Ask TGS: Common Questions on Fountain Pens, including Hard Starting Pens and Staining Inks

Welcome back to another installment of “Ask TGS”! I get a LOT of mail, whether it’s e-mail, snail mail, or social media DMs, and unfortunately there’s no way I can respond to it all. I’m therefore trying to devote at least one post per month to answering the more frequently asked questions, and eventually plan to compile these posts into a FAQ resource. This week’s selection of questions focuses on fountain pens and common performance issues, including skipping/hard-starting and - gasp - the possibility of ink staining the pen.

Question 1: I recently purchased my first fountain pen and inked it up out of the box. The pen tends to skip and hard start. Is this normal for a new Pen?

I get this question in the mailbag a few times each year. While it’s never “normal” for a fountain pen to skip and/or hard start, it’s not uncommon, especially in brand new pens. The usual culprit is residual oil or other miscellaneous residue in the nib left over from the manufacturing process. For this reason, I hardly ever ink a pen right out of the box - typically I’ll use a bulb syringe to flush the pen with a mixture of water and a drop of diluted dish soap, and then flush the pen again with water before inking it up for the first time.

If problems persist, I usually suggest that you write with the pen for a day or two and see whether the issue resolves itself. For whatever reason, some fountain pen nibs need a “break in” period to adjust themselves to your hand, but this should never take longer than a couple of days of writing. If you are still having issues at that point, I would contact the seller or manufacturer and follow their instructions.

A note on terminology: “Skipping” occurs when the ink stops flowing while you are writing. A “hard start” occurs when you can’t get ink to flow after you cap the pen or stop writing for a bit.

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Don’t automatically assume that gold nibs are “better” than steel nibs just because they’re more expensive. It all comes down to feel and personal writing preference.

Question 2: What is the difference between a gold nib and a steel nib on a fountain pen? Does the gold nib cost more because it performs better?

The gold nib costs more because it is made of gold and sometimes has a more involved manufacturing/finishing process. While you will often see gold nibs referred to as “higher quality” and an “upgrade,” that’s not necessarily the case in terms of performance. Many fountain pen users - especially those who prefer a firmer nib that writes a drier line - favor steel nibs, and I’ve even used softer steel nibs that I’ve found indistinguishable from gold. Generally speaking, gold nibs tend to write “softer” and “wetter” than steel nibs, and a wet pen nearly always feels “smoother” on the page, leading to the common misconception that gold nibs are always smoother writers than steel. It really comes down to personal preference: If you’ve never used a fountain pen with a gold nib, I strongly encourage new users to either visit a pen show or pen club and test one out in person before making the investment. If you don’t have access to in-person meetups and events, pens like the Pilot Custom 74 and certain models of the Lamy Studio still feature a gold nib option for around the same price point as a more expensive steel nib pens (sub-$200), allowing you to experiment without breaking the bank.

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I love my crazy Inkvent inks but probably would not use them in my prized celluloid pens.

Will ___ Ink Stain My Pen? Is it “Safe” to Use?

There’s really no way to make a categorical statement about what inks are “safe” and what inks are capable of staining or ruining a pen, because so many different variables are in play. My response to this question is always the same: If you have a specific pen that you are concerned about staining, then you should only use blue or black ink made by a company that manufactures fountain pens (preferably the company that made your pen). Even this doesn’t guarantee that your pen will remain pristine. It will, however, keep the pen under warranty. Many pen companies reserve the right to refuse to honor warranties for things like staining and discoloration if you use inks manufactured by another company.

That said, the only materials I really worry about staining are celluloids and clear, white or cream colored resins. Outside of these materials, I’ve found that most acrylics and resins used in modern fountain pens typically clean fairly easily. In terms of colors, purple and red inks tend to stain the most, and highly saturated inks (including with heavy sheen) should be used with caution in pens susceptible to staining.

I hope you find this post helpful. If you have questions that you’d like answered, please send an e-mail through the “Contact” link with “Ask TGS” in the subject line. I maintain a list of questions to be answered and will hopefully be able to respond in some form or fashion. You can view earlier installments here and here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely through The T.G.S. Curated Shop and the TGS Patreon Program. We truly appreciate all of our readers and customers!

Fountain Pen Basics: 5 Best Practices for Fountain Pen Users

If there's one thing I really enjoy after nearly a decade in the business, it's knowing that appreciation of pens, ink, and paper isn't some hipster fad, that analog tools aren't going anywhere despite the pressure to digitize everything, and there are still many people out there who have only recently discovered our little niche on the internet. Given the volume of new readers and the large number of questions I've received about "Fountain Pen 101"-type topics, it's helpful to revisit the basics, for both new users and even those of us who are more experienced. Below are five pointers I always offer to new users who ask about fountain pens, particularly those who seem hesitant due to the fountain pen’s reputation for being fussy and high-maintenance. At the end of the day, it's fairly easy to care for a fountain pen, keeping a few things in mind.

