I have a Sheaffer pen that is clogged up from old ink. What can I soak the nib in to
clean it out?
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I have a Sheaffer pen that is clogged up from old ink. What can I soak the nib in to
clean it out?
Some suggest soap and luke warm water, natural soap or basic dish washing liquid. I went for this advice and have not had any adverse effects on my pens. I disassembled parts completely and let them dry over night before I assembled. There are special pen cleaning liquids (water based), on some inks like Parker Quink, you can get far with just lukewarm water. If it's modern relatively inexpensive pen and the dried up grime is stubbern, you can sort to a bit of amonia in the soapy water, some have soaked parts in alcohol. It can be a bit risky for some materials, especially vintage pens, and I'm not sure about ebonite feed.
Generally; taking it appart (nib, feed, section,...) rinsing with soapy water and (if needed) scraping the grooves in the feed clean with a tooth pick will get the job done. Some nibs need to be polished if there's tarnish and something has affected the metal surface, gold nibs clean up very easily. You can use a metal polish and cotton buds to shine up steel nibs, rinse off and wipe clean with a cloth. Start out gently with basic methods and then gradually take it from there.
There are solutions designed specifically for cleaning fountain pens. You can find cleaning solutions from Diamine, Herbin, Koh-i-noor, Monteverde, Rohrer & Klingner and others. They are meant for stubborn cases, like dried out old ink. Usually water or water with a few drops of mild liquid dish soap like Dove is all you need. Clean the nib and feed, but don't soak the barrel because parts can rust on vintage pens, and materials like celluloid, casein and ebonite don't like it either.
I'd start with plain water.
+1, no alcohol !Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro
And I will add that pens don't clog up instantly: it takes time for that to happen. Therefore, be prepared to spend time to clean the pen. Soak the nib and feed overnight, change the water, soak again, change the water, soak again, change the water - you get the picture.
Patience is the key.
Just to be safe and allow us to confirm the advice, could you show a pic of the pen.Quote:
Originally Posted by gigeorge38
For a Sheaffer cartridge/converter pen, the best way forward is to stand it in a cup of lukewarm water that only comes up to about 3/4 of the front section. i.e. where the internal feed would be. If it's badly clogged you will need many changes of water, until the water becomes clearer.
Then try drawing clean water into the pen and pushing it out again. Use the converter or better still, try a rubber ear cleaning bulb from a pharmacy or Amazon.
When the water starts to run clear, soak it the same way, in a proprietary pen flush. :)
A good long soak in distilled water with a drop of dish washing liquid usually does the trick. Sometimes, if the feed channels don't come clean enough, you can push a .009" piece of music wire (guitar light gauge E string) through to clean out a constriction. If the pen is a Snorkel and won't soak clean, you may need to disassemble the section and use an ultrasonic cleaner. TipDip nib units, like the Snorkel, have ink passages that are not straight and may also need ultrasonic cleaning.
If you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, you can put the assembled section in a used 35mm film canister with distilled water and dish washing liquid and tape it to one of your car's suspension arms. Drive around for a week. Don't laugh; this works.
If the pen is not completely plugged up and only has a constriction, you can fill it with a relatively unsaturated ink and write with it every day. Write it dry and then store it nib down overnight. Write it dry the next day, etc. The blockage will gradually dissolve if you have enough patience. Follow the precepts of Assiduous and Sedulous, the Roman gods of commerce.
For stubborn ink in Pens, I mix my own Solution. This is a well known solution; It is 90% Water, 10% Amonia, ( the kind from the dollar stores, that does not bubble up ) Lastly a few drops of Dawn. Dishwashing Soap......Mix together very well.....I use a 1/2 Gal plastic bottle, so I can fill my ULTRA SONIC CLEANER, and multiple small containers! Do not use, HR PENS IN THE ULC, nor some of the Conway Stewart pens, as water will have an Effect on the Casin Material the pens are made of. If need be; take a cardboard “Sleeve”, cut a hole in it to fit the FP, securely, and place it on the top edges, so only the nib & Feed soak in the Solution that’s in the ULC. Turn on the ULC AND run the nib & Feed thru a few cycles.......
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It’s wonderful that I found this thread since I have one pen that also got clogged. This is very helpful :) thank you!
Whatever happened to the OP? :noidea:
Many come here just for one question that they want answered.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlos.q