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Oh No, It's That Time Again! Fp Cleaning And Other Rituals


DrDebG

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I am getting ready to travel internationally for a few weeks on business. Only a couple of my FPs will be coming with me.

 

I am one of those people who don't like to leave ink in my pens for over a couple of weeks. So, today is pen cleaning day! This is a ritual that I actually do every two weeks. I will flush and clean each of pens, including those I will be taking, and inspecting them under magnifier.

 

Yes, I am a little obsessive sometimes. But to me there is nothing worse that seeing dried ink caked all over my fountain pens.

 

What are the "rituals" that you go through with your fountain pens on a regular basis?

Edited by DrPenfection

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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I always mix a little dish soap in the initial flushes until the water comes out clear, then I flush it once or twice with normal water to get rid of any of the remaining dish soap.

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My pens are cleaned with plain water before I put them away for a while. Other than that, I expect them to work in all reasonable circumstances. It is for what they were designed.

 

I fear that I lack obsessiveness. :)

X

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I clean 'em when I want to change inks, which is more often than I used to believe.

 

Usually, right after posting what my Daily Carry pens are on some forum or another, I'll make a change to that line-up within 24 hours. Is it a ritual? Or just some weird impulse? I don't know.

 

Still trying to keep the number of Daily Carry pens down to four. Or five. Been managing that, more or less, with my own monthly challenges. Three of the current five have been inked since January. (I don't think posting about that will change their dailiness. Heh.)

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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I clean 'em when I want to change inks, which is more often than I used to believe.

 

Usually, right after posting what my Daily Carry pens are on some forum or another, I'll make a change to that line-up within 24 hours. Is it a ritual? Or just some weird impulse? I don't know.

 

Still trying to keep the number of Daily Carry pens down to four. Or five. Been managing that, more or less, with my own monthly challenges. Three of the current five have been inked since January. (I don't think posting about that will change their dailiness. Heh.)

This is pretty much my ritual as well on all points! Only thing I might change is to start an ink/pen log soon - might help me isolate inks I want to avoid in certain pens or altogether...

Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I found out long ago.

~C.S. Lewis

--------------

Current Rotation:

Edison Menlo <m italic>, Lamy 2000 <EF>, Wing Sung 601 <F>

Pilot VP <F>, Pilot Metropolitan <F>, Pilot Penmanship <EF>

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I have become kind of lazy. It is long time I haven't flushed some of my pens that needs cleaning. But then I have started feeling I am getting old. Do I need hiring someone to do the job on my behalf after getting good training?

Khan M. Ilyas

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I normally flush pens every week (I'm addicted to changing inks 😅) so I can change colors, and every two weeks when I use plain blues or blacks. Plain water seems to do the trick, but I add a little dish soap for more saturated inks.

 

If I've left an ink a little longer than usual in any pen, I flush it until the water runs clear, then I fill it with water and leave it for a few days. This seems to help dissolve trapped ink (I did this to a Lamy Vista that seemed really clean...when I checked back after leaving it filled for a few days, the water was no longer clear so I guess it works). I also do this with more saturated inks specially when I'll be using inks from a different brand after.

 

Another thing I do when using cartridges in a clean pen (from storage) is running water through the section first. I DON'T wick out ALL the water before inserting a new cartridge. This seems to help the ink flow to the nib way faster than in a dry section.

 

Also, after flushing pens and leaving them to dry (whether using a converter or piston filler), I extend the piston so that all the water droplets collect at the nib end (I don't know if this actually helps dry the insides faster, it's just a habit), and retract it once it's time for storing.

 

I also have a monthly "ritual" of checking all my converters and piston fillers to see if any of them could use some silicone grease. This ensures that by the time I want to use them, they'll work flawlessly.

 

I guess I'm obsessed 😂

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I clean and flush pens when changing ink colour in those particular pens. Ink review pens get cleaned out quite obsessively, as they have to be pristinely clean.

 

Otherwise it depends on the pen: those pens that regularly dry out their inks get cleaned more frequently. Those that don't are happy enough with ink in there until I want to change colour. :)

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This is pretty much my ritual as well on all points! Only thing I might change is to start an ink/pen log soon - might help me isolate inks I want to avoid in certain pens or altogether...

That's a good idea. I usually think I'll remember a bad match. I think I'll remember the good matches! But looking back over some notebooks, I've wondered what pen and ink was I using. I've been noting the combinations for a few years now in the pages of the various notebooks, but not always. One central notebook would make it easier. The question is... will I help myself? Or will I continue to challenge myself? (Laughs.)

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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This reminds me of my time in the army:

Our rifles were ancient, usually older than us and hopelessly worn out,

but not from shooting - they were rubbed raw from obsessive gun cleaning drill! :yikes:

 

I only clean pens when I want to put them away for a while or when I change the ink colour

or when I think they need a cleaning. But not just because a certain amount of time has passed.

 

I do not have precious pens, just normal or even cheap (Jinhao) pens.

Some of them I use regularly with always the same ink: they may go uncleaned for a year or longer!

 

But if you like to handle your pens and like cleaning them - go ahead! Have your fun!

