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View Full Version : FPGeeks Give Away #9



eriquito
May 13th, 2010, 09:52 AM
http://www.fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/MG_0669-600x386.jpg

This week's Give Away is a veritable grab-bag of goodly goodies!


A Moleskin Sketchbook
A bottle of vintage Skrip Ink
Two (count 'em, two) Hero Fountain Pens


To enter the Give Away, just reply to this thread telling us which fountain pen filling system you prefer. I'm currently enamored with eyedroppers. How about you? Piston? C/C? Vacumatic? Let us know your preference and your reason - perhaps you'll sway someone =)

The deadline for entry is Sunday, May 23rd at 11:59PM (your local time). Good luck!

Wile E Coyote
May 13th, 2010, 03:00 PM
The Pilot vacuum filling system used in the 823.

James
May 13th, 2010, 04:28 PM
I really like the Parker aerometric style converters, with the rubber sac surrounded by a metal cage.

penspouse
May 13th, 2010, 08:31 PM
I like the piston fill first, and then the aerometric "51". Ease of use and capacity are the main reasons. I don't care for C/C fill systems. IMHO integrated systems with simplicity are the way to go.

donwinn
May 14th, 2010, 06:12 AM
I am back and forth between the Parker Vacumatic filling system, as in the 1946 Black Vacumatic I carry daily, and the button filler in the 1930s Duofold Junior I also carry daily. Eyedropper is actually my least favorite, because of the blobbing/burping, and, I like to change ink colors around, and an eyedropper takes forever to run out of ink.

Donnie

onedumbtrucker
May 14th, 2010, 07:22 AM
I would have to go with the Sheaffer Snorkel filler. I am an engineer by nature and education and I love the elegant complexity of it, how much fun it is to play with (ahem, I mean fill) and most of all, I love working with all the little pieces and how nice it works when restored well.

Dan

Koyote
May 14th, 2010, 08:48 AM
I have a piston filler (Pelikan), a c/c filler, a lever filler (Esterbrook), and a Sheaffer Legacy with a weird system -- it takes a Sheaffer cartridge or a converter that allows it to be used like a Touchdown to fill from a bottle without opening the pen.

I guess I should prefer the piston filler for it's large capacity, but really, any of them will hold enough ink for me. So, umm, I have to choose a favorite? Okay, let's go with the weird Sheaffer c/c Touchdown thingy. Works well, holds enough ink, and if the converter ever breaks I can just pop in a cartridge.

twigee89
May 14th, 2010, 09:25 AM
I love the eyedropper fill because there is something therapeutic about rinsing the pens then filling them...plus its fun to watch the ink swish back and forth :-P

MaryMG
May 14th, 2010, 05:34 PM
My favorite filling system is the piston filler for their large capacity and ease of use. My second favorite would be lever fillers. I really don't like C/C systems. Thanks for the give-a-way.

Kelly G
May 14th, 2010, 11:15 PM
I am currently preferring the Sheaffer Vacuum filling system. When properly restored they fill easily and hold a ton of ink. One of my current carry pens is an OS Sheaffer Balance vac filler and it is great. But, I'll use any filler system if I like the pen - no use letting the secondary considerations discourage one from using a great writing pen.

Ted H
May 15th, 2010, 12:01 AM
I'm kinda liking eyedroppers, too, with piston fill in second place. It can be fun to convert c/c's into eyedroppers--besides the huge ink capacity, they also seem to have better ink flow.

TWRDO
May 15th, 2010, 02:31 AM
I'm a fan of Sheaffer Snorkels. Not a simple design, but elegant and effective.

Sharkbait
May 15th, 2010, 03:01 PM
My favorite is the aerometric filling system is my favorite because its the easiest to clean and fill!

JohnCruzNg
May 15th, 2010, 03:06 PM
The fountain pen filling system I prefer is Pilot's C/C fillers. In my Custom 74 it allows me to choose between an aerometric filler, a piston filler, a button filler (I think that is what it is called), and a cartridge. So many choices all within one pen. I like to keep my options open because during classes I ran out of ink my piston filler so I just removed the piston and inserted a cartridge. I love it!

Okami
May 15th, 2010, 08:42 PM
I love my bulb filler but my Mitaka eyedropper is pretty cool. Both hold a ton of ink and are easy to flush.

Tberry010
May 16th, 2010, 05:26 PM
I like C/C systems because of the ability to quickly change ink, but I also like piston fillers forthe ink capacity, and I have several eye droppers that I use regularly.But, C/C ismy favorite.

Maruk
May 17th, 2010, 03:02 PM
Based on what I have seen at Richard Binders site for filling systems, I would probably have to say that I would be most enamored with piston and vacuum-fill (plunger) for their simplicity and volume. As an engineer, the snorkel and aero-metric systems intrigues me - but I know that more complexity is not always the best.

