a cool tool for cleaning caps

[KCat]

I have lost my little round brush for cleaning out the inside of an old cap that is encrusted with ink and whatnot.

 

it was a bit too big anyway and with delicate, old celluloid I was a bit worried about using it.

 

so I went to the drug store and found

 

G.U.M. Proxabrush. intended for cleaning between wider spaces between teeth. This is a very soft and tiny brush that can get into tight corners. The brushes come with a little extender about 2" long so the total is about 4" - perfect for most caps. One of the pens I'm cleaning must have had years of ink build-up as despite a good thirty minutes of cleaning I still have a ways to go. I'm not comfortable with soaking this old cap so the brush is great. about $2.50 in most places for three little brushes

 

there are other manufacturers - the G.U.M. product had slightly larger bristles. you can also get a handle like a toothbrush handle for the refills. The store I was in is going out of business so they didn't have any in stock.

 

a URL for example:

proxabrush

 

not a good pic but..

http://ai.pricegrabber.com/product_images/1389000-1389999/1389118_125.jpg

[mr_inky]

I would never have thought of this. There are all kinds of uses for these in FP work. Gonna go buy me some!

 

Thanks!!

[Keith with a capital K]

I've been using these for years although I thought everyone knew how handy a pen tool they were...

 

I find them to be indispensible and if you put a little Simichrome on a damp proxabrush you will be amazed how much faster and easier the cap and thread cleaning can go.

[georgem]

Hmmmm! I never thought of using them on pens. Guess I'll have to get a few more.

 

THANKS!!!

[Guest Denis Richard]

G.U.M. Proxabrush. intended for cleaning between wider spaces between teeth.

That's why I never heard of those... no such spaces for me

 

I already have a hard time getting Floss between my teeth.

[Gerry]

Wonder where one might get test tube brushes? I expect that they would work well too!

 

Gerry

[Taki]

I was wondering if I could use one of those in-between tooth brush for cleaning inkview windows. Are they too abrasive? My M400 White Tortoise has a blue ink stain from the previous owner(s). Also Legal Lapis leaves kind of ink deposit on the bottom of the inkview window. I tried to wipe with Q-tip but that didn't work well <_<

[KCat]

I was wondering if I could use one of those in-between tooth brush for cleaning inkview windows. Are they too abrasive? My M400 White Tortoise has a blue ink stain from the previous owner(s). Also Legal Lapis leaves kind of ink deposit on the bottom of the inkview window. I tried to wipe with Q-tip but that didn't work well <_<

they are very soft, Taki. I think you could use them without damaging the window as long as you are careful not to scratch the tip of the shaft that the fibres are imbedded in against the window.

 

i'll try to take a close-up pic in a few and put it up. But the brush is much softer than any toothbrush or other cleaning brushes I've seen as it has to be gentle on gums. i think it could possibly be more effective on the inkview than a Q-tip.

 

what is the "bottom" of the ink view in this case? i don't know if these are narrow enough to get all the way into a Pelikan barrel with the piston retracted. I'll dink with it.

[KCat]

here's some pics of this little brush for Taki and others. sorry - they're quick and dirty shots.

 

brush with extender: (you can get a toothbrush sort of holder, probably not as narrow though)

http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/founts/brush1.jpg

 

brush inside M200 barrel as far as it will go - enough to clean the ink view

http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/founts/brush2.jpg

 

close up of brush head. you might see the tiny droplets of ink/water. I swished it around inside the pen and it did pick up debris with no concern about scraping at all.

http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/founts/brush3.jpg

[Taki]

KCat, thanks very much. I went to Target this morning but they didn't have the same brand. They did have some similar brushes but they looked way too big (not the actual brush part, but the handle). I will try different store.

 

BTW the part I called "bottom" of the ink view window is the closest part to the nib section. I feel like ink is leaving some residue there, but maybe I'm just seeing the black-colored part.

Edited December 2, 2004 by Taki

[KCat]

BTW the part I called "bottom" of the ink view window is the closest part to the nib section. I feel like ink is leaving some residue there, but maybe I'm just seeing the black-colored part.

i think you're right - that area seems to collect ink in my pens as well. especially if I might have overdone the silicone grease at some point. from my test run this a.m. the brush seemed to reach that area well. There is a spot there further inside the section that not only collects ink deposits but holds on tight. that takes more effort to get out and in fact i think it would take a US cleaner to get it out completely. just part of Pelikan design and part of why I have opted not to buy demonstrators despite how lovely they look. so it's possible if you don't actually see ink there but still find ink when flushing, that it's bits being pulled out of that area.

