If you've ever rinsed pens/parts in the sink...

[ChrisC]

Close the drain!!!

Or better yet, do it in a separate basin, please! I almost lost the most smooth, wet, and wonderful 14k Visconti F nib down the drain. I dropped it as I was rinsing it, but I was able to save it , but just barely. It was right next to the drain and I pressed it against the metal rim of the drain. Now, that was scary. That would have been a $60-$220 mistake, depending on what I replaced the nib with.

So please, don't repeat my traumatic experience, and use a separate bowl.

[tandaina]

If it did go down, hopefully it would get caught in the j below the sink. Turn water off immediately and then disassemble the drain pipe! :P

[Sadiq]

If it did go down, hopefully it would get caught in the j below the sink. Turn water off immediately and then disassemble the drain pipe! :P

Exactly what I did when I dropped my Parker 45 14k nib (not as expensive to replace) & it slipped down the drain. Pretty scary experience! Lucky it was stuck in the U-trap...

Now I clean in a bowl with water...no runny taps for me anymore!

[jokeruk]

I too use a bowl - much more secure, even if it does take a little longer and a few refills from the tap.

[cwent2]

Water bottles, detergent cups and a large mason jar for dirty water.

works for me

[johnus]

Use a large shaving mug.

[paultyler_82]

I replaced the drains in my sink for exactly this purpose. I now have the sort of drains with the removable basket strainers... they work wonderfully for catching nibs and other items that like to slip loose unexpectedly.

[Chi Town]

Chis, you speak wisely!!! That could have been a miserable mistake and one that would've hurt that pocket book!

[ardgedee]

My pen cleaning station is a lunch tray with three small glass jars on it: one with soapy water (Dr. Bronner's), one with plain filtered water, and one empty, to catch the pen ejecta. The tray is over the sink when I do my pen cleaning, since the jars have to be refilled somewhat regularly if there's more than a light cleaning job to do.

The drains in the sink are covered with these:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51pebCoKtSL.jpg
About $1 at your local dollar store or Asian grocery, slightly more through Amazon. The sinks are always covered by these, because I don't want random small cookware or tableware going down the drain either. We use metal chopsticks at home and they seem to be magnetically attracted to unscreened drains.

[Jeph]

Exactly what ardgedee said. That might even be the exact same packagae that I got. $1 just as claimed.

Plus, don't forget the trap under the sink. Messy? Sure. But better than a lost nib.

[RayCornett]

I have wire mesh strainers in my drains at all times.

[79spitfire]

I know how to remove the sink traps...

ON ALL of my sinks. And no, not over just pens, I've had to retrieve a few jewelry items over the years!

[I like mango pudding]

I wasn't so lucky with mine. I lost a beautiful Pilot 1.5mm stub last month.

[GING GING]

I was trying to restore an old Parker 51. No luck, there. But now I can't find the tiny little nib. I'm afraid it went down the drain

[amk]

Yup, always do your nib business with a strainer in the sink.

From my experience, also, if you're taking out friction fit nibs, particularly if you're using latex for better grip, don't do so in the vicinity of crockery or glass jars or anything that can be knocked over, and PARTICULARLY not open bottles of ink. Those nibs stick, and stick, and stick, and then suddenly go whoosh.... and your flying arm is likely to encounter the single thing you least want to knock all over the room.

Good thing it was Waterman and not BSB.

[Chrissy]

I always do anything to do with FP's with the basket drainer type plug in the sink. Touch wood I haven't lost one yet.

OT amk's post reminded me of the time when I first started repairing ceramics. Out of a box from an auction I had a sardine dish that had a lid that was broken into two pieces. I had applied the adhesive and was trying to put on elastic bands to hold it all in position when it flew across the kitchen.

Then it was in four pieces.....:boom:

[Ronnie Aloha]

I lost a Kaweco nib last week. I had the strainer on but the nib must have been obscured by some soap suds so when lifted the strainer to see if it was in there it was nowhere to be found.

[orfew]

I use a basket strainer that has an open position that allows water through but not nibs or other valuables. I use it now after almost losing the nib and section of my Montblanc Mozart to an open drain. I managed to catch it before it went down. Since then I always use the basket strainer.

[Jon Szanto]

Before you even own a fountain pen, before you have even had the mildest vision of doing your own care/maintenance/restoration/repair, before any other investment...

... the most important tool you will ever use is your brain. Think before you do things.

[scrivelry]

almost losing the nib and section of my Montblanc Mozart to an open drain. I managed to catch it before it went down.


I do not even own a MB and I felt the gasp there between those two sentences...

[jks2014]

noted ，thanks

[JonV6]

I always wash mine inside a small hole sieve. The water and everything runs through very nicely but if I drop any parts (like I am inclined to do) nothing gets lost. It hasn't failed me yet, although I'm sure there's still time!

[ainterne]

Experience is something you get after you needed it...

[HOLE N ONE]

I take it that some of these nibs are pretty pricey

[amk]

Oh yes, another piece of advice.

When you have a pen repair to do, make sure your tube of glue and your tube of silicon grease don't get mixed up.

[RayCornett]

Something similar happened to me the other night. I was soaking a nib and feed in my pen flush in a small glass by the sink in the kitchen. There was another identical glass next to it with water in it. I brain farted and when I started to do the dishes I poured the wrong glass into the dishes in the disposal side of the double sink. It didn't hit me what I had done until a few minutes later when I remembered I was soaking a nib. I removed all the dishes thinking oh it's ok, the strainer is always in there. Much to my horror the strainer was not there. The nib wasn't in the disposal. I ended up finding it stuck to one of the glasses that was in the sink when I poured the glass out.

[amk]

Ray - that's a great story. My heart was in my mouth till I read the last sentence!

[FredRydr]

Doesn't anyone else wash their pens in the dishwasher?

Fred