For people like me who don’t run to a sonic cleaner I discovered a great hack. I bought a secondhand pen totally gummed up with dried ink. After the usual soaking and syringing I still wasn’t satisfied, so I put it in a small bowl of water and vibrated it by touching it with the body of my battery operated toothbrush. Magic! Tiny particles of ink immediately started popping out of the nib/feed. A couple of cleaning cycles and it was clear of all particulates. Now working perfectly. No toothbrushes were harmed 😂
Big tip for the bulb syringe. - Take an old cartridge and cut the back off. Then cut the tip off a bulb syringe until it fits snugly over the back of the cartridge. Now you have a bulb syringe that will always fit tightly to your pen. I have one for my Safari (most used pen) and I made a Platinum one for my friend. The ink miser is great if you're trying to write with a glass dip pen too. As for syringes, I fill my converters almost exclusively from the syringe. It's cleaner and has less waste since no ink is caught up in the feed and on the grip needing to be wiped away. Then you just push the piston up a bit to saturate the feed and you're primed to write.
For me, one of the most important fountain pen accessories is a sheet pan! You can do all your cleaning and filling on that, and you don't have to worry about spilling ink on your desk or your counter. If there's a spill, it's all contained (well, mostly) to the pan. Best tip I ever read.
One additional tip about the bulb syringe, shared with me by Goulet Customer Care: when squeezing the bulb to expel water through a feed, push from the center top of the bulb rather than squishing it from the sides...the side seams may split over time if they keep getting direct pressure. Drew is right, it is a game changer and cuts down "pen spa" time by half!
The bulb syringe was something I've ignored for a very long time but when i used it once i understood what I've been missing, it's a game changer for sure. Makes it so much easier words cannot describe it.
I do love it. it is a must have for me. I mean between regular syringes and the bulb, I think I'd probably take a regular syringe, but having both is just so much nicer for cleaning since tiny syringes never hold enough fluids.
Great video Drew, I have never been happier getting upsold on pen accessories. While you mentioned the TWSBI ink bottles briefly in the Ink Miser section, I think you kind of overlooked the best part. The TWSBI Diamond 50 ink bottle is a refillable bottle with an Ink Miser style reservoir inside it. You get all of the advantages of the Ink Miser without having to mess around with syringes to transfer the ink, just pour fill the bottle, give it a bit of a shake to fill the reservoir (with the cap on, of course!), and fill your pen.
Another joy of the ink syringe is using it for the Pilot con 70 which I just can’t get the hang of. So instead of frustrating myself, I use the syringe to fill the converter and then use it to saturate the feed. It’s a lot easier learning to pump out just a few drops onto the feed, plus 1 or 2 drops into the breather hole than it is to pump the con 70, especially when you have carpel tunnel.
I have these game changers and use them with delight. I will say it’s true that bulb syringes do not always fit pens perfectly. Buy a second one and cut the tip to make it a little wider. I have always felt that using a bulb syringe saves wear and tear on a converter. You could also use a squeeze bottle, such as for condiments.
Ever since I started using ink syringes I havent filled the traditional way. It's just so clean and easy to fill an empty cartidge or converter (and even my piston fillers!) with the syringe. I'm not great at traditional filling and I always got ink on the grip section before, even with face suckers 🤦♀️
Surprised you didn't mention a toothbrush for cleaning feeds, Drew. 😉 Seriously, I'd add the brass sheets you sell for cleaning between the tines Also inexpensive, easy to use and needed pretty often. Finally, a loupe. Aligning tines really isn't that difficult & can make all the difference in the world in how a pen performs. However, I imagine very few people can see misaligned tines without a loupe.
Being a loyal follower of Goulet Pens videos and pencasts, I have heard these tips and taken them to heart. Yes, they belong in every pen owner‘s household. Thank you for the education!
Ink miser is awesome! Love the ones I have. Even the ones without a base, designed to be tossed inside an ink-well. Only thing is, I wish the company would make an ink miser (with base) out of heavier material to make it harder to accidentally knock over while filling. Otherwise, fantastic product. Personally not a huge fan of their ink. But Waterman bottles are designed to be both nice looking and functional. You can tip them over on a table and they stay in place for getting that last little bit of ink out.
