Everything You Wanted to Know About Converters But Were Too Afraid to Ask

Рет қаралды 3,248

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 70

@oscarmedina1597 Ай бұрын

I regularly clean out the feed before inking up a new pen, but it hasn’t dawned on me to clean the new converter as well. It makes absolute sense and explains why some new converters have too much surface tension in the ink.

@Uli-zp3nc Ай бұрын

I use a syringe to refill my cartridges that is 10x better and cheaper than converters. Most cartridges can hold way more ink than a converter.

@georgeweitz9055 Ай бұрын

Yes same here, particularly a lamy cartridge- lots of capacity. But very occasionally it's possible to have spectacular accidents.....

@philnaunton7181 Ай бұрын

Me, too. I also use the syringe to fill or refill Converters when I run out of cartridges. Occasionally, when it's possible, I use a syringe to fill piston fillers. Less messy, less wasted ink. Plus it is easy to fill the piston all the way at one motion. Just make sure that you clean the syringe afterwards, or it could clog when and if the ink dries.

@misswoodhouse5720 Ай бұрын

Hello Dr Brown, Chelsea from down-under here, yes who can talk about fountain pen converters for 18 minutes; however, who can listen to Dr Brown talk for 18 minutes on converters......ME, I can, I did, and I will probably watch this again because you have a good sense of how to engage your listeners. I'm doing a masters of secondary teaching and to be honest teaching is a lot about engaging your students. Well done, you engaged someone with ADHD for 18min. c: Chelsea

@robbinallan3767 Ай бұрын

Oh Dr. Brown, You are the cat's meow. Great that you share all the good tips and tricks and crack me up at the same time. So nice that you're not bleeding from your forehead. Great demonstration

@alanpareis734 Ай бұрын

Who can maintain an intense, focused, detailed rich, content delivery for 18+ minutes? SBRE Brown, of course!!! A classic SBRE, thanks for getting my day off to a fantastic start. Oh, and one additional suggestion: avoid cartridge/converter pens like the plague, buy only piston pens, plunger pens, button filler pens, and even lever pens. Installing a new ink sac every 5 or 10 years can be such a fulfilling experience.

@MitchellJBridges Ай бұрын

Na I disagree, cartridge converters are my second favorite to piston fillers.

@klockwerklime3706 Ай бұрын

Another trick you didn't mention: sometimes ink gets trapped behind the piston seal. If a converter is easy to disassemble, you just take it apart and it is easy to clean. If it can't or won't come apart, operate the converter under water. This will pull ink through whatever holes or imperfect seals exist, allowing water to get in the back of the converter. Then, let it soak for a bit, operate it a few more times, and everything will come clean.

@willemgroenewegen5934 Ай бұрын

Thanks for that tip, have two Lamy converters with ink above the pistons. Neither shaking nor curved nozzle syringing works, so yes, I will definitely try this.

@johnsomers8269 Ай бұрын

Great pointers! Also, the baby nasal suction bulbs also work well for cleaning feed/section parts.

@juliafalling4069 Ай бұрын

I use a bulb syringe to flush out the nib and feed of a cartridge/converter pen all the time. Works really well.

@EnzoCiccia-jn4uy Ай бұрын

Very comprehensive guide on how to clean a converter and I learned a lot. Thank you for that! You are a pleasure to listen to!

@juicylouisey Ай бұрын

I found blunt dispensing needles on Amazon work well. Bent ones allow you to aim the cleaning fluid/ink to the side and regulates the pressure. Less likelihood of a face full of ink.

@meloenboom Ай бұрын

Dear Dr Brown. You were very clear about how it does not matter how many drops of dishwashing detergent is used or how much water is used when cleaning a converter. However, it is not clear to me how long I should swirl it around? Also, do I swirl clockwise or counter clockwise? Or a bit of both? In case of the later, which direction should I start with? Thank you! (I hope it's clear that this is a joke)

@begbers Ай бұрын

Just had to disassemble my LAMY converter to de-shimmerify it, after the Diamine Spiced Apple. Good to know that bit about minimizing breaking it down. Will use the shimmer inks in standard carts from now on and just rinse them out. LOVED the idea of repurposing the plastic/metal balls/beads and putting those in the converter. Will def do this for my standard converters. Thanks for your brilliance and willingness to share it, SBRE Brown!

