My Student Pen Won't Write

[shannonkd]

Hi! I have a vintage Sheaffer student pen (about the 70s model) that I found at an antique store. The previous owner had let the ink run out and then just set it down. Thankfully, the ink was water soluble so that the ink was easily removed with lots of flushing and soaking. I got a new cartridge with the exact ink that was in it before (Skrip since the cartridge was still attached) but it won't flow out. If I place a paper towel on top of the nib, ink flows onto the paper towel, it just won't flow to the very tip of the nib. The nib is inlaid and can't be adjusted. I'm not sure what else to try.

[pajaro]

A long soak in room temp water might help. Flossing the nib with a thin brass shim, .002 inches, available in hobby stores, usually.

[PAKMAN]

Probably still hidden ink that needs to be cleaned out. A 10% ammonia to water solution may help or a good soak in an Ultrasonic machine.

[corgicoupe]

+1^^^

I have found that the $30 spent on an ultrasonic cleaner at Harbor Freight was a worthy expense. And you can clean your jewelry with it too.

[virgilio]

Remove the cartridge. Insert the nib of the pen in a cup of warm tapwater. Apply your lips to the nipple of the section and suck up water thru the section into your mouth. Spit it out. If the water is even slightly grayish, continue to do this half a dozen times or more until the water you spit out is clear.

 

You can also try putting extra detergent (surfactant) in your ink, which will increase the ink flow and tend to clean the pen. Drip in 2 to 4 drops of Ivory Dish Detergent from a small veterinary syringe, available in most farm supplies.

 

Oftentimes ink in cartridges dries up by evaporating thru the plastic walls. Extra water in ink will make it less free-flowing, but detergent will make the ink more free-flowing. And if you make the ink less dense by also adding a little distilled water, the ink will be still more free-flowing. I do this with black Quink as a matter of course, because it is a very smooth, but also a very rich ink; too rich for some pens.

 

Sheaffer has changed their ink formula since they moved the factory to Slovenia, and Skrip is no longer what it once was; it is not at all free-flowing, and in fact is rather dry and scratchy.

 

Of course some colors of Quink are horrible too, such as Blue Quink.. almost unusable unless you literally fill it with detergent; even then it is very washed-out.

 

Of course everybody has their own favorite ink, and sometimes a favorite ink for each pen...

 

I would not try the more expensive methods until you try this low-tech method, which is virtually free...

[pajaro]

I would not recommend sucking through the section. Who knows what's in there, or what might have been tried previously. Use a bulb syringe to push water through, or push whatever solution you want to after using the bulb syringe to suck it up first. What's worth more, your body and your life or a pen?

[virgilio]

I had never heard that fountain pen innards are that toxic. You may not get the required suction to clear stubborn clogs unless you use your mouth, I am afraid. Mais à chacun son goût.

[mitto]

The bulb syringe is the solution. I would second pajaro.

 

No need to take any risk with sucking old clogged ink from probably rusting innards of and old pen.

[pajaro]

I had never heard that fountain pen innards are that toxic. You may not get the required suction to clear stubborn clogs unless you use your mouth, I am afraid. Mais à chacun son goût.

It might not be toxic, but you don't know what someone else might have used to clean the pen that might have left remnants in the section. With the bulb syringe you can take up some water, press it onto the back of the section and squeeze water through the section.

[Mangrove Jack]

Suck, suck, suck ..... and make history as the first recorded fatality from cleaning a fountain pen.

[shannonkd]

Suck, suck, suck ..... and make history as the first recorded fatality from cleaning a fountain pen.

 

 

The bulb syringe is the solution. I would second pajaro.

 

No need to take any risk with sucking old clogged ink from probably rusting innards of and old pen.

 

 

Remove the cartridge. Insert the nib of the pen in a cup of warm tapwater. Apply your lips to the nipple of the section and suck up water thru the section into your mouth. Spit it out. If the water is even slightly grayish, continue to do this half a dozen times or more until the water you spit out is clear.

