I discovered a while back that the green plastic cup lid stoppers they have at Starbucks are really good for applying that little dab of silicone grease down the barrel of a Pelikan or other piston-filling fountain pen with a removable nib. (Their intended purpose is to stop coffee from spurting out of the hole in the lid during transport; they're usually in a cup on the counter where you pick up your drink.) They are just about the perfect length and flexibility for applying the silicone, are soft and rounded enough that they are unlikely to damage your pen if you're relatively gentle, are reusable, and are free. Just thought this might be helpful to some of you.