One tip that can help... Get a bit of blue-tac (the stuff college kids use to hang posters in dorm rooms) or museum putty. You can use a little dot of it to stick the ink miser base to your desk/table. Then when you're done you can just peel it up and put it away for next time...
Just started on my journey (12 days, 8 fountain pens, 17 inks + inkvent calendar in, and 1 recently set-up RUclips channel in) and have 3 out of 5. First buy after the initial fountain pen and ink was the bulb syringe and I love it! Thanks, Brian and Drew, for suggesting it. 😊 Next stop is the sleeve - or case as is my present predicament. Have yet to find a good one in my part of the world.
Best fountain pen accessory ever: an empty vape liquid bottle with an integral needle tip. They cost pennies, have good seals, a childproof cap and are perfect for refilling eyedroppers, converters or even empty plastic ink cartridges on the go.
I would add in a loupe for die hard fountain pen users who need to check tines alignment. Wait maybe add in brass sheets. Micro mesh. Ink blotter paper. 😅😅😅 so many accessories!!!
I honestly think you guys should sell an all-in-one kit with an ink miser, syringes, bulb syringe, brass shim, silicone grease, and o-rings so people can get all their maintenance supplies in one purchase. (I didn't mention micromesh because you'd inevitably have someone mess up their nib and complaining. That should be more of an intentional purchase).
They do sell that on their website, it just doesn't have everything you just listed in it. It's called the fountain pen cleaning and maintenance package set
I find an ink syringe the most useful of these accessories. When trying to get the last drops of ink from a sample vial, I use my syringe to re-fill a cartridge or converter (I've even pulled the nib & feed from a TWSBI Eco to use the syringe to fill the pen from a half-used sample vial)... which brings me to another must-have accessory - the Goulet Grip. Love the videos Drew... keep them coming!
I have everything but the ink meiser. I guess that's next. I purchased all of them based on previous pencasts. So thanks Goulet Pens. I like many others, always fill my converters by syringe. I'm less likely to tip an ink bottle or sample. I like this video because it has all these helpful suggestions in one place. Kudos Drew!
I enjoy using a rocker ink blotter when using my fountain pens, especially for signatures. Not as cheap as the video suggestions, but it won't break the bank.
I have found this important for Organics Studio inks, which I love, but which have a longer drying time. I bought a rocker ink blotter like 20 years ago, and finally have a use for it thanks to sheening inks.
@@tommccafferty5591 My glass pen came from Italy, a friend brought it back to me as a gift. Again, I didn't use it much at the time, but now that I've fallen into the rabbit trail of ink samples, I use it often.
I penabled a bunch of friends last year for the holidays. One of them is getting some more ink and a goulet cleaning kit this year! And I’m getting my mom the pineider snorkel filler. That definitely should’ve been on this list
Being old enough to have several, the old Sheaffer's inkwell bottles trump the Ink Shot, IMO. Use the last drop, fill with a 2 ounce bottle of anything (or even a bottle of Noodler's, if you have the 4 ounce inkwell bottle), wash, rinse, repeat. Gotta be the vintage glass ones, though. Modern are dinky in comparison.) Everything else? Yep. Except where's the ultrasonic cleaner? 🤔😁 Have a great holiday season, Drew et al!
I remember my father using those bottles with his Pen For Men. Sadly, the pen got forgotten after he retired, and he didn't keep any of those fabulous ink bottles.
@@N1inSK They're still available. 😁 Even still with ink, unopened. Red sadly fades pretty fast, but the Snorkel/PFM era "with RC-35" (additive to make it fluoresce under UV light in case it washes the color out) even purple is still pretty nice after almost 70 years. (Sorry if you read this, Drew, but that age Sheaffer Skrip brown looks like a disastrous accident in a baby's diaper after creamed spinach. Even unopened.) Plenty of empties still out there as well. I even got the "holy grail" Sheaffer's Skrip Peacock Blue (similar to their modern Turquoise) recently for less than the cheapest I have paid for an 80 mL of Diamine. Patience and time. 😁
@@N1inSK I recently scored an unopened bottle of Peacock Blue from the 1950s. A very rare find! Though concentrate by now, easier to find in a cartridge (though still very rare.) I think plenty people "of a certain age" used Peacock Blue in School. Barely what the teacher would accept. 😁 There's some retailers that have vintage Skrip bottles, but they're common on eBay. Both with and without ink.
