A couple of fountain pen questions

[Tango Yankee]

First off, when will there be a separate fountain pen forum?

Second... I have a Waterman fountain pen that was given to me by my wife a few years ago. I haven't used it very often but a few weeks ago I was using it an absent-mindedly slipped it into my shirt pocket like I would a ball-point pen. A few hours later I looked down and saw a large blue ink spot on what was one of my favorite shirts. (No, this isn't a "how do I get the ink out" question.)

This is what I think happened. I was using an ink cartridge. I'm guessing that the cartridge, when put into the pen, didn't make a very good seal around the part that pierces the cartridge and it leaked while the pen was in use. Then, when the pen was placed in my pocket upside down the ink flowed back through the body and seeped out the end.

Naturally, I'm afraid to put the pen in my pocket any more. Is this a common issue?

Also, I've decided to switch to converters. Is this an issue with them?

And last... I bought a few converters and several bottles of different-colored ink. If I decide to switch between colors do I have to drain the ink out of the converter back into the bottle or will it keep OK in the converter?

I do like writing with my Waterman and would like to obtain more fountain pens even though my writing (how I write, not what I write) doesn't do them justice. I'm just concerned with whether or not I can trust them not to leak regularly.

Any comments from you fountain pen fans will be welcome!

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Hemingway Jones]

The cap was on when it was in your pocket?

 

[Tango Yankee]

The cap was on when it was in your pocket?

Yes, and clipped to the shirt pocket so the nib was up. The ink seeped out of the bottom, which is why I think it leaked from the cartridge while I was writing.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

That's an odd place to leak from. I am thinking of my Waterman Charleston which has a cap at that end that can unscrew to work the converted, so you do not technically need to unscrew it by the element, though why unscrewing it one place over another is a benefit, I am not sure.

It is possible, as I am sure you have already guessed, that the cartridge wasn't pushed down far enough. The ink must have leaked during use and it must have been a lot of it to then drip down the entire pen. There was no evidence after the fact to recreate where it could have come from?

This has never happened to me, by the way. I use converters exclusively and only one color at a time. Sometimes, I empty them back into the ink bottle and refill with another color. I rarely rinse them for a fresh color and rather prefer a mix and mottled transition shade, but I am just weird that way.

A fountain pen should never leak. None of mine ever have. That pen may need servicing. I would try it with a converter, and I would keep an eye on it.

Good luck and do not give up. They are worth the effort.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Thanks, HJ

I agree, I love writing with a fountain pen but had fallen into the "use it only for special things" mentality. I do think that if I'm going to do so regularly I'm going to have to improve my penmenship, though, to do the pen justice!

As for the leakage, next time I'll make sure the cartridge or converter is seated tightly when I insert it.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[John in Covina]

Try cleaning it with cool water and wipe carefully the sealing areas. Make sure the cartridge is completely pressed against the pen where it is pierced. If it happens again try a pen repair person or a return to Waterman.

 

[staggerwing]

I use a Waterman all the time, and when I'm not writing with it, it stays in my shirt pocket. Never had any problems with leaking, but I've never used the ink cartridge. When it was in your pocket, was the nib pointing up or down? When I was in elementry school, for some reason they made us use cartridge pens. Of course, as we were kids, our parents got the cheapest ones they could find. The darn things leaked all the time. I generally had more ink on me that on the paper by the end of the day. As a side note, never absent-mindedly chew on an ink cartridge. Yuk! Anyway, I was so trumatized that I didn't try a fountain pen for another 41 years! I got mine after reading about them on this forum, and now won't use anything else.

 

[John in Covina]

General Fountain Pen Info

On Using Fountain Pens:

Do not press hard with a fountain pen, you may damaged the nib or misalign the feed. This can result in ink flow problems. By design the ink should flow just by touching the nib sweet spot to the paper. Just resting the nib on the paper will create the flow and the writer need only control the pen without tight gripping or pressing hard as with the ballpoint pens. Fountain pens are favored as the least tiring and best pen for long term writing or note taking. Pen manufacturers suggest not loaning your pen to others as the nib adjusts to your hand writing and style.