@MissMarilynDarling Ай бұрын

when using a converter that has a small amount of leakage I put a blob of silicone grease around the piston head and that usually stops the ink from seaping out for a while

@RainmanP99 Ай бұрын

3 further tips: 1. I have some of the cheap little spring plunger ink syringes that have a tiny white plastic adapter to plug the needle in. The little adapter also fits in most bulb syringes. This setup cleans a converter in seconds. It is also fantastic for piston, vac, etc., fillers with easily removable nib/nib unit, also in seconds. 2. A sharp needle can be made safe by snipping off just the tiniest bit of the point with a wire cutter of some kind. The cut does not have to be beautiful or neat; you just do not want the sharp part. Don't cut the tube; it is unnecessary and crushes the tube. 3. OT, but as long as I am on a roll, the stretchy rubber tourniquet strips tied around the upper arm when having blood drawn, etc., are about the best grippy material I have found for pulling nibs, etc. You do not even need to cut them up unless you want to. I mostly leave them whole and use the ends if I need two. And I usually double it over on the end I am using on a nib to better cushion the fins on the feed.

@Calcprof Ай бұрын

My favorite converter: Platinum, easily disassembled and cleaned. My least favorite converter: Pilot Con-40 (the old pilot squeeze converter --Con-B?? - is worse, but rarely used these days). Thanks

@osirisgolad Ай бұрын

When it comes to Waterman and Parker screw converters, you can heat the metal shroud part with a hair dryer and then you can easily unscrew it just like the Schmidt converters. And to answer the inevitable "how hot should it be?" questions, the answer is simple: if it's too hot for your fingers, it's too hot for the plastic. There's another trick you can use if ink should get behind the piston seal, which is to put your finger on the end of the converter with the piston sitting at the nipple end and then pull a vacuum, which will often suck the ink out from behind the piston. Also, it's the Platinum cartridges that have the stainless steel ball bearings, not the Pilot ones. The plastic on those cartridges is very strong too, they're great for refilling in that regard. Speaking of Pilot cartridges and refiling though, those have a little plastic lid to seal them that you can pluck out with tweezers when the cartridge is empty and then re-use, so you can actually fill them back up with ink and carry them around as if they have never been punctured before.

@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Ай бұрын

How do you reseal the Pilot cartridges? With the same lid-looking thingamajig? Do they ever leak on you?

@osirisgolad Ай бұрын

@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Yep, you can just push it back in and it seals again perfectly, never had any issues. I'm sure they'll eventually wear out, but not until you've refilled them hundreds of times.

@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Ай бұрын

@ Thank you! I’ll have to try it.

@juliafalling4069 Ай бұрын

Helpful. Thank you. I use a syringe with a blunt needle all the time. To clean out empty cartridges for reuse. To clean out converters. I also use a syringe to force out as much water as I can after cleaning. Then I put the clean cartridges or converters upside down in a custard cup with a scrap of paper towel in the bottom to let them air dry (leaving it in a place the cats can’t access). BUT I haven’t cleaned a converter before use and have one that I suspect has the problem you describe - residue of crud from the manufacturing process restricting ink flow. I’ll remedy that issue today. I enjoy your videos, even though I buy mostly low-end pens (all under $200 US).

@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Ай бұрын

Fortunately the hobby has taken off enough that there are outstanding pens at all price points.

@juliafalling4069 Ай бұрын

@ You are exactly right. There are lots of makers of quality fountain pens to suit every taste and application.

@judyjacobs5827 Ай бұрын

I've found that converters called "international standard" are not all the same size. There are differences in the opening diameter, the length, the breadth, etc. Also noteworthy is that some are equipped with a "disruptor", some object inside the tube of the converter, to disrupt the surface tension of ink or water or whatever liquid is inside. They are usually either spherical metal or plastic, but can be coils. Presumably the disruptors could be shaped like tiny fishes ships, or mermaids for all I know. The coils seem to hang on to inks, occupy a lot of space, and, especially in inexpensive converters, rust when one uses an acidic ink or one made with oak gall in the traditional way. So pay attention, kids, have fun, and don't stab yourself in the eye with those sharp needles if you were too inattentive to get blunts. Got that? Good. And thanks, Stephen, for your passion and your sarcasm. I really enjoy it.

@willemgroenewegen5934 Ай бұрын

I went through your old videos last year and saw the curved nozzle syringe in one of them. The ones I found on amazon were called 'dental irrigation' syringes. Still have a couple of Lamy converters with ink stuck above the little piston, after many many flushes with that thing.

@foreigndaruma9825 Ай бұрын

There's a joke in there about balls of steel, but I fear I lack the dad energy to pull it off with the necessary confidence. A great resource, this. Many thanks!

@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Ай бұрын

@osirisgolad As far as I’m concerned, that is what’s required to carry around refilled and resealed Pilot cartridges😅

@foreigndaruma9825 Ай бұрын

@@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715 Very true.

@crouserm Ай бұрын

Who could have thought this topic could be so interesting? Useful, of course, but engagingly explained. Thank you!

