How Hard Is It To Clean An F-C Ice Pen After It Has Been Eye Droppered?

[NobleDel]

Hello, I have a new Franklin Christoph 02 in an Ice finish that I would like to eye-dropper. However, I am concerned that the rough finish inside the pen would make cleaning it a bear. So, before I ink it up and find out the hard way, I wanted to hear from others who might have eye droppered theirs whether it was tough to clean out the ink, and what they did to clean out their pens. Thanks very much.

[alaskazimm]

I have a Model 02 Ice that I eyedroppered with Diamine Delemere Green. When I cleaned it, it wasn't that much of a pain; it did take a little more time due to the rough surface, but not terrible.

 

One thing that did catch me by surprise is that there was red stains in the section and barrel threads that were quite tenacious. I didn't wash the barrel before eyedroppering it so there may have been something left over from the manufacturing process that reacted with the ink. In the end it took several washings with dilute ammonia and scrubbing with cotton swabs to clean all the red out.

 

Turns out I'm not a fan of eyedroppers so I haven't tried again with any other colours.

[Bill Wood]

It is rather difficult, especially with the ice. Here's my solution. Use a stiff cleaning scrubber. The ones that come in sheets. Cut a narrow strip, slightly narrow at the bottom and a little wider towards the top. Your cleaning solution will be ammonia and water 50/50. Insert your cleaning strip after soaking overnight and twist and twist. Did the trick for me. The ice finish can be a little stubborn. For a really clean machine bleach straight up works well on the barrels.

[wastelanded]

A thin bottle scrubber will do the trick: I got a set of five, in various sizes, for $2 on eBay. They're also handy for scrubbing out the inside of caps and all kinds of barrels.

[sharonspens]

I just got a Ice pen at the Ohio Pen Show. Given the offer to eye dropper it, I declined. After reading this post, I am glad i did so.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[zaddick]

I bought an FC 02 in Italian Ice and I am going to eye dropper it. That pen just does not look right with a converter in it!

 

I'll have to just get over having some bits of ink in the pen between uses. I always say you should not buy a clear pen if you can't stand ink working into the nooks and crannies, unless you are just collecting it.

 

I know others feel different, but I say go for it!

[KKay]

I have a #2, and I think you should be careful and not put a staining ink in it. Some stains are very difficult to clean out. Also the ICE does make it more difficult to clean. But the ink sloshing around looks lovely. Lately I've used the converter though.

[Newjelan]

  On 11/19/2016 at 6:43 AM, KKay said:

I have a #2, and I think you should be careful and not put a staining ink in it. Some stains are very difficult to clean out. Also the ICE does make it more difficult to clean. But the ink sloshing around looks lovely. Lately I've used the converter though.

 

After using Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo and it staining badly, I've resorted to the converter.

[Bill Wood]

Sailor inks are okay in the Ice models. Easier to clean. Waterman is fine of course.

[inkfade]

I keep my pocket 66 in solid ice eyedroppered with DA Aubergine. No staining except for some ink left in the bottom part, but since that pen is ever only inked up with Aubergine, no biggie. Though F-C did tell me to not use Iroshizuku inks, as they tended to stain.

[Newjelan]

  On 11/30/2016 at 3:22 PM, inkfade said:

F-C did tell me to not use Iroshizuku inks, as they tended to stain.

Thanks for that, too late for me now but good to know.

[sharonspens]

  On 11/30/2016 at 3:22 PM, inkfade said:

I keep my pocket 66 in solid ice eyedroppered with DA Aubergine. No staining except for some ink left in the bottom part, but since that pen is ever only inked up with Aubergine, no biggie. Though F-C did tell me to not use Iroshizuku inks, as they tended to stain.

 

Oh, my. I love Iroshi inks, and this would have been my go-to choice. Definitely glad I didn't eyedropper mine now!

[inkfade]

  On 12/2/2016 at 3:51 AM, Newjelan said:

Thanks for that, too late for me now but good to know.

