Am I The Only One Who Finds Cartridge Only Pens Really Frustrating?

[top pen]

There are quite a few pens that only take short international cartridges, most notably the KAWECO sport range of pens. I've become quite interested in another pen that falls into this category. But know learning that pen can only take short intentional cartridges, a pen that I was very likely to purchase in the next few months has become a pen that there are is a good chance I won't purchase.

Obviously there are ways around this e.g. mini converters, eye dropper fill, refiling cartridges etc. However non of these are as straight forward as a converter would be and in many cases 0.5-1cm of extra space in the barrel is all that would be needed to fit a smaller converter in, this normally wouldn't have a greatly detrimental effect on utility or Design whilst improving the functionality of the pen to a great deal.

Am I the only who avoids these smaller pens because of this?

[Silverbreeze]

I have a kaweco mini squeeze convertor.... Dislike it verging on hate

[VertOlive]

You're not alone. I dislike all of the inks I've gotten in mini-carts so far and refuse to mess about with syringes. I just sold one of my two mini's that require the small carts and am deliberating on selling the other. I won't buy another pen that requires them. Just don't like 'em.

[Nomdeplume]

Private Reserve makes little carts. So, though I, too, avoid most small cart pens, I can still have decent colors when I do use them.

[VertOlive]

Ouch! Most of my mini carts were from PR.

[Kaputnik]

There are some really tiny pens, such as the Kaweco Liliput, or the A.G. Spalding pens, where the tininess is one of the selling points, and using a short cartridge helps keep it that small. In the case of those particular pens, they are made of metal, so they can't be eyedroppered, and they aren't suitable for any converter I know of, even that useless Kaweco one. I see these as curiosities, something you would probably not pick as a daily writer, so it doesn't really bother me that the filling system isn't the best.

In general, I prefer something where you stick the nib in a bottle and work some sort of mechanism. I have a Kaweco Classic Sport that I'll probably fill with an eyedropper if I ever use it again, but it's a bit of a mystery why Kaweco couldn't design a decent converter for it.

[tandaina]

Yeah I don't like carts so that has ruled out many of the tiny pens for me.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

I love my Kaweco Sport, but I hate the squeeze converter. The only thing worse is cartridges.

I was interested in the Monteverde Tool Pen, even though it's a ridiculous gimmick. The inability of the pen to hold a converter is why I got over that initial lust to acquire.

I agree with the OP, but have no advice to offer. Cartridges bother me, and this is why I don't like ballpoints.

[velo]

I don't have a problem with carts as a delivery system it's the ink that can be a little boring. Proprietary carts and converters are more irritating.

[Jon Szanto]

I own precisely zero pens that use a short cart. The reason why is left as an exercise for the reader.

[ac12]

I have an Ohto Tasche, short international cartridge only.
But because it is a pocket pen, compromises had to be made to keep it short.
And since I don't write a lot with that pen, filling the cartridge with an ink syringe is not that big of a deal for me.
Were it a pen that would get regular use, then it would be a PiA.

[Quantum Sailor]

I own precisely zero pens that use a short cart. The reason why is left as an exercise for the reader.

You wouldn't happen to read a lot of mathematics books would you? lol

[Jon Szanto]

I own precisely zero pens that use a short cart. The reason why is left as an exercise for the reader.

You wouldn't happen to read a lot of mathematics books would you? lol

Few people walking this Earth have a less close connection to mathematics than I. Well, except for counting all the measures rest until my first triangle entrance.

[erpe]

I love my Sports, they are designed for use on the road, in that situation, cartridges are much more practical than bottles. But: don't despair, there seems to be a piston version in the (re)making (it obviously was a pistonfiler to begin with since there simply were no cartridges at the time).

[dneal]

I'm indifferent to short cartridges, and have a few pens (mainly Kaweco's) that use them. I'm not sure I understand the animosity though.

I'd love for Kaweco to come out with a new Sports with piston filler.

[Jon Szanto]

I'm not sure I understand the animosity though.

No worries. Just takes time, and empathy.

[snedwos]

I don't really understand why there are so few modern lever filers. It seems such an elegant, simple solution that would be much much simpler to implement than a piston, and less of a pita than short carts only

[KBeezie]

I only have two pens that are strictly cart loaded. A Kaweco AL Sport, and a Pilot Petit1. Oddly, I don't mind that the Petit1 is cartridge only (probably because it holds more ink in it's little cart than a short standard international does anyways), but am kind of iffy that the Kaweco is a cart-only pen.

Would not say that I *hate* it per se, as I don't always mind syringe filling a cartridge. But that may change if I run out of ink out in the wild (and I'm syringe filling from a bottle).

At least there's a ton of other options to pick from if you just hate cartridge only unless you manage to land your hands on a pen that you absolutely love, but that one fatal flaw (ie: like the Kaweco AL Sport). But Hate? I'd just make a decision, and move on.

But if you REALLY want to get the Kaweco Sport or AL Sport and must use a piston style converter, you can get this.

http://templarink.com/03_MiniConverter.html


Just make sure that when you order to specify that you want the "Skinny Mini" in the special instructions, as that's the one that was designed to work in the Kaweco sport line.

I did order one of those, but I probably won't get it until the middle of next week. I plan on reviewing it on my site.

I don't really understand why there are so few modern lever filers. It seems such an elegant, simple solution that would be much much simpler to implement than a piston, and less of a pita than short carts only

Not sure either, maybe most of the companies do not think there's a big market for it outside of vintage or that they don't trust users not to damage the lever?

[Jon Szanto]

But if you REALLY want to get the Kaweco Sport or AL Sport and must use a piston style converter, you can get this.

What does that thing hold, 4 drops if ink?

[KBeezie]

But if you REALLY want to get the Kaweco Sport or AL Sport and must use a piston style converter, you can get this.

What does that thing hold, 4 drops if ink?

Probably, gotta be less than what the Monteverde mini converter holds, guess we'll find out soon enough eh. But hey, when you need to refill, you won't have to deal with a pesky cartridge lol.