Fountain pen question

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Texatdurango

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Apr 23, 2007
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Show Low, Arizona
When I craft a pen with a rollerball refill, I go ahead and install the refill. If you are crafting a fountain pen, do you go ahead and also install the ink cartridge or let the customer do that when they buy the pen.

I read somewhere that you don't want the ink to dry out in the nib.

First fountain pen so please excuse the ignorance!

George
 
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winpooh498

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Apr 23, 2007
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Junction City, Oregon, USA.
We don't put the ink cartridge on the nib any more. We had quite a few dry up and clog the nib and one ended up leaking all over. What a pain to clean up (at a show) [B)]. But along the same lines, I have thought about having a bottle of ink for people to dip the nib in to test. Will they get the same results as with the cartridge? Then we just have to remember to clean the nib.
 

gerryr

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Sep 22, 2005
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Billings, MT, USA.
I never install a cartridge, the ink will dry up. Every fountain pen I make has a converter which is installed, and I also have ink for sale at shows. If the customer also buys ink, I show them how to use the converter. If they don't buy ink, I show them how to install the cartridge, but I rarely sell a fountain pen without also selling ink. I do keep a bottle of ink available for customers to try out the nibs, also some water to clean it with if they don't buy it.
 

Firefyter-emt

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Mar 30, 2006
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Putnam, Connecticut, USA.
Yep, dip only... bad form to "ink" a fountian pen before hand. I also try very hard to steer them away from the refills by re-using the glass sample bottles from Pear Tree Pen. I can empty a pen in one to two days at times, refills would soon make me stop using the pen where a $10.00 bottle of ink will last for months. Inform the buyer on where to buy and maybe have a bottle or two of blue and black if they want to buy one.
 

jimmauldin

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Aug 24, 2007
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Winder, GA, USA.
George,
I take a nib with an ink cartridge installed with me to shows. A prescription bottle makes a great, and inexpensive, carrier and is tight. I also sell different nibs (fine, med., broad and calligraphy), and have started to load up the different size nibs with ink cartridges for customers to try. Simple enough to screw in another nib onto the pen they're interested in, and they can also get the 'feel' of the pen they are considering. Not perfect, but sure beats washing nibs. Regards,
Jim Mauldin
www.jimmauldin@windstream
www.geocities.com/jimmauldin/PensandMore
 
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