You must open the pen … Compare the old refill with the new refill to make sure the new refill is the correct type. Pull up to remove the old refill from the pen barrel. It may be a little tight, but now you can pull the knob towards you. Step 1. Insert the nib into an ink bottle, and now push the knob all the way back in. This pulls the plunger up the barrel, which creates a low-pressure environment inside the chamber of the pen. Make sure that the converter is turned counterclockwise. Fill the pen with the new color from a bottle of ink. How to Fill a Calligraphy Pen Nib. Put the nib in the ink and turn the converter clockwise to fill it. It’s important to allow 5-10 seconds for the chamber to fully fill with ink. If a new refill has not been purchased, take the old refill with you to an office supply store to ensure that you purchase the correct Cross pen refill. Bottled inks also come in far more colors than cartridges, especially if your pen uses proprietary cartridges like Lamy’s or Pilot’s. Filling your calligraphy pen really depends on the make and style of the pen itself. Release a few drops of ink … There are also advantages to refilling cartridges instead of using a converter—the most common way to fill pens with bottled ink… Lift the nib out of the ink and turn counterclockwise again. Whether your calligraphy pen refilled by a cartridge, an ink bladder or you use a fountain pen converter we will breakdown the process below.