Ammonia Flush Solution Concentration?

[Ego Id Veto]

Hi all,

 

I've noticed there is much debate about the use of ammonia / dish soap flushes for grimy pens.

 

I'm of opinion that they are appropriate for REALLY dirty pens, but I have no idea what the concentration of ammonia and soap should be.

 

What percentage ammonia do you guys use (all I can find is "1 in 10 dilution of household ammonia", but I'd like to have an actual concentration percentage, as the household ammonia concentration trends to vary)? And how much dish soap?

 

Thanks in advance for your help guys

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

My personal approach is 'do the most with the least', so start with a 0.5% plain ammonia working solution, then only use 1.0% if necessary. Some Members have suggested that - depending on the pen - a 2% solution might be used, but only for a brief time.

 

I do not support the use of soap in pens.

 

Some Members have had success with washing-up liquid (dish detergent), but I am leery about mystery ingredients (and their concentration) such as 'grease cutters' and 'finishing agents', especially when working on a pen with a sac or diaphragm or ebonite feed or shellac or celluloid or gaskets or ...

 

See also : Limit to Soaking? : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/229245-limit-to-soaking/?p=2453755

 

Bye,

S1

Edited November 17, 2015 by Sandy1

[Glenn Atkins]

I take the 1 in 10 household solution as it comes off the shelf and dilute that again by 1 part ammonia to 9 parts water. Then add just a drop or two of blue Dawn, but not every time.

 

Glenn

[Glenn Atkins]

Most of the time I just use plain water.

 

Glenn

[Ego Id Veto]

I take the 1 in 10 household solution as it comes off the shelf and dilute that again by 1 part ammonia to 9 parts water. Then add just a drop or two of blue Dawn, but not every time.

 

Glenn

But what percentage would your household ammonia be to begin with?

[Glenn Atkins]

I think? it's a 10% solution of the non-scented, non-sudsing stuff right off the grocery store shelf. When I have a chance I'll check.

 

Glenn

[EBUCKTHORN]

Glenn- Thanks for your suggestion but what do you mean by, "...but not every time."?

[Ron Z]

Some Members have had success with washing-up liquid (dish detergent), but I am leery about mystery ingredients (and their concentration) etc, etc, etc

 

Comparing the MSDS for RapidoEze and Dawn dish detergent, they are quite similar, with the Dawn having the related materials and surfactants in lower concentrations than the RapidoEze. We usually use the RapidoEze full strength, while we dilute the Dawn quite a bit. I don't worry.

[kirchh]

 

Comparing the MSDS for RapidoEze and Dawn dish detergent, they are quite similar, with the Dawn having the related materials and surfactants in lower concentrations than the RapidoEze. We usually use the RapidoEze full strength, while we dilute the Dawn quite a bit. I don't worry.

 

Can you break out that chemical analysis? The MSDS sheets I'm looking at don't quite match up in that way.

 

--Daniel

[Glenn Atkins]

Glenn- Thanks for your suggestion but what do you mean by, "...but not every time."?

 

I simply meant that I don't put the few drops of Dawn in every time.

 

Glenn

[FredRydr]

 

The MSDS sheets I'm looking at don't quite match up in that way.

 

Post 'em.

 

Fred

[Sandy1]

 

... We usually use the RapidoEze full strength, while we dilute the Dawn quite a bit. I don't worry.

 

Hi,

 

Nor do I.

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

See also:

> FPN Topic Pen Cleaning, Ammonia With Additives? https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/292983-pen-cleaning-ammonia-with-additives/?p=3395941

 

> MSDS Dawn (USA) : http://whatsinproducts.com//brands/show_msds/1/12187

 

> MSDS Rapido-Eze : https://www.c2f.com/msds/KOH-RapidoezePenCleaner.PDF

Edited November 20, 2015 by Sandy1

[Morphling27]

I typically do the dilute the 10% Walgreen's ammonia to abut a 1/10 ratio with clean water - I eyeball it but I don't soak my pens or anything in it a long time. On older pens I've been given as gifts, I'll let them sit in the sonic cleaner a few times with a very dilute solution of the ammonia.

 

Mostly, just room temp water should clean a pen up fine - just takes a lot of flushing or power washing with a bulb syringe to get it clean.

[richila]

I use 2 drops of Dawn to 2 cups of water in my sonic cleaner. My pen parts stay in for about 30-45 seconds.

[Ego Id Veto]

I typically do the dilute the 10% Walgreen's ammonia to abut a 1/10 ratio with clean water - I eyeball it but I don't soak my pens or anything in it a long time. On older pens I've been given as gifts, I'll let them sit in the sonic cleaner a few times with a very dilute solution of the ammonia.

 

Mostly, just room temp water should clean a pen up fine - just takes a lot of flushing or power washing with a bulb syringe to get it clean.

That's the answer I was looking for. 99 percent of the time I won't use anything except water, or sometimes a tiny bit of dish detergent, but this solution is for those few times the clogging just won't let up.

[wastelanded]

My scientific method is a tablespoon of the household ammonia in an Old-Fashioned glass of water. The glass must be 24% lead crystal, or the whole thing goes wrong.

[dasXFnib]

My scientific method is a tablespoon of the household ammonia in an Old-Fashioned glass of water. The glass must be 24% lead crystal, or the whole thing goes wrong.

You left out the full moon and wolfbane.......!!!

PRECISION is the key to EVREYTHNG......evn tipnge....

 

Always try to get the dibs....on fountain pens with EF nibs!!