Surface Tension in a Converter

[SkyCyclePilot]

I have a bottle of Diamine Bilberry ink, and I'm using it in a converter, but the ink tends to stay at the top of the converter unless I thump the converter to make it drop. I guess this is a surface tension issue? Any ideas how to fix this?

[RobJohnson]

I would firstly empty the converter, flush it through with warm water with one drop of dish soap, shake it up and then a good rinse with clear water.

Some converters have a tiny ball bearing or a metal spring or coil of wire to break up the surface tension, you might see a meniscus on the liquid. If your converter doesn't have any of these things you might try and find a better converter or replicate the spring such as from a Clicky ball point pen, cut the spring to about 1/3 and feed it through the converter. It should be free enough to move through the converter to break the surface tension. Coiled fuse wire might also work but I haven't tried that.

Good luck

Eta auto correct changed Clicky to chucky.

[Chrissy]

I have found there are two categories that inks can fit into. Those that don't stay at the top of converters and those that do. Yes you need a ball bearing or a spring inside the converter to break the surface tension that some inks can exhibit.
My own preference would be to get a converter that already came with either one of these rather than to try and fix up something myself.

[Osiris]

Platinum cartridges are sealed with ball bearings, and you can just cut them open and re-use the bearing in a converter; obviously, these are guaranteed to not rust in normal fountain pen ink. If the converter can't be opened from the back, it's going to be a real pain or you're going to have to get a couple of small ball bearings and remember not to lose them every time you want to clean the converter.

[RobJohnson]

There is a helpful YouTube video from sbrebrown that deals with this issue and shows you how to fix the problem

[SkyCyclePilot]

Platinum cartridges are sealed with ball bearings, and you can just cut them open and re-use the bearing in a converter; obviously, these are guaranteed to not rust in normal fountain pen ink. If the converter can't be opened from the back, it's going to be a real pain or you're going to have to get a couple of small ball bearings and remember not to lose them every time you want to clean the converter.

I do have one that can be opened from the back. Thanks!

[rbrazil]

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