What Is A Fountain Pen Converter?

Using fountain pens is a wonderful experience for many because of the inking process. There are many ways that you can fill your fountain pen with ink, whether it’s with a convenient disposable cartridge or a fast-acting vacuum filler. It depends on your preference.

One of the most common filling systems that fountain pens have today is through the use of a converter. This gives fountain pen users the freedom to experiment with various types of fountain pen ink without having to commit to one color or type for a long time. But what exactly is a fountain pen converter? We all know that it holds ink, certainly, but how does it actually work? 

Here we’ll discuss just that. 

What is a fountain pen converter?

Simply put, a converter holds ink inside of a fountain pen. It allows you to fill your pen directly from a bottle of ink. These tools usually take the place of ink cartridges, which are for one time use only. 

How does a converter work?

Converters work by using a mechanism that draws ink into itself. To be more specific, here are the different types of fountain pen ink converters that you can use:

Piston Converter

This is the most common variety of fountain pen converters that you will come across. It works by twisting a knob at one end of the converter, which moves the piston mechanism up. This creates a vacuum that draws ink into the converter and the pen.

Squeeze Converter

Squeeze converters are an older design that is also very simple to use. Simply squeeze the air out, dip the end of the converter or the nib into the ink bottle, and release it to create a vacuum that sucks ink into the fountain pen.

Push-Button Converter

Push-button converters are not as common, but they can hold plenty of ink. However, they also require more precision and are more difficult to clean than other types of converters.

How to use a converter

To fill your converter, ensure that it is attached to the grip section of your pen. Dip a clean nib into the bottle of ink you wish to use, making sure to cover the air hole. Then, twist the knob (for piston variants) or let go of the converter (for squeeze types). Remove the nib from the fountain pen ink bottle and wipe gently with a paper towel or a clean cloth. You can now start writing.

You can also dip the converter directly into the bottle of ink if you wish, but this is a more uncommon way of filling a fountain pen. 

Why use a converter?

Converters are excellent options to use for fountain pens because they allow you to experiment with different types of ink. Cartridges come with a very limited selection of inks, which is a drawback that makes many fountain pen users try out the converter.

Converters are also more environmentally-friendly because they are reusable. While you can technically reuse a cartridge if you really wanted to, they are meant to be thrown away once emptied. Converters are designed to last a much longer time so you can re-ink your pen over and over again. 

Which fountain pens use converters? 

Most brands that have fountain pens that take cartridges will have a converter. Bear in mind that converters are not universal. In the same way that there are different sizes for ink cartridges, there are also different designs for converters that are made for specific pens. It’s best to buy from the brand that your fountain pen is from to avoid any complications. 

Even the most inexpensive and beginner-friendly fountain pens have them. For instance, if you’ve got the Platinum Preppy, you can use the corresponding Platinum converter for it instead of relying on cartridges. Sailor is another brand that comes with its own converter. 

At the end of the day, whether you choose a Pilot converter over a LAMY one, they will all serve the same purpose: to make your fountain pen experience better. 

Written by EndlessPens Blogger Ramona Kabigting