Japan, we need to talk...

[awa54]

So, I've been picking up some *really* nice vintage (late 50s to early 80s) Japanese pens lately and *almost every one* has been clogged with either sumi or some other extremely pigment-dense black ink.

This sampling makes me think that many Japanese fountain pens end their careers in resale shops, because they won't write anymore and a simple soak-n-flush can't budge the crusty carbon based pigment that's caked in the collector fins and feed channels. One of my recent acquisitions even had a big (well bigger than anything I've ever seen stuck in a nib!) goober of black crud come out of the nib slit when I flossed it after cleaning the feed hadn't gotten it writing again O_O Makes me so glad that I recently bought a small ultrasonic cleaner!

Japan, I love you, I love your pens, but can you please just quit it with the sumi? ;)

[azkid]

If I could actually get a bargain on a sumi clogged Japanese pen (say a Murex?), I'd be fine with that... But I'm guessing sellers charge extra for rare, vintage carbon particle encrustment.

[awa54]

With a high interest pen like a Myu or Murex, the sumi crust is gratis :D

...and the clean ones usually go for $150-$300 depending on condition and nib size.

[Zou]

My grandfather's pens (not Japanese) were also clogged, and his dip nibs dirty. Also they look they they were thoroughly chewed on (by dog or human I don't know), but that's besides the point...

The problem at issue is that when someone passes away or becomes senile, if no one else cares about their pens they are generally in the state in which they were last used. During the person's lifetime they were probably well serviced and cleaned diligently by the original owner.

I think in the case of people who are massive collectors we'll obviously see more pens of yesteryear in perfect condition, perhaps only inked once or twice with a gentle dye based ink ;)

Naturally there's other ways this could have happened, someone receiving a fountain pen who just didn't know what ink to use and didn't have internet to find out / didn't think there could be a wrong ink to use, but I think I've painted a pretty realistic scenario.

I'm really curious about vintage pens, but I'm not sure I want to buy all the tools needed to fix them up. I'm sure there's some real bargains out there.

[awa54]

My grandfather's pens (not Japanese) were also clogged, and his dip nibs dirty. Also they look they they were thoroughly chewed on (by dog or human I don't know), but that's besides the point...

The problem at issue is that when someone passes away or becomes senile, if no one else cares about their pens they are generally in the state in which they were last used. During the person's lifetime they were probably well serviced and cleaned diligently by the original owner.

I think in the case of people who are massive collectors we'll obviously see more pens of yesteryear in perfect condition, perhaps only inked once or twice with a gentle dye based ink ;)

Naturally there's other ways this could have happened, someone receiving a fountain pen who just didn't know what ink to use and didn't have internet to find out / didn't think there could be a wrong ink to use, but I think I've painted a pretty realistic scenario.

I'm really curious about vintage pens, but I'm not sure I want to buy all the tools needed to fix them up. I'm sure there's some real bargains out there.



Hi Zou,

I'm certain that you're right on the mark with that assesment, I was both venting a bit and trying to add levity... if I can get a chuckle *and* talk about awesome vintage pens, all the better!

The same thing happens in the US, just with india ink instead of sumi.

On the subject of restoration, the modern Japanese pens, with plastic feeds and cartridge filling systems are easy to work on as long as you have a collar wrench to unscrew the feed lock rings (make them from 7mm brass tubing for Pilot, 6mm tubing for Platinum, I haven't done a Sailor yet, but my guess is that the Pilot wrench I crafted will fit). a blunted double edge razor blade works for cleaning feed channels, an ultrasonic cleaner is a help, but soaking and an old toothbrush are almost as effective.

Older friction fit nibs have a learning curve and sometimes are challenging to get apart after decades of sitting, but if you can find some junk pens to practice on the skill set isn't all that hard to develop.