What to do with kit refills and nibs?

[azamiryou]

For those who upgrade kit refills, what do you do with the unused ones that came with the kits? I hate throwing anything potentially useful away.

1 - refill personal pens. I use some for this purpose. Could be handmade pens, or cheapo and freebie pens that use the same refills. I can certainly tell the quality difference, but I don't mind using a mediocre refill since it's free. But I have way more of these than I can ever use myself.

2 - mixing epoxy. I saw this mentioned on the forum by someone, and they do work pretty well for that.

Any other ideas?

Also, for those who upgrade fountain pen nibs, have you found any use for the leftover kit nibs?

 

[aggromere]

I sometimes use them for tube insertion tools for 7mm pens, lol. I bet I have a miliion of them.

 

[randywa]

I've made a few little baseball bats and drilled the end out for a snug fit on the refill, the secure it wath a tiny drop of CA. Kind of like this only different..http://www.woodturningonline.com/assets/turning_articles/Baseball%20bat%20pen/baseball_bat_pen.html

 

[darcisowers]

1 - refill personal pens.

but why should YOU suffer with a mediocre writing instrument?

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

For the ball point refill, your local school will love them! I just drop them off at the local grade school office.
As to the nibs on fountain pens, they make nice earrings:biggrin:. Here is a photo of some of the earrings and necklaces Dee has done with the nibs.

 

[arioux]

School is a great idea. Thanks Roy !

For the nibs, mabe you can make dip pens ?

 

[renowb]

Now that is pretty cool!

I've made a few little baseball bats and drilled the end out for a snug fit on the refill, the secure it wath a tiny drop of CA. Kind of like this only different..http://www.woodturningonline.com/assets/turning_articles/Baseball bat pen/baseball_bat_pen.html

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I tried to use a cross refill to make a long drill bit, didn't work. It just made a mess and a broken drill bit.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Somebody did a cast of the stock nibs. It looked pretty darn neat.

 

[azamiryou]

1 - refill personal pens.

but why should YOU suffer with a mediocre writing instrument?

Because I can't afford my pens.

That's not entirely true - just last week, for the first time ever, I made myself a pen. So now I do have a nice pen of my own. But it doesn't use refills. :biggrin:

 

[randywa]

1 - refill personal pens.

but why should YOU suffer with a mediocre writing instrument?

Because I can't afford my pens.

That's not entirely true - just last week, for the first time ever, I made myself a pen. So now I do have a nice pen of my own. But it doesn't use refills. :biggrin:

Now that's a salesman's attitude.

 

[DurocShark]

I and my wife actually like the Dayacom ballpoint refills. And some kit nibs write quite well when tuned up. In fact, I haven't had one I couldn't tune yet. I have a Japanese nib from the 50's that I can't get to write for anything.

 

[azamiryou]

And some kit nibs write quite well when tuned up.

True. For personal use and gifts, I use (tuned) kit nibs. For pens for sale, I use upgrade nibs just to avoid being passed over by anti-IPG nib snobs with money.