Proprietary Ink Cartridges: Endearing or Annoying?

June 21, 2023

It doesn't take long for new fountain pen users to recognize that all fountain pen ink cartridges aren't created equal. While there is such a thing as a "standard international" ink cartridge and converter, it’s neither “standard” nor particularly “international”, as that term has essentially come to mean that the standard version "fits pens with JoWo, Bock, or Schmidt nib/feed assemblies." Nearly all of the Japanese brands, as well as some European brands like Lamy, use their own proprietary cartridge/converter format. Today I'll talk a bit about why I tend to prefer the Japanese-style cartridges to the standard international format.

Note: Whenever you buy a new pen from a brand you haven't previously used, ALWAYS check whether you also need a specific converter and/or cartridge to go with that brand.

Pilot Pens and Pilot Cartridges — Pilot pens such as the Custom Heritage 912, the Custom 74, and the Vanishing Point all take the proprietary Pilot Cartridge.

Pilot Makes My Favorite Ink Cartridge, Followed By Platinum

Why these two, you might ask? Capacity. While each format is unique to each brand, these cartridges hold a LOT of ink. Moreover, the "wide mouth" format of the cartridge both ensures better ink flow than the typical international cartridge (which has a narrower opening) and makes the cartridge easier to refill with ink of your choice using a pipette or small eyedropper rather than a syringe. Of course, part of the reason why these cartridges tend to work so well may be due to the proprietary nature itself, with the cartridge engineered to fit the brand's specific nib and feed.

Pilot Cartridge Stoppers — Pilot cartridges are among the easiest to refill, so there’s even an “aftermarket” for things like these small rubber stoppers if you want to refill a full set. (Search eBay or your online marketplace of choice.)

As an aside, there has been a lot of speculation as to why Pilot recently released the Iroshizuku Inks in cartridge form, and why they believe they can price these cartridges at the relatively high price point of $14 for six. Personally, I think it's because a large portion of users write with fine or extra-fine nibs (if not finer). Given that Pilot cartridges hold a decent volume of ink, six of these cartridges could last someone up to a year, especially if they don't write extensively by hand and, for example, use their pen to make occasional notes in a planner. (Standard Pilot cartridges are much less expensive, as are Platinum cartridges, and are sold in boxes of one dozen.)

While Sailor cartridges also feature a proprietary format with a wider opening similar to Pilot and Platinum, and work just fine, they don't hold as much ink. On the other hand, I find that Lamy cartridges have narrower openings similar to the Western-style Standard International cartridge. As a result, the ink doesn't flow quite as well, and Lamy cartridges can be difficult to puncture to the point where I sometimes worry I'm about to break the pen.

TGS Refill/Cartridge Drawer — Don’t be like me. Use your cartridges.

Takeaways and Lessons Learned Over the Years

At the end of the day, the proprietary systems of cartridges and ink converters can be both a pain to navigate and part of the charm of using fountain pens. Sure, it would be much more convenient to have a single universal format for all brands, and to not have to worry about stocking refills from multiple brands, but over time I've just come to accept that "the cartridge singularity" is not going to happen and learned to love the different shapes and peculiarities of each cartridge. My own opinion is that the Japanese pen companies make better cartridges than Western manufacturers. Not only do I get better performance - mainly ink flow - when I use these cartridges, but the cartridges seem to last longer on the shelf. My insanely busy week/weekend of work saw me cycling through several cartridges on the fly, and the number of half-evaporated cartridges I discovered in my office desk drawer stash (mostly standard short international) reminded me that these things don't last forever. Use 'em if you got em'!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Other Interests Include Tea, Writing and Science Fiction

The Ark of Pens

June 14, 2023

Today we have a Guest Post from a friend of the blog, R.B. Lemberg! It’s been a long while since T.G.S. has featured a guest post, and I’ve been looking to bring in some new voices and hope to make this a semi-regular event. Enjoy!

In The Cultures of Collecting, editors Elsner and Cardinal describe the biblical Noah as the first collector. “Adam had given names to the animals, but it fell to Noah to collect them… Menaced by a Flood, one has to act swiftly. Anything overlooked will be lost forever: between including and excluding there can be no half- measures. The collection is the unique bastion against the deluge of time.” (Elsner and Cardinal 1994:1)

It took a global crisis to make me a collector of pens.

