Guides
Cartridges and converters
Which type of cartridge or converter does my fountain pen take?
Refilling your fountain pen is always a fun adventure, but it can be confusing at the start.
The majority of fountain pens will take a standard international cartridge or converter. Depending on the length of the pen (for example, Kaweco Sports are shorter pens) they may require a short standard international cartridge or converter, which has the same opening as a standard international cartridge but with an overall shorter length.
Other fountain pens require proprietary cartridges or converters, which are designed specifically to fit their brand’s pens.
Pen brands that require a proprietary cartridge are underlined below.
CARTRIDGE/CONVERTER TYPE BY PEN BRAND
Acme – Standard International
A. G. Spalding & Bros. – Standard International
Ancora – Standard International
Art Alternatives – Standard International
Aurora – Aurora (sometimes Parker or Lamy)
Bexley – Standard International
Benu – Standard International
BIGiDESIGN – Standard International
Caran d’Ache – Standard International
Cartier – Standard International
Conklin – Standard International
Conway Stewart – Standard International
Cross – Cross
Danitrio – Standard International
David Oscarson – Standard International
Delta – Standard International
Diplomat – Standard International
Dunhill – Standard International
E+M – Standard International
Eboya – Standard International
Edison – Standard International
Ensso – Standard International
Esterbrook – Standard International
Faber Castell – Standard International
Fine Writing International – Standard International
Franklin-Christoph – Standard International
Graf von Faber-Castell – Standard International
Hero – varies by model
Itoya – Standard International
J. Herbin – Standard International
Jean Pierre Lepine – Standard International
Jinhao – Standard International
Karas Kustoms – Standard International
Kaweco – Standard International
Krone – Standard International
Kuretake – Standard International
Lamy – Lamy (also Lamy-compatible brands)
Libelle – Standard International
Lochlen – Standard International
Lominchay – Standard International
Maiora – Standard International
Marlen – Standard International
Monami – Monami
Montblanc – Standard International
Montegrappa – Standard International
Monteverde – Standard International
Moonman – varies by model
Nakaya – Platinum
Namiki – Pilot
Nemosine – Standard International
Nettuno – Standard International
Ohto – Standard International
Omas – Standard International
Onishi Seisakusho – Standard International
Online – Standard International
Osmiroid – Standard International
Otto Hutt – Standard International
Parker – Parker (sometimes Aurora)
Pilot – Pilot
Pelikan – Standard International
Penlux – Standard International
Pentel – Standard International
Pineider – Standard International
Platinum – Platinum
Ranga – Standard International
Recife – Standard International
Reform – Standard International
Regal – Standard International
Retro 51 – Standard International
Rotring – Standard International
Sailor – Sailor
Schmidt – Standard International
Schneider – Standard International
Sensa – Standard International
Sheaffer – Standard International
S.T. Dupont – Standard International
Staedtler – Standard International
Stipula – Standard International
Taccia – Standard International
Tactile Turn – Standard International
Traveler’s Company – Standard International
Tombow – Standard International
TWSBI – Standard International
Visconti – Standard International
Vivapen – Standard International
Waldmann – Standard International
Wancher – Standard International
Waterford – Standard International
Waterman – Standard International
Yard O Led – Standard International
Yookers – Standard International
YStudio – Standard International
PEN BRAND BY CARTRIDGE/CONVERTER TYPE
Standard International cartridge/converter
Acme
A. G. Spalding & Bros.
Ancora
Art Alternatives
Bexley
Benu
BIGiDESIGN
Caran d’Ache
Cartier
Conklin
Conway Stewart
Danitrio
David Oscarson
Delta
Diplomat
Dunhill
E+M
Eboya
Edison
Ensso
Esterbrook
Faber Castell
Fine Writing International
Franklin-Christoph
Graf von Faber-Castell
Hero
Itoya
J. Herbin
Jean Pierre Lepine
Jinhao
Karas Kustoms
Kaweco •
Kuretake
Krone
Libelle
Lochlen
Lominchay
Maiora
Manuscript
Marlen
Montblanc
Montegrappa
Monteverde
Moonman
Nemosine
Nettuno
Ohto •
Onishi Seisakusho
Omas
Online •
Osmiroid
Otto Hutt
Pelikan
Penlux
Pentel
Pineider
Ranga
Recife
Reform
Regal
Retro 51
Rotring
Schmidt
Schneider
Sensa
Sheaffer
S.T. Dupont
Staedtler
Stipula
Taccia
Tactile Turn
Tombow
Traveler’s Company •
TWSBI
Visconti
Vivapen
Waldmann
Wancher
Waterford
Waterman
Yard O Led
Yookers
YStudio
- Kaweco Sport and Kaweco Lilliput pens are too short to accept the long size Standard International cartridges or converters, but will accept the short size Standard International cartridges. The Kaweco-branded mini converters are slightly too long for the Sport models but are ideal for the Lilliputs. The Kaweco-branded squeeze converters will fit all but early Sport models. The early Sport models should accept a Monteverde-branded mini converter.
- Ohto Tasche pens will accept the short size Standard International only.
- Online branded cartridges have a special dual-ended function in which one end fits pens that take Standard International cartridges, and the other end is shaped to fit Lamy pens.
- Traveler’s Company pens will take the short size Standard International only.
Hero, Jinhao, Moonman and Regal pens can be inconsistent with which type of cartridge/converters they will take. Many models will accept a Standard International, however others seem to take unbranded, proprietary cartridges which differ from each other in small, undocumented ways.
CARTRIDGE/CONVERTER TYPE BY PEN BRAND
Aurora branded cartridge/converter
Aurora pens (sometimes Parker or Lamy)
Parker pens
Lamy branded cartridge/converter
Aurora pens (sometimes Parker or Lamy)
Monami pens
Lamy pens
- Lamy Z23 fits Persona model only
- Lamy Z24/Z28 fits Safari, Vista, Al-Star, LX, Joy, and ABC models
- Lamy Z25 is threaded and fits early Accent and Lady models
- Lamy Z26/Z27 fits all current production models (and, allegedly, some Parker pen models)
Pilot branded cartridge/converter
Namiki pens
Pilot pens
- Pilot Petit pens use Pilot Petit cartridges only
- Pilot Parallel pens can use standard Pilot cartridges and converters, but the ink in the Parallel branded cartridges is of a thicker formulation than the standard Pilot cartridges and is not recommended for use with non-Parallel pens.
- The Pilot CON-70 converter will only fit in Pilot Custom, Justus 95, and Kaküno models. It is too large for the Capless/Vanishing Point, Cavalier, Elabo, Elite, Falcon, Garance, Lady, Lucina, Metropolitan, Parallel, Penmanship, Plumix and Prera models.
Cross branded cartridge/converter
Cross pens
Monami branded cartridge/converter
Monami pens
Parker branded cartridge/converter
Aurora pens (sometimes Parker or Lamy)
Parker pens
Platinum branded cartridge/converter
Nakaya pens
Platinum pens
Sailor branded cartridge/converter
Sailor pens
- Sailor Chalana pens require a Sailor Slim converter/cartridge rather than the standard Sailor converter
- Sailor Mini pens are too short to fit a standard Sailor converter, but will fit a (discontinued) Sailor Mini converter
This list is far from comprehensive, and many of the brands with proprietary cartridge/converter systems also have older or less-documented models with even more specific needs than the ones listed here. Hopefully, readers will weigh in with their expertise in the comment section below.
How the hell do I order stuff???????
Hi John! To order items, go to the main shop page at fountainpensupplies.com and browse. On each item page, you will have the option to add items to cart as you wish. Thanks for visiting!