CARTRIDGE VOLUMES
Reference page of ink cartridge capacities for proprietary fountain pen inks including Lamy, Parker, Platinum, as well as standard international short.
Because I reuse cartridges by syringe-filling them with bottled ink, it’s helpful to know how much ink each kind of cartridge holds.
Listed according to volume in milliliters (mL), from most capacious to least per individual cartridge:
TIP: many cartridges ship brand new with LESS ink than max capacity; you too should leave a little room in your cartridges when refilling them with bottled ink using a syringe.
PARKER - 1.4 mL MAX
In addition to a large volume of ink capacity, Parker cartridges feature a chamber that keeps 0.15 mL in reserve.
TWSBI - 1.4 mL MAX
When TWSBI debuted their first cartridge/converter pen (the Swipe), they launched it with nice big cartridges!
LAMY - 1.28 mL MAX
Fatter than Parker carts, but you’re not going to put more than 1.15 mL of ink in Lamy’s proprietary T10 cartridges.
PLATINUM - 1.06 mL MAX
Not bad, & the ball-bearing plus Platinum’s slip & seal cap design on their pens helps maximize every drop of ink.
2025.03.05 – this page is in progress: more brands, reviews, and relevant information to come,
plus more exacting measurements (or at least some researched notes and comparisons of other sites’ and retailers’ conflicting reported specs on cartridge capacity).
LINKS
More useful reference guides and information about ink cartridges
Great casual reference tool with visual comparisons, measurements, distinguishing characteristics, compatibility between pens and brands, and views of the puncture ends of many cartridges so you can tell which way you should push it in.