In 2020, shuttered in my room and yet overloaded with responsibilities of teaching, leadership, caregiving, and generative work, I stepped into the world of fountain pens for respite. It wasn’t my first pen venture; I learned about writing with dip pens and fountain pens in Soviet elementary school. I was a clumsy child and the pens were of poor quality; I hated every moment of it. Later, in graduate school in the US, I happily used a single Pilot Falcon. I put it aside after getting my doctorate, and switched to Pilot V5s; but something shifted during the pandemic. I think this describes many people.

Edison Menlo and Kaweco Liliput — Edison Menlo (top) and Kaweco Liliput (bottom).

I remember 2020 and 2021 as joyful years for pens. Everything else was ash and fear, but pens were a happy creative outlet, and many new people joined the hobby. I certainly did not think about myself as a stationery collector before the pandemic, but I found myself reading fountain pen books and blogs and watching instructional videos. In a quest after that special magic of a perfectly tuned nib touching paper, I tried a whole lot of pens. I sent a few pens to Mark Bacas for a grind. I talked about fountain pens endlessly. By the end of 2021, I figured out what I liked, and began curating.

I wasn’t collecting pens to save them from the deluge of time, and these days I’m not sure if I am a collector at all. I like to use my pens, but I also enjoy simply lining them up; I live for an aesthetically pleasing pen tray. There’s certainly a central theme to my collecting. I love Italian pens. I gravitate towards stubs and italic nibs, as well as the sometimes-maligned European mediums. The colors and textures of pens in my tray reassure me that beauty persists beyond the devastation of wars and pandemics, beyond market pressures and too-rapid technological advances. Fiddling with my pens reminds me that history is a human story. We value not just what’s the latest and fastest and flashiest; my pens promise and deliver a contemplative world.

As a curator, I am infinitely curious about other people’s practices. Over the last three years, I read blogs and talked to folks online and offline about managing fountain pen collections. Some never give anything up – once the pen enters a collection, it is there to stay, whether used frequently or not. In the story of the flood, only a single raven (and later: a single dove) ever left the Ark. Others rotate through pens, frequently buying and selling; a prime example of this approach is the fascinating UK Fountain Pens blog. Many people are somewhere in the middle - they keep most or many of their pens, and let some go. Some folks call their pens a collection, others an accumulation. I call mine the gathering. Sometimes I think my pens are alive – not just items on display, but friends who hang out with me, and help me get words down on page in a way that nurtures my soul.

Sometimes, pens leave the gathering. They’ve had enough of my party. :) Others are here to stay.

Today’s Highlights

Onoto Scholar in Mandarin Yellow. I got this one from Onoto directly for a great introductory price in early 2022; the nib in it right now is a special order stub, I believe ground for Onoto by John Sorowka.

Leonardo Momento Magico in Brooks Bohemian Twilight. This one was a birthday present from Limited Pens Korea. I swapped the steel Medium it arrived with for the excellent Franklin Christoph M Sig – one of the best nib grinds I’ve tried so far (thank you, Audrey!) It is an incredibly versatile and joyful pen – I love the ink window and the fact that the nib unit unscrews for cleaning, making it excellent for shimmers.

Aurora Optima Viola with a Factory Stub. I got it for an amazing price on Fountain Pen Day. This also was subsidized by birthday moneys. I wanted to try an Aurora, and this one is superb and easily one of my favorite pens ever.

What are some of your fountain pen standouts? Do you curate, and if so, what is your approach?

R.B. Lemberg (they/them) is a queer, neurodivergent academic and writer of speculative fiction. They are the author of The Unbalancing (2022), The Four Profound Weaves (2020), and other books. You can find them on their website http://rblemberg.net, on their Instagram as @rblemberg, and on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/rblemberg

Fountain Pen Basics: Updated "Educational" Content and Informational Resources

May 20, 2023

It’s been a while since I’ve taken a pause to consolidate and update some of the years' worth of articles, lists, and how-to guides from the T.G.S. Archives. Since we surpassed nine years of T.G.S. last month, I’ve spent time revisiting some of this material and updating it, as much of it is out of date. (I ended up deleting the hopelessly out-of-date content, which mostly discussed products that never launched or no-longer exist, as well as retailers/manufacturers long out-of-business or who are no longer relevant to the community.)