 

  On 12/3/2016 at 2:57 AM, sharonspens said:

 

Oh, my. I love Iroshi inks, and this would have been my go-to choice. Definitely glad I didn't eyedropper mine now!

 

Before I was aware that they did not recommend Iro inks, I had my pocket 66 eyedroppered with Fuyu-Syogun. I was surprised when I tried to clean it, because the inside was gray and only came clean with about half an hour of scrubbing with warm water and a Q-tip. I was worried I wasn't going to be able to get it all out, but I did. So now that pen is DA Aubergine only.

[KKay]

Be careful when cleaning the inside of the cap with Q-tips. I did that, and my ice finish is coming off. It bugs me when I see little ink drops in the cap, so several times over the year I've used a Q-tip and water to clean it. I won't be buying an ice finish again.

[NobleDel]

Thank for all the responses. I never thought about thin bottle scrubbers. I will definitely give that a try. I found out the hard way that the blue component of Sailor Rikyu-Cha likes to stain, too. I wont be eye-dropping that ink.

[inkfade]

  On 12/4/2016 at 4:23 PM, KKay said:

Be careful when cleaning the inside of the cap with Q-tips. I did that, and my ice finish is coming off. It bugs me when I see little ink drops in the cap, so several times over the year I've used a Q-tip and water to clean it. I won't be buying an ice finish again.

 

The frosted finish can come off in the cap? I didn't know it could just rub off. Thanks for the heads up, though. I was using Q-tips to clean the ink drops in the cap, too, but now I'll stick to just shaking it with water inside.

[KKay]

Inkfade, maybe I was just a random case. I have tiny ink drops in my cap now, and I am debating whether to just ignore it or not. Sometimes I get ink on the bottom of the cap, from accidentally touching the feed, as I close the cap. I've cleaned there too. Before I just wet a Q-tip, and got the ink out. If I keep doing this, I will have a clear demonstrator on my hands. I haven't heard anyone else mention this, so mine must be a random case. I've had this pen for almost a year.

[inkfade]

  On 12/5/2016 at 4:14 PM, KKay said:

Inkfade, maybe I was just a random case. I have tiny ink drops in my cap now, and I am debating whether to just ignore it or not. Sometimes I get ink on the bottom of the cap, from accidentally touching the feed, as I close the cap. I've cleaned there too. Before I just wet a Q-tip, and got the ink out. If I keep doing this, I will have a clear demonstrator on my hands. I haven't heard anyone else mention this, so mine must be a random case. I've had this pen for almost a year.

 

Ink drops bothered me at first, too, but I hardly notice them now, and I've had the pen two or three months. The problem was much worse when I first got the pen and that's why I sent it back to F-C. Something was wrong with the feed or section or something and the inside of the cap would be drenched in ink if the pen was even jostled.

 

But yeah, I haven't heard this happening to anybody else (the frost finish coming off), and before I bought the pen I scoured the Internet for every last bit of info on the pocket 66 ice. I feel like I would have stumbled across something like this. I'll be wary, anyway.

[Bill Wood]

I little straight ammonia on a cue tip will "take that stain" away! Try to avoid bleach.

[Katduffy]

I haven't had a problem with staining in either of my Solid Ice Franklin-Christoph pens. I had Private Reserve Fiesta Red in my P40 for two months and Iro Kiri-same in my P66 for three months without a problem. It took some effort to get the silicone grease off the threads, but a mascara brush really helps with cleaning the threads. I don't think I used the brush on the bodies, but I'm not sure. I didn't use a cotton swab on the bodies because the cotton started pulling apart the first time I tried using one. The silicone grease is hard to get off so I usually dip the mascara brush in warm water with some dish washing detergent added and scrub. My Italian Ice P66 is only three months old and I've flushed it every two to three weeks instead of leaving ink in for months, but I haven't had any staining with it either. I didn't know about the Iro staining so I guess I lucked out with the Kiri-same.