Filling Vac-Fil plunger-fillers from 5mm vials? Forewarned is forearmed.

[FredRydr]

I really like Sheaffer plunger-fillers and their prodigious reservoirs of ink, especially those with conical Triumph-style nibs. For a long time, they were the stepchildren of pen collectors until a couple of penmeisters perfected the means of restoration. So now I have a growing collection of these pens. But there's one (albeit minor) problem....

They are a PITA to fill from a 5ml vial! A plunger filler first expels air and any leftover ink through it's section into the vessel before the sudden release of vacuum pulls the ink into the pen. But the moment before that happens, the vial and section leave no room for that initial expulsion of air and ink, and the ink in the vial and pen have no alternative but to push UP the tiny vial...to make a small mess. Why do I keep trying? Because I stubbornly insist on putting THAT ink in THIS pen.

Well, I did achieve partial success in the bottom of the laundry sink - about half a fill. That'll do this time around, and I simply rinsed the geyser spill down the drain. Plunger fillers? Stick with bottles and forget the vials. (Your genius solutions will be most welcome!)

The '47 Sheaffer Sentinel DeLuxe Vac-Fil and the last of the faux MBRG ink.

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