After flushing a pen with the bulb syringe, dont forget to hold the nib in some tissue and blast air though the pen with the same device, expelling the water from the feed. Much more effective than shaking and prevents a pale, watery start when you ink up. Another favourite accessory of mine is a 10x15cm, 0.5mm thick sheet of nitrile rubber I bought for a pound or two on eBay, perfect for gripping nibs and feeds for disassembly/cleaning/maintenance/nib swaps.
Since the bulb syringe doesn't fit all pens I've seen someone cut a cartridge at the end and put the bulb syringe in the cart and attach it to the Nib section to clean it like that.
I recently purchased an "ink snorkel" from my local stationary store, but I don't recall the brand or the name... Basically, it's just the good old blunt cannula, but with a Twist! That thing features a variety of outer diameters to fit just every ink-converter you might stumble upon on this big blue earth! Ideal for my clumsy fingers, as I'm not so keen on stumping my fine nibs into an inkbottle and give the tines some awkward new angles on the way...
I recently bought a pen sleeve for my fountain pens, after I noticed that they we’re getting scratched because they were bumping against everything else in my pen case.
I use a large syringe, says needle, the end usually fits snuggly into the nib feed and the blast the water through. Stick the needle back on and you can fill ink cartridges.
Ink syringes are fantastic! Thanks so much for the tip. It makes quick of pen rills and refills. Just be sure to master the slow pushing first, or you'll waste some ink if you're not careful. (True story)
I bought a converter with my platinum prefounte even though it doubled the price of the pen because I knew I'd be saving a lot of energy and money with bottled ink instead of replacing cartridges, so they're practical even if you only want one kind of ink
I need to get an ink syringe! Got the Monteverde tool pen from y’all when it was on sale and didn’t realize it was cartridge only. It’ll save me the trouble of buying cartridges.
I got the FP care kit from Goulet early in my journey, while ordering a collection of ink samples. It has been immensely helpful! Unfortunately, I cannot figure out where I stored the bulb syringe from the kit 🤦🏻♀️ Will have to finally give in and get another one locally, I guess 😜 Putting the Ink Miser on my Christmas wish list!
100% agree these are all PERFECT items and accessories to gift a new fountain pen user. How now? Where is the Drewthbrush?!?! Also ,I would take converter off the list and replace with Mnemosyne paper - yummy!
I can’t see the bulb syringe as a parent and not see “snot sucker.” 😅 Do be careful as they’re impossible to dry thoroughly and can grow mold inside. 😬
I read somewhere else about mold accumulating inside the bulb syringe, got grossed out and bought a new one. I cut open the old one that I had been using for over 2yrs it was super clean. I use distilled water and squeeze the water into the section to remove any water.
Don't even bother... When you are done just squeeze the bulb a few times and you will be fine. To much work. Putting in glass will cover the tip of the nozzle.
The reason why I think the "Ink Miser" is so underrated, is that if you are using an "Ink Syringe" to move ink over from the bottle in the first place, why not just squeeze the ink straight into the converter? It's one less step to take and less messy than dipping your pen into the ink.
You can saturate the feed by releasing 1 or 2 drops of the ink back out. Drew and Brian have recommended this before for more “accurate” writing (closer to what your actual writing will look like after writing for a while).
I've tried that. Converters are so ridiculously easy to overfill with a syringe. Even when you're careful, it's too easy to get ink on your fingers, clothes, and whatever it is you're standing over (hopefully just the kitchen sink). And has already been mentioned, it is sooo important to saturate the nib. And i'm sorry, but I've found that 1 or 2 drops back out of the pen doesn't cut it.
