There's another massive advantage to a converter in addition to enormous ease of cleaning: you can fill from a sample vial with no effort at all. You can also fill them from a very shallow amount of ink. They also make it easy to fly with a fountain pen because they make it so easy to fly empty with a sample vial and a bulb syringe. You fly empty, get to your destination, fill up only as much as you need to write, and then before you fly back, just empty the converter back into the vial. If you aren't a fan of emptying back into the vial, then you don't have to waste any more than a partial converter's worth of ink by emptying it into the sink. Clean the section with the bulb syringe and then once again, fly dry! My go-to will always be a 1mm stub with a converter, although I have several piston fillers that I like very much -- the Diamond 580 is the perfect piston filler given its relative ease of disassembly and cleaning, and the large variety of nibs you can get with them.
I have a Lamy 2000 and a Pelikan Souveran 600. Both a terrific pens. I would recommend piston fillers for the reasons given in this video. They hold a lot more ink than any cartridge and so it's an age before you have to refill. And the only thing you're throwing away is an empty glass ink bottle (I that's infrequent - bottles of ink last forever :) ). For me the Lamy just edges it as I find the Pelikan a little wetter in terms of flow, whereas the Lamy is just right. That, though, is very much a personal preference.
Love my TWSBI ECO in transparent purple, but that's my only piston-filler pen! Regardless, they're a great upgrade to fountain pens. Would be fun to see some eyedropper exclusive pens be showcased!
Why focus on eyedropper _exclusive_ pens when there are pens that can be converted so easily for double duty? I have nothing against eyedropper only pens- I just don't get the point for a video idea.
@@Ava-wu4qp I don't think anything one way or another about eyedropper pens except that they're neat. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm just interested in being exposed to more things to try out and experience! 🙂 There's all kinds of types of filling mechanisms, and eyedropper is one of them. That's why I suggested a video. 👍
I have way too many pens for one person, but I love my Lamy 2000’s, which I have in oblique medium, oblique broad, and oblique double broad. The OBB is a vintage one, with an 18 kt nib. They are beautiful, dependable writers. I am also a big Pelikan fan and have several, a few vintage and a few new. They are pricier, but you cannot go wrong.
I think if you can only have one pen for function, the Lamy 2000 is the one to have. Affordable, 14k gold smooth nib, replacement nibs, piston filler, ink window, dependable, durable, iconic design. One pen many nib options, and with obliques. Pelikans would be a second, but not as affordable, but I feel more visually appealing.
As always a nice presentation of useful fountain pen basics, integrated with a presentation of your products! I’d like to add from experience that being able to adjust the volume of the ink chamber as ink level drops, gives an even and predictable ink flow. A piston knob that doesn’t travel a lot away from the barrel when lowering the piston is more pleasing to my aesthetic sense. The knob being covered by a cap solves that too. People who don’t experience any problems with ink flow, might not be bothered.
This has been my experience as well. I use mostly gold western EF and some of my pens would write closer to a medium if I don't keep up with the piston as the ink level drops.
Just got mine with a broad nib and red hematite ink with gold-ish flecks. Main intent is for signing cd covers and posters, but having fun with it at work too. I'm compelled to tell people not to twist the end counterclockwise lest they recreate a bloody rendition of a classic Three Stooges gag!
My favorite piston fill pen could be a Narwhal Nautilus. The filling system is wonderful and cleaning is easy, especially when you remove the nib and feed. Swapping nibs is a breeze. I have a Pelikan M 205. The piston fill is great and cleaning seems easy. You can remove the nib for added cleaning but adding silicone grease to the piston is difficult. I do not know of you can remove the piston mechanism. If you can, how do you do it?
I usually take a cue tip with silicone grease and stick it inside the barrel and rotate it around and then when you drop the piston down it grabs the grease and works nice and fluid.
