Nib Wipe, End Of The Filling Ritual

[Cyclopentadiene]

Hi all,

I was wondering what materials people used to wipe off the nib after filling? I've always just used soft tissue but I'm sure there must be a more sophisticated way of completing the end of the filling ritual? Perhaps a way that doesn't draw any ink out of the pen (as tissue seems to do) whilst still getting the nib back to its shiny self. I've always seen using tissue as somewhat wasteful as I'd throw it away afterwards, so surely there's a reusable alternative?

Any ideas or suggestions appreciated ,

Badger

[Lorna Reed]

I clean and fill my pens in the kitchen and what I have to hand is paper tissues or kitchen paper,so that's what I use. There are such things as pen wipes, I think there has been a recent thread about them, but I've never seen or used them. You're right that tissue does draw ink out of the pen, but as I'm not a big consumer of ink, I don't worry about it. I leave the pen resting on the tissue while I put the top back on the ink bottle, and then wipe the nib and section. Then I wipe any remaining ink off the section with a damp microfibre cloth. (The one I wash the dishes with :embarrassed_smile:)

I'm not recommending this is the best way, but it's what I do.

[publishing guy]

I don't like tissues because of concerns about lint on the nibs, My preference, when practical is a soft cotton cloth. It absorbs less ink and leaves nothing behind on the nibs. When necessary, I'll use paper towels or microfiber. Either, I think, is preferable to tissue.

[Essensia]

Paper towel. I reuse the same one for a while because it's fun to collect different colored blots. (I'm easily amused.) Plus it's a little less wasteful than using a new one every time.

[Goodbad]

I use a piece of t-shirt. Over the years it's taken on a nice "patena" of ink. Attached is snapshot in it's present state.

[Chi Town]

Like two of the earlier posts, IIl use a paper towel as that is what I use all the time and it takes on a life of it's own color wise. I only throw them out if and when I absoultly have too.

[jbb]

Mostly I just grab a tissue but wool felt works. I made this pen wipe for fun after another FPN post on this topic.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7736220138_a275959e46_o.jpg

 

My pen wipe was based on this vintage one:

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7712015508_56c528f32a_o.jpg

Edited September 4, 2012 by jbb

[geoduc]

I use diaper cloth. We purchased some from a fabric store, ran it through the washing machine to soften it up, and cut it up into small squares. Works great and reusable.

[whichwatch]

I used to use a tissue, but it didn't end well whether I blew my nose and then wiped my pen, or wiped my pen and then blew my nose. Glad I didn't try toilet paper! So I got scientific and now use a paper towel.

 

I like Goodbad's idea of a dedicated piece of T shirt that will gather lots of colors. I'm going to try that one!

[Cyclopentadiene]

I'm glad to see other people have different views! That T-shirt idea sounds super. I'll have to give it a go, although I'll probably cut mine up a little so it doesn't take up too much space.

I'll just reuse the same tissue for a while until I get a spare rag. Jbb - I'm loving the imitation and humour (if I dare say) so of your wipe.

Catch you around,

Badger

[mirosc]

Paper towel. I reuse the same one for a while because it's fun to collect different colored blots

exactly

[AfterMyNap]

Old t-shirts are the best! I also picked up a roll of paper shop towels in the auto section at Target, they're very nice to use, I cut them into squares. They also make nifty blotting paper cut to size in a few of my notebooks. I love them so much, I might make a dress out of them and collect my rainbow of ink blobs as a fashion statement.

[inkstainedruth]

I'll admit that i use tissues when wiping after refilling. I have a pen wipe that came in the Parker Urban kit. but it seemed to be more likely that I'd pick up lint with *that* than a tissue.... I wipe the pen and put the cap back on before closing the ink bottle (the only spill was with with the original bottle of Kung Te Cheng I had, because of having to juggle the pen and the eyedropper cap, and I knocked it off the bathroom counter -- I hit the just closed bottle with the plastic dish pan I use to flush into when cleaning, while rinsing it out (now I know better -- I transferred some into a smaller bottle and keep the big eyedropper bottle closed up and safely out of the way most of the time).

Afterwards I throw the tissue directly into the trash. The only time I will use a tissue multiple times if I'm filling several pens (and I'm generally using different colors at the same time: e.g., this morning the Parker 45 got Quink Black after the Noodler's Flex Piston got a refill of PR Purple Mojo).