I have a rubber bulb syringe that's over 40 years old. I bought it for cleaning inside 35mm cameras, and now my son uses it to flush wax out of his ears. I have also used it to flush pens. It is 5 inches long and holds a LOT of water. So I went to try to find a replacement today (so I can cut the tip to fit an ink cartridge), and I can't find one that size. All I can find are the little ones like you sell. I'm sad, but I'll try a medical supply company tomorrow. I only thought of them as I typed this comment.
Some of my pens came with cartridges and converters. The more expensive pens no longer get used; so, it does not matter whether I put a cartridge or a converter in them, they are not reliable. I have one pen that I carry in my bag that just gets the cartridge refilled and that's where the ink syringe comes in handy. I've tried using the bulb syringe for pen cleaning; but, It makes a better succulent watering syringe. No risk of overwatering my succulents when I use it for that purpose. Since my bag has a built in pen holder, I've never felt the need to buy anything extra for that purpose. I use post-it notes a lot. Digital calendars are not reliable. Since I make a lot of appointments for myself, my sons, and my animals, I like to be able to see the appointment on a note that is stuck within eye level, either on the shelf above my monitor, or even on the frame around my monitor.
For people like me who don’t run to a sonic cleaner I discovered a great hack. I bought a secondhand pen totally gummed up with dried ink. After the usual soaking and syringing I still wasn’t satisfied, so I put it in a small bowl of water and vibrated it by touching it with the body of my battery operated toothbrush. Magic! Tiny particles of ink immediately started popping out of the nib/feed. A couple of cleaning cycles and it was clear of all particulates. Now working perfectly. No toothbrushes were harmed 😂
Really? 😮 Wow! So ingenious and resourceful 😊 Thank you! I must try with my electric toothbrush.
Did you touch the pen or the bowl?
@@mkbuike7895 I touched the pen in a spot where I thought it would do no damage
Thankyouuouooyoyoyoyooyoyoyoyoyoyooyoyoyoyoyoy
Genius!
Big tip for the bulb syringe. - Take an old cartridge and cut the back off. Then cut the tip off a bulb syringe until it fits snugly over the back of the cartridge. Now you have a bulb syringe that will always fit tightly to your pen. I have one for my Safari (most used pen) and I made a Platinum one for my friend.
The ink miser is great if you're trying to write with a glass dip pen too.
As for syringes, I fill my converters almost exclusively from the syringe. It's cleaner and has less waste since no ink is caught up in the feed and on the grip needing to be wiped away. Then you just push the piston up a bit to saturate the feed and you're primed to write.
For me, one of the most important fountain pen accessories is a sheet pan! You can do all your cleaning and filling on that, and you don't have to worry about spilling ink on your desk or your counter. If there's a spill, it's all contained (well, mostly) to the pan. Best tip I ever read.
One additional tip about the bulb syringe, shared with me by Goulet Customer Care: when squeezing the bulb to expel water through a feed, push from the center top of the bulb rather than squishing it from the sides...the side seams may split over time if they keep getting direct pressure. Drew is right, it is a game changer and cuts down "pen spa" time by half!
Great tip! That's exactly what happened to mine after a few years. I am going to start making that change!
One of mine split just last week! Luckily, I had one in reserve. Good tip!
Drew should be a professional actor for TV commercials. What a player!
Why has no one mentioned Drew’s wonderful corgi shirt? I need one
The bulb syringe was something I've ignored for a very long time but when i used it once i understood what I've been missing, it's a game changer for sure. Makes it so much easier words cannot describe it.
Can also be used for ink splats. Just few drops on paper and squeeze away.
I do love it. it is a must have for me. I mean between regular syringes and the bulb, I think I'd probably take a regular syringe, but having both is just so much nicer for cleaning since tiny syringes never hold enough fluids.
Great video Drew, I have never been happier getting upsold on pen accessories. While you mentioned the TWSBI ink bottles briefly in the Ink Miser section, I think you kind of overlooked the best part. The TWSBI Diamond 50 ink bottle is a refillable bottle with an Ink Miser style reservoir inside it. You get all of the advantages of the Ink Miser without having to mess around with syringes to transfer the ink, just pour fill the bottle, give it a bit of a shake to fill the reservoir (with the cap on, of course!), and fill your pen.
