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Thread: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

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    Senior Member 79spitfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    I did a Sheaffer 'No Nonsense' as an eyedropper, and it seeped ink from 'somewhere' incessantly. I took Sheaffer No Nonsense feeds and Knox nibs and fixed a couple of Airmail eyedropper pens and made them usable.
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    Senior Member ThriveToScribe's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by thagbert View Post
    What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    List your eyedropper pens. And any results, good or bad.
    Well, I recently bought a large bottle of Noodlers Heart of Darkness which comes with a free pen. On the paperwork, Nathan shows the procedure for making this free pen into an eyedropper (I think it's a Preppy, but couldn't swear to it). I did it for fun, and it's great! I don't know if I'd be brave enough to try it on another pen, but Caleath mentioned converting a Nemosine Singularity. I have three of those, so I might give one a go.

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    Senior Member cedargirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by ThriveToScribe View Post

    (I think it's a Preppy, but couldn't swear to it).
    Probably is. That's what is usually shipped with Noodler's ink. I got mine with some Kung Te-cheng. They look different because they don't have the large "Preppy" labelling on them.

    I think the important thing is to choose a pen that has fine threads. Big junky loose threads would have a greater risk of leaking IMHO.

    It's interesting that the Serwex/Camlin/Airmail Indian eye-droppers don't use o-rings. They rely entirely on the fine thread and effective silicone grease. They might blob occasionally, but they don't leak from the barrel threads.
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    Member 6of1's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    I converted an old Sheaffer school pen. It leaked a little bit but I used the watery silicone grease in the TWSBI maintenance package. I just got some of the gel looking stuff and I am hoping that will work better.
    I had 5 or 6 of the School Pens laying around from a mass purchase I made several years back. I applied a #5 O-ring and greased the threads. It's been writing along happily, filled with Eel Blue. I would suggest dropping into Ace or other hardware place and getting actual silicone grease. A little tub will last you a lifetime and only run about five bucks.

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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Platinum Preppy, a couple of incredibly cheap and nasty cartridge pens bought just for messing about with, and a Pilot Penmanship. I'm a big fan of the latter, and the conversion worked a treat with no leaking from the nib, so far. Tempted to do the same with a Platinum Carbon to get around the proprietary cartridge situation.

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    Senior Member thagbert's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyT View Post
    Platinum Preppy, a couple of incredibly cheap and nasty cartridge pens bought just for messing about with, and a Pilot Penmanship. I'm a big fan of the latter, and the conversion worked a treat with no leaking from the nib, so far. Tempted to do the same with a Platinum Carbon to get around the proprietary cartridge situation.
    "incredibly cheap and nasty"

    Don't forget the Pilot Plumix. It comes with a Medium Flat Italic nib. Whereas the Pilot Penmanship comes with an Extra Fine Nib. Both are functionally the same pens. You can get them both at JetPens.
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Thanks. I've been having a go at writing Spencerian with a 1/16" "x" height, hence the Pilot pen. The nice thing is that you can position the nib however you like relative to the "ergonomic" grip section - is that the case with the Plumix too?

    As for the nasty ones, you wouldn't believe. I wound up taking the tips off one of them so it's a formal italic - for now.

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    Member menunes's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    I converted a "cheap and nasty" nameless metal pen to eyedropper and used it with Baystate Blue...
    The fun part, was when I opened the pen and the ink left pored out in a mysterious muck that looked like a sewer waste from a chemical plant. Really bizarre ink, nasty chemical smell.
    I also did the same to a Kaweco Sport, but got fed up with having the same color in the same pen all the time.

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    Senior Member 79spitfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by menunes View Post
    I converted a "cheap and nasty" nameless metal pen to eyedropper and used it with Baystate Blue...
    The fun part, was when I opened the pen and the ink left pored out in a mysterious muck that looked like a sewer waste from a chemical plant. Really bizarre ink, nasty chemical smell.
    I also did the same to a Kaweco Sport, but got fed up with having the same color in the same pen all the time.
    Metal pens aren't suteable for use as eyedropper pens, no matter what ink...
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by 79spitfire View Post
    I did a Sheaffer 'No Nonsense' as an eyedropper, and it seeped ink from 'somewhere' incessantly. I took Sheaffer No Nonsense feeds and Knox nibs and fixed a couple of Airmail eyedropper pens and made them usable.

    I stopped using Sheaffer completely because most of them leaked and they weren't even eyedroppers. (I didn't even know the term or the procedure until I found Goulet Pens and FPGeeks, and Stephen Brown videos. Each a "red letter" day in my pen-writing life!)

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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    I've converted the usual suspects:
    Pilot 78G (works fine, no quibbles)
    Hero 616 (works better but that might be subjective, I've ground the nib down to a stub)
    Platinum Preppy (my younger sister uses this as her 'green pen')
    Pilot Penmanship (I use this with a modified italic nib for practicing Irish script at home)
    Noodler's Ahab (again works better in my opinion as an ED)

    I've toyed with the idea of converting my Vista to an ED as I go through so much ink in a few days but I just haven't gotten around to it. Converting the Prera to an ED sounds cool!

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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    I've got an Hero Youth that I've been considering -- the filler is crap, but the fit and finish are good. Well, as good as might be expected for a 616-class pen. Good to hear of some success.
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Just today I have converted a Hero 006 clear fluro yellow fountain pen into an eyedropper. I have also butchered the nib to try to give it more flex. The flex mod has worked so far, but I'm not sure if it is going to spring. If it does I will just buy a new pen. Cost me about 40 baht. $1.30 usd.

