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Pen Stain & Sediment(?) Help


oraxia

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I got a Noodler's Creaper in translucent Truk Lagoon and decided to test out the new pen with a sample of Noodler's Revolution Blue that I had previously purchased because it looked like a nice dark blue and I had a couple of letters to write. The pen had some kind of really weird "spoiled milk" smell when I uncapped it and continues to have that smell, but I assumed that was something in the plastic off-gassing and that it would eventually go away. It hasn't really yet, but I don't know if that's actually abnormal.

 

Fast forward to now, a little over two weeks later, when I've used up the ink I put into the pen and am trying to clean it out. The ink has smeared past the plunger and there are little flakes or curds of ink floating around in the ink chamber (when filled with water) even after about two days of off and on cleaning and soaking when I'm in the house and not out running errands. The plunger itself seems like it might have a layer of this flaky ink curd stuck to it, too. The ink that migrated to the top of the pen needed a lot of wiping with a paper towel to come off, and I can see the rest of the feed section is just thick with it. I've tried warm water so far, and am not sure where to acquire ammonia (and don't particularly want ammonia, to be frank). What's left in the sample vial that I have is quite opaque, but doesn't look like it has flake or curdles except maybe along the air edge of where it was sitting inside the vial which is probably just a bit of dried ink stuck to the side.

 

How do I clean this out of the pen, and what did I do wrong? :unsure: I don't know how to take it apart to get into those parts to manually clean it, either...

 

I don't get a lot of time to spend with my fountain pens and haven't had something like this happen to my other couple that I have inked up before, and I'm now nervous about inking up anything else I have in my queue to try out because I don't want to repeat the same mistake, especially with a more expensive pen!

Edited by oraxia

Nevermind me! I'm just an inkling, a mere pigment of your imagination...

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Bad ink....did you look up the review???...Normally shouldn't have gunk floating around.

 

Ammonia, 10% suds-less is ok......in water. Often that is the only thing that will clean up supersaturated inks.....no matter who makes them.....and Nooldlers makes a hell of a lot of supersaturated inks.

 

Smell is celluloid...from what I read. The Ahab I got didn't smell....may have had a slight smell, but didn't stink....a half a decade ago, is a while to keep how much of a smell was expected..............and any celluloid pen I have is so old it stopped smelling in two bit beer time.

The Creeper from the memory of what I read, and didn't try to remember it, in I was not going to get one....has a rep of smelling.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Hi Oraxia,

 

You didn't do anything wrong. :)

 

One of the benefits of Noodler's pens is they are designed to be completely disassembled for easy cleaning and servicing.

 

https://youtu.be/pdgqjEUVFQ0

 

As far as the smell, that will gradually fade away in a few weeks or months... leave it out in the open air, i.e., not in a drawer or pen case... that'll help speed up the process.

 

HTH. Be well and enjoy life. :)

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Edited to fix link.

Edited by ParkerDuofold
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Just to follow-up...

 

I concur with BoBo, a 10-15% clear ammonia soak is necessary to kill whatever bacterium caused the ink to go sour on you. It'll also dissolve the manufacturing lubricants and chemicals used during the molding process.

 

 

- A.C.

 

ETA: You'll probably also want to pick up a small vial of PURE silicone grease available from Goulet or any scuba shop because the ammonia soak, (soak all the parts for around 4-6 hours and then give it all a good rinse), will strip most of the grease from the piston seal. ;)

Edited by ParkerDuofold
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Bad ink....did you look up the review???...Normally shouldn't have gunk floating around.

 

I think I got it as one of those "surprise me" ink samples, so no, I didn't actually think to look at a review before purchasing it :( I think my thought process was, "a Noodler's pen will probably do great with a Noodler"s ink!" and immediately proceeded to ink up--I basically had a spare moment to write a note and grabbed what seemed like a good idea at the time (because I wanted to try the freshly arrived pen). I shall have to be more mindful and do some research next time! In the ink's defense, I think the gunk is only inside the pen...? But I'm not sure, it's pretty opaque, and the label covers a good chunk of the vial.

 

 

Smell is celluloid...from what I read. The Ahab I got didn't smell....may have had a slight smell, but didn't stink....a half a decade ago, is a while to keep how much of a smell was expected..............and any celluloid pen I have is so old it stopped smelling in two bit beer time.