Clean Your Pens Regularly

Pen cleaning routines range from the ad hoc ("whenever the ink runs out - every week/month/YEAR?") to the highly regimented ("once a week whether the pen is empty or not"). Personally, I'm not very strict about cleaning, but I try to keep it to once every two months at a minimum. I plan to write a longer resource on pen cleaning techniques for different filling systems, but 90% of the time I simply flush the pen with water. The other 10% of the time, a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner normally does the trick, and it’s rare that I ever use anything other than water mixed with a tiny drop of dish soap to flush a stubborn pen. You can read more about my basic process for cleaning most fountain pens here.

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Use Water-Based Inks Intended for Fountain Pens

If you spend any amount of time on the pen internet, you'll read countless "blacklists" of inks that aren't "safe", that stain, or that will "dissolve plastic." Many of these horror stories are apocryphal tales that started with a grain of truth but are mostly exaggerated. At the end of the day, if an ink is marketed as being "for fountain pens", it is mostly likely ok to use in your pen. If you have an especially rare or precious pen that you don't want to stain or damage, I strongly recommend using only blue or black ink made by a pen manufacturer. Otherwise, there can be no guarantee that dyes uses in red, orange, purple, or other color inks won't stain your pen, and you proceed at your own risk with inks marketed as “permanent”, “super sheening,” “shimmering” or featuring other “special properties.”

For the most part, staining is the real risk. Even if a fountain pen ink dries out in a pen and the ink no longer flows, you typically can fix the problem by flushing the pen with water. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE INDIA INK, CALLIGRAPHY INK, OR ANY INK MARKED AS BEING FOR ART OR DIP PENS ONLY, AS THESE CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE PENS IF THEY DRY INSIDE THE FEED OR THE FILLING SYSTEM. SOME ARE ESSENTIALLY PAINT. All of the inks we carry in our shop are intended for fountain pens. You can read more about inks that I consider “safe” here, and why sometimes “boring is better.”

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Invest in a Well-Made Pen Case

Protect your pens when you're not using them, or when you're carrying them to and from work. I strongly encourage people to actually use their pens as intended - some dings and scratches are inevitable - but you don't want to risk a pen getting dropped, stepped on, or cracked because it rolls off a desk when not in use. You don't need to spend a lot of money here. Not only do we live in a modern "golden age" of pens, ink, and paper, but the number of pen cases and case designs readily available has absolutely exploded in recent years and you can find anything from single-pen sleeves to 36-pen albums, to handcrafted wooden pen boxes that look great on a desk or bookshelf. Read more on different types of cases here.

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If someone asks to try my fountain pen, I always start with two questions: (1) Have you ever used one before? and (2) Show me how you hold your pen. If the answer to question two is anything like this picture, continue reading below.

Don’t Lend Your Nice Pens to People Who Don’t Know What They’re Doing

This is a controversial "rule", but it's one that I follow. I keep a few inexpensive steel nib fountain pens on me to lend out to those who want to try writing with a fountain pen or express curiosity, but I'll politely decline to lend my nicer pens, especially those with gold nibs. It's something of a myth that you shouldn't allow others to write with your pens because the nib "adjusts to your hand" and letting someone else use the pen ruins it - the real risk is damage. People who are used to writing with modern ballpoint or gel pens that require a lot of pressure can bend the tines, requiring a costly repair.

That said, DO share your pens at pen club or a pen show. There's little to no risk in allowing a knowledgeable person to test out a fountain pen.

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USE Your Pens Regularly

In my experience, any nib writes better after a short "break-in" period, and to a certain extent, a pen will adjust to your hand over time (but the effect is just not as dramatic as some would have you believe). Making sure your pens get used therefore not only ensures that you'll get the best value from your purchase, but I've found that it does help keep things writing smoothly. Note: If you use your pens regularly, and/or have some sort of system for rotating through your collection, you'll also remember to clean them.

I'm listening!

If you're a new user, or someone still relatively new to fountain pens, what would you like to know? For experienced users, what do you wish someone had told you about pens early on - perhaps something that would have saved you a lot of trouble, heartbreak, or money? Drop a suggestion in the comments or via the “Contact” link up top!

This post does not contain paid third-party advertising or affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

To Eyedropper or Not to Eyedropper, That Is the Question

As part of this general trend of downsizing everything to a more manageable size, I’ve been trying to write dry all of the various fountain pens that I have inked up, and wow, is that hard to do when so many of them are cartridge-converter pens set up as eyedroppers. I go back and forth on whether, overall, I enjoy eyedroppering. While it’s nice to have the ginormous ink capacity, I’m not sure that convenience outweighs the various downsides given where I live and my current work/life situation.

