important document. Therefore, be sure to bookmark our article in different ways, how to erase ink from paper without a trace.

Method 2

If the fountain pen has a refill converter, proceed as follows:

1. Remove the protective cap and allow access to the converter.
2. Dip the pen in the inkwell.
3. Turn the converter head to the right.
4. Remove air from the tank by releasing a couple of drops of ink.
5. Clean the pen with a paper towel.
6. Assemble the pen.

Important! This instruction will be relevant if you need to refill the Parker pen with ink. And if you weren’t able to do everything carefully, check out a separate publication on our website for effective methods to remove ink from furniture.

Method 3

The replacement cartridge is inserted into the writing accessory very simply:

1. Remove the upper case.
2. Remove the used cartridge.
3. Insert a new capsule until it clicks.
4. Dry the feather.
5. Twist all the details of the fountain pen.

Important! Such models are also found in the famous brand Parker.

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Rules for using a fountain pen

To extend the life of your writing accessory, follow these guidelines:

• Be sure to clean the pen. This procedure is washing the pen through a converter. The tank must be filled with water and flushed until the water is clear.

Important! To rinse the pen, use distilled or filtered water at room temperature. After washing, blot the feather with a paper towel.

• If a pen is used in the pen, it must be disconnected before flushing the pen. In this case, place the base of the pen in a glass of clean water for 30-60 minutes (depending on contamination). The water level must cover the pen. After the flushing procedure, blot the feather dry with a paper towel. If necessary, you can soak the pen overnight.

Important! Never use hot water, solvents, or alcohol-based solutions to rinse your pen, as this may damage its quality. Also, do not use tap water, as the metal particles contained in it can clog the pen nozzles.

• Flush the pen every two weeks or while changing the ink color.

If we talk about how to use a Parker fountain pen or another model of an “ink pen,” experts and manufacturers recommend the following:

• Do not press hard while writing so as not to damage the pen. A quality pen should slide easily over paper.
• One year old ink is not recommended.Use only fresh produce. If the ink has not been used for a while, and there is no plaque on it, first mix them and make sure that there are no clots or sediment at the bottom of the bottle, and then apply.
• Do not allow black ink to dry inside the pen, as this can lead to irreparable consequences. The composition of black ink includes gum arabic, which has adhesive properties. If such a filler dries inside the tip, the damage will be irreversible.
• If you do not plan to use a writing accessory for more than a couple of days, rinse the pen to prevent ink from drying out.
• Keep ink away from sunlight to prevent drying out and fading.
• Do not use chemically treated paper that has a glossy surface for writing. Such paper does not absorb ink.
• If you are traveling by plane, do not fill the converter completely; it is better to leave it blank to reduce the risk of ink leakage. Hold the pen upright while taking off. If you decide to use the fountain pen during the flight, then when you open it, hold the pen in an upright position and slowly remove the protective cap.

Important! So that your clothes are always neat and you can easily clean them in the most unforeseen situations, use our selection of tools and methods that will help remove ink from clothes.

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Stock footage

The Parker pen or any other ink counterpart is far from a written tool; rather, it is a stylish accessory for a business person. Parker ink stays saturated for a very long time and is instantly absorbed into the paper. They do not spread on paper and correspond to the design of the handle in density. Use the writing accessory with pleasure, and we told you how to refill it with ink. Use our tips and tricks, and the fountain pen will last you more than a dozen years!