How should I clean my fountain pen?
FAQ 17.0 by Burt Janz
  Article # 235 Article Type: FAQ

17.0 How should I clean my fountain pen?

Use the exact same process you use to fill the pen with ink, but use water instead. Plain, cool, clear tap water. No additives are necessary. Continue to flush the pen with water until the water runs clear.

It isn't necessary to do this at a sink. I have an old pickle jar that I washed out very well and filled with plain tap water (we have a filter on the kitchen sink tap). I dip the nib/feed fully into the water and exercise the plunger a few times until the water runs mostly clear.

Don't use hot water! Some pens are made of materials which will deform in hot water, making the pens good candidates for the "circular bin". Don't use chemical cleaners either.You don't have to be a fanatic about cleaning, either. Ink is basically just plain water with dye in it. It's still ok for there to be a "hint" of color in the rinse water, as long as the water runs fairly clear.

Remember: just plain, clear, cool tap water.

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