Jump to content

Storing Pens Upright, And Leaking Problems?

djmaher

By djmaher
in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop

 Share

Recommended Posts

djmaher Rare

djmaher

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

 

I'm just not sure where to put this post, so, please move it elsewhere, if that would be more appropriate.

 

Simply, I've recently (2 months ago or so) started storing my pens upright. Mostly as a vehicle to help me remember them and use them with more regularity. I have a dozen or so assorted pens of various brands.

 

Oddly, a few of my pens have started leaking from the nib/feed area. Usually I discover it when I uncap to use a pen. Two Safari, an Alu Star and a Vista. Even my P51, and M200 show signs of leaking into the cap.

 

Previous, I stored them horizontally, in a box on my desk. NEVER had a leaking problem. House never gets over 80 degrees, really, although I'm not discounting a heat issue. Assortment of inks used. There doesn't seem to be any mechanical issues with the pens.

 

I just don't get whats going on.

 

Anyone else ever have this trouble? Can anyone offer any suggestions or advice?

 

It just seems really weird that it's happening.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Dave

.....the Heart has it's reasons, which Reason knows nothing of.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 17
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • djmaher

    4

  • Tasmith

    2

  • ENewton

    1

  • birchtine

    1

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

ac12 Donor Pen

ac12

Posted
Posted

Nib UP or nib DOWN ?

 

"Most" pens would be stored nib UP. But I have one that I store nib down, to keep the nib from drying out.

All my desk pens are in holders, so nib DOWN.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
birchtine Rare

birchtine

Posted
Posted (edited)

Either nib up or in the horizontal position should be usually safe. I guess that significant changes in the room temperature may force the ink out of the feed in some cases, specially if a pen is not fully filled and has not got a feed designed to counteract the pressure changes.

Edited by birchtine
Link to comment
Share on other sites
djmaher Rare

djmaher

Posted
  • Author
Posted

All pens were nib-down, in a bamboo cup.

 

I did store them nib-down to keep them from drying out. I guess that's part of the reason I had been "storing" them on my desk that way.

.....the Heart has it's reasons, which Reason knows nothing of.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ENewton Collectors Item

ENewton

Posted
Posted

I store all my pens, except the desk pen, nib up so that the nib and feed are as clear as possible of ink when a pen is not in use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
djmaher Rare

djmaher

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I guess I kind of assumed (incorrectly, from the sound of things) that having ink in the feed would keep them ready to write. I'm assuming that maybe they might dry out in this position (nib down) if not written with regularly.. I didn't think they would dry out unless left idle for an extended period of time.

 

I will flip them all, and see how that goes.

Edited by djmaher

.....the Heart has it's reasons, which Reason knows nothing of.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Driften Collectors Item

Driften

Posted
Posted

Store them nib up. Any that are still not ready to write should be stored on their side. All but a couple of my pens have no issues being ready to go nib up. My Lamy Al Star did like being stored on its side best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

Posted
Posted

I store my pens nib up.

Out side the ones in the pen stand.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sidthecat Antique

sidthecat

Posted
Posted

Since most of my pens are ringtops, logic dictates the nib-up position. I'll observe that I've never had a leaking problem...at least, not that one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tasmith Collectors Item

Tasmith

Posted
Posted

I guess I kind of assumed (incorrectly, from the sound of things) that having ink in the feed would keep them ready to write. I'm assuming that maybe they might dry out in this position (nib down) if not written with regularly.. I didn't think they would dry out unless left idle for an extended period of time.

 

I will flip them all, and see how that goes.

 

Store mine nib up. When ready to write, I'll set them down horizontally and that seems to help saturate the feed so I don't get hard starts (at least most of the time).

 

I like your Avatar, Dan Fogelberg 's Phoenix is one of my favorite CDs.

Website: www.tasphoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddasmithphoto/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
djmaher Rare

djmaher

Posted
  • Author
Posted

All pens are upright now, except my M200, which has never leaked. It can be my control pen!

 

No further leaking since the flip. I will keep you informed!

 

Thanks for the advice!

 

dave

.....the Heart has it's reasons, which Reason knows nothing of.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moonshae Rare

Moonshae

Posted
Posted

Generally, if you aren't writing enough with a pen to keep the ink flowing, you probably have too many pens inked for the amount of writing you do. If you like switching colors and pens, just fill each one a small amount and fewer of them and you will have the same result.

fpn_1497391483__snailbadge.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sbremser New

sbremser

Posted
Posted

I keep my pens nib up (thanks to FPN) and have far fewer problems with them. If a pen doesn't write I dip in water and write a few lines. I keep an old ink bottled with water on my desk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33582
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26771
    5. jar
      jar
      26105

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      Links to web pages or articles about Chinese typesetting, signwriting, etc.

      By Shanghai Knife Dude · Posted

      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...