I view C/C with only one advantage - it is easy to use a bulb syringe to clean the nib assembly with. Some filling systems do not allow for this quick-clean method without a complete strip or various other methods of dis-assembly. I don't like the trade-off of capacity/ease of filling to maintanence, but I do recognize it.

nrepose
May 18th, 2010, 07:07 AM
I have used only a few filling systems: c/c, lever and aerometric. I have also converted several pens into eyedroppers by using silicon gel. I have yet to try a piston filler, but it seems to me the most simple way fill without having to worry about cartridges. I do love converters and the piston system it, as I see it, a converter that is built into the pen. Convenient and easy. Nr

vmuniz
May 19th, 2010, 07:10 PM
I like the aerometric converters, the Parker 51 or Hero 100 style. They're simple, relatively quick to fill, and they flush the pen better than pistons.

Thrage1
May 19th, 2010, 09:23 PM
The filling system I prefer most is piston filler. My number 2 pick would be the crescent filler. It looks somehow so feirce.

Ernst Bitterman
May 21st, 2010, 09:32 AM
For ease of use, I like the Sheaffer "Touchdown" filler-- simple to use, simple to fix (Snorkels are neat, but such a struggle to get at the sac during a refit), and a good firm flush. A very close second is the bulb-filler, of which I've got two vintage examples and which is in the current Edison lineup, as you get an eyedropper quantity of ink without the terror generated during those moments the section is off, and very nearly no moving parts.

Bluecloud
May 21st, 2010, 12:22 PM
I haven't used very many different kinds of filling systems but so far I prefer piston fillers, and piston filler converters. And I also prefer pens with an ink window or a clear converter - I just hate it when I run out of ink at the wrong moment!

Tortoise
May 21st, 2010, 07:30 PM
Right now I prefer piston & converter models, but I've been enjoying my first eyedropper, a little clear Stipula Passaporto, too.

bridgettt
May 22nd, 2010, 08:10 AM
I'm relatively new to fountain pens. I used them as a kid in school but only used cartridges. Now I have two pens that are piston fillers and lots of ink. I'm intrigued by the eyedropper fillers and would love to try one of those next. It just seems like that would be an easy way to fill a pen (not that I think any ways are hard per se).

southpaw52
May 23rd, 2010, 01:18 PM
I prefer a convrter such as the aero-matics or a Sheaffer Touchdown

mjh
May 23rd, 2010, 06:39 PM
I've really only had experience with piston/piston cc. I'd like to give the snorkel and plungers a try, as well as the aerometric. I don't mind the 'mess' so much as the time. I'm not impatient, I just feel clumsy holding a pen into a big bottle of ink. I feel like I'm walking and chewing bubblegum at the same time and I'm going to knock over the bottle trying to twist and twist and twist ink into the pen. So I'd probably like to try whatever system is the fastest in the bottle. I was thinking the plunger might be, plus the linear motion avoids some of the stress of working in multiple axis for me... ;)

-MJ

eriquito
May 24th, 2010, 10:09 AM
TWRDO! (Post Number 12):


I'm a fan of Sheaffer Snorkels. Not a simple design, but elegant and effective.

Congratulations TWRDO! I'll be in touch for a mailing address.

Thank you kindly to everyone who participated in Give Away #9.

If you happen to like Parker 51's, be sure to watch for Give Away #10 - which will be posted later today.

Eric
Son of Ragnar

penspouse
May 24th, 2010, 02:37 PM
TWRDO - Congrats!

TWRDO
May 29th, 2010, 02:21 AM
Thanks! It looks like the trick to winning something is to go out of town and not log in for a few days. Maybe I should try that more often ;)

TheToadMen
May 9th, 2012, 09:19 AM
Hello,
I like a good converter, since it makes it easer to switch ink colors without to have to clean the pen itself.
Bert

Chi Town
May 10th, 2012, 12:32 AM
My Favorite filling system to use is the EyeDropper that works with the Danitrio Genkai and Mikado which of course has the shut off valve system to go with it. I just think for a Fountain Pen user that this package system is the cats meow when writting letters or any correspondence and you can adjust your ink flow with the Valve system.

KrazyIvan
May 10th, 2012, 09:34 AM
I was totally lost on this until I saw the date of the OP.

Chi Town
May 14th, 2012, 12:40 PM
I am just in Love with the Eye Dropper that the Danitrio Genkai uses, along with the Shut Off valve system. My first foray into this system was with the Danitrio Mikado, as it has the same system. I like it so much as with the shut off valve you can adjust the valve to your writting speed, fast or slow, by just opening or closing the valve a little more or a little less. This is so kool! Yes, ok, it's neat to be able to just pick up a pen and just start writing. But to be able to adjust your flow? Man that is like hitting a Home Run every time you pick up one of these two pens!

Schwoops....Sorry for the Double Post!

skipperhughes
May 17th, 2012, 06:53 PM
Piston filler it is easier to fill up on a sailboat under way easier then eyedroper or others I have tried

goldiesdad
May 18th, 2012, 08:09 AM
I love them all, I am get my first of 2 Esterbrooks in next week so I am extremely excited to get those babies. I also like vacuum and piston as well.

Now if I can snag a Parker 51 my day would be complete.