The Creeper from the memory of what I read, and didn't try to remember it, in I was not going to get one....has a rep of smelling.

 

I've had other plastic-type products off-gas weird smells before, so I assumed this wasn't the culprit, but that's good to know--thanks! I'll be sure to store it in a way that it can air out!

 

Ammonia, 10% suds-less is ok......in water. Often that is the only thing that will clean up supersaturated inks.....no matter who makes them.....and Nooldlers makes a hell of a lot of supersaturated inks.

 

I concur with BoBo, a 10-15% clear ammonia soak is necessary to kill whatever bacterium caused the ink to go sour on you. It'll also dissolve the manufacturing lubricants and chemicals used during the molding process.

 

Darn, okay, I guess I can't get away without purchasing a bottle of ammonia, then :/ We still have a glut of cleaning products from combining two households, so I was hoping to avoid purchasing yet another (esp. since most of our cleaning products are bleach products, and I worry about the two accidentally mixing), but we don't have any pure ammonia in the house. Hopefully they sell it in something other than enormous jugs like they do with bleach!

 

 

One of the benefits of Noodler's pens is they are designed to be completely disassembled for easy cleaning and servicing.

 

https://youtu.be/pdgqjEUVFQ0

 

Fantastic! Thank you so much for the video link, I think I just assumed I wouldn't be able to take it apart myself (which... was dumb of me)!

Nevermind me! I'm just an inkling, a mere pigment of your imagination...

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In Germany ammonia products are scarce so I get a few ounces from my pharmacist.

It's quite strong....so has to be well diluted, before it is as weak as the stuff in the jug.

 

A few ounces will last ages, try your local pharmacist....in if they do any pill making they would need that....or have that as basic pharmaceutical products. Do explain why you want it........us fountain pen nuts can get away with buying the stuff, and getting the largest needle and a 10-12 ml syringe. Take your sharpening stone so you can dull it right before his/her eyes.

You do after all live in the States..........where needles are illegal.

You want real big wide needles nothing to really shoot your self with...........(some folks I've read here like going to Vets...bigger needles.) There are rubber needles that are sold in the US....

 

I find the ones I buy narrower than kitchen needles.................and over here we don't have any chemical Butterball Turkeys..................all are dry untreated. ............and need to be treated.

So I use one .... shooting that turkey, legs, thighs, wings really do the breast................cook what ever herb butter mixture you want, strain and shoot; really drench your turkey....everywhere rather than just that little chemical spot on the breast.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Ammonia can be found as near as your local supermarket sold in squirt bottles for cleaning glass windows. Windex is my favoured local brand.

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Ammonia can be found as near as your local supermarket sold in squirt bottles for cleaning glass windows. Windex is my favoured local brand.

Windex is not pure ammonia. I wouldn't use that in a fountain pen. It's got fragrance and susdy chemicals added to it.

 

Also, if your water quality leans either hard or soft, I'd get some distilled water next time for flushing. Just a thought.

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Darn, okay, I guess I can't get away without purchasing a bottle of ammonia, then :/ We still have a glut of cleaning products from combining two households, so I was hoping to avoid purchasing yet another (esp. since most of our cleaning products are bleach products, and I worry about the two accidentally mixing), but we don't have any pure ammonia in the house. Hopefully they sell it in something other than enormous jugs like they do with bleach!

 

 

 

Fantastic! Thank you so much for the video link, I think I just assumed I wouldn't be able to take it apart myself (which... was dumb of me)!

Hi Oraxia,

 

You're welcome, I'm glad the video link I posted could help. :)

 

 

I was able to find a quart bottle of CLEAR ammonia at my local Shop-Rite for around a buck and a half. I keep it my pen room in a small cabinet... along with my other pen chemicals, such as Pen Flush; Phenol, (for inks); Kodak FotoFlo 200, (for slow inks), etc. Naturally, you don't have a pen room yet... :D ...you're still a neophyte,... just give it time... :D ...but there must be a small nook or cranny somewhere where you could tuck it away... away from the bleachy stuff. :unsure:

 

(If you have little ones, I know that can really complicate your options... perhaps an upper shelf in the garage... :unsure: ...or outbuilding??).

