Inked Pen Management - Seriously

[meestahbig]

okay, so this is a serious question and I am wondering what other do. At this point I have about 25 fountain pens. I find myself wanting to use different ones, but really it probably does not make sense to have them all inked at the same time. I also feel like it doent make sense to flush out a good pen that is full or partly full with ink.

 

so what's the best approach? use 5? flush out when the ink runs out? might be in the morning and I only have one pen at work?

 

right now I have inked up - Louis XIV, Catherine, Agatha, Czar Nikolai 144, Pelikan and maybe one o my Montegrappas. I want to ink more of them and use them but really probably not a good idea to have them sit unused full of ink, no???

[Strang]

I usually keep about seven pens inked at a time. I try to use mine all equally and I use them a lot. When one is empty I flush it and replace it with the next one in my rotation (around 50 pens total.) Works well for me.

[Sproctor]

Greetings,

I think the answer is going to turn out to be whatever it is you feel comfortable with. Personally, I only keep three inked at one time. When one is empty, I flush it really well (and put it away until next time) and ink the next one in my rotation and I am back to three. Some of my behavior is more directed by ink. I usually have one black, one blue and one of another color inked all at the same time. Depending on the color it is determines how quick the pen is emptied, cleaned and returned to the pile...

 

Do whatever you are comfortable with and makes sense to you.

 

Very Best Wishes,

Stephen

[Scrawler]

Start writing a lot of letters.

[Ipno Tizer]

I want to ink more of them and use them but really probably not a good idea to have them sit unused full of ink, no???

 

I suppose there is a risk involved in doing this, but I've found that with cartridge/converter pens and analine inks, I've had pens left for weeks and sometimes months which still start writing when I pick them up again. Leaving the pen for years inked up though might not be a good idea. I don't know. But if the ink did dry out completely it might take some getting out.

 

And this strategy (or lack of it) would most definitely not be a good idea with iron gall based blue black inks like Mont Blanc, Lamy or Diamine registrars ink. And if a pen has a rubber ink sack, the sack can be ruined if ink dries inside it. This has not happened to me yet, but if you have any of these vintage sack fillers, one policy is to cycle the ink weekly regardless of whether the pen has been used, annother is to store them empty and only fill them when you want to use them.

[stevlight]

I try to only have 5-6 pens inked at a time.

 

I flush all the pens that are inked on the 1st and 15th of the month. I also use Platinum Carbon Black so that I really should flush that often.

[Kalessin]

For pens that I use only a little, I'll draw up less ink with the converter or piston. After unscrewing the knob to empty it out all the way (usually I flush with water), I draw up 1/2 of a pistonfull of air, and then dip into the ink and that way end up with a pen only 1/2 full.

[meestahbig]

thanks for the ideas... I think I am going to feel it out with 5 pens inked and go from there.

[Blade Runner]

I've got 16 inked, different models, nibs, ink colors for different papers, purposes, moods. Couldn't bear to have them sit empty.

[watch72]

Currently I have 8 inked with different colours. Refilling depends upon usage and ink colour, black and blue get more frequent use. I do try to write with different colours, whenever possible, to balance out the usage. Each pen gets out of rotation after a few months of use and is flushed and cleaned for storage. It works for me for many years and I have no problem with ink drying in a pen so far.

[rdechamb]

If it helps at all . . . I almost always keep three inked at a time. Blue-black (bills, etc.), royal (for corresp.), and green (to mark-up students' papers - red is so offensive!). Everything is dependent on the amount of writing that you do, and to whom the writing is directed (more conservative inks, etc.).

[Scrawler]

If it helps at all . . . I almost always keep three inked at a time. Blue-black (bills, etc.), royal (for corresp.), and green (to mark-up students' papers - red is so offensive!). Everything is dependent on the amount of writing that you do, and to whom the writing is directed (more conservative inks, etc.).

It is interesting that you find reds to be offensive colors. I like Noodlers Nikita for marking papers, because it stands out so well against the majority of colors that they use to write with. I find most greens to lack the visual impact of drawing attention to errors and inconsistencies. Although I like some colors better than others for different purposes, I do not think I could call any color "offensive".

[Bisquitlips]

I know this is not a good idea, but I never really worry about having my pens inked and sitting or stored.

 

There have been times that I have decided to use one that has been stored for months and the ink has evaporated. A quick warm flush, fill, and it's good to go. Never had any issues.

 

OK..... You can now begin the beatings with briers and thorns...