@eddiecandelaria8691 Ай бұрын

Very helpful, especially the bearing as an agitator. The video was over before I knew it. Why ? Because I enjoy fountain pens. Looking forward to seeing your video on the G.O.A.T. fountain pens for 2024.

@nickm9370 8 күн бұрын

Have a Kaweco Brass Sport. Took a converter and chopped off its top and glued a piece of silicone bladder on the top - just long enough to fit in the barrel. Chose a converter with a metal ring around the nipple for strength (normal cartridge nipples failed too quickly). Use a blunted syringe to fill it. With an EF nib, this lasts a long time. Guess which ink I nearly always put in this?! 😁

@gihanzohdy3284 Ай бұрын

I wash the pens approximately every quarter using a rubber bulb to pump water in the feeder, and if the pen had a sheening ink I also use Reiniger by Roerer & Klinger. Done to both feeder and converter, then rinsed under the tap and finally with bottled water. They look new.

@vladyarotsky5287 Ай бұрын

Waterman cartridges and converters are standard-international compatible so if you have any problem with their converter you can just use your trusty Schmidt converter instead ("You" as in watcher/reader of course not as In SBRE Brown}

@PeterHickman-g6w Ай бұрын

I use an ultrasonic with a dash of cloudy ammonia. A few pumps of the piston is all it takes, rinse with water.

@mch2359 Ай бұрын

Goulet has the syringes with long blunt needles, you can stick the needle deep into the converter to flush it out.

@willemgroenewegen5934 Ай бұрын

Many other fine writing purveyors sell these too.

@mch2359 Ай бұрын

@willemgroenewegen5934 Yep, shop around. May even find a dealer with better ethics.

@ALR0808 Ай бұрын

It is always useful. Thank you very much.

@theprof_001 Ай бұрын

Very useful! Thanks. 👍

@mattlivingston2192 Ай бұрын

Another reason to avoid sharp needles for pen maintenance is not personal about safety at all. The sharp, pointed end can scratch the inside surface of the converter or nick the edge of the piston seal.

@arcboy2011 Ай бұрын

Nice little tutorial sir. Many thanks.

@FrauStaenki Ай бұрын

Awesome 👍🏼

@blythetretick7081 Ай бұрын

Good point about converter air leak.

@aapje180 Ай бұрын

This was very useful! Could you possibly share your experience with the classic Sheaffer converters? I mean the ones you have to pinch to fill them with ink?

@alanpareis734 Ай бұрын

Oh, I forgot....wonderful way to transport a converter, it ranks about as hi on the “coolness scale” as carrying a pack of cigs rolled into your T-shirt sleeve. Now if one had a nice bright colored geometric patterned suite, the converter in the eyeglass earpiece would be the perfect accessory for pen show appearances. “Pen Show Chic” - jes say in.

@mikequinlan9585 Ай бұрын

Thanks this was very useful! 😊

@paulwhitehouse8911 Ай бұрын

Great insightful video again Stephen

@TanaCarissa Ай бұрын

Dear Mr Brown, ever the entertainer, please never change.

@oldladywcamera Ай бұрын

Informative. Well explained. You must be a psychology professor.

@tahasc Ай бұрын

Some.converters have a spring especially faber castell that make things easy to clean

@edwardstaats4935 Ай бұрын

More than one. Each pen I have has a converter, may be an international standard, but some are proprietary, like Waterman. I clean mine by soaking in water, then drawing up and expelling.

@promisso Ай бұрын

You're good! very useful

@jeffellis662 Ай бұрын

Normal Pilot cartridges don’t have the metal ball, the Pilot Parallel Mixable color refills do.

@JohnPeter-wl3re Ай бұрын

In fine form today Professor. I especially liked when you jam the syringe into your forehead. Zippity Zappity!

@kms5889 Ай бұрын

Platinum cartridges have a stainless steel ball, I think. I am looking forward to all the complaints about Pilot Con-40 converters that will inevitably be in the comments. 😂

@paulwhitehouse8911 Ай бұрын

I use a flat needle syringe and that does the trick

@talcual2138 Ай бұрын

Now you have to talk for 25 minutes about clips. The satyrical aspect of this video was not lost on me! OCD can take so many forms, and this is a perfect treatment of the issue...

@thomashardison1140 Ай бұрын

I like this.

@neemancallender9092 Ай бұрын

Blunt hypodermic can enter the back of the converter and flushes faster

@anguswhite8233 Ай бұрын

don’t mean to be an idiot, but is it not easier just to buy a bottle of pen flush, dunk the nib into it and draw some flush into the converter, shake it (not too vigorously), leave it for 5mins, then expel it, then draw up water a few times, then leave the nib face down against some kitchen paper towels to draw out any residual water - that way the nib’s clean, the converter’s clean and the feed’s clean without having to dismantle anything!:)