Quill pen storage/care

[BatDyke]

Hi all.

 

I know my new quill doesn't exactly count as a fountain pen, more of a dip pen, but I thought you lot might be able to help.

 

It's a simple enough pen, nothing special. Just a metal nib and a huuuge ostrich feather. But even still, I want to look after it.

 

So, maybe you could answer a couple of questions for me.

 

One: Is it safe/wise to leave a pen resting in the full ink pot? Or would that damage the nib?

 

Two: What's the best way to store my quill, so nothing gets damaged?

 

Thanks for any help!

[Ann Finley]

Hi and welcome to FPN! The only metal on/in my quills is the resevoir that I make and put in after cutting the quill. I'm not sure just what you've got...Did you put a metal nib in the quill yourself? Or, if you bought a quill with a metal nib in it, could you post a picture of it?

 

I store my quills horizontally. If you are going to be using a quill much it's good to keep the tip moist--but I'm referring to a "self" nib tip made by cutting the quill to write with--not a metal nib.

 

Give us a little more info please!

 

Best regards,

Ann

[BatDyke]

Cheers for the welcome, babe. I can't post a picture as I've not got a digital camera, but I didn't make the quill.

 

It's a metal nib, like on most fountain pens, with the shaft of the feather inserted into it to hold it. My only concern is that the ink would damage the nib, but I can't just lay the quill down as the feather would get ruined rather fast.

 

Edit: I'm aware there are lots of sorts of nibs... I guess I could try sketching it in Photoshop? Would that help?

Edited August 29, 2005 by BatDyke

[pearlfox]

I've seen quill-style nibholders like you describe, which were sold with steel nibs. Leaving them in ink will rust the nibs, though if they're plated with a protective material like gold it'll take longer. The good news is that replacement nibs can be had for not too much.

 

There's some debate about whether to clean steel nibs or not; some prefer to let ink dry on the nib, arguing that ink sticks better to a rusty nib. Others would rather avoid tetanus and keep their nibs usable longer by wiping them off after use. I rinse and wipe mine dry.