 

You can also try putting extra detergent (surfactant) in your ink, which will increase the ink flow and tend to clean the pen. Drip in 2 to 4 drops of Ivory Dish Detergent from a small veterinary syringe, available in most farm supplies.

 

Oftentimes ink in cartridges dries up by evaporating thru the plastic walls. Extra water in ink will make it less free-flowing, but detergent will make the ink more free-flowing. And if you make the ink less dense by also adding a little distilled water, the ink will be still more free-flowing. I do this with black Quink as a matter of course, because it is a very smooth, but also a very rich ink; too rich for some pens.

 

Sheaffer has changed their ink formula since they moved the factory to Slovenia, and Skrip is no longer what it once was; it is not at all free-flowing, and in fact is rather dry and scratchy.

 

Of course some colors of Quink are horrible too, such as Blue Quink.. almost unusable unless you literally fill it with detergent; even then it is very washed-out.

 

Of course everybody has their own favorite ink, and sometimes a favorite ink for each pen...

 

I would not try the more expensive methods until you try this low-tech method, which is virtually free...

 

 

+1^^^

I have found that the $30 spent on an ultrasonic cleaner at Harbor Freight was a worthy expense. And you can clean your jewelry with it too.

 

 

Probably still hidden ink that needs to be cleaned out. A 10% ammonia to water solution may help or a good soak in an Ultrasonic machine.

 

 

Thanks guys! I think I'll start with the ammonia and if that doesn't work, I'll try a bulb syringe. I'm not scared of the toxicity of what was in the pen, I'm just not too fond of the taste of leftover ink! Hahaha and I will definitely add the water and surfactant to the ink. I took the cartridge off and taped it so it wouldn't dry out and it was already halfway gone in a day! Good thing I bought a cheap 5 pack

[AL01]

You can use those silver thingies from a DVD case. It is by no MEANS a professional thing to do, though.

 

Soak, soak, soak. Sometimes if the ink has started to evaporate in a cart, then the ink may not flow to the tipping.

[cattar]

If you use a lot of ink, get an art syringe so you can refill those cartridges with bottled ink.

You can get an art syringe at an art supply store or an online pen & ink store.

When you buy bottled ink, be sure it's for fountain pens. Flush the pen & cartridges before putting in a different ink.

[tamiya]

I rather Blow than Suck...!

 

Fill your mouth with water then blow that thru the section & nib, do it from both the cartridge end and reverse via the nib end.

 

Old dried ink might take a week or 3 of soaking.

 

Ultrasonic machine can speed that up but still takes time for water to soak thru before it can do its jiggly magic.

[virgilio]

I intend to live on for many years, sucking on my cartridge pens BOLDLY AND FEARLESSLY, whenever I consider it necessary.

[pajaro]

I intend to live on for many years, sucking on my cartridge pens BOLDLY AND FEARLESSLY, whenever I consider it necessary.

You have been warned. Sometimes people use ammonia in section soaks. Whether it all gets purged, who knows? If all your pens were bought new or NOS, though, you should be good.

[Erik Dalton]

I rather Blow than Suck...!

Fill your mouth with water then blow that thru the section & nib, do it from both the cartridge end and reverse via the nib end.

Old dried ink might take a week or 3 of soaking.

Ultrasonic machine can speed that up but still takes time for water to soak thru before it can do its jiggly magic.

I agree a longer soak is needed. The procedure of blowing from both ends in key to getting a good result. But first you have to liquefy the old ink. Patience is important here. Let it soak overnight once or twice if necessary. If that doesn't work then make yourself up, or buy some ammonia based pen flush and soak the nib and section. Use a bulb syringe from your local drug store to blow the pen flush through the nib and section from both ends after a good long soak.

Good luck, let us know how you make out.

[Erik Dalton]

Don't put your inlaid nib in an ultrasonic bath.

[CoolPensAreCool]

Are you using a cartridge? Maybe it just needs to sit a moment.

[kkshadow]

Are you using a cartridge? Maybe it just needs to sit a moment.

 

Or 24 hours. Sometimes will then mysteriously write. Probable because the ink dissolved the problem blockage. Good luck!