Where can I find refills for older pens?

Where can I find refills for older pens?

Since we specialize in vintage pens, we do not usually sell refill cartridges other than examples of obsolete design, most of which are no longer functional and are chiefly of interest to collectors. And though we try to keep up, the variety of proprietary refills offered over the past few decades is truly vast. We can offer the following tips, however, and suggest that if you need further assistance you try an online search, since pen hobbyists are constantly trading tips on adapting and substituting for obsolete cartridges. Note that fountain pen ink cartridges can be refilled using a small syringe, and with a bit of ingenuity a sac can be grafted onto an old cartridge to make a converter.

Parker cartridges and converters for both fountain pens and ballpoints are generally available and have remained standardized (with the exception of a few fat old-model converters that will not fit inside some extra-thin pen barrels). Felt-tip (fiber-tip) refills no longer appear to be available, but there are adapters that permit use of Parker rollerball refills. A cut down BIC ballpoint refill can reportedly be used in a Liquid Lead pencil (though there will be nothing to cover the nonretracting point).

Waterman cartridges and converters for older fountain pens such as the C/F are no longer widely available. In the USA, you can still buy Waterman Lady converters that fit the C/F and other older-generation pens directly from Waterman (call 800 523-2486). They may also be bought from at least one active eBay seller in France. Waterman mini cartridges (also sold as Lady cartridges) will fit the C/F, and are not hard to find. Note that they may be a tight fit, and are recommended only for the earlier pens with the metal cartridge socket. When removing, twist clockwise rather than counterclockwise, so that the socket is not inadvertently unscrewed. Short international cartridges by other makers are normally thicker that the Waterman-made ones, and will not fit.

Unlike Parker's Liquid Lead pencil, Waterman's "fluid lead" ballpoint pencil used a refill the same size as the company's contemporary ballpoints. While Waterman's current-production ballpoint refills will not fit their older pens, Must de Cartier ballpoint refills will.

Sheaffer and Eversharp ballpoint refills are long obsolete, but a number of hobbyists have made adaptors and posted do-it-yourself instructions online. There has also been discussion about refilling dried-out ballpoint cartridges, if you have an original specimen to work with.

Small international cartridges, cut off at the neck, will reportedly fit both Esterbrook and Wearever fountain pens. There are also adaptors that allow Parker cartridges to fit Esterbrooks -- old time production, but worth seeking out.

HOME