Fountain Pen Cartridges vs. Standard International Cartridge
Comparing 2 standards across 12 specifications. 12 key differences identified.
Proprietary Fountain Pen Cartridges are brand-exclusive ink formats engineered with unique nozzle diameters and collar locking geometries that are incompatible with Standard International pens. Key proprietary systems include Pilot/Namiki (wide 5.5 mm bore), Lamy T10 (stepped collar), Sailor (flared collar), and Platinum (metal ball seal).
The Standard International Cartridge (also known as the European or Universal cartridge) is the dominant standardized fountain pen ink format, featuring a 2.4 mm nozzle opening sealed with a plastic sphere. Available in Short (38 mm / 0.85 ml) and Long (72 mm / 1.4 ml) sizes, it is used by dozens of European and American fountain pen manufacturers.
Specification Comparison Table
12 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Pilot / Namiki Cartridge
|
Length: 59.0 mm | Wide 5.5 mm bore | Capacity: ~0.90 ml (IC-50 / IC-100 / Parallel) | — |
|
Lamy T10 Cartridge
|
Length: 68.0 mm | Stepped friction collar | Capacity: ~1.15 ml (Lamy Safari, 2000, Studio) | — |
|
Sailor Proprietary Cartridge
|
Length: 48.0 mm | Flared ribbed collar | Capacity: ~1.00 ml (Sailor 1911, Pro Gear) | — |
|
Platinum Proprietary Cartridge
|
Length: 65.0 mm | Metal stainless steel sealing ball | Capacity: ~1.20 ml (Century #3776, Preppy) | — |
|
Parker Quink Cartridge
|
Length: 76.0 mm | Stepped friction plug with reserve tank | Capacity: ~1.20 ml | — |
|
Cross Cartridge
|
Length: 38.0 mm | Narrow tapered mouth (Classic Century vs Townsend / Peerless) | — |
|
Short Cartridge Dimensions
|
— | 38.0 mm length × 7.0 mm diameter (approx. 0.80 to 0.85 ml ink capacity) |
|
Long Cartridge Dimensions
|
— | 72.0 mm length × 7.0 mm diameter (approx. 1.40 to 1.50 ml ink capacity) |
|
Bore / Nozzle Diameter
|
— | 2.4 ± 0.05 mm (friction-fits over the pen feed nipple) |
|
Internal Seal
|
— | Floating polystyrene bead / puncture disc pushed into cartridge body upon insertion |
|
Two-in-Barrel Tandem Storage
|
— | Most full-size pens store one active short cartridge plus one inverted spare short cartridge in the barrel |
|
Brand Compatibility
|
— | Kaweco, Pelikan, Montblanc, Faber-Castell, Visconti, Diplomat, Caran d'Ache, Jinhao, Waterman (long) |