Do you get ink stains all over your hands?

[acolythe]

I use FP's exclusively and since dirty fingers/nails is a big no-no (IMHO) I strictly follow the following regimen:

 

Make sure to wipe the nib after filling and write a few words on paper to remove the excess ink on the feed.

Next, clean the cap with cool running water, dry with tissue. Use a cotton swap to wipe the threads clean.

 

If you still get inky fingers, use a green scotchbrite pad and some soap to clean your hands.

 

I suppose if you're in a medical setting you could also just put on a pair of rubber gloves when filling. My wife is a nursery school teacher and they go through a ton of rubber gloves for changing diapers. But she doesn't use a fountain pen, so it doesn't matter.

 

Regards,

Blade

 

I use plastic rather than latex gloves sometimes. But I find it very annoing when the excess glove gets caught in the threads of the pen after I put it back together. So I tend to forget to use the gloves. Re surgeons... it does nto matter, they scrub hands and then are gloved up for surgery

b

Edited April 3, 2009 by acolythe

[Dave_g]

I was just going to pose a similar question, "Is it possible to fill a fountain pen 2 times with out getting ink on the fingers?" I figure I will get lucky once but it always happens. I use 3oz bottles of Noodlers which up's the stain factor by 30%. I have Legal Lapis on my thumb from a fill I did yesterday. I have the inky off stuff but even through a shower this morning and a couple of hand washings I still have the "Mark-of-Noodlers" on me. - Dave

[Orval]

Whenever I use my fountains pens, I always get ink stains on my fingers. Doesn't matter if I fill them or just write with them, they are always there. The term "ink stained wretch" comes to mind. So, does this happen to you, too, or am I some dirty exception? Do you have a job where it's important to have clean hands, e.g. doctor, dentist, nurse, maybe even lawyer? If so, how do you handle your ink stained hands? Do people comment on them? Do they embarass you?

 

I remember when all doctors used to write their notes and prescriptions with a fountain pen. I can't remember seeing ink stains on them, and, of course, many fountain pens were made specifically for doctors with thermometer holders. I f you are a medical professional and old enough to have used those fountain pens, did they stain your fingers? Did you have trouble washing the ink off before an examination?

 

Regards,

Blade

 

I had the same problem when I started using fountain pens as a 8 years old boy. Keep patience, this will stop after a few months of practice. I had never inked fingers since then.

[Underskoterskan]

I don't know how you guys do it, but I never manage to get anything but perhaps a small spot of ink on my hands when writing or filling my pens (mostly Pels). If you're just somewhat careful when filling your pens, I can't see how you could possibly get ink on your hands.

 

Regards

Undersköterskan

[dizzypen]

only when I forget to put on gloves before filling/cleaning a pen. Otherwise, no I do not. If your pen leaks all over you while you write you might need to have it serviced.

[Johnny Appleseed]

I often get huge ink-stains on my fingers. But that is mainly when I am adjusting tines or feeds on a pen in the process of smoothing - or with some more unreliable early ED pens that I work with. Flow adjustment on an inked pen can be messy. Since I frequently am adjusting, smoothing and tweaking a pen that I recently restored, I am a bit messier than I might be if I were just using pens. Also, vintage pens can sometimes offer. . . surprises, when first used after a resack (whoops - need to adjust that feed a bit I think. . .)

 

Mostly it doesn't matter at work. When it does, there is Ink-Nix.

 

Filling from a bottle sometimes results in ink-stains, usually from filling a deep bottle where my fingers come in contact with the rim. Otherwise, I don't usually get too much ink on fingers from regular use.

 

Dillo once posed a challenge to everyone to go 24 hours without getting ink on fingers, with the added challange that you had to refill one pen during the time. I passed on the challenge, because I had a nib whose tines needed alignment, but I bet I could do it if I wanted to.

