How to clean your fountain pens
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- Considering we live in a time of a global pandemic, it's crucial now more than ever to keep your fountain pens clean. Wait! Before you reach for the hand sanitizer - I'm not just talking about viruses and bacteria. If you want to keep your pens writing smoothly for the long-term, you need to clean them regularly. Thankfully, proper pen hygiene isn't as difficult or time-consuming as it sounds; nor does it require any special tools.
In this video, Tom demonstrates how to clean all the most common filling systems and offers tips and best practices on how to keep your pens in excellent working order for the long term.
Timestamps
(0:00) Introduction
(0:30) Why clean a fountain pen?
(1:18) How to clean a cartridge fountain pen.
(5:51) How to clean a converter.
(8:41) How to clean a piston-fill fountain pen.
(12:05) How to clean out shimmer and sheen inks.
(13:37) How to clean a vacuum fill fountain pen.
(18:04) How to clean an eyedropper fill fountain pen.
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Excellent. I used this on three fountain pens and got them to work again. I never thought about a deep, complete clean. Thanks.
Glad it helped!
Thank you... Good explanation...
Thanks for the video . Please explain some time how to clean Montblanc boheme and vintage safety pens Sir.
Cleaning pens
Never did it in school
Had them for years in the 60s and 70s
We used Parker Quick ink that was called self cleaning
And that was that
Now yes I clean my pens
Quink with Solv X ... I believe it was marketed as. Invented in the 1930s...still works well.
Even if there is an o-ring it's a good idea to add some silicone grease for lubrication, that way the o-ring won't be worn out so quickly. I you use cleaning fluid in a converter or in the cylinder of a piston filler, it's also a good idea to add some grease afterwards as the cleaning fluid will remove some of the existing lubrication.
Great point!
About a year ago my interest in fountain pens was peaked. Bought a Lamy safari and a converter, very happy with it.
Then I remembered I had gotten a parker vector as a gift about 30 years ago. I used it til the cartridge was empty, never used it since. But I held on to it, for three decennia, through one emigration, and at least 5 house moves...So I looked through my art supplies, and to my suprise I found it. Never cleaned it of course and I thought it would be a hopelessly clogged pen. Nope, gave it a rinse, filled the old cartridge with a syringe with lamy black ink, and it has worked without a problem ever since! Quite the workhorse...
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anybody know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost my password. I appreciate any help you can offer me.
@Davian Jaden instablaster =)
@Apollo Ali Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now.
I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Apollo Ali It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much, you really help me out!
@Davian Jaden You are welcome xD
Thanks, I learned some things from this video. My favorite pen is my Pilot Prera, for several reasons not the least of which is how easy it is to clean since the nib and feed can be removed and cleaned separately. I have a TWSBI and I just refill it with the same ink color family rather than clean it.
Tom, thanks for the overview on the various types of pens. I haven't had to clean my Pelikans, yet.
I've found the washed out cups from Chobani Greek Yogurt make great cups for soaking the nibs in.
Thanks, Ken! I've greased a Pelikan piston before. It's easy considering the nib unscrews out of the section and allows you to directly access the barrel.
@@GoldspotPens Thank you Tom
Great video
I would like for you to do a review and cleaning on capless fountains pens from different companies
I had some (admittedly cheap) pens and some of the caps snapped, the nibs becoming dry or clogged and I had no idea how to clean them without ruining them. Thank you
(Black couldn't be saved, rip Black)
This is a great video, but it's missing the timing I'm looking for. When I refill my pen using a converter, I dip the entire nib into the inkwell to fill it. After that, though, the nib is covered in unsightly dried ink residue (it still writes beautifully). The only way I've found to clean that ink residue off to write with a clean nib is to use a wet cue-tip to carefully swab the nib. Is there an easier way to do this?
I ve got a Cartier Diabolo having huge problem with skipping ink while im writing, i dont know what to do
Thanks for this. I had been wondering if I had to clean my pen with every fill if I was using the same ink and using the pen often. I also just received my Eco-T and I’m reluctant to fill it because I’m worried about staining the plastic!!