[Maja]

Excellent info, KCat! Thanks for the photos, too---very helpful!

 

I have an (modern) Omas Extra fountain pen with a clear white barrel

( the pen's cap & blind cap aren't clear, so it's not a true demo)...Well, it was white until I used PR Plum and forgot to rinse it out after using up all the ink Now the barrel is a very pale pink colour....The cap and blind cap are maroon, so it kind of matches, but still.....

 

Anyway, I will try one of those Proxabrushes on it....I used a barrel-cleaning brush on it and it did help remove some of the ink staining, but I wonder if I should perhaps try something like a tiny bit of Simichrome inside (and rinse it off, of course)....or is that too harsh on a clear plastic barrel?

 

Anyone know?

[Free Citizen]

KCat, that looks painful. Will an elongated sponge do?

[KCat]

KCat, that looks painful. Will an elongated sponge do?

painful in what way? These are extremely soft brushes and unless one were to really work hard at it, they won't scratch. without some sort of reinforcement inside a piece of sponge, i don't think it would work.

[Free Citizen]

painful in what way? These are extremely soft brushes and unless one were to really work hard at it, they won't scratch. without some sort of reinforcement inside a piece of sponge, i don't think it would work.

Painful to the pen. What were you thinking? What is considered soft is relative. But that twisted wire looks mean to plastic. An oversize sponge will work well if wetted and you insert it in with a twist. It will work too.

[Keith with a capital K]

Lim -

 

I have been using these rather flexible and soft brushes for a long time and they are perfectly safe as long as reasonable care is taken to not use excessive force which could cause the wire to press against softer plastic surfaces.

[KCat]

Painful to the pen. What were you thinking? What is considered soft is relative. But that twisted wire looks mean to plastic. An oversize sponge will work well if wetted and you insert it in with a twist. It will work too.

I can't stress how soft this brush is. It's much softer than any brush I've seen sold by pen sellers. it would take some major contortions to bring the wire in contact with the clear window. until you've seen it and tried it, you can't probably grasp what I'm saying. The wire itself is very flexible and doesn't "bump up" against the inside of the barrel (or cap or whatever you are using.) one would have to deliberately bend the wire to bring the tip into contact with the material and cause a scratch. I'll repeat - these were designed for use in the human mouth in order to clean between larger gaps and not damage very sensitive gum tissue. I daresay the human gum is more sensitive than a plastic window.

 

at any rate - i have no fear of using them, i've been using them for several days now for various tasks and if you don't want to take the chance on using them in a clear pen that pick something else. They have many other uses for which they are perfectly safe. And I still hold they are perfectly safe for the use I photographed.

 

How about a disclaimer?

I think these are great but use at your own risk.

[Gerry]

Granted, wire is harder than plastic, but because this implement is designed for interdental use, and is expected to be inserted between the teeth and gums in little space, the wire is very polished, has no sharp edges or ends. The end is a loop rather than just wire ends for that reason.

 

Finally, the fine plastic brush cushions the wire from contacting the pen unless very vigorous brushing is done. In addition the bristles are a lot less stiff or firm than a toothbrush.

 

Should be perfectly safe when used with a little care.

 

Gerry

 

PS: Have a look at the barrel brushes sold at WoodBin. http://www.simcom.on.ca/woodbin/Tools.htm

Typical for other barrel brushes sold elsewhere BTW. Although the bristles should keep the wire ends away from the plastic, the ends aren't 'safe' for visulated sections. Certainly they are fine for vintage non ink-vue barrels, but not nearly as delicate or safe as the Proxybrush.

Edited December 3, 2004 by Gerry

[Free Citizen]

It is the possibility of vigorous brushing that worries me. But I am sure you are all right.

[Gerry]

It is the possibility of vigorous brushing that worries me. But I am sure you are all right.

If it really is a concern, you might consider the following option Lim. The toothbrush type KCat referred to earlier would not likely fit, as does the travel version, because of the diameter and bend at the end. The refills for this type are interesting though, as they are available in a number of styles and materials.

 

One that interested me was the one that seems to use a blue coated wire. I think that it is plastic coated wire (to avoid the irritation that some metals cause to amalgam fillings - think biting on tinfoil...). I used to have some discomfort using the plain ones next to a couple of teeth with fillings near the gum line myself. Anyway, the plastic coated ones solve that problem, and will likely prevent any direct metal to plastic contact on the pen as well.

 

I would recommend that you buy the blue coated wire refills, and mount them (glue) in a narrow dowel you have drilled in the end for that purpose. You get to select the dowel material, diameter, and anything else critical to the pen you want to clean.

 

Cheers

 

Gerry