 

 

- Anthony

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Ammonia can be found as near as your local supermarket sold in squirt bottles for cleaning glass windows. Windex is my favoured local brand.

Hi Tamiya,

 

Fortunately, Oraxia lives in the U.S., so she can get the real McCoy at any supermarket.

 

I agree with Sir Gilbert, I'd only use Windex as an absolute last resort... but I guess the people of Oz are in that unfortunate position. :(

 

Be well. :)

 

 

- Anthony

 

Edited to correct spelling.

Edited by ParkerDuofold
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A few ounces will last ages, try your local pharmacist....in if they do any pill making they would need that....or have that as basic pharmaceutical products. Do explain why you want it........us fountain pen nuts can get away with buying the stuff, and getting the largest needle and a 10-12 ml syringe. Take your sharpening stone so you can dull it right before his/her eyes.

You do after all live in the States..........where needles are illegal.

 

Wow, I'm... slightly terrified to ask what it is used for that it comes in needles (and what they think I would do with it that I'd want to blunt the needles right in front of them)! :o That also sounds like a scary concentration of ammonia, I might prefer the more diluted (if much larger) jug in this case :P Thanks for the info, though, it made for an unexpected read :lol:

 

Ammonia can be found as near as your local supermarket sold in squirt bottles for cleaning glass windows. Windex is my favoured local brand.

 

Ah, that got my hopes up until I read the subsequent comments--I do actually have Windex under the sink at home! But if this disinfecting of pens is something I may need to do on a semi-regular basis, it makes some sense to just get the bottle next time I hit the grocery store. Thank you, though! :) It's good to know that Windex works in a pinch!

 

Also, if your water quality leans either hard or soft, I'd get some distilled water next time for flushing. Just a thought.

 

I do actually have some distilled water for a carnivorous plant I've been attempting to keep alive, so that's a helpful suggestion :) Thank you!

 

You're welcome, I'm glad the video link I posted could help. :)

 

It did! I was able to successfully disassemble the pen, I just don't yet have a bottle brush that can get in there to scrub out the remaining ink in the body tube (but it should be coming any day now) :) Silicone grease is also in the mail (along with more ink samples, of course, which are hopefully less problematic since I did make sure to at least skim a review on them beforehand this time rather than just jump at cool colors or order surprise vials).

 

I was able to find a quart bottle of CLEAR ammonia at my local Shop-Rite for around a buck and a half. I keep it my pen room in a small cabinet... along with my other pen chemicals, such as Pen Flush; Phenol, (for inks); Kodak FotoFlo 200, (for slow inks), etc. Naturally, you don't have a pen room yet... :D ...you're still a neophyte,... just give it time... :D ...but there must be a small nook or cranny somewhere where you could tuck it away... away from the bleachy stuff. :unsure:

 

Ha! A pen room sounds wonderful! :lol: I've been hoping for a craft room for quite some time, but I live in an area where home ownership is prohibitively expensive even for a two income household, so I'm not sure if that will ever be a real option (especially if I want to be able to still afford the pens to put IN the pen room). Thankfully I don't have to worry about keeping things away from little ones just yet (either of the two or four legged variety), so it probably won't be a huge deal to store all the questionable cleaning chemicals together... I'll just make sure my husband knows about the no mixing thing! :unsure:

 

Thank you so much to everyone for all the helpful suggestions and links! I was pretty genuinely terrified that I'd irreversibly messed up a pen so early in my fountain pen timeline! Of course, now that I've taken that step into actually taking things apart for cleaning, I'm sure I've opened yet another door of opportunity for that! :lticaptd:

Nevermind me! I'm just an inkling, a mere pigment of your imagination...

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The smell will fade. Noodlers pens are going to stain very much, they're made from a vegetal resin and not traditional plastics. I just don't get the demonstrator noodlers pens anymore.

 

Don't go nuts with cleaning products. You don't need to flush a $20 noodlers pen with distilled water. Just dry it well. I wouldn't even go that far with my mont blancs. Maybe if I was cleaning a one of a kind maki-e work of art I'd break out the distilled h2o, but short of that, even if you water is crazy hard, you'll be fine, just dry it well.

