Am I The Only One Who Finds Cartridge Only Pens Really Frustrating?

[milkb0at]

As a quick rule of thumb, any question that begins "Am I the only one...?" can be answered "No".

I grew up with cartridge fountain pens (Parker Vector, mostly), so I have no animosity for them. In my Kaweco Sport I've moved from the rubbish converter to a Diamine cartridge and it's miles better.

Cartridges aren't my favourite ink storage mechanism, but they're not the end of the world. There's no need to be sniffy about them.

[kernando]

If you stop looking at cartridge pens, you won't be frustrated by ones that take cartridges only. There are lots of self fillers that take neither cartridge nor converter, and plenty of them are small.

[amk]

I don't find anything wrong with the cartridge system. When I'm on the road, I prefer it to other systems - less mess, and no need to take an ink bottle with me. When I'm at home, I prefer to swap the cart for a converter. Admittedly then I find pens that don't take converters or for which I can't find converters (Waterman CF I'm talking about you) rather a nuisance.

Cart/converter seems to me an excellent and well designed system and I don't understand why it arouses such hatred... though I prefer piston fill.

One big exception: if I buy a demonstrator, I want to see the ink. I just don't see the point of a transparent pen unless it's a piston filler, vac, or eyedropper - that is, one of the filling systems that uses the barrel as its ink container. Having a converter (or a sac) in a demo just seems stupid.

I *don't* like lever fillers much. I see a lot of vintage pens where the lever pin has started to deform the barrel. I far prefer button fillers or piston fillers. And using those, your fingers are a lot further away from the lip of the ink bottle, which is a real issue with a shorter pen, and a half-empty bottle of ink :-)

[KBeezie]

I don't find anything wrong with the cartridge system. When I'm on the road, I prefer it to other systems - less mess, and no need to take an ink bottle with me. When I'm at home, I prefer to swap the cart for a converter. Admittedly then I find pens that don't take converters or for which I can't find converters (Waterman CF I'm talking about you) rather a nuisance.

Cart/converter seems to me an excellent and well designed system and I don't understand why it arouses such hatred... though I prefer piston fill.

One big exception: if I buy a demonstrator, I want to see the ink. I just don't see the point of a transparent pen unless it's a piston filler, vac, or eyedropper - that is, one of the filling systems that uses the barrel as its ink container. Having a converter (or a sac) in a demo just seems stupid.

I *don't* like lever fillers much. I see a lot of vintage pens where the lever pin has started to deform the barrel. I far prefer button fillers or piston fillers. And using those, your fingers are a lot further away from the lip of the ink bottle, which is a real issue with a shorter pen, and a half-empty bottle of ink :-)

Main problem I have with cartridges is they don't come in the color I want

[top pen]

I don't find anything wrong with the cartridge system. When I'm on the road, I prefer it to other systems - less mess, and no need to take an ink bottle with me. When I'm at home, I prefer to swap the cart for a converter. Admittedly then I find pens that don't take converters or for which I can't find converters (Waterman CF I'm talking about you) rather a nuisance.

Cart/converter seems to me an excellent and well designed system and I don't understand why it arouses such hatred... though I prefer piston fill.

One big exception: if I buy a demonstrator, I want to see the ink. I just don't see the point of a transparent pen unless it's a piston filler, vac, or eyedropper - that is, one of the filling systems that uses the barrel as its ink container. Having a converter (or a sac) in a demo just seems stupid.

I *don't* like lever fillers much. I see a lot of vintage pens where the lever pin has started to deform the barrel. I far prefer button fillers or piston fillers. And using those, your fingers are a lot further away from the lip of the ink bottle, which is a real issue with a shorter pen, and a half-empty bottle of ink :-)

Main problem I have with cartridges is they don't come in the color I want

That's exactly my problem the pen in question comes in both a smaller size which is cartridge only and a Larger size that is c/c but the problem is the finish of the pen I'm interested in only comes in the smaller pen.

[velo]

I just bought Pilot carts for my VP as the convertor holds sweet you-know-what. The blue ink was really meh so I emptied it and refilled it with Diamine Syrah. Sweet.

[KBeezie]

I just bought Pilot carts for my VP as the convertor holds sweet you-know-what. The blue ink was really meh so I emptied it and refilled it with Diamine Syrah. Sweet.

