Demonstrators - Use Them Or Adore Them?

[Tojusi]

So, there is this (non-C/C) pen that I currently have my eye on. It is available in all black (a bit boring, but hey...) or as a demonstrator. I have a really hard time deciding whether I want to go down the demonstrator route. My main worry is staining. I have one demonstrator currently, Pelikan M205 which is the clear demonstrator with rhodium furniture. I have managed to stain it rather magnificently by my use of blue and purple inks (some of them Noodler's but that's beside the point - love my Noodler's). So far, removing the nib unit followed by plain water soaking followed by rigorous Q-tip scrub has not taken out all the stains.

 

So, while the decision black/demonstrator will ultimately be my responsibility:

 

Do you really use your demonstrators or just adore them?

 

Does the price of the pen have a factor on the above question, for you?

 

If you are a user, what is your maintenance regime? For example, a thorough cleaning every time the pen runs empty, rather than just refilling with the same ink?

[Charles Rice]

I have two which I use all the time. I don't clean them differently from any other pen. If they stain, they stain.

[Ghost Plane]

Rinse, flush when I change colors, enjoy the play of light on ink. I don't get this quest for sterile perfection. A well used pen is a well loved pen.

[pendexter]

Seeing how ink moves around the pen is part of the beauty of demonstrators.

 

If you really need to clean them out, an ultrasonic cleaner might do the trick.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

My favorite demonstrator right now is a clear black (or smoke) Pilot Custom Heritage 92, which doesn't show the staining much anyway. That's not the reason I prefer it, though; the nib writes just a bit better than those on my clear demonstrators.

 

Even with the clear demonstrators, I don't worry too much about staining. I clean them as best I can, but any staining will be less obvious when they're inked, and when they aren't inked they are just stored, not put on display.

[kenshiro]

Ultrasonics and diluted koh-i-noor pen cleaning solution has always done the trick for me, even with oranges and reds. Haven't tried Baystate or anything that's supposed to be super permanent, but everything else has come out in 1 cycle.

[sargetalon]

I definitely use mine and love them. No pen is meant to be put on a pedestal in my opinion, but that's just me.

[SujiCorp12345]

I use mine as well (albeit they are fairly cheap TWSBIs). I haven't had staining yet, as I try to consult reviews about inks I am not familiar with in order to avoid staining.

[RudyR]

My pens have for the most part, have to be either a demonstrator or have a ink window. Since I don't use Noodlers and use Montblanc inks more than any other ink, I don't worry about stains. Even with that, If by chance they did stain, all the above advice would surely clear up the problem. When I show my TWSBI with its guts happily full of Iroshizuku Shin Ryoku (very appropriate ink for the holiday season), it definitely is a selling point to anyone even contemplating the purchase of a fountain pen. Being mindful of the ink is its own reward, and a demonstrator avails me to that practice.

[amk]

I use them, flush and rinse well before putting away. Getting ink out of the feed is the trickiest bit. Caps also need cleaning but that is not a big deal.

 

For me a demonstrator doesn't show its soul till you fill it with ink.

[SanjayG]

Never owned one but the concept of it is appealing, Would be nice writing pages of work and seeing the ink in the pen moving around and flowing onto the paper.

 

I can somewhat understand why somebody would purchase something just to look at instead of using but you need to use something to truly appreciate it in my opinion.

[jar]

Of course there will be staining. That is the purpose of a demonstrator. If you don't want to see all the places ink gets don't buy a demonstrator.

[I like mango cheesecake]

I've got two TWSBI demos and use the both all the time without problems

[Tanzanite]

My Pelikans have been stained but not my TWSBIs. I have dicovered that it is easier to clean out the Pelikans if I unscrew the nib and rinse the inside thoroughly without using the piston. I fill the pen with water with a little dishsoap and let it be for a while first. So yes, I use my demonstrators.

[Black Spot]

I avoid Demonstrators. I like my pens traditional and black.

All of you are slowly convincing me that perhaps a colored pen is acceptable.

But a clear pen...well some day I may try one.

[lmarine0510]

I usually steer clear of demonstrators, especially C/C types. My only exception to this rule is a Sheaffer School pen in translucent red. It does not show staining due to its already dark color. The only clear demonstrator that I'd buy (if it existed) would be a Sheaffer Snorkel or something that is equally as mechanically interesting.

[BlakeNole]

Use them! I've found demonstrators are great for getting currently non-FP folks curious and possibly interested in them. Otherwise, a great way to show off cool inks!

[Ted A]

I have several and haven't had staining. The worst staining I've seen is in a converter with an ink that the reviews have been very clear that it stains. The other ink is also in a converter with a red ink from one of the "safe" ink makers.

 

It is really unfortunate that there are innuendos that lead to your comment about Noodlers inks. Some stain and I have used a Noodlers ink to help clean the stain from a converter. Staining IS NOT an attribute belonging to a single maker. Some inks do and some don't you just have to pay attention to reviews.

[mknoblauch]

I have a Monteverde Artista Crystal that I have put every hue of ink into. Granted, I have not used any "bulletproof" inks, but have had stubborn reds and browns that stain the clear feed. In order to get things 100% clean I use my home made pen flush (recipe courtesy of SBRE Brown on YouTube), which is 10% ammonia, 90% water with 3 drops of dish liquid. Everything comes out flawless. I have also had the same issue with pens with ink level windows, but again, using the pen flush has always done the trick!

[Toll]

I have never owned a demonstrator. But, I have been thinking the Omas Alba might change that.