Goutlet Pen Flush

[Caestus75]

Good Evening,

 

I've recently purchased a Montblanc Blue Hour LeGrande fountain pen with a medium nib and I am really enjoying it. I have finally found my paring for Nib and Paper, using Thome River paper. I was anxious to test different inks in the pen and I went on an ink purchasing frenzy. I had Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki ink and it is my go-to ink as I truly love the color and how the ink flows. It really is top shelf ink.

 

In addition to Kon-Peki, I bought some Diamine, Montblanc, Waterman, and Pelikan Edelstein inks. I had no issues flushing out the inks with normal tap water as Montblanc Suggests in the video below. However, the Montblanc Permanent Blue seems to have stained the nib and the feed. Yes the nib is stained and will not wipe off. To me this is most alarming so I've been doing research on cleaning the pens. My normal practices for cleaning the pen seem to be in line with the industry standard.

 

Minus the nib cleaners I've followed the below video nearly identically (minus dropping 6 drops back into the ink). I have just picked up some nib cleaners from my local boutique today but have yet to clean them. I asked for pen flush but they only had the flush for cartridge/converter pens.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50w3K8xuGBQ

 

I showed my pen to the Boutique Manager today and she was very surprised. I am concerned how the inside piston will end up looking if the NIB was discolored... She did offer to send the pen out for a full cleaning but I am concerned because I LOVE the blue color of the Permanent Blue... but I know it will just stain again. Now the discoloration/staining is very faint, however, under light it is prominent and can be easily seen. She has a meeting tomorrow and intends to bring this up.

 

My question is, how is the Goutlet Pen Flush? I know it is probably dish soap and water, but does anyone know how effective this pen flush is? Has anyone had any experience with Goutlet Pen Flush? Has anyone had a similar issue with the Montblanc Permanent Blue ink and was able to clean it without issue?

 

Best Regards,

 

Jeremiah

[meiers]

Hi Jeremiah

 

Changing colours from permanent blue to another colour is fine. I don't spend a lot of time flushing the ink. I aim for a gradual shift to the new colour as the new ink is used in repeated fillings. After three or four fillings it is almost entirely gone...

 

....to disappear eventually.

 

I hope you find his message reassuring.

 

 

Matthias.

Edited April 3, 2016 by meiers

[FredRydr]

My question is, how is the Goutlet Pen Flush?

 

I resist buying it every time I see the bottles at pen shows. I mix my own in a liter bottle: 10:1 water to ammonia, plus a drop of Dawn dish detergent. I do the same with eyeglass cleaner, except with alcohol instead of ammonia.

 

Fred

[Caestus75]

Hi Jeremiah

 

Changing colours from permanent blue to another colour is fine. I don't spend a lot of time flushing the ink. I aim for a gradual shift to the new colour as the new ink is used in repeated fillings. After three or four fillings it is almost entirely gone...

 

....to disappear eventually.

 

I hope you find his message reassuring.

 

 

Matthias.

This is good news to hear.

 

I was just concerned with the ink staining the piston as it discolored the nib and feed.

 

 

 

I resist buying it every time I see the bottles at pen shows. I mix my own in a liter bottle: 10:1 water to ammonia, plus a drop of Dawn dish detergent. I do the same with eyeglass cleaner, except with alcohol instead of ammonia.

 

Fred

This is what I keep hearing.

 

Thank you Matthias and Fred.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jeremiah

[jar]

If you are going to use ammonia try to find the non-sudsing version.

[Mister Mont Blanc]

I came across this thread while searching for Goulet Pen flush being used in Montblanc pens...

 

Every time I use water to flush my 149s, I can always get the water to run clear. However, I can never get out the residual water or ink left behind at the piston wall or within the nib unit. (I am a perfectionist) I have even flushed out pens to take out of my rotation and left uncapped to dry only to see that two days later, there is still colored water stuck at the piston wall. With the newest design of the Montblanc 149 piston, the seal is at the back of the piston, making a sort of top hat shape. This creates a small space between the piston and the barrel where ink or water gets trapped. Flush all I want, but the last thing to go into the pen will be making its home in that little trap, albeit it's just a drop or so. Also, if I take a napkin and dab it along the nib unit where the two holes are, saturated ink is drawn out every time.

