inkwell ideas - desk and travel

I love writing with a fountain pen - mostly because it's what I've written with most of my life.  To have a pen that lasts 20+ years and can quickly and simply be filled from a bottle is a joy.

But lately, I've started buying different inks, and not all of them are easy to fill from.  Noodler's ink comes in a 3 or 4.5 oz bottle - which is usually filled to the brim.  A massive amount of ink made affordable because the bottle is so boring.  And hard to use.  I also find the inks highly pigmented and are often made better by siphoning off a couple of months worth of ink and adding 10-20% water to make them a bit dryer (water makes fountain pen ink more slippery so it dries faster on the page).  

I don't want to add water to the big bottle, because this can dilute the preservatives.  

It's also kind of fun to mix inks to make different colours - but I don't do so much of that.

But all this requires a second bottle or jar to keep the ink in.  And since I want to keep it on my desk to admire, I'm looking for something decorative.

What are some good ideas for inkwells?  

Qualities needed
- bottom heavy (to reduce spills)
- wide enough mouth to get the pen in
- not to wide a jar so that the pen is easy to fill when the ink is low
- watertight
- pretty or otherwise inspiring.


I had a look at inkwells on amazon and they don't fit most of these needs.

Sometimes I use old ink bottles.  I also enjoy using the small tiger balm containers.  

But I'm looking for something more.  

Any ideas?

What about these? Carmex bottle? Lip balm bottles? All on Amazon. I know some folks don't like Amazon, but It sometimes saves miles for me when shopping for weird things.

https://www.amazon.com/Canning-Storage-Yogurt-Butters-Wedding/dp/B097JSMZ79/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3T1NITJK574V&keywords=yogurt+jar+2oz&qid=1646087859&sprefix=yogurt+jar%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-5

Robert Ray wrote:What about these?

https://www.amazon.com/Canning-Storage-Yogurt-Butters-Wedding/dp/B097JSMZ79/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3T1NITJK574V&keywords=yogurt+jar+2oz&qid=1646087859&sprefix=yogurt+jar%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-5

Cute.  
They are quite a bit bigger than I like for an inkwell.  The one I like right now is 18ml which I think is just over half an US fl oz.  10-30ml is a good size for me for inkwells.

Most pens can hold between 0.5 to 1 ml of ink at a time.  

Check out lip balm jars on Amazon

Robert Ray wrote:Check out lip balm jars on Amazon

Those tend to be quite wide for inkwells.  Most people fill their pens with the nib on, which means we need at least half an inch of ink in the jar.  

A lot of inkwells have special shapes to make it easier to fill when the ink gets low.

r ranson wrote:

Robert Ray wrote:Check out lip balm jars on Amazon

Those tend to be quite wide for inkwells.  Most people fill their pens with the nib on, which means we need at least half an inch of ink in the jar.  

A lot of inkwells have special shapes to make it easier to fill when the ink gets low.

..Why not have one 'blown' ?

 Blown glass is an amazingly giving yet beautiful substance yet there's plenty of aspiring glass blowers out there
so the sky's the limit !


Check out glass blown pendants made by various aspiring glass blowers from all across the internet,

I'm sure you already have a shape in mind for your vessel and I'd bet it will turn out absolutely amazing !

I was wondering if we have anyone here who uses inkwells (I know we have a few fountain pen lovers) for fountain or dip pens.  What do you use?  Why do you love it?  What would you like it to do differently?  

OK, take a look at small vintage perfume bottles. Usually heavy, small opening, might have to use a different stopper but some have threaded lids.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144090473025?hash=item218c762241:g:lp0AAOSwASVg15n7

Robert Ray wrote:OK, take a look at small vintage perfume bottles. Usually heavy, small opening, might have to use a different stopper but some have threaded lids.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144090473025?hash=item218c762241:g:lp0AAOSwASVg15n7

I was kinda thinking along these lines, myself. There are some beautiful makeup and other feminine skin care products that could work very well. We only have the one well, because the bottles of ink we have are rather elegant. I'm not sure of the brand, off the top of my head, but I'll get a pic, when I'm downstairs, later. The well is part of an ornate set we bought, in the French Quarter of NOLA, back in'16 or '17. I'll check with John and see if he has any ideas, too.

John is thinking some spice jars might work well - saffron, in specific, is usually sold in a small, airtight and attractive jar. In fact, I've commandeered a couple of his, once empty, just because they're so cute. He also can't think of the brand name. It's funny that you'd post this, today, lol. I was just futzing around with one of my cartridge style fountain pens, today, because the nib is dried up. I'll be pouring some alcohol to soak it, for a few minutes, I suppose, but I hate doing that. This one is tiny, until you unscrew the cap, then screw it back on the opposite end... ehhh... I'll get a pic of that later, too. In NOLA,  that year, that little shop loved us, after all the different pens (the blown glues ones were breath taking!), the travel desk, journals, and ink.... It's embarrassing to admit to just how much of our vacation funds we left there. So, I won't! :P

I use fountain pens almost exclusively, some vintage ones with bladders, cartridge ones, some with converters. What I find myself using lately the inexpensive Pilot Petit.  I often water color sketch when traveling and the Petit fit in my sketch pouch. It is the same size as my stubby koh-i-noor mechanical pencils. I used to carry a space pen in my pants pocket, the inexpensive Petit has replaced that and is far cheaper.

Got 'em. Sorry it took so long!