Another joy of the ink syringe is using it for the Pilot con 70 which I just can’t get the hang of. So instead of frustrating myself, I use the syringe to fill the converter and then use it to saturate the feed. It’s a lot easier learning to pump out just a few drops onto the feed, plus 1 or 2 drops into the breather hole than it is to pump the con 70, especially when you have carpel tunnel.
I have these game changers and use them with delight. I will say it’s true that bulb syringes do not always fit pens perfectly. Buy a second one and cut the tip to make it a little wider. I have always felt that using a bulb syringe saves wear and tear on a converter. You could also use a squeeze bottle, such as for condiments.
Ever since I started using ink syringes I havent filled the traditional way. It's just so clean and easy to fill an empty cartidge or converter (and even my piston fillers!) with the syringe. I'm not great at traditional filling and I always got ink on the grip section before, even with face suckers 🤦♀️
The look of excitement on your face when talking about the syringe- lol. 😂❤
The ink syringe gets my vote for "Awesome Game Changing Doohickey" especially when I discovered how to refill cartridges with my favorite bottled ink!
Surprised you didn't mention a toothbrush for cleaning feeds, Drew. 😉 Seriously, I'd add the brass sheets you sell for cleaning between the tines Also inexpensive, easy to use and needed pretty often. Finally, a loupe. Aligning tines really isn't that difficult & can make all the difference in the world in how a pen performs. However, I imagine very few people can see misaligned tines without a loupe.
"Corgies on a shirt"... sounds like a forgotten brit-pop-song but does fit Drew verry well.... Nice little things, you are telling us about. 👍
Being a loyal follower of Goulet Pens videos and pencasts, I have heard these tips and taken them to heart. Yes, they belong in every pen owner‘s household. Thank you for the education!
I love my ink meiser if ypur on the fence it's great for using with ink samples too. Don't even think of skipping that bulb syringe it's amazing
4:26 that was sick, I did notice!
Ink miser is awesome! Love the ones I have. Even the ones without a base, designed to be tossed inside an ink-well. Only thing is, I wish the company would make an ink miser (with base) out of heavier material to make it harder to accidentally knock over while filling. Otherwise, fantastic product. Personally not a huge fan of their ink. But Waterman bottles are designed to be both nice looking and functional. You can tip them over on a table and they stay in place for getting that last little bit of ink out.
One tip that can help... Get a bit of blue-tac (the stuff college kids use to hang posters in dorm rooms) or museum putty. You can use a little dot of it to stick the ink miser base to your desk/table. Then when you're done you can just peel it up and put it away for next time...
I agree, the ink miser with the base should have a weighted base.
Just started on my journey (12 days, 8 fountain pens, 17 inks + inkvent calendar in, and 1 recently set-up RUclips channel in) and have 3 out of 5. First buy after the initial fountain pen and ink was the bulb syringe and I love it! Thanks, Brian and Drew, for suggesting it. 😊
Next stop is the sleeve - or case as is my present predicament. Have yet to find a good one in my part of the world.
Best fountain pen accessory ever: an empty vape liquid bottle with an integral needle tip. They cost pennies, have good seals, a childproof cap and are perfect for refilling eyedroppers, converters or even empty plastic ink cartridges on the go.
I've been using fountain pens for almost 40 years but never knew about syringes (both kinds) until I started watching. They are indeed game changers.
The Ink Miser Ink Shot is a must have accessory.
I would add in a loupe for die hard fountain pen users who need to check tines alignment. Wait maybe add in brass sheets. Micro mesh. Ink blotter paper. 😅😅😅 so many accessories!!!
I couldn't live without my ink shot. 🤩
Totally agree! Thanks for sharing!
Cheers from Brazil!
I really love my syringe, preferring loading ink into my converter with that than the mess of drawing ink through the nib part.