    No leaks just yet, but we will see what it is like in the morning
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    I am still curious. Where you can't see the ink sloshing around inside - because the barrel is not transparent - has anyone ever accidentally opened the pen only to find loose ink? Why am I concerned about this? I am perfectly happy with a transparent eyedropper. Am I more forgetful than others? Am I paranoid? Is there a doctor in the house?

    Hey, I sometimes find myself trying to unscrew a lever-filler - just sometimes. And thankfully, I am always gentle with my pens, so the lack of 'give' soon stops me. Hhmmm. Maybe the silicone in the threads would provide enough resistance to stop me. Just thinking aloud here. Maybe I just need to be more mindful when filling/checking pens. Trouble is I'm usually still engaged in the thinking process - thinking about what I'm writing.

    Anyway, I went and put some silicone on my translucent blue Sheaffer school pen/Skrip Cartridge pen - no O-ring - put one of my zingyest inks in it - PR Tanzanite - and it works a treat - nice fine nib. The fine threads on this pen are eminently suitable.
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by CapeClear View Post
    I've toyed with the idea of converting my Vista to an ED as I go through so much ink in a few days but I just haven't gotten around to it.
    Would you cover the ink window or get a Rollerball Vista which doesn't have the ink window holes and just swap the grip sections ?
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by cedargirl View Post
    I am still curious. Where you can't see the ink sloshing around inside - because the barrel is not transparent - has anyone ever accidentally opened the pen only to find loose ink? Why am I concerned about this? I am perfectly happy with a transparent eyedropper. Am I more forgetful than others? Am I paranoid? Is there a doctor in the house?
    I am entirely paranoid about this same thing! I have no problem converting clear pens to eyedroppers (like the Platinum Preppy) but I hesitate to convert opaque pens for the fear of forgetting and unscrewing the barrel and dumping a bunch of ink in my lap (or, worse, on my books and papers). I have used my ebonite Stipula Passaporto as an eyedropper, but even that one makes me nervous. I have a Franklin Christoph Pocket Pen that I am itching to eyedropper-ify but still I (irrationally?) hesitate.

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    Senior Member cedargirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by reprieve View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by cedargirl View Post
    I am still curious. Where you can't see the ink sloshing around inside - because the barrel is not transparent - has anyone ever accidentally opened the pen only to find loose ink? Why am I concerned about this? I am perfectly happy with a transparent eyedropper. Am I more forgetful than others? Am I paranoid? Is there a doctor in the house?
    I am entirely paranoid about this same thing! I have no problem converting clear pens to eyedroppers (like the Platinum Preppy) but I hesitate to convert opaque pens for the fear of forgetting and unscrewing the barrel and dumping a bunch of ink in my lap (or, worse, on my books and papers). I have used my ebonite Stipula Passaporto as an eyedropper, but even that one makes me nervous. I have a Franklin Christoph Pocket Pen that I am itching to eyedropper-ify but still I (irrationally?) hesitate.
    Phew! Thought it was just me. I just thought of a way of managing a rotation - all eyedroppers one week, the next all piston fillers, etc.

    I guess if you manged the Stipula OK, you should be able to do the same with the Franklin Cristoph. Rationally speaking ...
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    Senior Member AndyT's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by cedargirl View Post
    ... has anyone ever accidentally opened the pen only to find loose ink?
    Not yet, but it's just a matter of time. Particularly with the Pilot Penmanship: that silly little cap was specifically designed to deceive me into unscrewing the section, I swear it. Given that it's full of Monaco Red right now, the result could be worthy of a Tarantino film.

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    Senior Member cedargirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyT View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by cedargirl View Post
    ... has anyone ever accidentally opened the pen only to find loose ink?
    Not yet, but it's just a matter of time. Particularly with the Pilot Penmanship: that silly little cap was specifically designed to deceive me into unscrewing the section, I swear it. Given that it's full of Monaco Red right now, the result could be worthy of a Tarantino film.
    I wasn't familiar with that pen, but now I've checked it out I can see the danger.

    This makes me think more about what makes a pen a good candidate for turning into an eyedropper.
    My list would be:

    * has very fine threads where the barrel screws on/off (I don't believe an O-ring is necessary. I don't think you find these on classic eyedroppers)
    * has a clear or translucent body, so you can see the ink slosh (both a safety and an aesthetic feature)
    * has a slip cap or a cap that screws to the barrel, not the section
    * has a plastic (of some sort) barrel, not a metal barrel (to avoid the ink/metal chemical reaction)
    * doesn't have holes in the barrel (like a safari) or at least has a small hole that can be easily plugged (like a P51 breather hole)
    * has a decent feed that will trap ink or moderate it's flow a bit

    Have I forgotten anything?
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    Default Re: What Pen Have You Converted To An Eyedropper?

    Quote Originally Posted by inky View Post
    Kaweco Sport Classic, worked well but ink did stain between the nib collar and clear section plastic over time.
    Same happened with my Kaweco after some weeks as well, but it is not a show-stopper for me. Keep using it in my trousers every day (filled with Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgruen).
    Thus, another +1 for Kaweco Classic Sport transparent.
    Regards, patta

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