How to make fountain ink more wet without bleeding and leaking

**DrShami** · March 15th, 2021, 08:17 PM

Hello everyone,
This might sound very newbie sort of thing on this forum. I tried the dish washing liquid drop method and it really improved the wetness of inks but the pen generally starts leaking ink at the cartridge site. Any ideas to avoid it?
Regards

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**Jon Szanto** · March 15th, 2021, 08:51 PM

No matter the viscosity of the ink, you should not see leaks. This indicates a poor connection or fit of the cartridge/converter. On a pen in good working order you should be able to put a converter full of water and not have a leak.

As to altering the 'wetness', flow or viscosity of the ink, you've already tried the dish soap. I encourage you to mix enough - a few ml - so that you won't be getting too much of the additive into the mix (i.e. don't just put a drop in the converter). I generally avoid these methods unless there is an absolute need. In years past, various retailers have made available small amounts of a chemical additive for flow, many reports being that it was an old photographic fluid, Photo-Flo. I believe Vanness Pen Shop still has this, I think they call it "White Lightning" or some clever name, and I wouldn't be surprised if Goulet Pens has similar. These are US-based retailers.

HTH!

**mizgeorge** · March 15th, 2021, 09:09 PM

The other additive that works very well (used in miniscule amounts) is Liquitex Flow Aid (which is available at art stores or online).

However, as Jon says, you shouldn't be seeing leaks anywhere. What type of pen are you using? Can you share a picture?

**DrShami** · March 15th, 2021, 10:59 PM

What a welcoming and heart warming response! Grateful

I think you are right, I always had these issues only with the Schneider ID and not with my other pens including Parker 45 that I am presently carrying in office.

Secondly I found the acrylic paint flow medium in my nearest online store. Hope this is the same and will work fine for the subject purpose.

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**DrShami** · March 15th, 2021, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Jon Szanto

No matter the viscosity of the ink, you should not see leaks. This indicates a poor connection or fit of the cartridge/converter. On a pen in good working order you should be able to put a converter full of water and not have a leak.

As to altering the 'wetness', flow or viscosity of the ink, you've already tried the dish soap. I encourage you to mix enough - a few ml - so that you won't be getting too much of the additive into the mix (i.e. don't just put a drop in the converter). I generally avoid these methods unless there is an absolute need. In years past, various retailers have made available small amounts of a chemical additive for flow, many reports being that it was an old photographic fluid, Photo-Flo. I believe Vanness Pen Shop still has this, I think they call it "White Lightning" or some clever name, and I wouldn't be surprised if Goulet Pens has similar. These are US-based retailers.

HTH!

Is there any disadvantage of the dish washing liquid as compared to the additives you mentioned?

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**Chrissy** · March 16th, 2021, 12:43 AM

As Jon mentioned you should never just routinely add a drop of any flow aid to a cartridge or converter and I'm not sure about your proposal for the Mont Marte acrylic flow medium. It's not a product safe for fountain pens so may contain an ingredient that would damage/block their narrow feed channels.

As you are using international sized cartridges, and you are only experiencing the flow problem with one pen then maybe you could consider trying a different cartridge brand in your Schneider to see if that improves the flow through your pen. Or alternatively give it a really good clean with warm soapy water and flush with pen flush to see if that improves it. If you are still seeing leakage around the cartridge seating after refilling the cartridge then change the cartridge.

Merely using an ear bulb to flush soapy water through your pen and then not flushing as many times with clean water might even be enough to fix it. You only need to use minuscule amounts of these flow aids. In the past I've used a wooden cocktail stick with it's point dipped in then wiped off to stir a full vial of ink.

**DrShami** · March 16th, 2021, 02:32 AM

I don't have flow issues what the smooth feel that one gets after adding this dishwashing liquid is satisfying and doesn't create the hinderness while writing too fast. Even much better than the ball point/roller ball

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**Sailor Kenshin** · March 16th, 2021, 07:42 AM

Please, please PLEASE! Do not use anything associated with, or formulated for, acrylic paints.

Is your Schneider a cartridge/converter pen? I would suspect either a crack at the cartridge neck, and I've had those! Unpleasant surprise when it happens. You will probably need a magnifier to actually see the neck crack. Or it may be an incorrectly seated cartridge. I've had Schneider pens; they're nice writers.

Good luck!