Barry B. Gabay,
I particularly liked reading your reply about Ron Z
Ron's "compressed air" is remarkable. At the Raleigh Pen Show maybe 10 years ago, I showed Ron a turquoise Parker 51 SE with a cap jammed on it. It had a regular 51 cap which I use on several I own, since I was lucky enough to buy some spare barrels and front ends in 2002 when Parker issued the 51SE. They fit perfectly. I had dropped the pen and its cap was jammed tight. Neither hot water nor my wife's hair dryer could loosen the cap. These methods had worked before on this pen and other 51s with stuck caps. Ron was sitting at his work table and said he "might" be able to do remove the cap. I suspect he knew all along that he would be successful. Ron unscrewed the tassie button & removed the clip. The cap top was then exposed with plenty of space between the jammed front end and the opening in the cap top. Ron said casually, "Get ready." He picked up a small hose, inserted it in the cap top's opening, and switched on the machine to which the hose was attached. Almost immediately the pen flew from the cap and into a towel he held in his other hand. Immediate results!
For those who have not had Ron operate on a fountain pen, you are in for a treat. He is a real gentleman who knows his trade inside and out. He has worked on everything from 51s to 149s for me. We have done a good deal of horse trading too over the years.
It is clear to all that he is a remarkable person.
Last edited by proteus; November 18th, 2020 at 02:01 PM.
amk (November 20th, 2020), Barry B. Gabay (November 18th, 2020)
The only problem that I can think of with using toilet paper is that it's designed to dissolve in water so bits of it might stick to parts of the pen whereas kitchen towel is always left intact and there are no bits hiding on or in your pen. I buy white kitchen towel specifically for FP use.
Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens
proteus (November 19th, 2020)
While I cannot imagine a need for just overnight processes, an old t shirt or other cloth would be preferrable for me use over paper.
Barry B. Gabay (November 19th, 2020)
Read this post with great interest.
It is something we do.
I particularly liked Chrissy reply.
UK kitchen towel leaves no residue.
I always use it too.
Chrissy (November 19th, 2020)
I find the toilet paper folded in half and then wound in a circle to fit into a paper cup works quite well and leaves no visible residue. Sometimes I have used car wash towels meant for drying the car similarly folded and wound round to fit in a paper cup or other throw-away cup. Washing the towels with bleach to get rid of most of the ink is something I consider to be a disadvantage.
pajaro,
In the UK, car wash / valet services use microfibre cloths ( lint free )
These are the very best, I use them for cleaning before high resolution pen photography.
Here they cost about 60 pence each and are washable. ( not that I have ever washed one, after a week or so I throw them )
I put one or two pieces of kitchen towel all lightly scrunched up into a reasonably solid but recyclable cup. Then I can dry more than one pen in separate folds over quite a long time until I need to renew the paper. Of course, it depends on how clean the pen is before you start drying it, but it's ages before there is any colour in my deep kitchen roll folds.
Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens
Barry B. Gabay (November 20th, 2020)
I have so many yard sale/thrift store ceramic mugs and/or drinking glasses that I use those to 'drain' pens. Paper towels, always.
The mugs and glasses are also handy to keep the non-inky pen parts in one place.
My other pen is a Montblanc.
And my other blog is a tumblr!
And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD
Sometimes I just fill the 51 with the next color and let the colors merge. It can be interesting. \
Chuck Naill (November 21st, 2020), NumberSix (November 20th, 2020), proteus (November 20th, 2020), welch (November 20th, 2020)
My other pen is a Montblanc.
And my other blog is a tumblr!
And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD
Barry B. Gabay (November 20th, 2020), NumberSix (November 20th, 2020)
I really liked pajaro reply.
Sometimes I just fill the 51 with the next color and let the colors merge. It can be interesting.
Have done it many times with different Parkers.
Some times life is an adventure…………
NumberSix (November 20th, 2020)
Ideally yes, I would clean my Parker 51 before changing inks. But life is short, and there are so many colours of ink.
What to do?
... well, that's why I have a dozen Parker 51s....
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
welch (November 20th, 2020)
I will squush out remaining ink from an aeometric 51, do a running-water flush, and fill with the next ink, where "squush" is the sound an aerometric filler makes. (Not "squish"). Sometimes, I will let a 51 sit in a glas of water over-night. Most of all, it seems a mistake to take a 51, or any pen, down to its basic pieces just to change inks. Trace amounts of Ink_1 should not explode when it contacts Ink_2.
Yes, I've read Richard's warning that some Noodler's inks go crazy when mixed with other, even other Noodler, inks. (I tried Noodler's almost 15 years ago. Disliked the blue colors except Blue Eel, and Eel Blu did ugly things. Have not used Noodlers since)
azkid (November 20th, 2020)
I usually do flush pens when changing colors. I use red and green Montblanc colors in C/C pens or Waterman blue black, Parker Quink black or Sailor blue. I'm using MB JFK blue black or Lamy teal, the limited Ed. Junk in cartridges. Threw other inks away. Keeping away from harmful stuff in sac pens.
Last edited by pajaro; November 20th, 2020 at 10:42 PM.
Barry B. Gabay (November 21st, 2020), welch (November 21st, 2020)
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