Cleaning A New Pen - What Amonia?

[Inky_paws]

I've seen quite a number of posts advising to clean a new pen with warm water, a drop of detergent and a drop of amonia. What they don't tell you, is what sort of amonia?

 

Is common 'cloudy amonia' the right stuff?

 

Is there another sort? I ask because some years ago, for something different, it was always advised not to use cloudy amonia. I have no idea why.

[oneill]

I've seen quite a number of posts advising to clean a new pen with warm water, a drop of detergent and a drop of amonia. What they don't tell you, is what sort of amonia?

 

Is common 'cloudy amonia' the right stuff?

 

Is there another sort? I ask because some years ago, for something different, it was always advised not to use cloudy amonia. I have no idea why.

That's what I use a small drop of each ingredient,works for me. Warm distilled water.Oneill Edited February 19, 2018 by oneill

[Inky_paws]

Thanks mate.

 

Hmm, yet another use for distilled water mind you, with Adelaide's water, getting rid of the minerals is good.

Edited February 19, 2018 by Inky_paws

[praxim]

Does "each ingredient" include cloudy ammonia? That part was not answered.

 

Australia seems to be in want of available non-cloudy ammonia, at retail.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi all,

 

DO NOT use Cloudy or scented ammonia... they have been poorly filtered and/or have additional additives you do not want to run through your pen.

 

 

- Anthony

[Inky_paws]

Hi all,

 

DO NOT use Cloudy or scented ammonia... they have been poorly filtered and/or have additional additives you do not want to run through your pen.

 

 

- Anthony

 

Bugga. That's all I've been able to find in supermarkets. Maybe in hardware stores?

[ParkerDuofold]

USE ONLY CLEAR AMMONIA, its been filtered from most impurities...

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/James-Austin-51-Multi-Purpose-Cleaner-64-oz-Colorless-Liquid/39909876?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228027712948&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=105789649736&wl4=pla-183596152376&wl5=9015202&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=39909876&wl13=&veh=sem

 

 

- A.C.

[ParkerDuofold]

Bugga. That's all I've been able to find in supermarkets. Maybe in hardware stores?

Bugga nothing!

 

Keep looking... check Wal-Mart... refer to link above... cloudy ammonia HAS NOT been filtered to the point where you'd want to run it through a decent fountain pen... you'll only add more unwanted debris.

 

 

- Anthony

[praxim]

.. check Wal-Mart...

 

Cathay Pacific will get me to the nearest Wal Mart for only A$1239.

Plus return, with my bottle of non-cloudy ammonia, if it is flight safe.

 

Inky Paws is also in Oz, PD.

We have the problem he outlined -- not available anywhere I have found so far

... on this side of the beautiful blue Pacific.

[Inky_paws]

I'm in Australia Anthony, we don't have Walmart.

I've been doing some internet searches and keep finding discussions from a couple of years ago suggesting that clear ammonia has been banned here.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Inky Paws,

 

I switched on Full Screen and see you live in Australia... and have made the connection with Praxim's remark about the availability issues down there... if that's the case and you cannot find the Clear at all... I don't know what to tell you... except not to use it all... or if you must use it... give your pen an extra thorough flush with distilled water afterwards.

 

Be well.

 

 

- Anthony

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi, again, all Aussie's,

 

Since you seem to be unable to get the Clear... I would skip it and just use a dash of Dawn dish soap... only use ammonia if you have a stubborn ink clog... and then follow that up with a thorough flush with distilled water... using an USC if you're able.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Clarification.

Edited February 19, 2018 by ParkerDuofold

[Chrissy]

How about filtering cloudy ammonia through a coffee filter paper? Might that work?

[The Blue Knight]

I've never used ammonia or pen flush for that matter. Is it even necessary?

Edited February 19, 2018 by The Blue Knight

[Tasmith]

Buy pre-made pen flush if you can. For me it's much more convenient and tested for safely using with pens than if I mixed something up myself. A bottle lasts me well over a year or two.

 

https://www.andersonpens.com/J-B-s-Perfect-Pen-Flush-8oz-Bottle-p/jbppf8.htm

[Chrissy]

I've never used ammonia or pen flush for that matter. Is it even necessary?

 

If you buy pens on ebay it might be.

[Ron Z]

Buy pre-made pen flush if you can. For me it's much more convenient and tested for safely using with pens than if I mixed something up myself. A bottle lasts me well over a year or two.

 

https://www.andersonpens.com/J-B-s-Perfect-Pen-Flush-8oz-Bottle-p/jbppf8.htm

 

I respect the guys who provide a service for those who don't want to mix their own pen flush. But take a whiff and read the ingredients. Its ammonia and a detergent diluted in distilled water. The ratio is not critical as long as you keep the concentration of the additives down to a reasonable level. 10:1 water to ammonia and a few drops of Dawn is the typical concentration that we use. Limiting exposure time to the ammonia and a clear water rinse is more critical.

[ParkerDuofold]

How about filtering cloudy ammonia through a coffee filter paper? Might that work?

Hi all,

 

When I got to work, I talked to one of our chemists, (NOT to be confused with a pharmacist, such as in England ), and got the lowdown on ammonia.

 

Apparently, it is NOT a filtering process... although ammonia is filtered; that is not what makes it clear... as I had always thought. Cloudy ammonia is simply ammonia with soap added to it.

 

He also told me that ammonia becomes clear as it's diluted and weakened... when it's highly concentrated, it has a naturally occurring cloudy appearance, but becomes clearer as water or other dilutants are added.

 

Cloudy ammonia, (that is, in its natural state), would be far too caustic for domestic use, so the cloudy ammonia you purchase at the store is actually diluted ammonia that started out as clear and became cloudy because soap has been added.

 

 

Naturally, I feel the perfect ass now and will hide under my desk until this blows over.

 

 

Be well all.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

EDITED to clarify text.

Edited February 19, 2018 by ParkerDuofold

[Inky_paws]

So we can use the stuff then, just not very much and wash the pen well afterwards

[Ron Z]

The problem is that we don't know what the detergent is. Some will damage a feed (see the link to the site discussing pen engineering at the top of the repairs forum page - it's in one of the articles on feeds). We know Dawn is OK, and is used by most pen repair people. But the stuff in sudsy ammonia might be OK. I just can't say for certain one way or the other.