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 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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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.
Sent from the iPhone of Madame X.
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.
... Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working [Pablo Picasso] ...
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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Last edited by 6of1; May 24th, 2013 at 06:25 PM.
No.6: “I am not a number, I am a person.”
New No.2: “Six of one, half a dozen of another.”
KrazyIvan (May 24th, 2013)
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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I am but a simple caveman.
AndyT (May 25th, 2013)
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.
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.
Sent from the iPhone of Madame X.
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!
6of1 (May 28th, 2013)
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.
No.6: “I am not a number, I am a person.”
New No.2: “Six of one, half a dozen of another.”
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
Hello, my name is Nathan. Pleased to make your aquaintance.
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.
... Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working [Pablo Picasso] ...
thagbert (May 29th, 2013)
cedargirl (May 29th, 2013)
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.
... Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working [Pablo Picasso] ...
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?
... Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working [Pablo Picasso] ...
ThriveToScribe (May 31st, 2013)
Regards, patta
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