When letting pens dry after cleaning them, I rest the pen or section nib downward on a paper towel stuffed into a paper cup -- in that instance I'm just draining the nib and feed, not actually wiping the nib. That way, if i haven't gotten everything completely clean, I can see residue color on the paper towel.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mountolive]

I've been using one of these microfiber cloths for quite a while now: http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Micro-Fiber-Polish-Cloth/dp/B0002GYW4C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346807000&sr=8-1&keywords=Planet+Waves+cloth

 

I wash it now and then to remove some of the ink. (It doesn't get completely clean but it still works fine.) It seems to remove the ink from dip pens without me having to use pen cleaner fluid.

[Mastersmith043]

I also use a piece of t-shirt, but mine seems to be a *bit* more dirty than yours Goodbad....

[andru]

My take on it, it makes a big difference if you wet tissue (I prefer paper towel). Not that I always do it, but I should:

 

• It absorbs way less ink (maybe 1% of what it absorbs dry).
  
• You won't get inky fingers from ink-sopping tissue.
  
• It cleans the section/threads up better, and you can even wipe the feed and the opening where the nib meets the section.
  
• It seems not to shed fibres wet.
  
• Still looks cool, and if you unwrap and let dry you'll see stronger chromatography (colour separation of multi-dye inks) which can be interesting.
  

 

Although gotta like Mastersmith043's T-shirt!

[WOBentley]

I also use a slightly dampened paper towel. Effective, quick and leaves the nib very clean with no lint.

[Cyclopentadiene]

Old t-shirts are the best! I also picked up a roll of paper shop towels in the auto section at Target, they're very nice to use, I cut them into squares. They also make nifty blotting paper cut to size in a few of my notebooks. I love them so much, I might make a dress out of them and collect my rainbow of ink blobs as a fashion statement.

 

Haha sounds great! You'd have a brilliant answer if anyone says who designed your dress

 

 

The only time I will use a tissue multiple times if I'm filling several pens (and I'm generally using different colors at the same time: e.g., this morning the Parker 45 got Quink Black after the Noodler's Flex Piston got a refill of PR Purple Mojo).

When letting pens dry after cleaning them, I rest the pen or section nib downward on a paper towel stuffed into a paper cup -- in that instance I'm just draining the nib and feed, not actually wiping the nib. That way, if i haven't gotten everything completely clean, I can see residue color on the paper towel.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

That first point is generally the same for me, until now that is! I'm seeing how many inks I can acumilate on a single paper towel without ending up with a rainbow on my hands

As for the drying I haven't done that yet, but I've only been "properly" (or rather correctly) using fountain pens for a couple of months now. I've seen that technique used in a post I read on a non-dissasembly cleaning of a parker 51 so will have to do that when the cleaning is due!

 

I've been using one of these microfiber cloths for quite a while now: http://www.amazon.co...net+Waves+cloth

 

I wash it now and then to remove some of the ink. (It doesn't get completely clean but it still works fine.) It seems to remove the ink from dip pens without me having to use pen cleaner fluid.

 

$6 ain't bad is it? I'll have to see if there's one in the U.K. that's similar. Thanks!

 

I also use a piece of t-shirt, but mine seems to be a *bit* more dirty than yours Goodbad....

 

We could have a dirtiest wipe contest.... I wonder if there's any Black wipes out there that started off white, I'll have to try that. I'll post a picture up in a few months when I've got something substantial!

[Wolverine1]

I too use a pen-wipe that I have fashioned out an old T-shirt. Though, I have been intruiged by JBB's hand-made ink wipes. Problem is that I can only replace buttons on my shirts- dont know how to sew at all. So despite my late Aunt having left me 2 of her sewing machines, they remain unused.

[inkstainedruth]

I've been using one of these microfiber cloths for quite a while now: http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Micro-Fiber-Polish-Cloth/dp/B0002GYW4C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346807000&sr=8-1&keywords=Planet+Waves+cloth

 

I wash it now and then to remove some of the ink. (It doesn't get completely clean but it still works fine.) It seems to remove the ink from dip pens without me having to use pen cleaner fluid.

 

Do you wash it by hand or throw it into a washing machine? I would hate to have ink bleed out onto the rest of the laundry, and it seems pointless to run a load just for one item....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth