Cleaning Fountain Pens

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Woodchipper

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
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5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
I recall my parents cleaning a fountain pen with just lots of hot water. Shake it to get excess water out of it and let it sit out and dry.
 

duncsuss

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Joined
Jun 29, 2012
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2,151
Location
Wilmington, MA
I recall my parents cleaning a fountain pen with just lots of hot water. Shake it to get excess water out of it and let it sit out and dry.

Oooh ... please not hot water!

If there are parts cemented with shellac, heat will cause them to come unstuck. (A latex ink sac, for example.)

It can also cause older resins (such as celluloid) to soften and distort.
 

Woodchipper

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
Didn't hurt them. Might not have been hot water. After all, this was over 65 years ago. Now I can't remember what I had for dinner yesterday.
 

tonylumps

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Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
164
Location
newtown square pa
When I first got into turning Pens I got obsessed with Fountain pens.Well the beginners mistake was,Finish a pen and screw the ink cartridge in and test the pen.put it into a case and there it would sit for quite a while. Well one day getting ready for a show tested the FP and they were all dried up I had about 8 to clean by hand.Then I found out about the Ultra sonic cleaner What a breeze to clean now. I do not screw the Cartridge in now unless I Demo. a pen.I use a little zip lock bag filled with water and place the nib in and place it in the cleaner that is almost filled with water.Cleans the pen and keeps the water in the unit clear.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
91
Location
Chesapeake, VA
light cut of ammonia in water and soak , then flush and repeat, a baby flush bulb, can get in pharmacy for like $2 helps too, ultrasonic good for really old pens that are have decades old gunk in them but not completely nesc with patience, don't use hot water may warp something , stuff some paper towels in a coffee mug and dry tip down , for new pens if you test it, a quick flush will leave it fine for the next use , it's ok to leave ink in a pen for a while but for extended periods best to flush , some inks may have acidic properties that could damage the internals over time


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