I found an old no-name fountain pen at a flea market ($1.50). It has a hooded nib and writes like a dream BUT it stinks like sour milk. Soapy water has improved it a little but not entirely. What can I clean it with? Bleach? Ammonia?

Hi There,
I am just guessing, totally, but I would be careful in cleaning. I THINK, that it may be casein, which can smell like milk gone of when damp/wet, and the pen may be damp on the inside, try drying it out. Let it dry naturally in air and not get TOO dry, from warm air. This material deteriorates (sp?) quite rapidlly if it dries out totally and needs a level of humidity to maintain it's form.

I have limted experiance with this material, which when in good condition has wonderful colours and looks. It can go out of shape quite easily, caps too tight sort of thing, but can be teased back to it's correct form. Some one with more insight will hopefully chip in and elaborate further.

et

I picked up a mini-screwdriver set at a flea market several years ago -- 8 screwdrivers came in a plastic container and the handles were all plastic... and they smelled (and still smell) the same way, like sour milk. I tried soaking in a water/detergent mixture overnight, scrubbing with a bristled cleaning brush & soap, but nothing seemed to work.

Don Calder

It would be much safer for the pen if you were to employ the use of a clothespin...for your nose

I've had good luck w/ removing smells from organic materials by wrapping them loosely in tissue, then placing them in a box filled w/ baking soda --- for extreme instances (books which smelled of stale tobacco smoke from cheap cigarettes) using one of the scented baking soda products intended for carpets may be worth trying.

This will also help to dry out the casein as eckiethump noted was needed.

William

Thanks, I will try the baking soda. Are there some ways to tell if it's casein? Will casein always smell bad? After each time I've washed the pen a white powery look re-appears in random spots the next day.