The converter is a useful little tool, but there are a few details worth paying attention to during its use!
What is a fountain pen converter?
The converter (or in Hungarian, tintaadagoló) is a device that replaces a fountain pen cartridge, providing the fountain pen with „fuel” (ink). The converter works in practically the same way as a medical syringe: thanks to its design, we can draw liquid (ink) into its transparent ink reservoir. There are both built-in and removable ink dispensers for the pen. The latter can be used by pressing it into the pen neck (in some brands, it is used by twisting).
There are several operational mechanisms for ink absorption: the converter is most commonly equipped with a rotating knob, but there are also push-button, rubber sac, and piston types (to mention just the most common variants).
Most earlier converters had a rubber sac, which could achieve the suction effect by being compressed. However, this solution, which has a history of more than half a century, is increasingly being pushed into the background, and today the ink reservoir is more often made of transparent plastic instead of the more fragile rubber sacs.
Why is it worth using a converter?
The advantage of converter (or cartridge-compatible) fountain pens over classic piston fountain pens is that it is easier to keep the fountain pen clean, as the pen can be disassembled more easily than those. Since there is no piston - more precisely, this function is performed by the converter itself - the chance of malfunction is also significantly lower.
However, the disadvantage is that much less ink fits into the converter than into piston fountain pens. It is generally believed that piston fountain pens are more exclusive, yet even among the largest brands, both solutions can be found.
It is also worth mentioning the advantages of the converter over ink cartridges. The most important advantage is that by using the converter, we can use any color of ink, while fountain pen cartridges are available in a very limited color palette. Another advantage (although this is only supported by hardcore fountain pen enthusiasts) is that by using the converter, the user gets something back from that ritual, that comes with filling a piston fountain pen...
Which type of converter should I choose?
The choice of converter is most often dependent on the specific brand or fountain pen type. Certain brands use patented ink cartridges and converters: these can only be used with that specific brand. Other brands' fountain pens can accommodate standard ink dispensers. Unfortunately, it is easy to get lost in the forest: a different type of converter is suitable for a Cross, Parker, another for a Lamy, and another for a Pilot fountain pen.
Lamy marks its ink dispensers with color codes. The Z28 (equipped with a red rotating knob) ink dispenser is suitable for the Lamy Safari, AL-star, Joy, LX, Nexx, and ABC models.
The black knob Z27 ink dispenser is more universal than the red version: it is suitable not only for the models listed above but also for the Studio, Imporium, Logo, Scala, and Aion for models as well.
Not only can the diameter of the ink feeder neck vary, but its design can also be different. It is worth considering the length of the converter as well. There are fountain pens that can only accommodate special (e.g., short) converters (such as the Kaweco Sport series or the newly popular Japanese pocket fountain pens).
The most important aspect during selection is that the converter fits precisely and snugly into the pen neck. If the converter is loose, it can easily slip out of the pen body and ink can leak.
Most of the larger brands have their own manufactured converters. These can be found in larger paper and stationery stores, as well as in the offerings of thematic webshops. Some parts manufacturers also sell standard (Standard International, 76.2 mm) ink feeders, such as Beaufort or Schmidt. Many fountain pen brands engrave or print their logos on reliable Schmidt K1, K2, K5, or K6 converters.
Japanese converters deserve special mention. Opinions are divided on the ink feeders manufactured by Pilot: among them are popular versions and those disliked by many. It may not be surprising that there are numerous tutorials circulating on video-sharing platforms regarding filling Japanese converters…
However, the ink feeders manufactured by Sailor and Platinum work flawlessly based on my experience.
Standard and patented ink feeders
The following brands use standard converters:
- Caran d’Ache
- Conklin
- Edison
- Kaweco (standard)
- Montblanc (older type)
- Montegrappa
- Monteverde
- 13. – the two brands dominated the school fountain pen market across Europe for decades. While Pelikan also opened up to the premium segment, Geha consistently focused on practical, durable, and affordable student pens and office supplies. This strategy paid off: Geha pens found their way into the hands of millions on school desks and writing tables, not only in Western Europe but also – through various commercial channels – in the eastern part of the continent.
- Pineider
- Rotring (except Rotring Art Pen converter)
- ST Dupont
- Visconti
- Waldman
Brands using patented (self-developed) ink dispensers:
- Aurora
- Cross
- Faber-Castell
- Graf von Faber-Castell
- Kaweco (mini)
- Lamy
- Montblanc (only for certain Montblanc fountain pens)
- Namiki
- Parker
- Pilot
- Platinum
- 2. Sailor
- Sheaffer
- Inoxcrom
- Ystudio
- Waterman
(It is important to note that standard and patented converters can also appear within a specific brand).
What should be considered when using the converter?
The purpose of converters is to ensure the continuous flow of ink from the ink reservoir to the nib. In practice, this is not always simple, which is why manufacturers experiment with various solutions. For example, Pilot places small balls in the ink reservoir, while others use a small spring to ensure free ink flow.
However, during the use of the converter, it can happen that the ink „gets stuck” in the reservoir and does not reach the nib. I asked Máté Bikfalvi, the owner of PENNONIA ink manufactory about this phenomenon. According to Máté, the following practical suggestion can solve the problem:
The tip of a toothpick should be dipped in liquid dish soap, allowed to drip, and then dipped into the converter a couple of times (not stirring, just dipping). This will reduce the surface tension of the ink and will behave well in converter fountain pens that for some reason „do not like” the given ink. It is not worth overdoing the dish soap, as otherwise, the ink will literally leak out of the pen.
Let's look at a specific example: PENNONIA Selyempezsgő and Kárpátzöld are inks that contain less pigment than average. Such inks may „not behave well” with certain pens/nibs.
This is because pigments also affect the reduction of the surface tension of water: if there is more material in it, the ink flows better (it can also be said that they provide a creamier, softer writing feel because of this). Such inks are particularly sensitive to how tight the two „wings” of the nib are. These inks feel „dry” while writing, even though they actually contain more water in proportion to the pigment.
Just for interest, some pen manufacturers, e.g. Leonardo, use ebonite feed instead of plastic because the ink flows more easily through the ebonite feed than through plastic. (For those who understand English, it is worth looking up what „nedvesítés„, felületi nedvesíthetőség, hidrofilitás, and other important keywords related to the topic may include: adhesive forces and capillary effect).
The question may also arise as to why the surface tension of the two inks mentioned above is not „tuned”: on the one hand, I did not have the appropriate experience earlier to eliminate this. Now I know that the right recipe must be experimented with for each color. It cannot be settled with just „let's add 2 drops of Jar dish soap.”.
I hope this home solution helps and that the inks can be used smoothly! I definitely do not recommend trying it on the entire bottle, as it could ruin the whole bottle of ink. However, the converter is good for this too: you can safely experiment with the quantities…
Csaba's further articles in the Budapest Pen Show community magazine. here!