 

If you want a better needle for flushing, get a "Transfer syringe" tip, on amazon.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dispense-All-M310-Syringe-Dispensing/dp/B074D7XMWN/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=transfer+syringe&qid=1553053884&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

Less prone to bending and work better.

 

Also, ammonia is really not a very good disinfectant. We don't use it in medicine. It can kill surface bacteria, but not spores. For spores (like mold that can grow in ink), you need bleach. A very mild bleach solution is safe on most pens as long as you rinse thoroughly.

 

Pharmacists dispense needles for diabetics, lovanox shots, hormone therapy, it's very common for patients to give themselves subcutaneous injections. You don't need to explain why, just ask to buy a box of needles and syringes. They don't think twice about it. But a box is about $20, so just go with the $8 transfer syringe set I linked. You might be able to get a pharmacist to just give you one, but they probably wouldn't.

 

Also, don't go nuts disassembling pens for cleaning all the time. The more you take things apart, the faster they wear out. Most pens don't need disassembly more than once every few years.

Edited by Honeybadgers

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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I am more than out of date when it comes to stateside stuff (like needles), in out side a couple months I've been over the pond for 50 years.................time does fly.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Also, ammonia is really not a very good disinfectant. We don't use it in medicine. It can kill surface bacteria, but not spores. For spores (like mold that can grow in ink), you need bleach. A very mild bleach solution is safe on most pens as long as you rinse thoroughly.

Hi HB, et al,

 

Yes, but chlorine breaks down vegetal resins, so in this case, ammonia is the preferred disinfectant.

 

Bleach can be used in desperate situations, but exposure should not exceed one hour and all parts should be thoroughly rinsed.

 

But from what Oraxia said before, I do not think mold is the issue... it sounds more like SITB... so, I don't think its advisable to fire both barrels with bleach when one barrel with ammonia should do the job. ;)

 

Being that vegetal resin is one of more delicate materials to start with.

 

Be well. :)

 

 

- Anthony

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It did! I was able to successfully disassemble the pen, I just don't yet have a bottle brush that can get in there to scrub out the remaining ink in the body tube (but it should be coming any day now) :) Silicone grease is also in the mail (along with more ink samples, of course, which are hopefully less problematic since I did make sure to at least skim a review on them beforehand this time rather than just jump at cool colors or order surprise vials).

 

 

Ha! A pen room sounds wonderful! :lol: I've been hoping for a craft room for quite some time, but I live in an area where home ownership is prohibitively expensive even for a two income household, so I'm not sure if that will ever be a real option (especially if I want to be able to still afford the pens to put IN the pen room). Thankfully I don't have to worry about keeping things away from little ones just yet (either of the two or four legged variety), so it probably won't be a huge deal to store all the questionable cleaning chemicals together... I'll just make sure my husband knows about the no mixing thing! :unsure:

Hi Oraxia,

 

I'm glad the video helped you succeed in your first pen demolition... :blush: ...I mean disassembly... :) ...mine was a demolition. :D

 

Glad to hear you have the grease and safe storage will not be so much of an issue for you... or your husband. :)

 

I see you live in the Bay Area,... yes... real estate is at a premium there... I hear the sidewalk squares sell for a quarter of a million. I live on the South Jersey Shore, in fact, Great Egg Harbor is my back yard, so I don't have it as bad you do, but I can still relate. :)

 

The pen room isn't as glamorous as it may sound... it's actually my late wife's 9'x9' walk-in closet in our bedroom. What's nice is it has a half-bath, sans a commode... she used it as a make-up station... one side has a lighted vanity with chair; the other side has a sink... which is great for flushing/soaking pens. :thumbup: But in the closet, two and a half walls are for pens and one and a half walls serve as overflow from MY closet... I'm a bit of a clotheshorse. :D

 

 

I'm proud of you with the success of your first pen project... before you know it, you'll be re-sacking Esterbrooks. :thumbup:

 

 

Be well. :)

 

 

- Anthony

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The smell will fade. Noodlers pens are going to stain very much, they're made from a vegetal resin and not traditional plastics. I just don't get the demonstrator noodlers pens anymore.

 

Ah, so the material of the pen itself is just plain more prone to staining--that is good to know. Since mine is a colored transparent, maybe I'll stick to teal inks in the pen so the stains at least match the pen :lol:

 

Also, ammonia is really not a very good disinfectant. We don't use it in medicine. It can kill surface bacteria, but not spores. For spores (like mold that can grow in ink), you need bleach. A very mild bleach solution is safe on most pens as long as you rinse thoroughly.

