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Refilling A Fountain Pen.


pawnraider

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How many times can a fountain pen be refilled before it needs to be cleaned? If it makes a difference I have a Pelikan Souveran 600. :)

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Hi Pawnraider,

 

Every time you change color or brand... if you're using the same ink over and over again... after every fourth or fifth refill... if the pen is used regularly, (if not, every second or third).

 

Be well. :)

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

ETA: If you're using high maintenance inks, (I do not), such as iron gall; bulletproof; nano particle; carbon; pigmented, etc.,... then every second refill, even if the pen is used regularly.

Edited by ParkerDuofold
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Pelikan and MB's instructions from the '50's, when one was using just one ink was every three months.

But today we have supersaturated inks made by Noodlers and a few others that should be cleaned every 4-6th refill. Those are 'high maintenance'.

If you are using a shading ink, and not changing inks all the time....six weeks would be fine.

But we All Change Inks All the Time.

 

My suggestion is for every three inks you buy, buy some good to better paper...soon you will have a good stockpile of better paper to make the ink dance on.

 

Dry inks like Pelikan, Herbin or R&K will on good paper make you nib write one width narrower.

Super saturated inks on middling to poor paper will make it write a width wider.

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.

 

 

 

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How many times can a fountain pen be refilled before it needs to be cleaned? If it makes a difference I have a Pelikan Souveran 600. :)

 

 

Hi Pawnraider,

 

Every time you change color or brand... if you're using the same ink over and over again... after every fourth or fifth refill... if the pen is used regularly, (if not, every second or third).

 

Be well. :)

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

ETA: If you're using high maintenance inks, (I do not), such as iron gall; bulletproof; nano particle; carbon; pigmented, etc.,... then every second refill, even if the pen is used regularly.

 

+1 for this. :thumbup:

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OR, if youre paranoid like me and you think your ink is out to get you, clean it every time.

Allan😀😀

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I use very pen-friendly inks. In the past I never needed to clean it at all, changing ink rarely and then only within Waterman for a pen in constant use. A bit of temporary colour shift was not a big deal. Now that I have too many inks, I would flush only on changing brand, in principle. However, this means every time because the pen will rest a long time before a new ink. Otherwise I would not bother until there was an issue (as jar just said) which there has never been in the past.

X

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I'm too lazy to wash pens.

 

Most thorough washing would be for brandnew pens. Once they're writing sweet, I just keep refilling them from the same ink bottle.

 

Maybe if I've forgotten one long enough to dry up, then I might take it out of rotation. Chuck it into the "washing bucket" for the next time I get bored enough to do some pen cleaning. (Bucket can hold about 50 methinks...) I need space to dry them all for a week before storing away.

 

Washed pens give a washed out look when freshly filled, I kinda prefer the supersaturated colours when the inks are less fresh :)

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If you're using cartridges, just once every couple of months is enough. Stick a bulb syringe in the grip section's nipple and flush in the basin.

 

If you're using bottled ink, everytime you change brands absolutely, everytime you change color of the same brand if you have time. When you've flushed with the converter, make sure not to push water out in the bottle or you will dilute the color over time.

 

Remember: don't expect to have your pen spotless like-new when you flush it. Some ink will gets trapped somewhere, usually between the nib and the grip section, or in some fins of the grip section, or around the nipple of the grip section and the opening of the cartridge or converter. Don't disassemble the pen for each flushing, just flush it the best you can at the moment with either the converter or a bulb syringe and go on with the next fill of ink.

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Not if you are using supersaturated inks....they are all 'high maintenance'.

If you are using low maintenance inks like Pelikan, MB or Waterman....in I normally buy bottles don't know if Herbin makes cartridges. Kaweco cartridges fall into the low maintenance inks....and using the very same ink...I can see every two months.

Some folks just let the new ink finally come through....we did that back in the old days, before we knew of pen cleaning :headsmack: ....much less the 'new' baby bulb way of easily cleaning a pen.

 

Yep, back in the olden days...'50-60's everyone I knew was ignorant of pen cleaning. :rolleyes: :blush:

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.

 

 

 

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Not if you are using supersaturated inks....they are all 'high maintenance'.

If you are using low maintenance inks like Pelikan, MB or Waterman....in I normally buy bottles don't know if Herbin makes cartridges. Kaweco cartridges fall into the low maintenance inks....and using the very same ink...I can see every two months.

Some folks just let the new ink finally come through....we did that back in the old days, before we knew of pen cleaning :headsmack: ....much less the 'new' baby bulb way of easily cleaning a pen.

 

Yep, back in the olden days...'50-60's everyone I knew was ignorant of pen cleaning. :rolleyes: :blush:

 

My dear friend you are right, I too had never heard of "Pen hygiene" and after 6 years the habit still stays, my pens are used for writing letters and I choose a blue black ink of whatever brand looks good. After all with pens that haven't been cleaned after being put away for an eon, when anyone discovers a forgotten pen after a good soaking they usually start up again! Lever fills were probably becoming due for a replacement sac in any case, along with piston fillers needing new seals.

Edited by Pickwick

They came as a boon, and a blessing to men,
The Pickwick, the Owl and the Waverley pen

Sincerely yours,

Pickwick

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It depends on the ink. Red seems to need the most flushing when moving to a different color. I never had to flush a pen using Parker Quink (the old smelly stuff). Since I started using blue-black again none of my pens seem to need cleaning.

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Thanks for the replies everyone. This all seems to be good advice. After I finished writing after every refill I would rinse and remove the nib and let the barrel and nib dry overnight.