Fresh ink is suggested. You may wish to consider replacing inks where the bottle has been opened for over a year and dispose of ink that is contaminated or if anything has grown in it! NEVER use India ink or drawing ink, these are not formulated for fountain pens and will clog the pen. These clogs may be impossible to clean and permanently damage the pen. Never use regular fountain pen ink for check writing, these inks are washable and can easily be altered.

Flush your pen with cold water thoroughly when not in use for a period of a few weeks or more and store it flushed out. Flush when changing colors or brands of ink or about every 3 months of use. Flush by filling with cold water as you would fill with ink. Flush until the water comes out clear.

Flushing can be done using one third household (non-sudsing) ammonia or regular Formula 409 with two thirds cold water. This is useful with new fountain pens prior to their first filling with ink. Here flushing can remove any traces of manufacturing oils, grease or releasing agents that can interfere with the normal ink flow.

Some papers are not good for use with a fountain pen. These are papers that are coated chemically and can cause skipping. They may clog the nib and the nib will need cleaning. Recycled paper can have these chemicals as part of their original content and are not advised. Some printers, copiers and fax machines also leave residue that can interfere with your ink flow, flushing maybe required after such an incident. Rough papers may catch the nib of a fine point or italic and can cause feathering of the ink when writing.

Regular refilling is recommended, as a pen that is near empty may leak due to air pressure changes. A near empty ink bladder or reservoir that is mostly air can be heated by your hand and the pressure will increase inside forcing too much ink out and creating a leak. Travel by aircraft can cause a similar leakage, so most say travel with either fully filled pens or completely empty.

 

[John in Covina]

More on the Formula 409 Trick

BALKY FOUNTAIN PENS? FORMULA 409 TRICK!

Have you ever had a new fountain pen that just won't write well? You’ve filled it with your favorite ink and it skips or won't write at all. Well friend, the culprit may be releasing agents, grease or oils left over from manufacturing that is interfering with the delivery of ink.

Stylofiles magazine gave this pointer, which they do on every fountain pen before testing it for their article. But use caution, you may damage a pen if the chemicals attack a part, so no long term soaking! Bare aluminum is most susceptible to chemical damage of the metals but even steel will corrode if left soaking in chemically laden water. Celluloid is fairly strong but damage is possible if left in soaking too long. Casein should neither be soaked nor have any chemicals applied to it, it’s very susceptible to damage. The caveat: Do NOT DAMAGE YOUR PENS! We are not responsible for any damages to pens!

VERSION ONE
Take regular Formula 409 and a small glass like a cordial or shot glass. Spray some 409 in the glass and mix with 3 to 4 parts of COLD water. Dip the nib and feed in the mixture then fill and flush the converter or filling system with the mixture for 1 or 2 minutes. Then replace the mixture with plain COLD water and flush for a minute replace water and flush repeat replacing and flushing again and again for a couple more minutes so no trace of the Formula 409 remains. Then fill with new, clean ink. The writing should be much improved if the oil or grease was the culprit. Be sure to empty the pen of all ink first then flush with plain water before using the cleaning mixture. Always use COLD water as warm or hot can damage the feed!

VERSION TWO
This is supposed to work on both new and older pens that are
presenting a skipping on no flow challenge. Stylus Magazine and some pen aficionados contend that both Formula 409 and Simple Green are too harsh to use on pens. Their alternate flusher and cleaner is a solution you can easily mix up. Mix 1 Tablespoon of Clear (non-sudsing) Household Ammonia to 2/3rds cup of Cold Water. Flush with this mixture and then flush thoroughly with PLAIN cold water to remove any residue as listed above for version one.

 

[ilcatex]

I write all day with a fountain pen, 5-6 days a week and my only leak was when I forgot to empty it before flying. Sounds like physical damage, or a bad cartridge? Your post will make me think twice as I place it in my shirt from now on....

Has anyone experienced a malfunction you KNOW was due to a bad cartridge? I would be curious as to cause...

 

[riflegunbuilder]

Be careful. I read the fountain pen thread on this site a year or so ago. Now I still have about the same # of hats, and about 65 fountain pens.