I honestly think you guys should sell an all-in-one kit with an ink miser, syringes, bulb syringe, brass shim, silicone grease, and o-rings so people can get all their maintenance supplies in one purchase. (I didn't mention micromesh because you'd inevitably have someone mess up their nib and complaining. That should be more of an intentional purchase).
They do sell that on their website, it just doesn't have everything you just listed in it. It's called the fountain pen cleaning and maintenance package set
I find an ink syringe the most useful of these accessories. When trying to get the last drops of ink from a sample vial, I use my syringe to re-fill a cartridge or converter (I've even pulled the nib & feed from a TWSBI Eco to use the syringe to fill the pen from a half-used sample vial)... which brings me to another must-have accessory - the Goulet Grip.
Love the videos Drew... keep them coming!
I have everything but the ink meiser. I guess that's next. I purchased all of them based on previous pencasts. So thanks Goulet Pens. I like many others, always fill my converters by syringe. I'm less likely to tip an ink bottle or sample.
I like this video because it has all these helpful suggestions in one place. Kudos Drew!
I hadn't thought of the bulb for some reason can't wait to try it
I enjoy using a rocker ink blotter when using my fountain pens, especially for signatures. Not as cheap as the video suggestions, but it won't break the bank.
I have found this important for Organics Studio inks, which I love, but which have a longer drying time. I bought a rocker ink blotter like 20 years ago, and finally have a use for it thanks to sheening inks.
@@juliewinklepleck8909 I got mine in Florence, Italy about 12 years ago at a little pen shop.
@@tommccafferty5591 My glass pen came from Italy, a friend brought it back to me as a gift. Again, I didn't use it much at the time, but now that I've fallen into the rabbit trail of ink samples, I use it often.
Thank Drew. I have all 5 accessories. What a difference. What a collection of ink , I now have. KB
Great video Drew! Keep up the good work.
new goulet video just dropped, time to buy a whole bunch of fountain pen accessories
can we get a shoutout to the brass sheet to clear out gunk in the nib
I penabled a bunch of friends last year for the holidays. One of them is getting some more ink and a goulet cleaning kit this year! And I’m getting my mom the pineider snorkel filler. That definitely should’ve been on this list
How fun! Fountain pens will save the world! 😊
Love the ink shot. Beautiful design. Will consider getting one.
Being old enough to have several, the old Sheaffer's inkwell bottles trump the Ink Shot, IMO. Use the last drop, fill with a 2 ounce bottle of anything (or even a bottle of Noodler's, if you have the 4 ounce inkwell bottle), wash, rinse, repeat. Gotta be the vintage glass ones, though. Modern are dinky in comparison.)
Everything else? Yep. Except where's the ultrasonic cleaner? 🤔😁
Have a great holiday season, Drew et al!
I remember my father using those bottles with his Pen For Men. Sadly, the pen got forgotten after he retired, and he didn't keep any of those fabulous ink bottles.
@@N1inSK They're still available. 😁 Even still with ink, unopened. Red sadly fades pretty fast, but the Snorkel/PFM era "with RC-35" (additive to make it fluoresce under UV light in case it washes the color out) even purple is still pretty nice after almost 70 years. (Sorry if you read this, Drew, but that age Sheaffer Skrip brown looks like a disastrous accident in a baby's diaper after creamed spinach. Even unopened.)
Plenty of empties still out there as well. I even got the "holy grail" Sheaffer's Skrip Peacock Blue (similar to their modern Turquoise) recently for less than the cheapest I have paid for an 80 mL of Diamine. Patience and time. 😁
@@paulherman5822 Thanks for the tip!.
I remember using Peacock Blue cartridges in cheap Sheaffer pens in grade 5 or 6, I think.
@@N1inSK I recently scored an unopened bottle of Peacock Blue from the 1950s. A very rare find! Though concentrate by now, easier to find in a cartridge (though still very rare.) I think plenty people "of a certain age" used Peacock Blue in School. Barely what the teacher would accept. 😁
There's some retailers that have vintage Skrip bottles, but they're common on eBay. Both with and without ink.