Glad it was helpful! If you're using the same ink, you don't have to clean it between fill-ups. The only time I would recommend cleaning it is if you're going to put it away for a few weeks or months. Fill that pen ASAP! Enjoy it! You'll be surprised at how clean you can get that pen after using it for a while. You may want to investigate the ink color you are using to see if it is a known stainer.
What makes stub nib leak? I removed the nib on my pilot metropolitan just for curiosity and now it leaks. Does it have to go a certain way?
how do you completely disassemble the opus 88 demonstrator?
My Lamy safari pen nib has stained by the ink.. anyway to remove it?
Have an Ebonite Eye Dropper. The nib/feeder occupies the full penhold area. How to clean without removing nib/feeder?
What type of pen is that you’re using during the sheen/shimmering ink segment?
Hi! one type of pen you could cover cleaning on, if interested, is the Parker 51, with the built in squeeze bulb. I'm sure it has a technical name, I just don't know what it is.. Guess it would be the same as cleaning a Conklin Crescent Filler?
Hey Kevin, thanks for your comment. I think it might be the Aerometric filler. I can do the Conklin Cresecent filler, which operates under the similar principle of squeezing an internal sac.
@@GoldspotPens Thanks! Happy Friday!
Thanks for the video. Very useful. However how should one clean a pen with an aerometric filler, especially when the pressure bar is stuck to the section of the pen and will not move. Secondly, can a normal soap solution be used to clean. Many thanks.
If the pressure bar is stuck, it is likely the pen needs repair. Forcing it may break the mechanism entirely. Gentle dish soap and water can be used to clean the pen.
Thank you for the video, I have question, would the same cleaning routine and materials apply to a gold nib pen? I just got my first one and scared to ruin it
I would apply the same cleaning techniques regardless of the nib material.
How do you feel about using a bulb syringe to force clean water through a nib unit to help clean it faster?
I know some do it to facilitate the cleaning process. Personally, I don't feel it's necessary. Rinsing under tap water is just fine.
I have a few old Parker 51 Specials (c. 1955 with aerometric fillers - these pens don't disassemble without much effort) that have been sitting for who knows how long with gunked ink in them. I squeezed clear water thru filler (and got some of ink out), soaked in clear water for 24 hours, squeezed water thru filler again and a little more ink came out. Still, the sac is totally black, and if I soak in water (30+ hours now) and squeeze sac, a little more ink comes out. I'm going to try the Monteverde Flush, but is there any other/better way to clean an aerometric filler Parker 51 Special?
Recipe for pen flush:
1 part household ammonia (5%)
9 parts demineralised water
2 or 3 drops of dishwashing liquid per pint or half litre.
Mix and store for later use. Also use the demineralised (or distilled) water before drying and storing pens. Also flush pens before first use to make sure there are no contaminants from manufacturing.
No donot use alcohol and dishwash liquid, it's corrosive. Use hand wash or delicate liquid fabric cleaner just two three drops and swish your pen let it sit for 15 min and swish again. Then swish your pen with clean water.
@@siddharthsurte4316 The standard recipe does not use alcohol. Dishwashing liquid is just surfactant, it is not corrosive and will not hurt your pen. Any commercial pen flush you buy for about $10 to $20 for about six ounces is almost this exact tried and proven recipe costing roughly $0.25 for the same amount. It will remove staining from almost any ink except for Noodler's Baystate Blue, and it will usually remove it instantly.
ETA: also use a pen flush bulb. It's much more efficient than soaking.
Will pen flush also degrease any lubricants? I'm referring to the silicon grease used for piston or vac fillers.
I've used pen flush in a pen that utilizes a lubricated piston pump system and did not notice any degradation in the piston's movement. I don't believe the flush has an effect on the lubricant.
I have a Pelikan m200 from the 90s it works great but the piston is getting a little stiff. Is there any way to get silicon greece in there with a q tip? It is not a clear demonstrator.. thanks
I’m not familiar with this pen, but try searching the fountainpennetwork.com or Reddit? Typically though, silicone grease is used for water-sealing parts (ie. between the section & converter/ around the actual plunger part of a piston system), and the _gears_ of the piston need a different, more heavy-duty type of lubricant
I have a Lamy fountain pen and confess that I don't use it often... a few weeks could go by...I use it for making the random notes on a piece of paper.
