Tea Dipping When Pen Is Dry

[GEJ]

Sometimes when I am using a pen, if the ink has stopped flowing I sometimes dip in my nearest drink (typically Pu-erh tea). Just wondering if others may also follow this 'shameful' practice?

[kestrel]

Yes. Any port (or, in this case, tea) in a storm. Never anything with sugar or other nasty goo in it, though. Tea or water only.

[katerchen]

I keep a small partially filled cup of water for this purpose. Tea ... doesn't sound optimal

[mhguda]

I keep a small partially filled cup of water for this purpose. Tea ... doesn't sound optimal

I do the same. The cup sits there until the water is sufficiently evaporated to masquerade as an ink. Comparable to Dregs bottles, but what's in there are the inky favorites of the moment. I sometimes consolidate these mixtures into separate empties for reuse.

[Bibliophage]

Sometimes when I am using a pen, if the ink has stopped flowing I sometimes dip in my nearest drink (typically Pu-erh tea). Just wondering if others may also follow this 'shameful' practice?

I just pull out the next pen, and set the dried up one aside to be cleaned that night.

[silverlifter]

I lick my index finger and then drag the nib along the tip. I'm a monster, I know...

[Karmachanic]

Drinking ink laced puerh must make for an interesting smile.

[Bennett]

I fill a small shot glass with water. Less to clean up and less mess if accidentally tipped over.

[Tas]

Yep. Might mint tea nightcap has indeed had a tip or two dipped into it.

(That pesky Rotring Core seems to be a repeat offender)

[pepsiplease69]

I bought a handful of nalgene dropper bottles.

 

https://www.containerstore.com/s/nalgene-leakproof-travel-dropper-bottles/d?q=Nalgene&productId=10000248

 

 

I put one (filled with tap water) at each location where I do most of my writitng.

 

It makes for easy access to water drops to quickly jumpstart the ink flow for dried out nibs.

[taimdala]

I have a spice jar, emptied and cleaned, filled with water at my desk. I've kept the inner shaker disc attached, as it keeps the flow of the water to a manageable trickle when I wet down a paper towel to wipe my nibs. Additional benefit: It smells like sweet basil.

 

[como]

No, I don't think that it's such a bad habit. Some people even chew their pens, although I am sure that no one from FPN... I hope?

[ethernautrix]

Huh. My nibs are so rarely dry that the very few times I've had to wet the nib, it was easy to walk to the nearest sink. If I have a glass of water at hand, I'll dip a finger in it and put a drop on the nib.

 

I never thought to dip the nib into the glass of water. Or tea.

 

*Smiley*

[Arkanabar]

I have a prescription pill bottle filled with distilled water and a couple disposable pipettes on my desk, and that's what I generally use to rehydrate balky pens. At work, I will either drip a drop from a wetted paper towel onto the feed, or fill with a little tap water from a 30ml medicine cup, such as this:

[sansenri]

To be avoided. Tea stains.

How do you clean your tea cups? Have you noticed they do not come clean unless you scrub them vigorously?

[Intensity]

I have a couple of nibs that need a water dip time to time, because of bad cap sealing (like Pilot VP), but it's always running tap water. I'm pretty paranoid about any "botanical" growths in the pens as well as in my ink bottles when I dip nibs into them for refilling.

 

Incidentally, this thread makes me think of J. Herbin Lie de The and dripping water onto writing made with it. It makes such lovely yellowy-orange stains

Edited December 13, 2019 by Intensity

[txomsy]

A partial view of my workplace: there is always a small jar with water ready to clean a pen and a dirty cloth to clean whatever.

 

[kestrel]

To be avoided. Tea stains.

How do you clean your tea cups? Have you noticed they do not come clean unless you scrub them vigorously?

The ink doesn't stain the cup (too much tea, too little ink, or both) although I admit I have never done this with a pen loaded with Baystate Blue. Tea stains, on the other hand, can be nasty especially with our very hard water. Denture cleaning tablets work well to remove the tea stains, no scrubbing required.

[DrDebG]

I usually keep tissues and a bottle of water in my office. I just moisten the tissue with water, and use it to wipe the nib. Almost always works.

 

Several months ago, I purchased a pen chest. I have noticed that those pens that are prone to dry out seem to dry out less than before.

[ethernautrix]

To be avoided. Tea stains.

How do you clean your tea cups? Have you noticed they do not come clean unless you scrub them vigorously?

I have a spray bottle of bleach and water (about 10% bleach). I spray that into my tea cups (as well as using it for other cleaning up). Do widzenia, tea stains!