@@echo021 Very good advice! Not even if ink gets behind the piston seal do you necessarily have to disassemble the piston mechanism. If you run the piston up and down while the pen is completely immersed in water the ink will eventually be replaced by….water. When that’s happpened, you repeat the maneuver above water, and the water eventually comes out too (replaced by air😄)
Thank you. I'm currently wondering which pen to investigate next.I have the Lamy 2k and agree with you that it's delightful in so many ways. I do find the section a little unstable in my hand but the merits of the pen bring me back to it regularly, regardless. I also like my vintage Pelikans - a 400 and a 400nn. They're both equipped with nice semi flex nibs which adds interest. I'm now wondering about these three: Sailor Realo, Aurora 88 and Meisterstuck 146. I love Sailor nibs and have several cc fillers. All are a bit pricey but at the moment I'm inclined towards the Aurora. Any thoughts? Thanks for a great review of this mechanism.
Thanks for the compliment and the comment. I don't think you can go wrong either way. If you love the feel of Sailor nibs, a Sailor Realo or Aurora 88 might be a better fit than the 146.
The Waldmann Manager is the only one I know one. Definitely weighty - it's made of sterling silver - goldspot.com/products/waldmann-manager-fountain-pen-in-lined-sterling-silver-steel-nib
There's another massive advantage to a converter in addition to enormous ease of cleaning: you can fill from a sample vial with no effort at all. You can also fill them from a very shallow amount of ink.
They also make it easy to fly with a fountain pen because they make it so easy to fly empty with a sample vial and a bulb syringe. You fly empty, get to your destination, fill up only as much as you need to write, and then before you fly back, just empty the converter back into the vial. If you aren't a fan of emptying back into the vial, then you don't have to waste any more than a partial converter's worth of ink by emptying it into the sink. Clean the section with the bulb syringe and then once again, fly dry!
My go-to will always be a 1mm stub with a converter, although I have several piston fillers that I like very much -- the Diamond 580 is the perfect piston filler given its relative ease of disassembly and cleaning, and the large variety of nibs you can get with them.
Thanks for the basic video. Some of us are just getting started down the fountain pen rathole.
Great run down for anyone wanting to make a foray into piston fillers.
I have a Lamy 2000 and a Pelikan Souveran 600. Both a terrific pens. I would recommend piston fillers for the reasons given in this video. They hold a lot more ink than any cartridge and so it's an age before you have to refill. And the only thing you're throwing away is an empty glass ink bottle (I that's infrequent - bottles of ink last forever :) ). For me the Lamy just edges it as I find the Pelikan a little wetter in terms of flow, whereas the Lamy is just right. That, though, is very much a personal preference.
Great video with a very neat presentation and highly precise exposition of the subject.
Love my TWSBI ECO in transparent purple, but that's my only piston-filler pen! Regardless, they're a great upgrade to fountain pens. Would be fun to see some eyedropper exclusive pens be showcased!
Why focus on eyedropper _exclusive_ pens when there are pens that can be converted so easily for double duty?
I have nothing against eyedropper only pens- I just don't get the point for a video idea.
@@Ava-wu4qp I don't think anything one way or another about eyedropper pens except that they're neat. Nothing more, nothing less.
I'm just interested in being exposed to more things to try out and experience! 🙂 There's all kinds of types of filling mechanisms, and eyedropper is one of them. That's why I suggested a video. 👍
@@jackivaltrades I can agree with that :)
More choices, more exposure, more better
Twsbi, Lanbitou, Indus, Ellington, Jinhao are faves
I have way too many pens for one person, but I love my Lamy 2000’s, which I have in oblique medium, oblique broad, and oblique double broad. The OBB is a vintage one, with an 18 kt nib. They are beautiful, dependable writers. I am also a big Pelikan fan and have several, a few vintage and a few new. They are pricier, but you cannot go wrong.
I think if you can only have one pen for function, the Lamy 2000 is the one to have. Affordable, 14k gold smooth nib, replacement nibs, piston filler, ink window, dependable, durable, iconic design. One pen many nib options, and with obliques. Pelikans would be a second, but not as affordable, but I feel more visually appealing.
As always a nice presentation of useful fountain pen basics, integrated with a presentation of your products! I’d like to add from experience that being able to adjust the volume of the ink chamber as ink level drops, gives an even and predictable ink flow. A piston knob that doesn’t travel a lot away from the barrel when lowering the piston is more pleasing to my aesthetic sense. The knob being covered by a cap solves that too. People who don’t experience any problems with ink flow, might not be bothered.
