(photo: Merritt Handcrafted M1 "OceanSwirl" w/ Rhodium accents)
A very common question I get asked a lot is:
"How Do I Clean or Unclog My Fountain Pen?"
Last year I responded to a question on Yahoo Answers by Shelly V., and I decided to republish it here @RICHARDink.com. I've receieved many positive emails and feedback about the post there, and figured it would be helpful to have the information here as well for those of you that are interested in some tips on cleaning and unclogging your fountain pens.
Note: This is mainly for very minor clogging of ink and basic cleaning and ink refilling tips. There are other (more detailed) options that I don't discuss here for other types of pens and ink reservoirs and more serious clogging scenarios.
QUESTION:
How do I clean my fountain pens?
I
have a Cross pen and a Waterman Phileas pen, both of which don't seem
to write when I put in a new ink cartridge. I think it could be because
there's too much clogged ink in there. Anyone know of an easy way to
clean these? I saw a tip that said to soak them in olive oil, but I'd
rather not try that one because it's so hard to get oil out of
anything. Or is there someone or someplace I can take the pens to to
get them professionally cleaned?
ANSWER:
This is a very common problem, especially if you only use ink
cartridges and not cartridge converters. It's normal for old ink
deposits in between the nib and feed to build up over time and
eventually restrict the ink flow to a sudden halt. No fun.
I always suggest (especially when changing ink brands or colors) to
flush your fountain pen's nib & feed with cold water by using a
cartridge piston converter -- most cartridge pens accept cartridge piston converters to be used with bottled ink. These are relatively inexpensive and easy
to find -- and many cartridge style fountain pens come with one included, so it's possible you already have one.
You should flush your pens every 30 days at least if you don't use them daily. ( I recommend it
every other refill or so). And be sure to use COLD WATER ONLY. If the
clogging is extreme, then before you flush it with the converter, stand
the pen up in a glass of cold water, and let the nib & feed soak
for 24 hours. Be sure not to get water on other parts of the pen, just
have enough water in the glass to soak the entire nib. Then after 24
hours give it a rinse under cold running water from the tap (protecting
the pen body from the water with a cloth) for 10 seconds.
Now proceed to flush out the nib and feed with the piston converter
using cold water. Repeat flushing until there are no signs of clogging
or old ink deposits. Be sure to let your nib and feed dry out for a few
hours or use a can of air to remove all of the moisture around the nib
feed and nipple before re-inking your pen.
In some really extreme cases of clogging you can use a mixture of
ammonia diluted with water to soak and flush with -- But I recommend a
professional do this or if you decide to DIY then use extreme caution.
Another solution is to soak the pen in an Ultra-Sonic Machine. I have
one that I use and it really does a superb job. Again extreme caution
should be used with these methods as you can really ruin a fine pen if
you are not careful.
(*Voted Best Answer on Yahoo Answers)
► Want More Tips on Fountain Pen Care? (more)
"7 Simple Tips on How-to Use and Care for Your Fountain Pens"
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