Might the sheer lack of use explain why there are often times where it doesn't seem to work...where no ink is coming forth (even though the ink cartridge is full)? That might also explain why, when I then decide to rinse the bottom half of the pen/nib with water, that 'tons' of ink comes out...even though the ink cartridge is not attached at the time... So I can only surmise that LOTS of ink was stuck/dried up in the lower half of the pen/nib. And perhaps this is DUE to the fact that I don't use the pen often? SHOULD I be trying to write with the pen at least once per day...because in doing so I'm keeping the ink flow more 'active' and therefore less likely to dry out and eventually clog the lower half of the pen?
Also, is there a benefit to keeping my pen stored or at-the-read, in the upright position, so that the ink is constantly flowing downward towards the nib?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa, thanks for your note. Ideally, if you could write a little with your pen each day, it will dramatically improve the ink flow. Some pens, like the Platinum 3776 Century, have an inner cap sleeve that helps preserve the ink freshness for long periods of time. With most pens, you would have to use the pen frequently to prevent the nib from drying out.
My pen is Mont Blanc 4810, which has not been used for over a year and it is completely dry. It won't suck up or write. Can you give some advice?
Hi Could you suggest how I can convert a pen to work with water proof ink. I have the rotring art pen, is it possible to change only the feed and nib so that it can survive with water proof ink? In general, are the feed and nib interchangeable, by that I mean can I source any feed and nib which can fit in any pen or there are sizes that we need to match?
Before we start looking for replacement nibs, I would suggest using a waterproof fountain pen ink like Noodler's Bulletproof Black or Platinum Carbon Black. They are suitable for fountain pens and are waterproof.
I have a old favorite pilot pen 🖊 that I misplaced around the time of my divorce 13 years ago. Yesterday I found it! Unfortunately, I can’t get it to work. There’s very stubborn dried ink in the feed and nib. I can’t get it cleaned out. Any suggestions?
I dont think it is so important to get the pens dry.. I just blow out the nib by blowing it out into a paper towel and I just fill her right up..Great video thanks!!
Are there any particular brands of paper towels that will leave less lint when cleaning pens? I’ve had to forego the twirl dry method Tom used because it will leave lint inside the barrel.
Bounty is my paper towel of choice.
@@GoldspotPens thanks! I’ll give Bounty a try.
@@cynthiaalvarado8610 this depends on what region you live in, but I totally swear by Wegmans’ store-brand paper towels.
I’m really OCD about cleaning out my pens, and I’ve tried a lot of different types of tissues, napkins, & paper towels, but I’ve found that the Wegmans variety has the optimal (for me at least) balance of strength/durability, absorbency, non-abrasiveness, and lack of dust/lint/detritus :)
I used pieces of old cotton t-shirts cut to the size I need. Good use of recycling old cotton material without the worries some paper towels may leave lint behind.
Automotive paper towel is the only way to go get out of using crap kitchen paper towels lol
When I refill the converter I get bubbles? Suggestions. Thank you
Bubbles are common. Make sure you fully submerge the nib into the ink.
cleaned and dried nib.Put new cartridge in and now I can’t get the ink to flow into the nib. What should I do?
You can help prime the feed by gently squeezing the ink cartridge. Cartridge can take a few moments to feed through to the tip.
II took the cartridge out of the pen and it hadn’t pierced the top of the cartridge. I was surprised as these cartridges came with the pen. I chose a different cartridge that had use at either end and it fit fine and the pen worked within seconds. Sorry to bother you, but I did enjoy the video.
How long should I leave the pen out to dry?
At minimum, 10-15 minutes when drying on a paper towel.
I use only distilled water or bottled drinking water when cleaning.
Pilot VP?
Basically, the cleaning method is the same as any other cartridge converter fountain pen with the exception that you need to remove the nib unit from the barrel as you would do to refill the pen.
Thank you so much for sharing how to do this. After my pen has been dry for years, it's now working again. I'll have to use it regularly again, as I once used to.
Awesome. Glad the video helped. :-)