Maintenance Tips For Ef And Uef Nibs?

[prodo123]

Hi,

 

I write in English, Korean, Japanese and math, so I've always used Japanese EF nibs (Pilot and Platinum). These nibs being so fine, I've found them also prone to inconsistent flow and gunk that happen to get stuck between the tines. Most of the time flushing the pen in warm water fixes it, but sometimes that's not enough.

 

Of course I turn to the all-knowing Google, but most advices I find (in English, at least) seem to be for much thicker tips. Pressing down on the nib to spread the tines apart sounds like kinda stupid to begin with, and it doesn't work with these EF tips because the nib bends before the tines spread, etc.

 

So I turn to here and seek your wisdom how would you fix inconsistent flow for tips so fine that you can't see the gap when you hold it up to a light?

 

(no puns intended in this entire post!)

[IndigoBOB]

Do you floss the tines with brass sheets like these?

 

https://www.gouletpens.com/goulet-brass-sheets/p/GP-10012

 

With EF's and UEF's you want to have finesse, but this always works for me.

[siamackz]

Flossing will get the gunk out.

 

To increase flow, the only way I know is to increase tine spread. It must be done safely. I remove the nib, hold it by the shoulders, keep it at an angle parallel to my table (Not 45-degree pointing downwards as that will bend the nib) and then I apply pressure.