How to Keep, Refill, and Reuse a Disposable Fountain Pen

Fountain pens like the Pilot Varsity are excellent, affordable writers. While they are technically intended to be tossed into the trash after the ink runs out, you don't actually have to throw them away. Whether it is a Varsity or a \$2 Chinese fountain pen, these budget-friendly pens can be easily refilled and reused. While it is possible to completely disassemble a Varsity pen to fill it, there is a much easier method that doesn't require tearing the pen apart. Here is how you can extend the life of your disposable pens into the future.

The Tools You Need

To refill your disposable fountain pen via the nib, you will need a few basic supplies:

• A Syringe: A standard 3 ml. syringe works perfectly.

• Tubing: A 5/8" internal diameter segment of silicone or PVC tubing of about 3" length. (or sized to tightly fit over your pen's grip section). This works with the Varsity fountain pen.

• Fountain Pen Ink: A bottle of good quality, ideally lubricated, fountain pen ink.

Step-by-Step Refilling Guide

1. Load the Ink: Draw 2ml. of your high-quality fountain pen ink up into the syringe.

2. Connect to the Pen: Push the open end of the tubing securely over the nib and grip section of the disposable fountain pen. The tubing should create a snug seal around the pen's diameter.

3. Set Up the Assembly: Connect your 3" segment of silicone or PVC tubing directly to the tip of the syringe.

4. Fill the Reservoir: Gently press the syringe plunger to force the ink through the feed and directly into the pen's internal ink reservoir. I used pulsing pressure to force the ink backwards past the nib section to the pen's ink reservoir..

• There are videos on YT. online showing this ink filling process in action.

Pro-Tips for Upgrading Budget Pens

• Precautionary Prep I wore nitrile gloves and worked over a 2' diameter plastic basin

• ** Smooth the Nib:** Budget steel pens can sometimes feel a bit scratchy. Take a moment to smooth the point using micromesh or a smoothing stick to drastically improve the writing experience.

• Dress It Up: If you want to improve the presentation and ergonomics of a cheap pen for long handwriting sessions, look into a barrel swap. For example, housing the components in an Itoya PaperSkater barrel can greatly improve the overall handling, weight, and style of the pen for about \$25 to \$30 USD. We don't entirely know exactly how many lifetimes a \$1 pen or a Varsity pen has in it—but by refilling and tuning them, you can keep them writing beautifully far into the future!