After flushing a pen with the bulb syringe, dont forget to hold the nib in some tissue and blast air though the pen with the same device, expelling the water from the feed. Much more effective than shaking and prevents a pale, watery start when you ink up.
Another favourite accessory of mine is a 10x15cm, 0.5mm thick sheet of nitrile rubber I bought for a pound or two on eBay, perfect for gripping nibs and feeds for disassembly/cleaning/maintenance/nib swaps.
I absolutely agree! Have all five.
Useful tips for beginners. Ultrasonic cleaner, mentioned in the comments, can be used but, as all of the tools, wit caution and fully opened eyes 👀!
I own everything but the pen sleeve...and you are so right about all the other goodies. (I think I bought all of them from YOU!)
I also discovered that bulb syringes are also really good at cleaning out my Caran D'Ache waterbrushes. 😁
Since the bulb syringe doesn't fit all pens I've seen someone cut a cartridge at the end and put the bulb syringe in the cart and attach it to the Nib section to clean it like that.
Hmm...that would be a good use for the open-ended dummy cartridges that come with some pens.
I recently purchased an "ink snorkel" from my local stationary store, but I don't recall the brand or the name...
Basically, it's just the good old blunt cannula, but with a Twist! That thing features a variety of outer diameters to fit just every ink-converter you might stumble upon on this big blue earth!
Ideal for my clumsy fingers, as I'm not so keen on stumping my fine nibs into an inkbottle and give the tines some awkward new angles on the way...
I recently bought a pen sleeve for my fountain pens, after I noticed that they we’re getting scratched because they were bumping against everything else in my pen case.
I'll add that a Loupe is one of THE most important tool.
I agree with everything said here. Have all five!
I discovered the bulb syringe early in my fountain pen experience (probably from brian!) and it really is a game changer!
Also, love the shirt!
100% agree with content and order. Y'all keep up the good work over there!
I use a large syringe, says needle, the end usually fits snuggly into the nib feed and the blast the water through. Stick the needle back on and you can fill ink cartridges.
Ink syringes are fantastic! Thanks so much for the tip. It makes quick of pen rills and refills. Just be sure to master the slow pushing first, or you'll waste some ink if you're not careful. (True story)
Great video, Drew. I would suggest getting 2-3 bulb syringes at the same time. I use mine all the time.
Another honorable mention; brass sheets for flossing paper fibers from between nib tines.
I bought a converter with my platinum prefounte even though it doubled the price of the pen because I knew I'd be saving a lot of energy and money with bottled ink instead of replacing cartridges, so they're practical even if you only want one kind of ink
I have 4 out of 5. I guess I have to add the Ink Miser Ink Shot to my wish list!
Same here!!! All i have is samples curre tly.
Great video, subbed!
I have them all and I approve 🎉
Good job mate
I need to get an ink syringe! Got the Monteverde tool pen from y’all when it was on sale and didn’t realize it was cartridge only. It’ll save me the trouble of buying cartridges.
Seriously great list.
I like to eye dropper fill some of my pens so I’d add silicone grease to the list.
Amen!
Does one need the bulb syringe? Is it better than regular syringe?
I got the FP care kit from Goulet early in my journey, while ordering a collection of ink samples. It has been immensely helpful! Unfortunately, I cannot figure out where I stored the bulb syringe from the kit 🤦🏻♀️ Will have to finally give in and get another one locally, I guess 😜
Putting the Ink Miser on my Christmas wish list!
I was going to give this list a +1 rating, but there is a criminal lack of Drew-let Toothbrushes here.
A missed opportunity.
Drew..
do you have a corgi? I saw the shirt you wore in this video?
Well now i want a drewlet toothbrush and a corgi t shirt 😆😆
Would there be a pen holder that works with the Travelers Notebook?
The snot sucker (aka the bulb syringe) was my secret pen cleaning weapon. Available in the baby section of every drug store everywhere.
One of the biggest game changer for me is White Lightning.
Thank you for mentioning this; I had somehow missed hearing about it before.
100% for all of these!
Life without a syringe is too painful! I can go without every other accessory on this list, but the syringe is super duper necessary.