This morning, I created a new section under the “Resources” Tab, titled “Fountain Pen Basics,” that contains links to fundamental information and content regarding fountain pens. On this page, I’ve linked to the YouTube Channel, which now contains the first series of “Fountain Pen Basics” videos on filling fountain pens with various filling systems. (More will be on the way.) I’ve surprised myself at how much I’ve enjoyed making the YouTube content, and wish I started years ago. While I’m certainly no master videographer, I’m working on technique, upgrading (within reason) my equipment, and hope to continue with more visual demonstrations that people find helpful. If you’re on YouTube, please consider giving us a follow so that we can expand our reach.

Where T.G.S. Is Going, How We Plan to Grown, and How You Can Support T.G.S. Going Forward (AND A Beginning of Summer sale!)

You may have noticed that our focus this year has evolved. While we still produce informational and educational content, we have also launched a retail shop, which we are continuing to expand by bringing in brands such as Pilot, Kaweco, Lamy, TWSBI, and Nahvalur. As I’ve been hinting in recent months, I also have some big plans in the works which will result in T.G.S. becoming a bigger part of my professional life, and will see a lot more involvement by my family in helping me run the day-to-day so that I can focus on content creation and overall direction of the site.

So to thank everybody for their support, we are starting our annual Memorial Day sale one week early! Use the coupon code “SUMMER23” at checkout to get an extra 10% off your order. Those of you in the Nashville, Tennessee area now have the option of selecting local pickup at checkout, rather than using a separate coupon code. Just message me through the “Contact” link to arrange pickup or delivery. The code will remain good through Monday, May 29 at 11:59pm CT. Some exclusions (i.e. TWSBI) will apply due to manufacturer and distributor restrictions.

Finally, for those of you who would like to take advantage of “extras,” you can support us on Patreon. The main feature of our Patreon program is our monthly Zoom meetup (including one tonight at 8:30pm CT!) along with access to exclusive content, discounts, early access to exclusive TGS collaborations, and periodic sample/gently used sales (though in full disclosure these are going to be more semi-annual rather than monthly or quarterly, due to the simple fact that I’ve reduced my own acquisition and consumption over the past year and have less unused stuff lying around). Patreon is completely optional at either $3 or $5 monthly levels of support, and as I’ve always said, T.G.S. will remain free and not get stuck behind a paywall (but Patreon and the Shop help keep this possible on an advertising and affiliate-free basis). Again, many thanks to all of you! You don’t know how much we appreciate it!

Fountain Pen Basics: 5 Best Practices for Fountain Pen Users

May 17, 2023

If there's one thing I really enjoy after nearly a decade in the business, it's knowing that appreciation of pens, ink, and paper isn't some hipster fad, that analog tools aren't going anywhere despite the pressure to digitize everything, and there are still many people out there who have only recently discovered our little niche on the internet. Given the volume of new readers and the large number of questions I've received about "Fountain Pen 101"-type topics, it's helpful to revisit the basics, for both new users and even those of us who are more experienced. Below are five pointers I always offer to new users who ask about fountain pens, particularly those who seem hesitant due to the fountain pen’s reputation for being fussy and high-maintenance. At the end of the day, it's fairly easy to care for a fountain pen, keeping a few things in mind.

Clean Your Pens Regularly

Pen cleaning routines range from the ad hoc ("whenever the ink runs out - every week/month/YEAR?") to the highly regimented ("once a week whether the pen is empty or not"). Personally, I'm not very strict about cleaning, but I try to keep it to once every two months at a minimum. I plan to write a longer resource on pen cleaning techniques for different filling systems, but 90% of the time I simply flush the pen with water. The other 10% of the time, a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner normally does the trick, and it’s rare that I ever use anything other than water mixed with a tiny drop of dish soap to flush a stubborn pen. You can read more about my basic process for cleaning most fountain pens here.