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For me it depends on the pen and the ink. I've run a Vacumatic filled with Waterman Mysterious Blue for the over 2-1/4 years without so much as flossing the nib. Other pen/ink combos get dealt with a lot more frequently -- but that's partly because I change colors a lot, and partly because I like saturated inks, and partly because I also like iron gall inks.

OTOH, I also use a lot of pens that take a long time to empty -- Parker 51s and Vacs, and a lot of piston fillers.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Thanks for the replies everyone. This all seems to be good advice. After I finished writing after every refill I would rinse and remove the nib and let the barrel and nib dry overnight.

 

You can dry the nib by resting the washed pin nib-down on a small wad of cotton cloth. Capillary action, as if writing, will draw out the remaining moisture.

X

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Thanks for the replies everyone. This all seems to be good advice. After I finished writing after every refill I would rinse and remove the nib :yikes: :gaah: :wallbash: and let the barrel and nib dry overnight.

No.

Unless you are using a supersaturated like noodlers or other brands that are supersaturated, if you are using the same ink.....2-3 fills should be good....two fills if you are a bit paranoid.

Changing inks the pen should be cleaned.....just take the rubber baby bulb and stick it on the spout where the cartridge or converter goes and fill and empty the bulb in the bathroom sink.

 

Noodler's Bay State Blue...............needs it's very own pen....in it stains.........

 

All 'normal' inks, Pelikan, MB, Waterman, Parker, Herbin, Kaweco can be used if using the same ink for a good six weeks with out having to clean the pen.

If you are changing inks....clean the pen.....it don't take long.

Squirt the baby bulb syringe for a minute or two.....take a paper towel place the section in it, spin it around to force a bit of left over water out....do make sure you don't throw the nib into the ceiling or bounce it off the floor.

You should have a couple of pens. Put the section and it's screwed on barrel in a paper cup with a paper towel to drain completely over night.

If in a hurry.....most regular inks will not cause problems if a drop or two are still hanging around hiding from you, as you refill.

 

If the rubber baby bulb syringe don't do also a good job on cleaning the converter......It can...but I'm lazy and a needle syringe cleans a converter much faster.

Get a rubber needle syringe if living in the US.....if in any other land go to the pharmacist tell him what you want the needle for....and get the thickest one he has and a 10-12cc syringe.

 

Get two....once can be used to juice up a turkey or chicken with your very own herb butter mix....Do strain the herbs.

In Germany we don't have chemical Butterball turkeys, and even then, shooting them in the legs and wings and the rest of the breast makes for a real tender bird, with your spicing.

 

By yanking out the nib and feed all the time, you will wear at the start/mouth of the section and soon will have leaks from wear of constant nib and feed removal.

Nib and feed removal should only be done for a very good reason....like the channel is clogged up....perhaps or if you are changing your nib with another that should fit.

That too should be done seldom....or you will widen the mouth of your section.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

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.

 

 

 

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If you are negligent about doing the occasional flush, you might find the flow to be stingy. Then you need a brass shim to floss the nib after flushing. The shim gets out some gunk left after ink has dried in the nib between the tines.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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Thanks for the replies everyone. This all seems to be good advice. After I finished writing after every refill I would rinse and remove the nib and let the barrel and nib dry overnight.

 

I would strongly advise you not to continually remove the nib, it is not necessary and will probably prove disastrous sooner or later. Just flush the pen through if you deem it necessary

They came as a boon, and a blessing to men,
The Pickwick, the Owl and the Waverley pen

Sincerely yours,

Pickwick

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No.

Unless you are using a supersaturated like noodlers or other brands that are supersaturated, if you are using the same ink.....2-3 fills should be good....two fills if you are a bit paranoid.

Changing inks the pen should be cleaned.....just take the rubber baby bulb and stick it on the spout where the cartridge or converter goes and fill and empty the bulb in the bathroom sink.

 

Noodler's Bay State Blue...............needs it's very own pen....in it stains.........

 

All 'normal' inks, Pelikan, MB, Waterman, Parker, Herbin, Kaweco can be used if using the same ink for a good six weeks with out having to clean the pen.

If you are changing inks....clean the pen.....it don't take long.

Squirt the baby bulb syringe for a minute or two.....take a paper towel place the section in it, spin it around to force a bit of left over water out....do make sure you don't throw the nib into the ceiling or bounce it off the floor.

You should have a couple of pens. Put the section and it's screwed on barrel in a paper cup with a paper towel to drain completely over night.

If in a hurry.....most regular inks will not cause problems if a drop or two are still hanging around hiding from you, as you refill.

 

If the rubber baby bulb syringe don't do also a good job on cleaning the converter......It can...but I'm lazy and a needle syringe cleans a converter much faster.

Get a rubber needle syringe if living in the US.....if in any other land go to the pharmacist tell him what you want the needle for....and get the thickest one he has and a 10-12cc syringe.

 

Get two....once can be used to juice up a turkey or chicken with your very own herb butter mix....Do strain the herbs.

In Germany we don't have chemical Butterball turkeys, and even then, shooting them in the legs and wings and the rest of the breast makes for a real tender bird, with your spicing.

 

By yanking out the nib and feed all the time, you will wear at the start/mouth of the section and soon will have leaks from wear of constant nib and feed removal.

Nib and feed removal should only be done for a very good reason....like the channel is clogged up....perhaps or if you are changing your nib with another that should fit.

That too should be done seldom....or you will widen the mouth of your section.

Thanks for that. I'll forgo removing the nib then.

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