Care of your Fountain Pen

A fountain pen can last a lifetime, certainly with care it will serve you many years. With regular use it will flow with consistency. Most quality pen manufactures offer guarantees that give you reassurance.

Cleaning the Mechanism

Cleaning of a fountain pen is advised from time to time. If a pen has not been used for some months, or if changing the colour of the ink you use.

Unscrew the barrel and remove the ink cartridge or converter. Hold the nib unit under a lukewarm running tap, then wrap in tissue and shake out remaining water. If the pen has not been used for awhile you may need to repeat this process as the ink may have congealed. If the pen appears clogged the nib can be left for some hours with the nib facing down in cool water, with luck this should dissolve the ink that remains. The construction behind the nib is usually a comb shape which transfers the ink down to the writing tip. Lack of maintenance will create a stop/go ink flow when writing.

After washing be patient as the first attempt at writing may appear "watery" until the residue from washing clears.



The ink feeds down behind the nib, this can clog and
regular washing can maintain good ink flow.

Surface finishes

To clean most surfaces use a soft cloth. Do not use polishes, abrasives or solvents. Matt finishes clean easily with mild soap and water. Clean sterling silver with a treated jewellers cloth or small amount of silver polish and a soft cloth to remove tarnish. Never use a "dirty" cloth as the particles of crime may scratch your pen. On brass, chrome or stainless steel, use a clean damp soft cloth.


A silver pen should always be polished with a
clean cloth to avoid scratching
Air Travellers

Changes in cabin air pressure during a flight may cause a fountain pen to leak. Carry them upright with the nib pointed up and the cap on. If in doubt do not carry them in the pocket of you best suit or for ladies avoid that designer handbag !

Filling your Fountain Pen

With a cartridge, be sure you have the correct make, most quality fountain pens require their own cartridge. Unscrew the barrel and be sure to place the right end into the nib section. Some pens will require you to press the cartridge into place and others will be pierced by the action of screwing the barrel back on. Check the instructions and if in doubt speak to your nearest pen specialist.

Filling with a converter, unscrew the barrel, place the nib in the ink bottle so the nib is submerged. At this stage the plunger should be down so when you slide or twist the ink will draw upwards into the converter. Remove from the ink bottle with care and screw the barrel on. Using a tissue remove any surplus ink from around the nib end. The choice of ink and colour is a personal decision. We offer over twenty colours, some inks should not be used in a fountain pen: Indian ink, white, most gold or silver. These inks can clog damage your pen.

Which pen to buy?

There is no straight forward answer to this question. A Mini could take you to the same destination as a Rolls Royce. Both can be appreciated. A budget pen can write for years but the pleasure of a beautiful pen can make the task of writing a joy. So what increases the price of a good pen? The general construction, design, quality and strength of the materials. Addition of silver or gold trim adds luxury. Laquer finishes some times requiring many processes, add beauty by colour. Many makes including Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, Cross, Visconti and Lamy have produced writing instruments for many years they are established and reliable. So the choice is yours !

General Information

A steel nib or gold plated nib (steel under the plate) with usually be of equal strength. A solid gold nib that will cost more is a softer metal.

When writing use reasonable pressure. Never press so hard that the nib bends, as this will change the ink flow and probably damage the nib and the paper. Your choice of paper may influence the ink flow. A new pen can often take time to write as smoothly as you desire. Gradually it will ware to your position of grip and pressure you apply. It is therefore recommended that only the owner uses a fountain pen.

Care for your pen and it may serve you a lifetime!

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