Use Water-Based Inks Intended for Fountain Pens

If you spend any amount of time on the pen internet, you'll read countless "blacklists" of inks that aren't "safe", that stain, or that will "dissolve plastic." Many of these horror stories are apocryphal tales that started with a grain of truth but are mostly exaggerated. At the end of the day, if an ink is marketed as being "for fountain pens", it is mostly likely ok to use in your pen. If you have an especially rare or precious pen that you don't want to stain or damage, I strongly recommend using only blue or black ink made by a pen manufacturer. Otherwise, there can be no guarantee that dyes uses in red, orange, purple, or other color inks won't stain your pen, and you proceed at your own risk with inks marketed as “permanent”, “super sheening,” “shimmering” or featuring other “special properties.”

For the most part, staining is the real risk. Even if a fountain pen ink dries out in a pen and the ink no longer flows, you typically can fix the problem by flushing the pen with water. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE INDIA INK, CALLIGRAPHY INK, OR ANY INK MARKED AS BEING FOR ART OR DIP PENS ONLY, AS THESE CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE PENS IF THEY DRY INSIDE THE FEED OR THE FILLING SYSTEM. SOME ARE ESSENTIALLY PAINT. All of the inks we carry in our shop are intended for fountain pens. You can read more about inks that I consider “safe” here, and why sometimes “boring is better.”

Invest in a Well-Made Pen Case

Protect your pens when you're not using them, or when you're carrying them to and from work. I strongly encourage people to actually use their pens as intended - some dings and scratches are inevitable - but you don't want to risk a pen getting dropped, stepped on, or cracked because it rolls off a desk when not in use. You don't need to spend a lot of money here. Not only do we live in a modern "golden age" of pens, ink, and paper, but the number of pen cases and case designs readily available has absolutely exploded in recent years and you can find anything from single-pen sleeves to 36-pen albums, to handcrafted wooden pen boxes that look great on a desk or bookshelf. Read more on different types of cases here.

Fountain Pen Death Grip — If someone asks to try my fountain pen, I always start with two questions: (1) Have you ever used one before? and (2) Show me how you hold your pen. If the answer to question two is anything like this picture, continue reading below.

Don’t Lend Your Nice Pens to People Who Don’t Know What They’re Doing

This is a controversial "rule", but it's one that I follow. I keep a few inexpensive steel nib fountain pens on me to lend out to those who want to try writing with a fountain pen or express curiosity, but I'll politely decline to lend my nicer pens, especially those with gold nibs. It's something of a myth that you shouldn't allow others to write with your pens because the nib "adjusts to your hand" and letting someone else use the pen ruins it - the real risk is damage. People who are used to writing with modern ballpoint or gel pens that require a lot of pressure can bend the tines, requiring a costly repair.

That said, DO share your pens at pen club or a pen show. There's little to no risk in allowing a knowledgeable person to test out a fountain pen.

Journaling Habit Fountain Pens with Journals

USE Your Pens Regularly

In my experience, any nib writes better after a short "break-in" period, and to a certain extent, a pen will adjust to your hand over time (but the effect is just not as dramatic as some would have you believe). Making sure your pens get used therefore not only ensures that you'll get the best value from your purchase, but I've found that it does help keep things writing smoothly. Note: If you use your pens regularly, and/or have some sort of system for rotating through your collection, you'll also remember to clean them.

I'm listening!

If you're a new user, or someone still relatively new to fountain pens, what would you like to know? For experienced users, what do you wish someone had told you about pens early on - perhaps something that would have saved you a lot of trouble, heartbreak, or money? Drop a suggestion in the comments or via the “Contact” link up top!

This post does not contain paid third-party advertising or affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Desert Island Pens: Four Favorite Fountain Pens for the Road

May 10, 2023

As we sit here in early May, I've now spent most of the past year streamlining and reducing my pen accumulation, either by selling off unused pens or consolidating via trade (i.e., trading multiple pens for a single pen that I would use more). Despite writing about pens and pen-related topics for many years, I've never had as large a collection as people expect. I hate the idea of unused possessions, whether pens or anything else, and if something sits dormant for too long, I will absolutely sell it off.

