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BOY, oh boy, this was quite the journey to figure out! I tested so many variants of devices and lost so much ink in the process. But in the end, it was worth it (at least, I think so)! Let me share why I went on this journey. I love all inks, including shimmer inks. However, sometimes I prefer the base ink without the shimmer, but the equivalent non-shimmer version isn't available from the same company. Some inks are limited editions and only come in shimmer form. As we all know, shimmer inks are beautiful but a double-edged sword—they look amazing but are a pain to clean and are usually best suited for specific pens unless you dedicate one pen to shimmer ink. So, I embarked on a journey to remove the shimmer. My first experiment involved using lab-grade filter paper, specifically Ahlstrom Qualitative Filter Paper Fast 11cm. This resulted in a lot of ink loss because the paper needed to absorb the ink to a critical point before it could start dripping when oversaturated. Initially, I thought this worked, but after leaving it for 20 minutes, the sample still had some shimmer in it. As a good scientist, I retried the method twice more before declaring it a failure. I tried using up to 10 layers of paper, but the result was the same—lots of ink loss without fully removing the shimmer. Next, I tried using an ultra-fine sieve to catch the shimmer particles, but that didn't work either. Then, I attempted vacuum filtration, hoping the mica particles would crystallize on top. While some did, others still sneaked through. I even tried densely packing the filter paper into a large syringe to use as a more contained filter, but that didn't work. Frustrated, I was about to use a centrifuge. In theory, this worked, but the mica powder shimmer is easily disturbed. If you try this method, make sure to have the steadiest hands for syringe decanting. I don't have steady hands, so this was a fail for me. Finally, I found a solution by going through my old lab notes. I used syringe filters with a 0.22μm pore size (thankfully, Amazon makes these easy to find). Using a PTFE Syringe Filter, I was able to slowly filter out the shimmer. I rigged the syringe with weights and rubber bands to keep the plunger down so it could filter slowly overnight, even while I was at work. I'm pleased to present a shimmer-free version of J. Herbin Cornaline d'Egypte not in j herbin bottle as my little jerry rigged stand fits over a pelikan much better. I'll share a writing sample once all the ink is shimmer-free, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading, and happy inky thoughts!

After seeing a Jinhao x750 after being sanded down, I got curious. Recently, I sanded down a Parker Urban (2016 model) after the pocket clip broke off. I would like to dedicate this thread to the fountain pens that have had their finish removed. Please post pictures of your pens that have been sanded down or have had their finished scratched to oblivion. I'll start with my Parker Urban. Please post the pictures and the name of the pen.

Hello friends. I have a Gold Seal flat top that is refusing to let go of its personal point. I would like to replace the personal point, and have removed the section from the barrel without difficulty. But the personal point refuses to budge. I have: -ultrasonically cleaned the section in Koh-I-Noor pen cleaner (several times) -kept it immersed in clean water for days -used dry heat -tried hot water immersion (160 F) -tried leeching in Pen Potion #7 on several occasions, from the top and the bottom -immersed the entire section and part of the nib in Potion #7 for 48 hrs. No love so far. Do y'all have any suggestions? Nick

Hello fellow ink users, I don't know where this question fits, so I presume that best bet is "ink" department/forum. Before I go and start looking at youtube videos - I should ask here, where there must be many people who experienced similar problem. In the excitement while inking a new pen, few drops of Iroshizuku Yama Budo and few drops of Ku Jaku - ended up on my kitchen granite countertop. Few drops I managed to clean with water quickly, but few I've noticed to late. Now I have several colorful spots and I cannot remove them. The ink (it seems) seeped into the granite pores. Any tips on how to clean this? Short of - replacing the granite countertop. Thank you !!!! (below is the photo)

I just recently got an old Montblanc 24 from Ebay and I removed the nib unit from the section and there is ink trapped in-between the nib and nib unit. Does anyone know how to remove the nib from the nib unit? Or will I have to get a new nib unit(which I rather not do)? I can post pictures if needed.