100% agree these are all PERFECT items and accessories to gift a new fountain pen user. How now? Where is the Drewthbrush?!?! Also ,I would take converter off the list and replace with Mnemosyne paper - yummy!
How long is the needle on the ink syringe?
With some of the Japanese brands where the bulb does not really seal the section just cut down an empty cartridge to make an adapter.
Honorable mention: Ultrasonic Cleaners.
That one should be mentioned with caution since it can get hot and permanently damage fountain pen easily.
Not good for ebonite sections and/or bodies either.
No. Unneeded and can even damage expensive pens.
I can’t see the bulb syringe as a parent and not see “snot sucker.” 😅
Do be careful as they’re impossible to dry thoroughly and can grow mold inside. 😬
I read somewhere else about mold accumulating inside the bulb syringe, got grossed out and bought a new one. I cut open the old one that I had been using for over 2yrs it was super clean. I use distilled water and squeeze the water into the section to remove any water.
I store mine nozzle down suspended over a glass jar-maybe gravity helps to pull down any droplets inside until they dry?
Don't even bother... When you are done just squeeze the bulb a few times and you will be fine. To much work. Putting in glass will cover the tip of the nozzle.
The reason why I think the "Ink Miser" is so underrated, is that if you are using an "Ink Syringe" to move ink over from the bottle in the first place, why not just squeeze the ink straight into the converter? It's one less step to take and less messy than dipping your pen into the ink.
But it doesn't saturate the feed. I need that.
You can saturate the feed by releasing 1 or 2 drops of the ink back out. Drew and Brian have recommended this before for more “accurate” writing (closer to what your actual writing will look like after writing for a while).
I got one just for my TWISBI eco, since it’s much more of a hassle to use a syringe with it than a cartridge/converter pen.
@@xxflipchick22xx I agree. I’ve done this before.
I've tried that. Converters are so ridiculously easy to overfill with a syringe. Even when you're careful, it's too easy to get ink on your fingers, clothes, and whatever it is you're standing over (hopefully just the kitchen sink). And has already been mentioned, it is sooo important to saturate the nib. And i'm sorry, but I've found that 1 or 2 drops back out of the pen doesn't cut it.
I have a rubber bulb syringe that's over 40 years old. I bought it for cleaning inside 35mm cameras, and now my son uses it to flush wax out of his ears. I have also used it to flush pens. It is 5 inches long and holds a LOT of water. So I went to try to find a replacement today (so I can cut the tip to fit an ink cartridge), and I can't find one that size. All I can find are the little ones like you sell. I'm sad, but I'll try a medical supply company tomorrow. I only thought of them as I typed this comment.
Small cloth, eg lens cleaner, for wiping minor spills, burps etc.
Are we going to ignore that beautiful bulb syringe flip at the end??
I looked on your website and did not see a pen sleeve under $10.00. The one you showed, the black Rickshaw is $19.00.
That's why I store my pens in mugs.
That shirt tho 👀
I need the ink miser.
I would get asked some questions for having a few blunt tip syringes 💉
Some of my pens came with cartridges and converters. The more expensive pens no longer get used; so, it does not matter whether I put a cartridge or a converter in them, they are not reliable. I have one pen that I carry in my bag that just gets the cartridge refilled and that's where the ink syringe comes in handy. I've tried using the bulb syringe for pen cleaning; but, It makes a better succulent watering syringe. No risk of overwatering my succulents when I use it for that purpose. Since my bag has a built in pen holder, I've never felt the need to buy anything extra for that purpose.
I use post-it notes a lot. Digital calendars are not reliable. Since I make a lot of appointments for myself, my sons, and my animals, I like to be able to see the appointment on a note that is stuck within eye level, either on the shelf above my monitor, or even on the frame around my monitor.
I'm always suspicious of Drew when he is in Brian's office unsupervised. Just say'in.🤨
You forgot the DBrown pen cleaning brush; named by haters as "just a tooth brush". 🙃🤭
first here haha
Syringe 💉 is a real game changer
Accessory #6: a monetized RUclips channel to fund the hobby