Can You Flush Out A Pen With Isopropyl Alcohol?

[sproosemoose]

Hi,

 

I read in one topic you can flush out a converter with ammonia + water, and it said it's better than just water because it helps get rid of the oils. I was wondering if you could just use isopropyl alcohol solution with no added water?

 

Thanks

[flight878]

I've done so with all of my Lamy FPs, including the Safari, 2000, Accent, and Studio, and also my Rotring 600 and 900 FPs. No problems. This was done following a flush of Noodler's BSB and Sailor Nano pigmented inks. Some inks with strong dyes tend to color the feed. Isopropyl alcohol has helped, but I then followed with a cold water rinse.

 

Not all feeds may accept it however, so it really depends.

[OldGriz]

You can flush out a pen with hydrochloric acid also... but I would not recommend either one....

 

I use the following in order of strength to clean a pen.... plain cool water..... 10% ammonia solution in water..... technical pen cleaner (Rapidoeze) starting with a 30% solution and going stronger if needed...

[professionaldilettante]

Some plastics may melt because of it. I'd be careful and just stick to ammonia.

[jar]

Not a bright idea.

[Yoda4561]

I wouldn't recommend it. 99% of fountain pen inks aren't really soluble in alcohol for one, try it some time with some 91% isopropyl from your local drug store, it won't wash fountain pen inks off of paper (and I'm not even talking about bulletproof ones, just regular old lamy blue for example) Any flushing action you get from alcohol in a fountain pen will be from the % of water that's in it. Baystate blue is the only FP ink I've found so far that's soluble in alcohol, but you can flush that out with plain water too, and any staining can usually be taken care of with ammonia, which is much more effective at removing ink residues as well as safer for your pen.

[torstar]

Good for my electric razors.

 

Why go to that level of liquid?

Edited June 23, 2012 by torstar

[Ghost Plane]

It's a great way to turn a valuable antique pen into a gummy mess! Pay attention to OldGriz' advice.

[Romagno]

Isopropyl alcohol will dissolve the shellac that is used to attach sacs to the gripping sections in that type of fountain pen. I don't know if it also affects the rubber sacs themselves.

[Jimmy James]

http://matteson-on-stilts.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-ruin-lamy-vista-in-one-easy-step.html

 

Our fellow member (I think his handle here is something like My Darn Snake Legs) has gone down this road and has serious regrets. I'd echo those who say don't do it.

[fabrimedeiros]

Etilic (aka ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol can melt acrylic (aka PMMA, lucite, acryloid etc).

 

Don't think it's a good idea!

 

Amonia solution is safer.

[fabrimedeiros]

Etilic (aka ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol can melt acrylic (aka PMMA, lucite, acryloid etc).

 

Don't think it's a good idea!

 

Amonia solution is safer.