 

I purchased a sample size of the Goulet Pen flush a year ago and never tried it until last night on my two MB 149s that had the above issue. Jar mentioned a non-sudsing ammonia... The Goulet Pen flush did create quite a bit of suds within the barrel but I did do a thorough water rinsing afterwards and was able to get a spotless, liquid free barrel & new-looking piston! I then proceeded to disassemble the pistons anyway to confirm the cleanliness and one needed some silicone anyway. So my experience with this flush has been positive so far and I am looking to purchase the regular size bottle to use between ink changes. The reason I looked up this topic first though is because I was curious if Montblanc owners trusted this product in their pens being that it did such a great job... I hope there are no negative consequences with long-term use. Or if there are other flushes that are preferred for higher-end pens...?

[Ghost Plane]

I've used it, but sparingly. As in once a year or so if I've got a used pen with gunked up ink that rinsing won't budge. Since I don't disassemble my pens or obsess about cleanliness, I figure it won't clean off lubricant. Works a treat on ink stains inside light-colored Visconti.

[SpecTP]

I've used it to clean up old pens that I have purchased on ebay. It does a very good job that soap and water won't do. especially if you soak it overnight.

[lunarfp]

It just so happens, I bought two pens that had developed a mouldy odour. I flushed both with Goblet Pen Flush.

So far ,so good.

[KAC]

The video suggests "...send your Montblanc writing instrument to Montblanc once a year...": righty-ho! Try some regular flushing and usual care and avoid that (costly) step.

[jgwak2]

Nice I found this thread, I was thinking the exact thing for my mb's. The way it cleans so well, it just seems it could potentially be very harsh. Perhaps, I'll give it a try if everyone said it's fine. Thanks.

[Ghost Plane]

Moderation & you'll be fine. MBs weren't designed to be sterilized.

[lunarfp]

Moderation & you'll be fine. MBs weren't designed to be sterilized.

 

Excellent advice, Ghost Plane.

 

I flush my pens with plain tap water. That's usually more than enough. If you happen to be using the Goulet Pen Flush, I suggest that you do not keep it in a pen for more than a minute or so. Better safe than sorry.

 

Also, keep in mind the following warning: "Don't soak aluminum or casein pens in the Flush. Don't mix with bleach".

[ink-syringe]

clean your pen as you would regularly.

 

Then try a fill of Sailor Doo-yoo. Not sure what magic is in that ink but it has unstained a few pens for me. & all the while you can still use the pen.

[thygreyt]

Also, stay away from Permanent blue on nice pens... I have it now on my noodlers pens.

 

In my case it stained a converter, feed kinda clogged and and nib stained (18k-750).

[sd10521]

Also, stay away from Permanent blue on nice pens... I have it now on my noodlers pens.

 

In my case it stained a converter, feed kinda clogged and and nib stained (18k-750).

 

I have had the Permanent Blue exclusively in my Le Grande (146), since June of 2014 with no issues. It's the Platinum version with a fine point. I think I may have just done a water flush twice in that time. I use this ink for writing checks and envelopes, (and I do like that color).

 

Getting back on topic, I have been using JB's Perfect Pen Flush on difficult pens, sometimes I will let it sit in the pen overnight and rinse well in the morning. One small bottle goes a long way. I'm sure the Goulet Pen Flush is of the same caliber and will add this to an order when I need it.

[Mister Mont Blanc]

Well I just ordered a full bottle of it online and it's on its way to me now. Aside from water and ammonia in it, there are just some surfactants, which I think help prevent the water or ink from sticking in certain spots. I notice every time that I buy a new fountain pen, the first few uses I see the volume of ink inside the barrel rolling around like oil- sticking together and beading off of the wall of the ink window. This attribute slowly fades away with use and the other thing that happens is that strangely-designed piston head (which is clear) gets ink residue or discolored even after rinsing with water... at least in my experience. This pen flush completely gets rid of that and hopefully helps prevent that ink from affecting the piston seal/lubrication.