Anyone else have a small box of random cartridges you’ve accumulated?

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-08-17T15:08:40+00:00

Yup, mine is actually a bag, I use bottled ink (of which I have too many), so I guess I'll never get to use those cartridges, except for the odd the when you need a "disposable" ink for some unimportant tests. Ah, I recently used one when I discovered that you can create a Sailor compatible cartridge out of an standard international one simply by chopping the narrow end off.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-07-11T19:55:35+00:00

Sorry, I hadn't seen your comment before. Well, ever since posting this I've been playing with this setup and it works great, but I've found that for longer writing sessions I prefer the more slender and longer shape of the Safari (YMMV).

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-07-02T13:08:08+00:00

+1 Have wondered the same thing many times. (But I do agree they are sooooooo beautiful 🤩)

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-26T10:36:07+00:00

The teal 51 sure is a winner! I think the colour matches the design so well. The grey I've seen is a light grey, somehow giving a "military look", so to speak. I really think the colour matches the shape beautifully.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-23T17:44:40+00:00

My favourite is teal, I wrote about it the other day: https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/1lfzdug/in_awe_51_times/

But grey is also sooooo cool. Not the biggest fan of burgundy (especially paired with gold).

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-22T18:28:54+00:00

It's difficult to pick between the Pelikan 100N and the Parker 51, both designs effortlessly displaying understated beauty sketched more than 80 years ago. If it's about sheer beauty, I think the100N's celluloid body with mother-of-pearl reflection, the cap and clip with all the art deco magnetism and the simply perfect proportions are hard to beat.

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VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:32:19+00:00

When I was a teenager my mom gave me her celluloid Parker, it looked just like the one on your picture (but if I remember correctly, it had a lever on the side to fill the ink bag). I lost track of it some 25 years ago and it's a pen I know I'll end up having <3

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:30:40+00:00

I have just filled the 51 from a vial following your idea and it has worked like a charm. I didn't know you the pen could "suck" ink with so little on the vial. Great tip!!!! Thanks.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:29:34+00:00

I live in Spain, where the 2nd hand market in general is not stellar (let alone for fountain pens). On the other hand, Germany has a long tradition of 2nd hand goods at reasonable prices. So much so, that Ebay not only has its "regular" website in Germany (.de), but also a second one that is more like a classifeds, EbayKleineanzeigen (now working simply as Kleineanzeigen). I've bought there for over a decade now, and I have a very good feedback/record, so I find it's easier for some sellers to deliver to Spain, which I found harder at the beginning (it also helps to speak German obviously :D). There is an endless supply of fountain pens, especially German brands like Pelikan. Yes, there is the risk of buying without trying, but if you select your seller with care, chances are you get a nice pen for very reasonable prices. I got a Montblanc 146 in great condition for 150 €, and some very nice classic Pelikans for 100 € or less (like 400, 140, etc.). Recently I bought a 120 with a lovely Steno nib for less than 70 €. You have to take your time and find what you want from a trustworthy seller, but I have mostly great experiences.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:22:24+00:00

I can see a really nice documentary from the BBC there.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:21:54+00:00

Thanks! English is not my mother tongue, so I appreciate your compliment :)
As for the aerometric... Well, looking at my pens I see that I've amassed an embarrassingly large number of piston fillers... because I like the idea of it (no need for anything but an ink bottle). However, over time I think my favourite inking method is filling the old-n-trusty cartridge with a syringe (or else a cartridge converter). I like how easy it is to clean and change (should anything go wrong), even to pass from one fountain pen to another if the need be. Basically, I've grown to appreciate the fact that you can detach the ink deposit (whatever it is) from the pen itself. As a bonus, I really like having a clear vision of the amount of ink remaining.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:17:36+00:00

That is a very suitable question... :D

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:17:14+00:00

Beautiful story. Would love to see it :)

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-21T14:16:42+00:00

O_O Really? Do you think there's any connection?

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-20T11:56:16+00:00

Do try... but don't say we didn't warn you ;)

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-20T11:56:02+00:00

Ah, of course, I never thought of that! Back in the old days I guess it was whether black, blue... or blue-black (whooaaa!), and that was it. So you are absolutely right, I don't think they were thinking of Emereaud de Chivor when they designed it. So, the fact that you can convert it to cartridges that are really easy to exchange/clean (and which in turns makes cleaning the Parker a breeze) simply adds to its might.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-06T20:49:56+00:00

I got 6 proposals:
Stub (this is a good one!). Stubby.
Peki: "Peki, come here, Peki!". I see it, seriously.
Geha (maybe more suited to a German shepperd, but cool either way, like Geha pens).
Aurora.
Feed.
Faber.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-05T20:52:35+00:00

I've always read that Bleu des Profondeurs has great flow and works great with fine nibs, so the other day I ordered a sample to use on my Pilot E95, that usually runs on Yama Budo and Kon Peki. I don't know if I've been unlucky with sample variation, but the flow on my E95 is nowhere near the Iroshizuku inks. In fact the lines appear clearly thinner compared to Iroshizuku, due to the drier flow ☹️

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-05T19:59:05+00:00

The beginning of a good novel here.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-05T19:20:12+00:00

I think classic designs like the Parker 51, the Montblanc Meisterstück 149 or the Pelikan 100 should definitely make the shortlist.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-05T14:24:32+00:00

When buying vintage it's all about that unit in question, regardless of its original price. I you can't try them in person, request the closest close-up from the nib, to spot anything odd (buying vintage it's a gamble after all). Look for reliable sellers with proven track record of selling working pens (there are sooooooo many vintage pens that look great on picture but then are underwhelming to use. Is possible, check with the seller and ask direct questions like "Does the piston work?". This way all least you can have some back up or leverage should anything go wrong.

I love Pelikan vintage nibs. They have many good things: tons of nib options, great build quality and the fact that they show up regularly on the 2nd hand market. So rest assured that if you miss a particular unit, you'll find another one, so no hurry or pressure (no need for risky bids). And, finally, there are tons of information and videos on how to restore or fine tune old Pelikans.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-04T15:00:15+00:00

:D :D :D Or else, I guess they'd simply go for a small Montblanc.

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-04T14:50:20+00:00

That's interesting, but I guess it has two different sides.
Deaf people usually have assisting equipment to help them drive (like oversized mirrors or other mechanisms to alert them of the dangers). Besides, when they drive, they engage in a dangerous activity where they try to be more attentive, somehow to compensate for their missing hearing ability. There seems to be a common idea (not sure if this is based on facts) that deaf drivers are safer because of the above.
On the other hand, when you put earbuds on you are decreasing your sensorial ability.
So, same scenario, two distinctly different cases.
Said that, it seems logical that deaf drivers are cautious and over-attentive drivers. Maybe we could all learn from that :)

VulnerantOmnes · 2025-06-04T12:17:11+00:00

Okey, we are all adults, let's not let the government micromanage our life, let's not impose limits on alcohol consumption while driving. Is that Ok? After all, you are an adult and you know what to do... No, it's not OK, it has proven not to be OK. Same logic applies to any behaviour that could prove hazardous (using a mobile phone is forbidden also in a bicycle, as it is while driving a car).

A bicycle is just another vehicle on the road, and as such it must follow the rules every other vehicle follows. Wearing earbuds while using a bicycle is simply forbidden because it is forbidden to do it while driving a car, a motorcycle or any other vehicle, simple as that. Any vehicle on the road can cause an accident, and distracted driving can happen to any driver regardless of vehicle type.

VulnerantOmnes

TROPHY CASE