A Bit of Background

For those new to pens, an “eyedropper” or “eyedroppering” is when you manually fill the barrel of a fountain pen with, well, an eyedropper directly from a bottle of ink. In today’s fountain pen market, there are two types of eyedroppers: Japanese-style eyedropper pens, which comes equipped with a valve system you can use to prevent leaks when you’re not writing, and the “converted” eyedropper, which is essentially a cartridge-converter pen sealed in a manner that allows you to use the full barrel as an ink reservoir. Eyedropper fountain pens can be great for those of us who do a lot of writing, as they can easily hold 3-5ml of ink in the barrel, depending on the size of the pen.

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The Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen in Amber (right) is eyedroppered.

To Eyedropper, or Not to Eyedropper

At this point in my fountain pen “career,” I’m not as much of a serial ink changer and mostly enjoy using the same handful of colors, so I can appreciate not having to refill fountain pens very often. That said, the recent hot weather here in balmy Tennessee reminds me of the many downsides to eyedropper fountain pens, namely drastic temperature swings moving outdoors to the car to the office, which causes the pen to burp - no, belch, ink into the cap unless there’s a valve mechanism like that available in the Opus 88 series. For this reason, I’m personally moving away from eyedroppers in favor of other filling options, unless the pen in question has a shut-off valve.

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The sections of the Schon DSGN Engineered Plastics Fountain Pens come with o-rings installed. No silicone grease is necessary, though some people choose to use it for double protection against leaks.

For those who live in more moderate climates, or who view maximizing ink capacity and eyedroppering as a challenge they absolutely cannot pass up, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your eyedropper fountain pens behave and don’t cover you in ink.

• Add O-Rings or Silicon Grease. If you don’t seal the threads around the section and the screw in nib unit, ink will eventually migrate up the threads and leak. Silicon grease is inexpensive and can be purchased from many pen shops. You only need to use a small amount (just enough to coat and fill the area between the threads), and for the section, a thin rubber o-ring will work as well. (Schon DSGN plastic pens, discussed below, already come equipped with o-rings and “eyedropper ready”.)

• Fill ‘er Up! If you’re going to be flying with the pen, or otherwise moving between locations with large temperature or air pressure swings, make sure the pen is full before travel. It’s counterintuitive, but a full pen without any air in the barrel is much less likely to leak. The number one cause of fountain pen “inkcidents” is air expansion due to shifts in temperature and pressure, which causes air in the barrel to expand, pushing ink out the nib. For more on traveling/flying with fountain pens, check out this post here.

• Keep the Pens Nibs Up. The main reason I prefer the Opus 88-style eyedropper pens is because you don’t have to worry about this factor. I’m back to commuting 3-4 days a week, so my pens are going with me in the car each day. In addition to the wild temperature swings we’ve been experiencing, I’ve had issues with ink leaking out if my briefcase falls over or my pen case shifts sideways, not to mention if I’m flying and have to slide my carry-on bag under the seat or into the overhead compartment.

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Franklin-Christoph Model 20 (left) and Model 03 (right, orange pen) generally make good eyedroppers if you remove the converter and apply grease.

What Are the Best Fountain Pens for Eyedroppering?

Generally speaking, any plastic or acrylic pens without holes in the barrel or internal metal parts can be eyedroppered. (Metal doesn’t play well with liquid, though some people have had success with non-reactive titanium. Personally, I don’t tempt fate.) That said, there are a few brands that market their pens as “eyedropper friendly,” with caveats. Note that these will all require some work on your part to convert from cartridge-converter to eyedropper, as I’ve noted above, with the exception of the Opus 88 eyedroppers.

• Most Franklin-Christoph Fountain Pens. I’m partial to the Model 20, which has a slip cap and a No. 6 JoWo Nib. Their smaller pens that feature the No. 5 JoWo nib also have better inkflow when eyedroppered, in my opinion. (This is due to the nib and feed, not the pen design.)

• Schon DSGN Engineered Plastics Collection. You can read my full write-up here, but as I mentioned above, these pens come equipped with multiple o-rings to make them as eyedropper-friendly as possible.

• Most Acrylic or Ebonite Bespoke or Custom Pens. Buy a pen from Shawn Newton or Edison Pens, and you can probably eyedropper it, provided you add silicone grease or an o-ring. If you’re ordering a custom pen specifically to be used as an eyedropper, let them know and they may be able to design the pen to maximize the ink capacity.

I hope you found this post helpful! Going forward, I’d like to write more of this type of “Fountain Pens 101” content. If there are topics that you’d like to hear or learn more about, leave a comment or drop me a line via the “Contact Me!” page. I’d love to hear from you!