 

John

[J English Smith]

Only when I'm flushing a bunch of them. Seems unavoidable then, I just get caught up in the frenzy. I keep a small pumice stone in the bathroom that I use to semi-gently exfoliate the bigger blobs on my fingers.

[MYU]

I *rarely* ever get ink on my fingers during refilling. The time it usually happens is when I'm trying to remove a paper fiber stuck between the tines. I'll use a tissue, but it might absorb enough ink to pass through onto my fingers. Most inks stain rather well (Noodler's being the worst). There's some kind of InkFix or NixInk (InkNix ?) product that is supposed to be superb at removing ink from your hands.

 

There are a couple of things you can do to minimize ink exposure during a refill. First, when you open the ink bottle, use a piece of tissue to remove trace ink on the mouth of the bottle. When you refill, brush the nib on the inside of the bottle edge, to cause the ink runoff prior to removing it. Then give a couple of quick dabs with the tissue. Cap the bottle. Cap the pen. You should be ink free.

[bphollin]

Only when filling, never just writing.

 

Remember the rubber gloves after

I've gotten ink all over my hands.

That sounds about right for me, too!

:roflmho:

[kuragari389]

I have ink on my hands *all the time*. It doesn't really bother me personally 'cause I'm so used to it. If it's not fountain pen ink then it's ink from my art markers or drawing pens. I have had people freak out though, especially one of the mom's in my ballroom dance class who was all like "How did you do that!?". I just held up one of my fountain pens and grinned.

 

But yea, I always have multiple colors of ink on my hands ranging from brand new to a couple of days faded, since I use Noodler's almost exclusively at the moment. The Baystate Blue lasts about six days no matter what I do, and the Squetegue (sp?) isn't much better.

 

Let it be said though that its not really an accident. I can't help it when I'm flushing out/refilling a couple pens at a time (refilling cartridges is a nightmare I swear), and sometimes if I want to wipe the nibs off when I'm writing or start a stubborn ink flow and don't have a tissue or paper-towel handy, I'll just use the back of my hand.

[BladeArcher]

I just got a red Scheaffer snorkel fountain pen. Perhaps this is the solution to my problem. Love that snorkel mechanism.

 

Regards,

Blade

 

[winky]

I have gotten a few small stains, but I am new to fountain pens and am a bit of a neat freak, so I tend to be extra careful.

[WendyNC]

If you're just somewhat careful when filling your pens, I can't see how you could possibly get ink on your hands.

 

Regards

Undersköterskan

 

It's that "somewhat careful" part where I keep messing up.

[buffalobil]

As a professional, I usually need to look neat and clean (even my hands). There are times when a stray drop from an inking will find itself on my hand. More often, I inadvertently try to wipe my hands with the towel I used to wipe off the nib after an inking. That is why I only ink near a sink.

[GeGeLan]

Once in a while I'll get a small ink stain. Usually in the process of filling or if I've not quite paid enough attention to wiping down the block afterwards.

 

[Dewyn2211]

I tend to get stains on my middle finger when using my FPs that have a large nib, because I hold my pens very close to the nib.

[Terry Brack]

I frequently end up with ink on my hands when I use my vintage fountain pens but not always. I often can get away ink free when I take out my pen to jot a note or use it to write for longer stretches of time. I do have an easy solution for ink on the fingers that I would like to share. This was first suggested to me by Nancy Handy at the Long Island Pen Club and I did not believe her until I tried it myself. It is simple and uses Dial foaming hand soap. This product comes in a special pump dispenser and the secret is to pump out the foaming soap onto dry hands and let the foam soak the stains for a minute or so. You will see the ink absorb into the foam. After a minute or so rub in the foam and wash the soap and ink away. It is important that you do not wet your hands first. Apply the foam without any water. It just does not work as well if you wet your fingers first. Something in this soap dissolves the ink dyes and I am guessing that water interferes. In any case the stuff works much better than ordinary soap and can remove all traces of the ink when applied properly. It is really easy to use. I bring this stuff with me when I stay over night at pen shows.