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Don’t throw out that PITT pen just yet!

Are you as a big a fan of the Faber-Castel PITT brush pens as I am? Are you tired of wondering what to do with them once the tip becomes unpointed and frayed, even though there’s still plenty of ink left? Wonder no more! Watch this quick video I made and get a little more life out of these handy pens.

One thing I forgot to mention in the video: be careful not to spill.

And a bonus question: why is PITT capitalized?

  • Toton

    Cool. I don’t use mine nearly as often as my other PITT pens, but if it ever becomes frayed like that, I’ll know what to do.

  • Toton

    Cool. I don’t use mine nearly as often as my other PITT pens, but if it ever becomes frayed like that, I’ll know what to do.

  • Toton

    Cool. I don’t use mine nearly as often as my other PITT pens, but if it ever becomes frayed like that, I’ll know what to do.

  • http://www.remgeo.com/ remgeo

    Unreal. I don’t know how many PITT pens I’ve tossed out because I considered them “dead”. Thanks, Adam! This is a fantastic tip.

  • http://www.remgeo.com/ remgeo

    Unreal. I don’t know how many PITT pens I’ve tossed out because I considered them “dead”. Thanks, Adam! This is a fantastic tip.

  • http://www.remgeo.com remgeo

    Unreal. I don’t know how many PITT pens I’ve tossed out because I considered them “dead”. Thanks, Adam! This is a fantastic tip.

  • http://www.joelkimmel.com/ Joel Kimmel

    Pigmented Ink Tip … something? This is perfect timing for this post, my pen is just about dried up.

  • http://www.joelkimmel.com/ Joel Kimmel

    Pigmented Ink Tip … something? This is perfect timing for this post, my pen is just about dried up.

  • http://www.joelkimmel.com Joel Kimmel

    Pigmented Ink Tip … something? This is perfect timing for this post, my pen is just about dried up.

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com/ xadrian

    Best
    Tip
    EVAR!

    Seriously, why were you taking pens apart?

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com/ xadrian

    Best
    Tip
    EVAR!

    Seriously, why were you taking pens apart?

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com xadrian

    Best
    Tip
    EVAR!

    Seriously, why were you taking pens apart?

  • http://www.robotjohnny.com/ Johnny

    A tip tip!

  • http://www.robotjohnny.com/ Johnny

    A tip tip!

  • http://www.robotjohnny.com Johnny

    A tip tip!

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com/ Monongahela Monster

    SON OF A GUN! I use these things all the time, and I’ve got a stack of about thirty of them with plenty of ink and worn-out points. I mark the old ones and use them when I WANT a slightly more unpredictable line, or when I don’t want to have to handle the pen as gingerly as I do the new ones… but this is a great, uh, pointer. Gotta try it! Thanks so much!

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com/ Monongahela Monster

    SON OF A GUN! I use these things all the time, and I’ve got a stack of about thirty of them with plenty of ink and worn-out points. I mark the old ones and use them when I WANT a slightly more unpredictable line, or when I don’t want to have to handle the pen as gingerly as I do the new ones… but this is a great, uh, pointer. Gotta try it! Thanks so much!

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com Monongahela Monster

    SON OF A GUN! I use these things all the time, and I’ve got a stack of about thirty of them with plenty of ink and worn-out points. I mark the old ones and use them when I WANT a slightly more unpredictable line, or when I don’t want to have to handle the pen as gingerly as I do the new ones… but this is a great, uh, pointer. Gotta try it! Thanks so much!

  • Achim

    Hi,
    Stefanie Lang at http://www.faber-castell.de just answered my question regarding the name PITT:
    »(…) Für den Namen “PITT” gibt es 2 Erklärungen:
    vom engl. Wort “pit” bzw. “pitt” für “Grube” abgeleitet, denn die meisten Materialien diesen Segmentes wurden damals unter Tage abgebaut oder aus dem Italienischen, denn “il pittore” bedeutet Maler. (…)«
    which means the name is not an abbreviation (my first guess) but just »a name«. It could refer to (engl) »pit« (because most of the basic materials were formerly won by mining; by the way, they produce PITT drawing chalks, too) or (ital.) »il pittore« = painter. Therefore, no real reason for capitalization … maybe it just looked nicer this way, or it was easier to print the name on the pens in small grades.
    cheers, Achim

  • Achim

    Hi,
    Stefanie Lang at http://www.faber-castell.de just answered my question regarding the name PITT:
    »(…) Für den Namen “PITT” gibt es 2 Erklärungen:
    vom engl. Wort “pit” bzw. “pitt” für “Grube” abgeleitet, denn die meisten Materialien diesen Segmentes wurden damals unter Tage abgebaut oder aus dem Italienischen, denn “il pittore” bedeutet Maler. (…)«
    which means the name is not an abbreviation (my first guess) but just »a name«. It could refer to (engl) »pit« (because most of the basic materials were formerly won by mining; by the way, they produce PITT drawing chalks, too) or (ital.) »il pittore« = painter. Therefore, no real reason for capitalization … maybe it just looked nicer this way, or it was easier to print the name on the pens in small grades.
    cheers, Achim

