Fountain Pen Cartridges vs. Schmidt Euro Rollerball Refill
Comparing 2 standards across 13 specifications. 13 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 Euro-Format Rollerball Refill (standardized under DIN 16554 and defined by the Schmidt Safety Ceramic 888/5888 format) is the industry benchmark for luxury capped liquid-ink rollerball pens. Measuring 110.6 mm in length and 6.2 mm in barrel diameter with a ceramic ball tip, it is utilized across hundreds of fine writing brands.
Specification Comparison Table
13 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) | — |
|
Overall Length
|
— | 110.6 ± 0.3 mm (4.35 in) |
|
Barrel Diameter
|
— | 6.2 ± 0.1 mm (0.244 in) |
|
Tip Collar Diameter
|
— | 2.5 mm extending 19.5 mm from shoulder |
|
Ball Material
|
— | Sintered ceramic ruby ball (0.5 mm Fine, 0.7 mm Medium, 1.0 mm Broad) |
|
Safety Ceramic Venting
|
— | Schmidt extended cap-off time technology prevents tip drying for up to 1 year uncapped |
|
Refill Barrel Variants
|
— | Schmidt 888 (plastic tube) / Schmidt 5888 (metal casing) |
|
Brand Compatibility
|
— | Pelikan, Faber-Castell, Visconti, Kaweco, Retro 51, ACME Studio, OMAS |