Fountain Pen Care

[Guest Denis Richard]

I have used one pen in particular without flushing for several years. It was daily (and intensive) writer. On the other hand, a good water flush can not do any harm, so there really is no reason not to flush a pen regularly... other that lazyness of course.

 

If left unused, emptying and flushing is a very good idea...

[Glenn-SC]

I usually have 6 pens inked as daily users, which means they each get used at most twice a week.

Most pens don't seem to care about sitting and write right away upon use.

The pens that are notorious hard starters only get worse.

The ones that are my favorites work right away. (Or maybe they are my favorites because they work right away.)

 

As I said before, I flush when I'm done using a pen for a while or am changing inks.

Flushing won't hurt. But as yet I have not experienced any pen that was hurt by leaving it with ink in it.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Glenn-SC

[TheNobleSavage]

I keep about 12 pens inked at any given time. Anytime that it is time for a refill on a pen in my rotation, I always flush the pen out with cool water. If I am using the pen on my weekly rotation then I wil flush the pen out until the water is close to being clear then I will fill it with ink. I do this so if I use a different color ink, the prior color wont taint the new color. Also to prevent an interaction between inks that are not compatible. I sure dont want them to gunk up my pens. At the end of the week and pen rotation then I will completely flush my pens out with cool water and a small amount of dish soap. I will do this repeatedly until the water comes out completely clear. Then I will completely flush out the pen repeatedly until all traces of the water/soap solution are gone, then I polish my pens with a small amount of wax and hand buff it and then it is ready for storage.

 

For some this seems like a lot of work but for me that is what makes fountain pens so enjoyable. It is a ritual for me that I find rewarding. One of these days when I kick the bucket, I want to pass on these pens to my daughters. I want them to be just as nice then as they are now.

 

TNS