  • Achim

    Hi,
    Stefanie Lang at http://www.faber-castell.de just answered my question regarding the name PITT:
    »(…) Für den Namen “PITT” gibt es 2 Erklärungen:
    vom engl. Wort “pit” bzw. “pitt” für “Grube” abgeleitet, denn die meisten Materialien diesen Segmentes wurden damals unter Tage abgebaut oder aus dem Italienischen, denn “il pittore” bedeutet Maler. (…)«
    which means the name is not an abbreviation (my first guess) but just »a name«. It could refer to (engl) »pit« (because most of the basic materials were formerly won by mining; by the way, they produce PITT drawing chalks, too) or (ital.) »il pittore« = painter. Therefore, no real reason for capitalization … maybe it just looked nicer this way, or it was easier to print the name on the pens in small grades.
    cheers, Achim

  • http://www.adamkoford.com/ Adam

    Thanks, Achim!
    & @xadrian: rrllmm over on flickr said she has been able to replace the ink in them with copy toner, so I was trying to figure out how to get it in there. I don’t have any copy toner, and I wonder how effective it would actually be, but thought I’d have a look anyway since the one I was experimenting on was so haggard.

  • http://www.adamkoford.com/ Adam

    Thanks, Achim!
    & @xadrian: rrllmm over on flickr said she has been able to replace the ink in them with copy toner, so I was trying to figure out how to get it in there. I don’t have any copy toner, and I wonder how effective it would actually be, but thought I’d have a look anyway since the one I was experimenting on was so haggard.

  • http://www.adamkoford.com Adam

    Thanks, Achim!
    & @xadrian: rrllmm over on flickr said she has been able to replace the ink in them with copy toner, so I was trying to figure out how to get it in there. I don’t have any copy toner, and I wonder how effective it would actually be, but thought I’d have a look anyway since the one I was experimenting on was so haggard.

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com/ xadrian

    Yeah a couple folks at Penciljack have been saying they’ve been putting ink in the arse end of these already. I’m like you, though. I must be using them wrong because my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    And no that’s not a euphemism for anything.

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com/ xadrian

    Yeah a couple folks at Penciljack have been saying they’ve been putting ink in the arse end of these already. I’m like you, though. I must be using them wrong because my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    And no that’s not a euphemism for anything.

  • http://lifeinaustin.blogspot.com xadrian

    Yeah a couple folks at Penciljack have been saying they’ve been putting ink in the arse end of these already. I’m like you, though. I must be using them wrong because my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    And no that’s not a euphemism for anything.

  • lieven

    Cool! I ‘ve been pouring all kinds of things in the back of my PITT B-pen, but i always stopped using them because of the tip. I noticed that this trick works for lots of felt pens (for example stabilo’s pen68, but u ll need smthng stronger to pull the tip out)

  • lieven

    Cool! I ‘ve been pouring all kinds of things in the back of my PITT B-pen, but i always stopped using them because of the tip. I noticed that this trick works for lots of felt pens (for example stabilo’s pen68, but u ll need smthng stronger to pull the tip out)

  • lieven

    Cool! I ‘ve been pouring all kinds of things in the back of my PITT B-pen, but i always stopped using them because of the tip. I noticed that this trick works for lots of felt pens (for example stabilo’s pen68, but u ll need smthng stronger to pull the tip out)

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com/ Monongahela Monster

    >my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    Listen, that happens to everybody at one time or another.

    I’m in the tip-wears-out-first camp as well, but it’s interesting to know that there’s a way to get ink back into these things. Man, this post is saving me a lot of money on pens- I’ll have to go check out Penciljack as well. Thanks for the additional clue!

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com/ Monongahela Monster

    >my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    Listen, that happens to everybody at one time or another.

    I’m in the tip-wears-out-first camp as well, but it’s interesting to know that there’s a way to get ink back into these things. Man, this post is saving me a lot of money on pens- I’ll have to go check out Penciljack as well. Thanks for the additional clue!

  • http://www.planetsaturday.com Monongahela Monster

    >my tip is always shot before I’m out of ink.

    Listen, that happens to everybody at one time or another.

    I’m in the tip-wears-out-first camp as well, but it’s interesting to know that there’s a way to get ink back into these things. Man, this post is saving me a lot of money on pens- I’ll have to go check out Penciljack as well. Thanks for the additional clue!

  • http://www.ericdyck.blogspot.com/ ericdyck

    you just saved me so much money i could cry.

    i too mark the pens and use them for fills etc…wow…glad they are all in a cup on the bookshelf!

  • http://www.ericdyck.blogspot.com/ ericdyck

    you just saved me so much money i could cry.

    i too mark the pens and use them for fills etc…wow…glad they are all in a cup on the bookshelf!

  • http://www.ericdyck.blogspot.com ericdyck

    you just saved me so much money i could cry.

    i too mark the pens and use them for fills etc…wow…glad they are all in a cup on the bookshelf!