The Concept of "Desert Island" Pens

In an ideal world, I would reduce my pen accumulation to around a dozen pens that I cycle through regularly. Because pens is partly a business for me, that's not realistic. At any given time, I have around at least a half-dozen pens that I'm either in the process of reviewing or testing out as potential shop stock. In addition to those pens currently "in for review," I make a point of keeping one of each model I carry in the store for customer service purposes, and I like to generally have at least one example of each pen from most modern brands on-hand for reference so that I can easily use them for comparison in reviews and editorials.

Practicality aside, I still enjoy a good thought experiment. If all of this (T.G.S., the Shop, any sort of pen-related business) went away tomorrow, and I wound up on a "desert island" where I could only keep 12 pens, what would they be? I can usually get to seven or eight pens pretty easily - it's those last few that are hard. Since I had to take an extended family trip this week, where I'd be required to do a fairly significant amount of work, this presented an opportunity to select what I'd call the "First Four": my workhorses for writing.

Lamy 2000 Bauhaus Blue 100th Anniversary Edition — The Lamy 2000 is the epitome of the “Workhorse Pen”.

Pen No. 1: Lamy 2000 in Bauhaus Blue, EF Nib

I can safely say that the Lamy 2000 fountain pen is my favorite fountain pen of all time, both aesthetically and as a functional writer, and if I had to pick a single example to keep in my collection it would be the 100th Anniversary "Bauhaus Blue" release. I rarely buy limited edition pens, and when I do it's an intentional purchase. This one was a no-brainer, and I was lucky enough to find one available internationally after the U.S. alotments sold out. Lamy 2000 EF and F nibs often have a subtle architect-like shape out of the box, and this particular nib gives my writing just enough line variation to keep it interesting. Of all the Lamy 2000 pens in my collection, it's the keeper.

Leonardo Momento Zero Maestro Omas Burkina Celluloid — Did I mention that the pens from the “Maestro” series are piston fillers, which is uncommon in the standard Leonardo Momento Zero size?

Pen No. 2: Leonardo Momento Zero "Maestro" in Omas Burkina Celluloid, Custom Nib Studio Perspective Nib

While I have long-adored Omas Burkina celluloid and jumped at the chance to own this now-rare material in the standard Leonardo Momento Zero shape, I was lukewarm on the nib. The pen shipped with a medium 14kt gold nib paired with an ebonite feed, and like many pens with ebonite feeds, it wrote too wet for my taste. I recently asked Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio to shape the nib into their "Perspective" grind, and now the pen is perfect. I purchased this pen as part of the three-pen “Maestro” set; it was easily the largest pen "investment" I've ever made, and it was worth every dollar for this pen alone.

Pen No. 3: Pilot Custom 823 Amber, Medium Mark Bacas "Blade" Nib

I surprised myself a bit with this one, but back when I purchased this particular pen at the Atlanta Pen Show I was still relatively "young" in this hobby and inexperienced with the more uncommon filling systems and nib grinds. As far as pens with massive ink capacities go, the Pilot Custom 823 is one of the more approachable workhorse options that doesn't require eyedroppering. I had Mark Bacas grind the nib on this pen to a modified Architect (what you would probably today call a soft blade or a semi-Naginata/Kodachi), with slightly less line variation than a standard architect but with smoother edges. It's the first time a nib technician really sat down with me and discussed what I actually wanted and what would work for me - as opposed to merely offering the "standard" grinds from a list - at which point I understood the endless possibilities and how deep this hobby could run.

Pen No. 4: Montblanc 146 UNICEF, Custom Nib Studio Perspective Nib

The Perspective Nib makes another appearance, this time on the Montblanc 146. I've purchased two pens from their "UNICEF" series, both because I appreciate the idea behind the collaboration and because I love the Rosetta-stone inspired motif. The theme on this pen is subtle - other than the engraving and sapphire near the clip and cap finial, this pen is a standard Montblanc 146. Because there's no ebonite feed, the pen writes a slightly drier line than the Leonardo, which is great for those days when you aren't working on fountain pen friendly paper.

What are your "Desert Island Pens"? If you could only pick one pen from your collection to keep, what would it be, and why? What lands a pen on your "never sell" list - the nib or the pen body itself?

Feel free to share your own stories in the comments!

This post does not contain third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.