How to Use the Visconti Traveling Inkwell

Timestamps for the full-length overview:

• Unboxing – (:53)
• How To Use it – (2:31)
• Tips For Each Filling Mechanism – (3:59)
• Pens That Will and Won't Fit – (7:57)
• Ink Capacity – (12:24)
• Advantages and Disadvantages – (13:04)

The Visconti Traveling Inkwell (also commonly referred to as the Traveling Ink Pot) has been on my radar almost ever since I started out in the pen world. Four years ago, the infamous Dr. Stephen Brown's (SBREBrown on YouTube) first pen-related video was for the Visconti Traveling Inkwell that he sent to me to show me how it works! It's taken me this long for me to get one for myself, and I wanted to share what I've learned about it with you.

There are two videos that you see above. The first is a brief "How to" video, to give you an idea of how this thing works. The second video encompasses the "how to" from the first one, but goes much more in-depth about how to fill it with different filling mechanisms, as well as which pens will/won't fit in it.

Packaging:

• Visconti case
• Eyedropper accessory to fill it
• Has little ink wick
• Fits nicely inside a pen holder right alongside your pens

How it works:

1. Remove cap
2. Fill it with ink (up to the line)
3. Insert pen
4. Turn upside down
5. Fill pen (slowly for best results)
6. Flip back over
7. Wipe off pen (ink wick)
8. Cap it off

 

What Filling Mechanisms Will Work With It?

• Converter
  • best to have piston all the way down before filling
  • loosen body or remove before inserting
  • Pulling on converter may detach from the grip when in the Ink Pot
  • attach body before pulling out of the Ink Pot
• Piston
  • best to have piston all the way down before filling
  • can fill pistons several times over
• Crescent/Aerometric/Lever (anything with a sac)
  • fill slow, should work well
  • going too fast could loosen the grip of the pen!
• Vacuum/Power Filler
  • Word of Caution! Going too fast can shoot the Ink Pot off the pen! Ink would go EVERYWHERE
  • Hold the Ink Pot and the pen
  • Fill it small, short movements, don't draw it all the way back
  • Great for getting a full fill on a Vac pen!

• Aerometric
  • fill slow

What pens will fit inside?

• Range: 9.2mm-13.2mm
• Range: Pilot Metropolitan to MontBlanc 149
• Small end
  • Pilot Metropolitan
  • LAMY Safari/Vista/Al-Star
  • TWSBI 580/Mini
  • Pilot Custom 74
  • be careful not to push too hard, or it will go through the rubber
• Large end
  • MB149 yes! 1.53ml
  • Pelikan m800
  • Sailor King of Pens
  • Visconti Homo Sapiens (0.98/1.51)
  • Visconti Divina
• Don't go by grip measurements on Goulet Pens, they aren't necessarily the grip measurement right at the end
• Odd-shaped grips might be trial-and-error
  • Omas Arte Italiana
  • LAMY Safari

What pens won't fit?

• Delta Dolce Vita Oversize- too fat
• Stipula DaVinci- too fat
• LAMY CP1– too thin
• Faber-Castell Ambition– too thin
• Pilot VP– too thin

 

 

Ink Capacity:

• 5.4ml up to the line
• That's 5.5 fillings of a LAMY Safari, 3.5 fillings of a large Homo Sapiens or MB 149

Advantages:

• Cleaner
• Full Filling
• Doesn't leak

 

 

The Traveling Inkwell works really well, but comes at a price. It won't be for everyone, but there's really nothing else like it. From the feedback I've gotten from those who own it, it's not necessarily an easy decision to buy it, but if you have the need for what it does, it is a great purchase.

 

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