Ok, now I have to part ways with you. That pen, and that vac filler, should be restored. It's a well designed system and when restored properly with good materials, will work for decades and, in a pen this size, really carries a lot of ink. It is a shame to have such a nicely designed pen and filling system given this much of a shortcut. It's just my opinion, but in my mind the pen deserves a better fate. There are plenty of crappy pens one can convert to eyedroppers or bulb fillers.
I mean, come on - this is just the best:
Bookmarks