I Know, I Am Not Romantic: I Use Gloves

[UncleEnrico]

I was tired ok inky fingers, now I use to wear gloves to fill or clean my fountain pens, my hands are now always clean and I spend less in water and chimical produtcts to remove ink. Remember: when you use gloves that may be not much romantic but help the planet because you stop using all that clean water and all those chemical products to clean your hands. Stop annoying your wife or husband with inky hands, touch him or her with clean fingers. Wear gloves before refilling or cleaning your fountain pens.

[shawndp]

This is actually a pretty good idea...

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Hmm, I got a cheap pack of reusable gloves for gardening, working in the yard, etc. a while back. They do have rubber coated fingers, so they probably would be just fine for pen work. Good tip! Thanks!

[I.M.]

I wear my ink with pride!

[J85909266]

I usually don't mind the inky fingers, unless it is excessive. In that case, a good scrub usually takes care of it.

[inkstainedruth]

The gloves may be fine when flushing and filling. But I sometimes get ink on my hands just in writing. I'm not going to wear gloves when I'm using my pens.... I'm just not. For one thing, at the moment we're having a spell of hot and humid weather. For another, I expect that gloves will be more clumsy. And what sort of message does that send? "Oh, these are really messy and you should stick to ballpoints...." Yuck.

So, I'll live with ink on my hands. I was an art major, so I'm used to ink, paint, and clay stains. On my hands, on my clothes....

C'est la vie.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PaperQueen]

What? And avoid a Dragon's Napalm moment like this...?

 

[Barkingpig]

It is an EXCELLENT idea but probably not one I will employing. I suffer VERY "thin skin" & actually have learned that Petroleum Jelly is my only friend in the fight against "broken/ cracked" skin due to weather related dryness, gardening or other work related activity. I have an arsenal of rubber gloves for various chores which may include furniture refinishing with chemicals or just hand washing the dishes I use before the dishwasher is filled. I find I rarely use them in spite of a pair "clothes pinned" above my sink. I frequently appear in public with paint or ink stained clothing or person & really don't mind or worry about it. Usually some acetone combined with a good shower & shampoo of hair removes evidence of my activities during the day.

I believe the ink stains are less important than my dexterity handling a pen that cost a lot of money (I am still "new"to this world of assorted pen's filling systems & differentiating bottle characteristics of each manufacturer' ink bottle.) Perhaps in time I would feel more comfortable in doing so but if past history is considered I suspect I will continue to suffer "paws" that look like a "working man." As I grew up on a farm I rather enjoy returning to a familiar lifestyle after 30 years of "shirt & tie" for daily dress @ work. I was usually more bothered by food stains on "dress clothes" purchased for managing a busy restaurant than my presently ink stained paws.

[bongo47]

In my college days, I was a ceramics major, and would get covered head to toe with clay. I'd tromp up to the dining hall and wear the mess with pride. But alas now I do pen maintenance on Saturdays so I can be sure of clean hands on Monday for work. I have used gloves before, but the box ran out and it just seemed wasteful to through away a couple gloves with every refill.

 

I hear you on the water and chemical use, but the trade off of glove landfill and expense...not sure.

[haruka337]

What? And avoid a Dragon's Napalm moment like this...?

 

The ink pairs nicely with those jungle red nails.

[Drawing61]

I follow the lead of J.M.W. Turner when interviewing a prospective apprentice said, "Sir, how can you be an artist? Your hands are clean."

[haruka337]

Ink stained hands don't bother the Potato and doesn't affect me much at work, but I do avoid cleaning and applying inks to fountain pens the night before a meeting.

[Runnin_Ute]

I have at times used a painter's latex glove (10 for about $2 or so). But most of the time I just don't worry about it. I reuse them until they start falling apart when I do use them. Sometimes that is one fill, sometimes several.

[aeba]

If it would be just hands. There's Iroshizuku Murasaki on my arm, and Diamine Registrar's on my leg.

[fwyun]

I confess . . . I'm a glove user (from time to time)

 

 

Francis

[msolok]

Gloves? Nah!

 

I find wearing gloves, even thin latex gloves, to impede my sense of touch too much. Plus I don't like the waste that gets generated from them. When I get ink on my fingers (which is rare these days) I give them a quick was ender water, a dry and move on.

 

What harsh chemicals which are bad for the environment are you willing to coat your hands in?

[PaperQueen]

The ink pairs nicely with those jungle red nails.

 

Why, thank you, haruka337.

 

(Scary part? The photo was taken after soap, water, scrubbing, more soap, more water.... Took a couple of days before people stopped asking if I had an injury of some sort.)

[Wolverine1]

I use gloves usually during winter, because the chemotherapy drugs I am on cause me to have skin problems. I got a box of Nitrile gloves fron CVS, and the seem to work fine. On the occasions that I dont wear gloves, Amodex is my friend. It is especially helpful in getting rid of ink stains.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

You also don't need to get disposable gloves. I think I got 5 pairs of reusable rubber gloves at a discount store for like $5, and those are the ones I'd use with my pens.

[Ernst Bitterman]

{Looks at hands for a prolonged span of seconds, the pinkness of which is unmarred by anything but a couple of scars and the knuckle-hair}

 

I'm either doing something wrong or I've been using fountain pens long enough to be good at filling them. I only get inky when I'm adjusting the tines on a full pen (makes it easier to check progress).