I got my pen!

**Waistcoat** · 09-06-2011, 01:57 AM

Finally my birthday present arrived. A Parker Sonnet GT in red lacquer, and it's every bit as beautiful as I hoped for! I went to fill it up with a dropper, turns out the tube was a bit too big for the converter and the drop that I tried to put in stayed at the top for some reason. These things are weird. Anyways, tried to flush it out with water, and the water stayed in and I couldn't get it out! Well, the pen is writing a greenish colour now thanks to the water mixed with the blue, so I guess I'll just have to finish it and get a smaller eye dropper to fill it up properly.
Anyway, love the way it writes and the feel and look. It's awesome

**Legion** · 09-06-2011, 02:24 AM

Pics or it never happened.

**Sullybob** · 09-06-2011, 03:58 AM

Happy Birthday! That's a great pen.

You can get a syringe with a blunt needle and use it to fill the converter or empty cartridges. I got mine from Goulet Pens.

**Waistcoat** · 09-06-2011, 04:05 AM

Thanks Sully! Worked it out and got all the ink in. That tricky little ball was what thwarted me the first time! It's amazing how a fountain pen can amplify just how terrible one's penmanship is. I spend all day on a keyboard so when I write now my hand can tend to just run away from me. Now time to finally start on my autobiography.....

**chicagotrim** · 09-06-2011, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by legion

Pics or it never happened.

+1, never happened

**chuckr9** · 09-06-2011, 04:22 AM

Happy birtday & enjoy your pen.......

**drquantum** · 09-06-2011, 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by Waistcoat

Finally my birthday present arrived. A Parker Sonnet GT in red lacquer, and it's every bit as beautiful as I hoped for! I went to fill it up with a dropper, turns out the tube was a bit too big for the converter and the drop that I tried to put in stayed at the top for some reason. These things are weird. Anyways, tried to flush it out with water, and the water stayed in and I couldn't get it out! Well, the pen is writing a greenish colour now thanks to the water mixed with the blue, so I guess I'll just have to finish it and get a smaller eye dropper to fill it up properly.
Anyway, love the way it writes and the feel and look. It's awesome

Welcome to the world of fountain pens! :)

One question... why are you filling the converter up with an eyedropper? Doesn't the converter have a twisty-piston to draw ink into it? (if so, it's the oddest converter I've ever heard of)

It seems to me that if I had to fill by using an eyedropper it would be extremely painful to use a fountain pen. Far better is to leave the converter attached to the pen (assuming you're filling with the same color) and draw ink into the pen through the nib by dipping the pen into the ink bottle and then drawing ink up using the piston. I can have my pens filled this way in well under 60 seconds including dabbing clean the nib with a paper towel or kleenex after filling.

Also if you're changing inks and flush the pen with water, you really need to wait a while - a long while - for the converter to dry out. Generally I only change inks overnight so that the converter will be basically completely dry the next day before filling with the new color.

Just my tuppence,

Todd

**Greyfox** · 09-06-2011, 09:20 AM

Enjoy that pen and have a Happy Birthday!

**Rossmeister** · 09-06-2011, 02:03 PM

Pictures!

**coyotewhisper** · 09-06-2011, 03:13 PM

Happy Birthday. A great pen, share some pics of this great pen.

**Doc4** · 09-06-2011, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by legion

Pics or it never happened.

Originally Posted by chicagotrim

+1, never happened

Originally Posted by chuckr9

Happy birtday & enjoy your pen.......

... what pen??

**maxman** · 09-06-2011, 05:28 PM

I read 11 posts and didn't see a picture.... something must be wrong with my computer??

**gorgehiker** · 09-06-2011, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by maxman

I read 11 posts and didn't see a picture.... something must be wrong with my computer??

It seems to be spreading they dont show up on my computer either!!!

**rickcharles606** · 09-06-2011, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by gorgehiker

It seems to be spreading they dont show up on my computer either!!!

It must be a virus, because now I'm unable to see them as well...

**79spitfire** · 09-06-2011, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by rickcharles606

It must be a virus, because now I'm unable to see them as well...

No good here either! I thought Linux systems didn't get common viruses..

**MaxP** · 09-06-2011, 09:17 PM

Birthday to You!

I'd say and wish you the "Happy" part, IF there were photos!

**Waistcoat** · 09-06-2011, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by drquantum

Welcome to the world of fountain pens! :)

One question... why are you filling the converter up with an eyedropper? Doesn't the converter have a twisty-piston to draw ink into it? (if so, it's the oddest converter I've ever heard of)

It seems to me that if I had to fill by using an eyedropper it would be extremely painful to use a fountain pen. Far better is to leave the converter attached to the pen (assuming you're filling with the same color) and draw ink into the pen through the nib by dipping the pen into the ink bottle and then drawing ink up using the piston. I can have my pens filled this way in well under 60 seconds including dabbing clean the nib with a paper towel or kleenex after filling.

Also if you're changing inks and flush the pen with water, you really need to wait a while - a long while - for the converter to dry out. Generally I only change inks overnight so that the converter will be basically completely dry the next day before filling with the new color.

Just my tuppence,

Todd

So THAT'S how you use it!? Don't mind me, I'm just a clueless newb who clearly had no idea how to use a converter. Next time filling up will be alot faster lol. I'll have some fountain pen porn coming shortly, gees you're a demanding bunch!