A fountain pen rewards a little care with years of smooth writing. The two things that keep it happy are occasional cleaning and sensible storage. Neither is difficult — here’s the routine.
How often to clean
Flush your pen every 4–8 weeks with regular use, whenever you change ink colors, or any time it starts skipping, hard-starting, or writing drier than usual. Dried ink in the feed is the most common cause of flow problems.
How to clean a fountain pen
- Empty it. Remove the cartridge or expel the remaining ink from the converter.
- Flush with cool water. Run cool (never hot) tap water through the nib and section. If it has a converter, draw clean water up and push it out repeatedly until the water runs clear.
- Soak if needed. For stubborn dried ink, let the nib section sit in a cup of cool water for a few hours or overnight.
- Dry. Gently blot the nib on a soft cloth or paper towel and let the pen air-dry nib-up for several hours before re-inking.
Avoid hot water (it can damage some materials), soap or solvents (unless using a product made for pens), and never force anything into the nib slit.
How to store a fountain pen
- Store it nib-up if inked and used regularly, so ink doesn’t pool and leak into the cap.
- Always keep the cap on to stop the nib drying out.
- For long storage, clean it out first and store it empty — dried ink in an unused pen is the usual cause of a clogged nib.
- Keep it out of heat and direct sun, and carry it nib-up in a case or pen sleeve to prevent leaks.
If it still won’t write
A pen that skips after cleaning usually just needs the ink to re-saturate the feed — write a few loops and give it a minute. If problems persist, a longer soak with a drop of pen-safe cleaning solution usually clears it. For everything else fountain-pen, see how to use a fountain pen and our best fountain pens for journaling.
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