  • http://diversionmary.com/ diversionmary

    Adam,
    Great tip!

    How did you film this? Did you have a webcam on a small tripod and then ‘hug’ it to get your arms around to the paper? I want to do some ballpoint tutorials but I haven’t worked out how to film it so anyone could see what I’m doing.
    Thanks!

  • http://diversionmary.com/ diversionmary

    Adam,
    Great tip!

    How did you film this? Did you have a webcam on a small tripod and then ‘hug’ it to get your arms around to the paper? I want to do some ballpoint tutorials but I haven’t worked out how to film it so anyone could see what I’m doing.
    Thanks!

  • http://diversionmary.com diversionmary

    Adam,
    Great tip!

    How did you film this? Did you have a webcam on a small tripod and then ‘hug’ it to get your arms around to the paper? I want to do some ballpoint tutorials but I haven’t worked out how to film it so anyone could see what I’m doing.
    Thanks!

  • http://www.adamkoford.com/ Adam

    I used a tripod and knelt behind it. I did this on a night-table. Another trick I learned that I’ve used in a couple of videos is to set up a tripod in front of me on the table and tilt it right over the paper. It films me upside-down, but then I rotate the image in movie maker.

  • http://www.adamkoford.com/ Adam

    I used a tripod and knelt behind it. I did this on a night-table. Another trick I learned that I’ve used in a couple of videos is to set up a tripod in front of me on the table and tilt it right over the paper. It films me upside-down, but then I rotate the image in movie maker.

  • http://www.adamkoford.com Adam

    I used a tripod and knelt behind it. I did this on a night-table. Another trick I learned that I’ve used in a couple of videos is to set up a tripod in front of me on the table and tilt it right over the paper. It films me upside-down, but then I rotate the image in movie maker.

  • http://www.ghyoom.com/ ghyoom

    sweet !!

  • http://www.ghyoom.com/ ghyoom

    sweet !!

  • http://www.ghyoom.com/ ghyoom

    sweet !!

  • http://CartoonSNAP.com/ cartoonsnap.com

    Thanks, Adam! I go through dozens of these excellent brush pens, and in one bold stroke you just doubled the life of these things. An excellent post and a nice short to-the-point video. Thanks again!

  • http://CartoonSNAP.com/ cartoonsnap.com

    Thanks, Adam! I go through dozens of these excellent brush pens, and in one bold stroke you just doubled the life of these things. An excellent post and a nice short to-the-point video. Thanks again!

  • http://CartoonSNAP.com cartoonsnap.com

    Thanks, Adam! I go through dozens of these excellent brush pens, and in one bold stroke you just doubled the life of these things. An excellent post and a nice short to-the-point video. Thanks again!

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyebrow_antics/ eyebrow_antics

    I became a member to give you a hug. OOO

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyebrow_antics/ eyebrow_antics

    I became a member to give you a hug. OOO

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyebrow_antics/ eyebrow_antics

    I became a member to give you a hug. OOO

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com/ Len

    I tried it with a bunch of Pitt pens I had but the ink had all dried up on every one of em. :(

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com/ Len

    I tried it with a bunch of Pitt pens I had but the ink had all dried up on every one of em. :(

  • http://www.jawboneradio.com Len

    I tried it with a bunch of Pitt pens I had but the ink had all dried up on every one of em. :(

  • rpace

    Hmm — getting a red X. . .

  • rpace

    Hmm — getting a red X. . .

  • rpace

    Hmm — getting a red X. . .

  • billyiam

    That was great. Thanks so much for the tip. I have used 1000′s of these markers and they are all sitting in boxes where I tossed them. So now no ordering more for quite sometime. Now I can use the money saved on some of those new Big Pitts.

  • billyiam

    That was great. Thanks so much for the tip. I have used 1000′s of these markers and they are all sitting in boxes where I tossed them. So now no ordering more for quite sometime. Now I can use the money saved on some of those new Big Pitts.

  • billyiam

    That was great. Thanks so much for the tip. I have used 1000′s of these markers and they are all sitting in boxes where I tossed them. So now no ordering more for quite sometime. Now I can use the money saved on some of those new Big Pitts.

  • http://robotninjamonsters.blogspot.com/ Neocaledonian

    The Big Pitts haven’t hit the market in USA yet, but I wonder it their brush nib design will be the same to allow this reversing tip to work. With some luck, Faber Castell might have improved the nib making it bigger and stronger for them

  • http://robotninjamonsters.blogspot.com/ Neocaledonian

    The Big Pitts haven’t hit the market in USA yet, but I wonder it their brush nib design will be the same to allow this reversing tip to work. With some luck, Faber Castell might have improved the nib making it bigger and stronger for them

  • http://robotninjamonsters.blogspot.com/ Neocaledonian

    The Big Pitts haven’t hit the market in USA yet, but I wonder it their brush nib design will be the same to allow this reversing tip to work. With some luck, Faber Castell might have improved the nib making it bigger and stronger for them

  • http://www.reidinger.de Bleistift

    awesome, thx!