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That's a good idea. I usually think I'll remember a bad match. I think I'll remember the good matches! But looking back over some notebooks, I've wondered what pen and ink was I using. I've been noting the combinations for a few years now in the pages of the various notebooks, but not always. One central notebook would make it easier. The question is... will I help myself? Or will I continue to challenge myself? (Laughs.)

Yup - I often have too much faith in my memory, especially when you mix a dozen pens with a high number of inks. ;)

Edited by flyingpenman

Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I found out long ago.

~C.S. Lewis

--------------

Current Rotation:

Edison Menlo <m italic>, Lamy 2000 <EF>, Wing Sung 601 <F>

Pilot VP <F>, Pilot Metropolitan <F>, Pilot Penmanship <EF>

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I clean mostly when I change inks. If I don't I don't worry to much about it. Right now I have two that have had the same ink in them for extended periods of time. My Parker 51 Demi Vacumatic and Parker 140. Why? Because I like the ink in them. The 140 is a bit easier to clean. My other Pelikan's are more likely to get changed more frequently. I typically keep between 8-12 pens inked. It's about 8 or 9 today. Counting the two above. I cleaned and filled the M200 Brown Marbled this morning and filled my TWSBI 580 - which had been waiting for a fill or a few days.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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I always mix a little dish soap in the initial flushes until the water comes out clear, then I flush it once or twice with normal water to get rid of any of the remaining dish soap.

 

Thank you for the comment. I may do that if the ink is a little stubborn to remove. Some Sailor inks are like that. Recently I found some of the Monteverde inks can require a bit more effort.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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My pens are cleaned with plain water before I put them away for a while. Other than that, I expect them to work in all reasonable circumstances. It is for what they were designed.

 

I fear that I lack obsessiveness. :)

 

Thank you for your comment. Yes, I also use plain water, unless the ink is a bit more stubborn than usual. Then I will put the sections into my ultrasonic cleaner with a drop of dish soap. Works every time.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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I clean 'em when I want to change inks, which is more often than I used to believe.

 

Usually, right after posting what my Daily Carry pens are on some forum or another, I'll make a change to that line-up within 24 hours. Is it a ritual? Or just some weird impulse? I don't know.

 

Still trying to keep the number of Daily Carry pens down to four. Or five. Been managing that, more or less, with my own monthly challenges. Three of the current five have been inked since January. (I don't think posting about that will change their dailiness. Heh.)

 

Thank you for your comments! I probably use 4-5 in my daily carry, but at home I generally have 12 pens inked at least - well they are all clean now. I just have 2 inked for use until I leave.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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This is pretty much my ritual as well on all points! Only thing I might change is to start an ink/pen log soon - might help me isolate inks I want to avoid in certain pens or altogether...

 

Great comment! I used to use a spreadsheet, but in the busyness of life, it got left in the dust. I do need to revive it though.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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I have become kind of lazy. It is long time I haven't flushed some of my pens that needs cleaning. But then I have started feeling I am getting old. Do I need hiring someone to do the job on my behalf after getting good training?

 

:lticaptd: Probably not, just busy. I am afraid I wouldn't trust anyone else to clean my pens. They might just decide they like them too much and sweet-talk me out of one or two. :yikes:

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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I normally flush pens every week (I'm addicted to changing inks ) so I can change colors, and every two weeks when I use plain blues or blacks. Plain water seems to do the trick, but I add a little dish soap for more saturated inks.

 

If I've left an ink a little longer than usual in any pen, I flush it until the water runs clear, then I fill it with water and leave it for a few days. This seems to help dissolve trapped ink (I did this to a Lamy Vista that seemed really clean...when I checked back after leaving it filled for a few days, the water was no longer clear so I guess it works). I also do this with more saturated inks specially when I'll be using inks from a different brand after.

 

Another thing I do when using cartridges in a clean pen (from storage) is running water through the section first. I DON'T wick out ALL the water before inserting a new cartridge. This seems to help the ink flow to the nib way faster than in a dry section.

 

Also, after flushing pens and leaving them to dry (whether using a converter or piston filler), I extend the piston so that all the water droplets collect at the nib end (I don't know if this actually helps dry the insides faster, it's just a habit), and retract it once it's time for storing.

 

I also have a monthly "ritual" of checking all my converters and piston fillers to see if any of them could use some silicone grease. This ensures that by the time I want to use them, they'll work flawlessly.

 

I guess I'm obsessed

 

Great comments! No, you aren't obsessed at all (says one OC to another). Actually, I think I could have written your comments since that is my weekly and monthly ritual.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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I clean and flush pens when changing ink colour in those particular pens. Ink review pens get cleaned out quite obsessively, as they have to be pristinely clean.

 

Otherwise it depends on the pen: those pens that regularly dry out their inks get cleaned more frequently. Those that don't are happy enough with ink in there until I want to change colour. :)

 

Yes, my review pens get a double round of cleaning. As you said, they have to be pristine. But I just hate cleaning out dried ink. Living in a dry climate, even in my pen case, some of my FPs dry out faster than others.

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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