 

So maybe this is a dumb question, but if I am using the ammonia largely to kill off spores or bacteria... would rubbing alcohol work? Or does that have a bad interaction with pen materials or inks? (I mean, a lot of inks in disposable pens are, I think, alcohol based, right?) I bought the ammonia, so I'm going to use it anyway, but I'm just curious since I do also have rubbing alcohol at home for disinfecting cuts etc.

 

Also, don't go nuts disassembling pens for cleaning all the time. The more you take things apart, the faster they wear out. Most pens don't need disassembly more than once every few years.

 

Makes sense, but for my first pen disassembly, it also makes sense to try it on a ~$20 pen rather than anything more expensive ;) And I did make the mistake of putting a really staining ink into it, so I feel a little obligated to the pen to try my best to clean it out :unsure:

 

Debating if I should trust what's left in that vial of ink or just pour it down the drain... There's not much left, but the vial itself doesn't look like it's chunky the way it looked in the pen. Might be ultimately safer to chuck it.

 

I'm glad the video helped you succeed in your first pen demolition... :blush: ...I mean disassembly... :) ...mine was a demolition. :D

 

Well, we'll see how successful it has been after the parts are done soaking and I attempt to re-assemble the pen :P

 

I see you live in the Bay Area,... yes... real estate is at a premium there... I hear the sidewalk squares sell for a quarter of a million. I live on the South Jersey Shore, in fact, Great Egg Harbor is my back yard, so I don't have it as bad you do, but I can still relate. :)

 

Hoo-boy, you can say that again :( Quarter of a million isn't that far off what a sidewalk square would probably go for :glare: Hopefully someday, though... If we save until we're old and grey, we might be able to afford a very tiny shack to live in! :P Just gotta rein in my hobby spending a bit... (Right after I buy those lovely inks I had my eye on...)

 

I'm proud of you with the success of your first pen project... before you know it, you'll be re-sacking Esterbrooks. :thumbup:

 

LOL, thank you :lol: If I ever get that far, it will certainly be thanks to all the very kind and helpful folks on this forum and at my local pen club, once I manage to have a free Sunday to go attend the meetings again! :)

Nevermind me! I'm just an inkling, a mere pigment of your imagination...

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Alcohol hardens rubber (while it was commonly done, it was really detrimental to cleaning the platens of typewriters).

 

Might be safe for plastics -- though I might recommend looking for denatured ethanol rather than isopropyl alcohol. Or, if legal in one's jurisdiction... 190proof Everclear.

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The legality of non-prescription hypodermic needles and syringes varies with jurisdiction. Where I live, I was able to explain to the pharmacist what I wanted and why, and she sold me a 3ml hypodermic with a 23ga needle for about a quarter. That's plenty big enough to fill any pen or cartridge, except for some eyedroppers.

The reason you blunt the needle is to PROVE you aren't out to abuse injected recreational pharmaceuticals. It also helps protect you from needlesticks.

Pipe cleaners should make a suitable bottle brush for the Nib Creaper. IN GENERAL I agree with Honeybadgers that disassembly is overkill, but you have solid precipitates in your pen, and that's going to require disassembly to clean out. Hard water may not be a big deal, but turbidity is.

For disinfectant, you can get away with Dakin's solution. Put about 30ml of household plain ol' ordinary bleach, without scents or thickeners to prevent splashing, into a liter of water (or 1oz into a quart). Household bleach is about 3-5% sodium hypochlorite, and Dakin's solution, even at 0.125%, is plenty strong enough to disinfect wounds, let alone pens. I echo the cautions of short exposure (honestly, 15min should be enough) and thorough rinsing. [ETA: mixing your own is probably better than using actual Dakin's solution, which is buffered with baking soda. It's likely to decay, though, so don't mix yourself a lot.]

DO NOT USE ALCOHOL ON PENS. I destroyed a totally plastic Rex school pen that way.

As for housing, find some place beyond the authority of San Francisco's zoning board. They're the real culprits behind the shortage of housing in the Bay area.

