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Cleaning A Pen With Warm Water

TheCaptain

By TheCaptain
in Repair Q&A

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TheCaptain New

TheCaptain

Posted
Posted

Hello all,

 

I just have a quick question with regards to how to clean out a pen. I'm new to using fountains pens so I'm not quite sure what to do. I was told that when switching inks it is important to clean out the pen thoroughly so the inks don't mix and potentially create sediment (or something like that). I have, however, found some contrasting advice regarding how exactly to clean the nib out. One person told be that a could use a syringe to push water through. Another has told me that I shouldn't force water through and I should just let run warm water through the nib. I'm sorry if this is a repeat on this forum (I did have a quick look but didn't see this elsewhere) and I'm sorry if this is a basic question. I just have a couple of new inks I can't wait to try out.

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

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RudyR Vintage

RudyR

Posted
Posted

Force it through! :)

 

 

I do the same and even use the suction of the bulb to backwash by pulling water through the nib and feed.

What Would The Flying Spaghetti Monster Do?

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OcalaFlGuy Museum Piece

OcalaFlGuy

Posted
Posted

Take the nib section into the shower with you and use the hand held shower massager to flush it.

 

 

Don't laugh, it works great. :thumbup:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

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Stompie Antique

Stompie

Posted
Posted

Take the nib section into the shower with you and use the hand held shower massager to flush it.

 

 

Don't laugh, it works great. :thumbup:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

 

and during the half hour it takes to get the ink off of you, the pen gets a thorough rinse out! :ltcapd:

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mhosea Collectors Item

mhosea

Posted
Posted

I thought maybe I should add here since the title says "warm water" that with some pens you need to stick to cool or at most lukewarm water. It just depends on the pen.

I know my id is "mhosea", but you can call me Mike. It's an old Unix thing.

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watch_art Museum Piece

watch_art

Posted
Posted

when should you be worried about using warm water? Anything at 140 F could melt shellac, and loosen sacs or seals, but warm water... What harm would come?

fpn_1432247667__cropped-20150427_0641231 http://www.penturners.org/forum/signaturepics/sigpic14481_1.gif http://mob984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg?t=1321916122

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AltecGreen Antique

AltecGreen

Posted
Posted

when should you be worried about using warm water? Anything at 140 F could melt shellac, and loosen sacs or seals, but warm water... What harm would come?

 

 

Warm water leeches the plasticizer from celluloid. It will haze the celluloid.

2020 San Francisco Pen Show
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WhosYerBob Vintage

WhosYerBob

Posted
Posted

Warm water leeches the plasticizer from celluloid. It will haze the celluloid.

+1 on this. I had a beautiful pen become utterly destroyed simply because I used rinse water that was too warm; it literally fell to pieces in my hands. Now I use cold to cool water only.

<span style='font-size: 12px;'><span style='font-family: Trebuchet MS'><span style='color: #0000ff'><strong class='bbc'>Mitch</strong></span><span style='color: #0000ff'>

=======

http://exploratorius.us

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Hooker56 Vintage

Hooker56

Posted
Posted

Take the nib section into the shower with you and use the hand held shower massager to flush it.

 

 

Don't laugh, it works great. :thumbup:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

 

It's very apparent that Bruce loves his old pens....

"Not a Hooker Hooker, but rather a left-handed overwriter."

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Lloyd Donor Pen

Lloyd

Posted
Posted

Take the nib section into the shower with you and use the hand held shower massager to flush it.

 

 

Don't laugh, it works great. :thumbup:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

 

It's very apparent that Bruce loves his old pens....

Which "it" are you referring to?

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

Oscar Wilde

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LedZepGirl Collectors Item

LedZepGirl

Posted
Posted

Rule of thumb, I always use cool or room temperature water when cleaning pens. You never know what warm or hot water might do.

I'd rather spend my money on pens instead of shoes and handbags.

 

 

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Sasha Royale Museum Piece

Sasha Royale

Posted
Posted

The "squeezy" bulb works great. In my local drugstore, it is called a

Baby's Ear Bulb. I cut of the tip, little-by-little" until the opening

fits my pen section thighly. Two bulbful flushes from either end of

the section takes 45 seconds. It is sufficient to clean a Parker 45.

I use a medical syringe to flush the cartridge/converter, when needed.

 

I have what approaches 100 fountain pens. I have syringes and ear bulbs,

and other people's paper ia no longer good enough for my ink. Family is

starting to talk about me as if I live in a badger hole.

 

Sorry, Bruce ! I am NOT taking my fountain pens into the shower.

(And if I do, I aint tellin'.)

:rolleyes:

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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Tdot Rare

Tdot

Posted
Posted

I understood that warm(er) water can also "melt" and wash away the lubricant in piston fillers. True? Myth?

Qui me amat, amat et canem meum

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Nathaniel Harter Rare

Nathaniel Harter

Posted
Posted

will the squeeze bulb work with a snorkel fountain pen with no harm?

Nathaniel Harter
Sheaffer Pen Museum Volunteer
spmlogofpn.png

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watch_art Museum Piece

watch_art

Posted
Posted

where would you put the squeeze bulb? over the snorkel? I wouldn't. Just cycle water in and out with a bit of shaking with clean water in the pen so you can clean it out a bit faster.

fpn_1432247667__cropped-20150427_0641231 http://www.penturners.org/forum/signaturepics/sigpic14481_1.gif http://mob984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg?t=1321916122

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whych Vintage

whych

Posted
Posted

when should you be worried about using warm water? Anything at 140 F could melt shellac, and loosen sacs or seals, but warm water... What harm would come?

 

 

Warm water leeches the plasticizer from celluloid. It will haze the celluloid.

Only if it is above 140 F, which is hotter than 'warm'

Warm/lukewarm water is fine for most pens.

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