Yea I've syringe-filled cartridges (Pilot's being one of the easier ones to do that with), but out-and-about it's not very practical when you need to pop another cartridge in. My issue is primarily having those colors already available in cartridges so I don't have to syringe fill every time I run out.

But on the upside bottled inks are more economical (though a converter would be even more economical, no left-overs in the syringe).

[Kaputnik]

I just bought Pilot carts for my VP as the convertor holds sweet you-know-what. The blue ink was really meh so I emptied it and refilled it with Diamine Syrah. Sweet.

Yea I've syringe-filled cartridges (Pilot's being one of the easier ones to do that with), but out-and-about it's not very practical when you need to pop another cartridge in. My issue is primarily having those colors already available in cartridges so I don't have to syringe fill every time I run out...

Actually, in this respect, the Pilot cartridges are different from the short international cartridges that the OP was talking about. When you empty a Pilot cartridge, pull out the little plastic disk with a tweezers. Refill the cartridge with a syringe. Very slowly push the disk back in with something like an orange wood stick of appropriate diameter until it's in just far enough (use an unused cartridge as a reference). Now you have a sealed cartridge with whatever ink you chose, which you can use at any time. The last couple of times that I've traveled, I've carried a number of spare Pilot cartridges that I'd refilled myself.

Some people have talked about refilling international cartridges, short or long, and sealing the ends with electrical tape for use later. I don't know how well this works.

[velo]

Hmm I noticed that little disc but I didn't remove it as I thought it might have something to do with the flow.

Your storage suggestion is interesting and I'll try it next time.

[jar]

From responses it seems you are not alone, which is good for me. I prefer the short international cartridge pens to any other filling system.

[Wile E Coyote]

But on the upside bottled inks are more economical (though a converter would be even more economical, no left-overs in the syringe).

There's no reason for leftovers in the syringe. After the first time you know how much a cartridge holds, only fill the syringe to that level. If you're that concerned about waste, fill the cartridge with water the first time.

[Wile E Coyote]

I have to agree that international cartridge only pens are a PITA. Though I prefer cartridge converter pens, especially Japanese brands. I'm fickle with my ink and like to change colors often. A cartridge/converter pen is the easiest to clean between ink changes. The fact that a Pilot 823 holds so much ink and is difficult to clean is what I don't like about it.

[snedwos]

People always forget when saying that cartridges hold more ink than converters that when you fill with a converter, you also fill the feed, which you don't do with a cartridge. If you put a cartridge in a clean pen, observe how far the ink level in the cartridge drops before you can start writing.

This is more relevant for me, I guess, since I very rarely fill with the same ink twice in a row.

[Kaputnik]

Hmm I noticed that little disc but I didn't remove it as I thought it might have something to do with the flow.

Your storage suggestion is interesting and I'll try it next time.

It might have something to do with the flow at that, but you don't have to take it out when you're actually using the pen. When you've used it to reseal a cartridge, you just push the cartridge in the pen normally, and it turns sideways again as it did the first time.

There is probably a limit on how many times you can do this before something wears out, but I haven't reached it yet. Only been doing this a short while.

[Sailor Kenshin]

From responses it seems you are not alone, which is good for me. I prefer the short international cartridge pens to any other filling system.

I kinda like 'em, too...I have a thing about NEEDING to see my ink.

[Tracy Lee]

Converter or eyedropper only please. I've no time for cartridges!!

[Tubal Cain]

I have an Elysee that I bought about 20 years ago which will only take the short cartridge. Nib is 585 and really smooth.

Doesn't get much use though. If any.

[GING GING]

I don't mind them. It is what it is. If I really want to use the pen with another ink, I just use a syringe.

[betsypreston]

I don't mind them. It is what it is. If I really want to use the pen with another ink, I just use a syringe.

+1

I avoided cart-only pens for years. But eventually, there were too many intriguing cart-only pens so I broke down and started buying some. In a way, it's convenient to be able to throw some extra carts in my bag and go. I refill when I'm at home so I can use any color I choose. Just another tool in the box. Can't get too worked up about it one way or t'other.

[bitterwonder]

Prefer cartridge pens. Nice to know wherever i am i can refill without spilling ink on someone else's property. Also, when out drawwing in the field it is hard to fill from a bottle if you are standing and only have two hands. You can also refill with a cartridge in a dark theater setting.