Edited by Arkanabar
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Oraxia:

 

You're getting great advice, here. I don't know your background with fountain pens, and certainly don't know your exposure to various brands, but I wonder, based on your original post, whether you've worked with various other brands' pens and inks, and are aware of Noodler's idiosyncrasies. Noodler's portfolio of pens and inks is distinctive in a number of ways. Some swear by them; some swear at them. Enthusiasm for the brand varies dramatically, I think largely based on individual experience, and also on individual predilections.

 

My personal experience of the brand -- both pens and inks -- is that they are excitingly innovative and offer great value for money. ...and also that they are not consistently low maintenance. (Others have had different experiences, to be sure. I'm only claiming my own.) I eventually decided I wouldn't gift a Noodler's pen to a fountain pen newbie because, in that circumstance, I would prize predictable, hassle-free reliability. And I have stopped using Noodler's inks in my own pens because I had a few problems with them. I'm a fan of saturated inks, and am no stranger to cleaning stains out of pens, but Noodler's inks presented more issues for me than other brands.

 

None of which is to say you won't have a great experience with yours. I hope you do, and are. In fact, I think wrestling with a Noodler's pen, as the wise FPN friends on this thread have counselled, is an outstanding way to get deep into understanding all kinds of fountain pens. They're just outstanding learning tools.

 

Apologies if I'm being presumptuous or patronising about your level of knowledge. Not my intent. I just always feel protective of folks new to the FP fetish, worried they'll have experiences that lead them to conclude it's all more hassle than it actually is.

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Alcohol hardens rubber (while it was commonly done, it was really detrimental to cleaning the platens of typewriters).

 

Might be safe for plastics -- though I might recommend looking for denatured ethanol rather than isopropyl alcohol. Or, if legal in one's jurisdiction... 190proof Everclear.

 

Okay, I figured there had to be a reason--thank you for telling me :) I've got the ammonia now, so I'll probably stick to that even with it being such a very pungent product.

 

Pipe cleaners should make a suitable bottle brush for the Nib Creaper. IN GENERAL I agree with Honeybadgers that disassembly is overkill, but you have solid precipitates in your pen, and that's going to require disassembly to clean out. Hard water may not be a big deal, but turbidity is.

 

Given that I needed to use an old toothbrush plus a little dish soap to get the ink off of some of the outer portions, I went with a bottle brush for the stiffer bristles and got a little set of three different sizes for relatively cheap off of Amazon :) They'll be part of my pen kit from here on out. And I used water from by Brita pitcher, which... it's not distilled, but it's probably a little better? :blush:

 

As for housing, find some place beyond the authority of San Francisco's zoning board. They're the real culprits behind the shortage of housing in the Bay area.

 

Interesting, most folk I know seem to think the fault lies with foreign investors. I'll have to look into that! Also, I have to ask, where is your avatar from? :)

 

You're getting great advice, here. I don't know your background with fountain pens, and certainly don't know your exposure to various brands, but I wonder, based on your original post, whether you've worked with various other brands' pens and inks, and are aware of Noodler's idiosyncrasies. Noodler's portfolio of pens and inks is distinctive in a number of ways. Some swear by them; some swear at them. Enthusiasm for the brand varies dramatically, I think largely based on individual experience, and also on individual predilections.

 

Assume that I am as Jon Snow, and know nothing :lol: I'm still fairly new and currently still trying to learn what I like in a pen and figuring out what kind of maintenance routine I can handle (I am the worst at time management and keeping a routine), hence my draw to trying out cheaper pens first when I get a spare moment. When I get more free time on weekends, I'm hoping to be able to visit with the local pen group more often to see if I can gain a little more hands-on exposure to other pens and pen types, and then also get my hands on things at the annual SF Pen Show, which is conveniently located not too far a drive from me.

 

I appreciate your worry about bad experiences for us newbies, and I worry a bit about that, too, because my inexperience means I still don't know when a problem is me or the pen (is there an FP version of PEBKAC?). It's something that's significantly harder to do over the internet than in person, and I'm the only person voyaging into FPs in any of my circles, so it does feel a little lonely at times. I'll get there eventually... and then maybe I can think about luring some of my people over to the inky side :P

Nevermind me! I'm just an inkling, a mere pigment of your imagination...

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      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
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