Fountain pen help....

[SIB]

Hello, i recently started using a fountain pen , i really really enjoy it, the thing is i feel the ink dries after each use in the nib and makes it very hard for it to work again next day, should i wash the nib after each use? is this normal on fountain pens? is there a fountain pen that can be as easy to use as a rollerball pen?
I was thinking of buying next the waterman Hemisphere ...any thoughts on it?
thank you guys very much.

[Mike Blue]

Several things may be going on at the same time. And a couple things I don't know that would be helpful. What pen are you using? Is it a cartridge or piston/bladder filler? What kind of ink?

It's possible that the nib needs adjusting but that is the last thing to look at after trying to fix the other things first. But that could be an ill-fitting nib or even one that requires adjustment of the tines for proper operation. Some pens are sensitive to position and do better when laying down rather than standing upright in a cup, and vice versa.

More likely it is being fussy about the kind of ink it's getting. There are several "professional" or custom inks that have lubricants to help the ink flow better and not dry out so fast that they clog up the nib. You may need to try one or two until you find one the pen likes.

The simplest thing is that the ink maybe drying out because the cap is loose or there are ink residues in the nib that block smooth flow. Cleaning the nib requires little more than a soak in some hot water to dissolve any crud blocking things up or maybe with only a drop or two of liquid soap to help.

Gee, pens is just like razors, eh?

[maplemaker]

First thing to check would be how long you're leaving it uncapped without actually writing. Then I'd make sure the cap had a good seal over the barrel so that air isn't getting to the nib. If you want, you can remove the ink source (converter or cartridge) wash the nib, dry it, and start again. The problem doesn't sound like an issue with the nib itself, just air/ink.

[maplemaker]

Oh, and also, I have 4 Watermans and they are each one a delight to write with. I don't think you can go wrong with a Waterman.

[thebigspendur]

I used to us fountain pens all the time unfortunately in this modern age of computer usage there just aren't that many vocations where most of us can really use one on a regular basis save for the occasional signature. The fact is if you are going to use a fountain pen, they are designed to be used on a regular basis like throughout the day. If you go days without using it the ink will begin to dry. I had several quality pens and they all suffered from that problem. Some a little more and some a little less. I don't know that there is any real solution.

[Lt.Arclight]

I've had similar issues with my fountain pens. Regardless of brand-and price.

I like Waterman's as well as Mont Blancs. I have found that the brand of INK does make a difference. Levenger makes a really nice ink-it will make the "scratchiest"(if that makes sense to you) write great. It also resists "drying out" in the nib. http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/NAVIGATION/Products.asp?Params=category=8|level=2|pageid=151

Besides playing around with different inks-the absolute best way to prevent the ink from drying out is to USE THE PEN

Best of luck. Fountain pens are also a "lost art".

[fpessanha]

Yes, indeed a lost art...
When I learned to write I did it because it was believed that fountain pens (REAL pens...) were the only things capable of creating a good posture in writing. Now it's the ease and simplicity and carelessness of roller balls... I, for one, cannot - without a frown on my face - write with anything other than a real pen. I do not have a great deal of pens and certainly none of those big brands like Montblanc... I can't afford them. But I do have 3 or 4 Parkers (2 of which are my daily pens) and a Waterman. The latter is messed up because I was young and dropped it... I didn't know better then.
And indeed! Pens are just like razors... and Bic is the pinnacle of disposability - both in razors and writing stuff. Of course the bic roller balls are better than bic razors!

[SIB]

Thanks everyone for your anwers, the pen i am using is a baoer 3013, it was $15 , bought it on ebay...i know its a cheapo disguised as a premium pen, its made in china.
So this is what happened.......the pen used to writte very well, surprisingly well, i used to use parker ink black,
i stopped using it for a few months...i picked it up again, it looked to me completely dry, so loaded it up with a new ink i bought in a jar, made in paris the brand is "aladine"...looked allright in barnes and nobles, it was purple.
So i loaded it up with the new purple ink, and it started writting in black....i assumed it still had black on got moist with the purple and well...it was working fine, then next day wouldnt write at all.
Now after cleaning it ,unloading all the ink, washing it etc i loaded it back with the purple ink ...and it writtes on an off...unable for it to make a continuous line ..looks to me like if the system was failing to deliver a continuous supply of ink to the nib.
i have learned in my life the cheap things end up being expensive...so i dont mind spending at the beginning but getting something woth a while.
Any recomendations on a pen for under $100?
Now...i would like a pen that is able to perform when i need to, so maybe this fountain pens are not for me....cant afford having one fail me ...
Thanks guysa million for your input and advice , really appreciate it.
This is a link for the pen i am craving to get, i would really appreciate your advice, i know nothing about pens so maybe you guys could recommend me one much better for a better price or slightly higher.
Waterman Hemisphere Stainless Steel CT Fountain Pen

[cassady]

You need to clean out the pen. There are dried ink chunks in there. It's also possible that there is a reaction between the two inks: sometimes two inks will mix without a problem; other times, they will combine to form a ball of sludge. In general, you should generally clean your pen before putting in a different brand of ink -- and even sometimes a different color of the same brand will have a different formulation and react.

There are a variety of ways to clean out your pen.

The easiest is to soak it overnight in a solution of 10% ammonia -- beware, though, as on cheap pens this can sometimes discolor the plastic. Rotring has a solution which doesn't, but it's expensive.

If your pen has a cartrage refiller (the insert which draws ink up from a bottle) you can draw in the ammonia solution and then push it out into a different container. Draw in, push out until the solution comes out clear.

You can use a turkey baster or a ear cleaner thingie (can't think of the proper name) to do the same thing. I use a flavor injector with a piece of aquarium tubing attached, and a number of handmade adaptors.

You can also put the pen into an ultrasonic cleaner. While this is the option of many pros, it can vibrate some parts out of pens, and is not completely without risk, although sometimes, particularly for really gummed up pens this is the best option, sometimes combined with one of the above.

I use fountain pens (a large rotation; I currently have more fountain pens than razors) and old Koh-i-noor Rapidographs as my standard writing instruments. The rapidos in particular need lots of care, but I can write in a variety of widths and colors of my choice.

Hope this helps some,

cass

[SIB]

I made a little research, apparently there is a site called the fountain pen network where people are as crazy for pens as we are for razors.....i found out that the ink (purple) i used the second time around is not a solution ,therefore can not be used in my fountain pen, its an ink designed for dipping.
So now i have to clean the way cassidy recomend it (amonia solution) because this ink has a lot of dies and very thick deposits that clog the nib, and then obviously refill it with regular ink.
Really looking forward to see it working again, thanks guys!