NOTE: We are clearing out a lot of our store in anticipation of a site redesign/redirection. Take 10% off all orders using the coupon code SUMMER at checkout, in addition to already low clearance pricing on certain items. Excludes certain brands, including TWSBI and Lochby.

This post does not contain affiliate links or paid advertising. Any third-party links are uncompensated referrals.

Fountain Pen Maintenance: How I Clean My Fountain Pens

Every once in a while I like to take things back to basics and talk a bit about how to care for, maintain, and store fountain pens. While not as “high-maintenance” and messy as some would have you believe, fountain pens definitely require more attention than your typical ballpoint or rollerball in order to maintain an enjoyable writing experience. So what brought this particular topic to mind today? Well, I finally have a sink in my dedicated work area, so I can actually flush out some pens that I’ve been waiting to clean since the Baltimore Pen Show back in March.

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For 90% of cleaning jobs, you need little more than a glass of water, a towel, and (maybe) a bulb syringe.

My cleaning process is pretty simple, and I follow three steps:

• Start (and Finish) With Water. Most of the time, since I use fairly unexciting inks without permanence, shimmer, sparkles, extreme iron gall content, etc., I can make do with a glass of water. I can flush the pen by running plain water through the filling mechanism 5 or 6 times, and that’s typically more than sufficient to clean the pen to a point where you won’t have old ink drying up in the feed and clogging the pen, nor will you see traces of the previous ink when you go to refill it. To dry the pen out I will usually (GENTLY) place the pen nib down in a glass with a folded paper towel or tissue at the bottom for padding, which will wick out any remaining inky water. Note: Some people will probably flip out when they hear that I place the flushed pens nib-down to dry. I’ve never damaged a pen this way but as with everything here, proceed at your own risk and do what you are comfortable with.

• Proceed to Water + Dish Detergent for Stubborn Messes. If I have a fountain pen where the ink has dried out, or a pen that was inked with a super-saturated color or shimmer ink, I will add a drop of dish detergent (i.e., Dawn) to a large glass of water and repeat step one. 9/10 times, this fixes any problem I have cleaning stubborn pens. In my experience, “pen flush” or dedicated cleaning fluids are almost always unnecessary, though they can sometimes speed up the cleaning process. Buy them from a pen store (preferably a pen manufacturer) and don’t try to make your own with ammonia, diluted Windex, etc. Certainly don’t use them with expensive pens or rare materials like celluloid or other vintage plastics because you never truly know what’s in them or how the material will react.

  • Buy a Bulb Syringe. For either of these first two steps, you might want to pick up a bulb syringe. For cartridge-converter pens, it’s easier to flush water through the section using the bulb syringe than it is the converter, which doesn’t move much water at all. Just be sure to grip the section firmly because a bulb syringe can form a seal and cause the section to go shooting across the room if you’re not careful.

• Buy an Ultrasonic Cleaner. IF you think you need one. That’s a big “IF” for me, because I hardly ever break mine out, and when I do it’s for pens like the Parker 51, Lamy 2000, or other hooded-nibs where flushing the pen is inadequate because it doesn’t necessarily get water to all parts of the feed. Vacumatic fountain pens are also easier to clean with an Ultrasonic, since the filling mechanism doesn’t push water through the feed with much force.

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Cartridge-Converter section with a bulb syringe attached. It takes no time at all to clean a nib/section using the bulb syringe to flush water through the feed.

For tough jobs, a $40 ultrasonic jewelry cleaner (purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond or Amazon on sale) is all the “heavy equipment” you’ll need. I typically use plain water, though you can add a drop of dish detergent if you like. Just be sure to flush the pen clean afterwards. (And if you’re considering remodeling, a grey or black sink is a nice upgrade to your “pen room” to hide the ink stains!)

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Drying cleaned fountain pens nibs-down, which allows any remaining inky water to leach out. Just be sure to rest the nibs on a folded paper towel. As you can see, I don’t baby my pens.

Final Thoughts and Further Reading

To summarize my philosophy on cleaning fountain pens: Clean relatively frequently and go slowly, only adding substances other than water to the cleaning process if absolutely necessary. I think you’ll find that for most inks and most pens, it’s not. For some additional information and further reading on techniques for cleaning specific types of filling systems, check out this previous post.

I will likely do a further post on this topic at a later date, but favorite high-ink-capacity pens that are easy to clean include the TWSBI 580 piston filler, and the Opus 88 Japanese-style eyedroppers. I was able to flush all of these demonstrator pens perfectly clean in less than a minute since the sections separate and allow you to access the interior. Run them under the sink and/or flush them with a syringe.

This post does not contain third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and memberships via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.