This has been my experience as well. I use mostly gold western EF and some of my pens would write closer to a medium if I don't keep up with the piston as the ink level drops.
Why no mention of the TWSBI's sir?
I really like my TWSBI ECO with my 1.1 stub nib. Great for pseudo-calligraphy
Just got mine with a broad nib and red hematite ink with gold-ish flecks. Main intent is for signing cd covers and posters, but having fun with it at work too.
I'm compelled to tell people not to twist the end counterclockwise lest they recreate a bloody rendition of a classic Three Stooges gag!
Dude. This is a great video!
My favorite piston fill pen could be a Narwhal Nautilus. The filling system is wonderful and cleaning is easy, especially when you remove the nib and feed. Swapping nibs is a breeze.
I have a Pelikan M 205. The piston fill is great and cleaning seems easy. You can remove the nib for added cleaning but adding silicone grease to the piston is difficult. I do not know of you can remove the piston mechanism. If you can, how do you do it?
I usually take a cue tip with silicone grease and stick it inside the barrel and rotate it around and then when you drop the piston down it grabs the grease and works nice and fluid.
@@echo021 Very good advice!
Not even if ink gets behind the piston seal do you necessarily have to disassemble the piston mechanism. If you run the piston up and down while the pen is completely immersed in water the ink will eventually be replaced by….water. When that’s happpened, you repeat the maneuver above water, and the water eventually comes out too (replaced by air😄)
Excellent video. I am bidding on a vintage Mont Blanc 344G soft flex nib on eBay. It will be my first piston filler. I usually use ink cartridges.
Thank you. I'm currently wondering which pen to investigate next.I have the Lamy 2k and agree with you that it's delightful in so many ways. I do find the section a little unstable in my hand but the merits of the pen bring me back to it regularly, regardless. I also like my vintage Pelikans - a 400 and a 400nn. They're both equipped with nice semi flex nibs which adds interest. I'm now wondering about these three: Sailor Realo, Aurora 88 and Meisterstuck 146. I love Sailor nibs and have several cc fillers. All are a bit pricey but at the moment I'm inclined towards the Aurora. Any thoughts? Thanks for a great review of this mechanism.
Thanks for the compliment and the comment. I don't think you can go wrong either way. If you love the feel of Sailor nibs, a Sailor Realo or Aurora 88 might be a better fit than the 146.
Where do you get the Narwhal Peter pen?????
Would there happen to be any all metal piston fountain pens? Im trying to find a weighty one, especially in brass.
The Waldmann Manager is the only one I know one. Definitely weighty - it's made of sterling silver - goldspot.com/products/waldmann-manager-fountain-pen-in-lined-sterling-silver-steel-nib
Hell yeah using peters pen, I’m a fan
Awesome information
Perfect review..thank you.
I am really surprised you didn't cover any of the TWSBI piston filling pens, like the Eco or Diamond 580.
"A syringe you can write with" -- great analogy!
How much for that Pelikan M1000000 beside you?
Which Leonardo is that on video key thumbnail picture of this video
That is the Abyss Celluloid limited edition. Coming soon here - goldspot.com/products/leonardo-momento-magico-fountain-pen-in-abyss-celluloid
Where's pilot custom 823??
Pilot custom 823 is a vacuum filler.
Which is the best piston filler fountain pen and at the same time cost effective.
I prefer the cartridge/converter method. But I have a Lamy 2000 in stainless steel. It performed well but piston fillers are less preferable for me.
Ahhh the narwhal peter draws version, love that pen
Twsbi Diamond 580, 1.8ml ink capacity.
That’s quite a decent volume!
I get about 2 days worth of notes out my Lamy 2000 between refills... imagine using cartridges!
Pelikan m200 with a 14k ef nib
No more twsbi for me, go Narwhal!
Different strokes for different blokes. Both are good though.
You absolutely dont have to clean between fills if youre not changing the ink. Thats just stupid.
👌👌👌😍🦚
And twsbi invented it, and may threaten your company if you make one ;)
Are you kidding me? "The best for last". Previous pens have a look at least, Lamy 2000 has no look, but high price, ugly nib.