What Do You Use To Wipe Off Excess Ink After Filling Your Pen?

[inkstainedruth]

Mostly tissues, because they're convenient (when you have respiratory allergies, you keep boxes of tissues all over the house.... Yeah, yeah, I know -- lint. But they're still convenient.

I did buy some chamois a while back when I was getting something else at Walmart (a UV flashlight to use with Noodler's Blue Ghost) but I haven't cut it up yet.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PaperDarts]

I cut worn-out cotton flannel nightgowns into squares, and throw them away when they're too encrusted with ink to do a good job anymore.

 

When I visited the museum section of the British Museum Reading Room years ago, I noticed that each station had a section of soft bristle brush on a ledge, for use as a pen wipe. Presumably these were for dip pens, but maybe they'd do for FPs too.

[Maurizio]

Paper towel which I try to save and reuse in my ink tray and which my wife always tosses.

[ParkerDuofold]

... Yeah, yeah, I know -- lint. But they're still convenient.

Hi Ruth,

 

I use Kleenex, too, and I'm not troubled by lint... a light blow on the section like you're extinguishing a candle and it's gone.

 

- Anthony

[Djehuty]

Scott "Shop Rags" - a lint-free paper towel. It doesn't fall apart when wet, like toilet paper. I re-use these until they are really pretty with many colored splotches. I really should frame them, but I confess to tossing them. BTW, I always travel with a Ziploc sandwich bag with some blotter paper and some shop rags in my backpack or purse.

 

David

 

I am such a dingbat. I have a bag of shop rags made out of ancient undershirts. They're soft and lint-free. I'm going to appropriate some for my next pen-filling. Thanks!

[banjomike]

My favorite blotters are the free napkins I get from Domino's Pizza.

They are terrible napkins, but great pen wipes. I avoid the print on them, though, as the ink can bleed onto the nib.

The delivery guys all know I like lotsa napkins when I order, so they always bring a handful. One lasts quite a while, except if I actually use them for their intended purpose.

[sirgilbert357]

I had an old white undershirt that I cut two decent size rectangles out of and sewed the two pieces together. Its like a double thick hanky made from super soft old t-shirts. It's pretty colorful at this point, but I only have blues, blacks, greens and blue-blacks, so no bright cheery colors, lol. Maybe I should get a sample of something red just to spill on the hanky for fun...

[PS104]

I have some very old, well-washed cloth diapers (remember those?) that I have turned into pen rags. No lint, soft, and absorbent.

I sure do. I have only a few of my daughter's left. Best pieces of cloth, lint-free, super soft and absorbent.

Next best are my old undershirts and underwear that I don't wear anymore in case I'm hit by a truck. Almost as good.

After a while they look like Jackson Pollack paintings and then you might want to wear them again.

[MHBru]

Blot w a paper towel I use as a "placemat" when doing refills. However I work in the Eyecare industry and have stacks and stacks of those microfiber lens cleaning clothes. I think I just found a new use for them! Thanks for the idea.

[mitto]

Tissue paper or pieces of fabrics collected from my tailor's shop.

[MercianScribe]

Some great ideas on this thread. I've been using gossamer made from a cat's footfall, the roots of a mountain, bear's sinew, fish's breath, bird's spittle, and the cheek hair of a woman, but it's not very cost-effective. Failing that, The Ink Towel, some purpose-made blotters if I remember (not very good - fiddly and only one size... which definitely doesn't fit all...) or sooo many tissues.

[inkstainedruth]

Y

 

My favorite blotters are the free napkins I get from Domino's Pizza.

They are terrible napkins, but great pen wipes. I avoid the print on them, though, as the ink can bleed onto the nib.

The delivery guys all know I like lotsa napkins when I order, so they always bring a handful. One lasts quite a while, except if I actually use them for their intended purpose.

Yeah, but that involves eating Domino's Pizza....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[torstar]

big white bath towel

[Ted A]

Y

 

Yeah, but that involves eating Domino's Pizza....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

No NO. you just have to order the pizza so they'll deliver the pen wipes.

[FarmBoy]

Try John Wayne toilet paper.

[Tasmith]

Microfiber towel or Viva brand paper towels (I find the texture is more cloth-like than other paper towel brands).

[pajaro]

old socks with holes in them, or any other item from the rag bin. I then throw them away.

[mirosc]

the usual kitchen paper towels work best

[Runnin_Ute]

Most of the time a paper napkin or paper towel. If I think about it some sort of lint free cloth. I have some cloths that came with some watches that are leather like. I sometimes use those, or a soft nylon cloth I have. Whatever is handy.

[ravatar]

I found even the very soft paper napkin will leave micro scratch on the nib. I use the cloth from apple...