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Thread: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

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    Senior Member joolstacho's Avatar
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    Default Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    My mate has an ultrasonic cleaner, should I try using it on a misbehaving pen?

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    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    Really depends on what is wrong with the pen. If it has dried ink residue in it that you haven't been able to shift with normal soaking, it may be appropriate, depending on the material and age of the pen.
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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    Senior Member joolstacho's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    I'm sure it is generally old ink residue. I've tried soaking in water, I'm now trying vinegar and water. It's a number of pens left to me by my folks.
    Probably decades since they've been used. I have 'freed-up' a few, but some are stubborn.

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    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    With vintage, I'd be cautious as the agitation may end up damaging the pens, depending on the models/materials of course.
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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    Senior Member eachan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    I have one but I haven't found it to be very useful. There was much talk about ultrasonic cleaners years ago which encouraged me to buy one but given my time over I wouldn't bother. Brushes and cotton buds do a better job.

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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    I'm not a fan of ultrasonic cleaners for things like pens. My concern is that repeated exposure to high frequency vibration could cause excessive wear.

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    Senior Member Ron Z's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    I use one multiple times a day, on most every pen. Every pen mechanic uses one. Note, only the nib unit goes into the pen, not the whole pen. You don't need a powerful one - 50W or so is plenty. You do need a cleaner for it to be effective, but a 3 minute cycle or two is usually sufficient to dislodge the crud. The ammonia/Dawn, or RapidoEze is the cleaner you want to be using.

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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    Interesting. I've had the stubborn ones soaking in Water and vinegar, I'll try the ultrasonic cleaner if that doesn't work.

    What fluid is best to use in the cleaner? Sorry, can you clarify the "ammonia/dawn" -is that a mixture of ammonia and a detergent? and "Rapidoeze" please? Is Rapidoeze a product designed to clean Rapidographs? I seem to remember something like that from my art school daze (intended!!!)

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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    90 ml water:10 ml ammonia:1 drop dawn

    Some say up to 5 drops dawn, but 1 has always worked fine for me. I'm also not big on long soaking. Some materials can suffer from such treatment.

    You should meet the omniscient Google. It will steer you in the right direction as far as Rapido-eze is concerned.

    If you can't clean a pen with Rapido-eze and an ultrasonic, just send it off to someone that specialized in pen repair or toss it in a drawer for the next victim to discover.

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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    Yep, I'm with Ron Z. I've had one and used it for years -- nibs only, and I think I'd not put any ebonite in there.

    Put lukewarm water in to near the fill level. Add a quarter cup or so of ammonia cleaner, and a dash (few drops) of Dawn liquid dishwashing fluid as it seems to have the best surfactant qualities and performance.

    After a cycle or two, rinse/flush thoroughly with lukewarm/tepid water.

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    Default Re: Ultrsonic cleaners - useful for us?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Z View Post
    I use one multiple times a day, on most every pen. Every pen mechanic uses one. Note, only the nib unit goes into the pen, not the whole pen. You don't need a powerful one - 50W or so is plenty. You do need a cleaner for it to be effective, but a 3 minute cycle or two is usually sufficient to dislodge the crud. The ammonia/Dawn, or RapidoEze is the cleaner you want to be using.
    As above.
    In a small jar I have the gold nibs in this solution https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/co...gh-concentrate, feeds are in the tank that has a 1:10 solution of household 2.5% ammonia and water. Feeds are then brushed with a fine wire brush to ensure clean, a small bottle brush dipped in cleaner for the section. These are the parts that are always, on every pen cleaned in this way. A pen may write, but unless you carry these operations out, you never be sure the feed is totally clean.
    et

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