Some people still like to use a fountain pen because it has a smooth flow of ink when you write. Fountain pens can also be cheaper to use because the ink is refillable. Fountain pens are a little more complicated because you have to fill ink but of course this also means that they have more longevity compared to disposable ballpoint pens.
1Understand the outer parts of your fountain pen and their purpose. There are 3 main fountain pen parts visible from the outside.
- Cap: is the part you must remove to expose the nib. Caps either snap on and off or need to be screwed and unscrewed.
- Nib: once you remove the cap you can see the nib. Most nibs are pointed but some pens also have a flat nib for creating calligraphy.
- Barrel: this is the cover for the remaining length of your pen as seen from outside.
2Remove the barrel to familiarize yourself with the internal parts of your fountain pen and see what type of ink reservoir it uses. There are 3 common types of ink reservoirs.
- Piston converter: the piston converter is similar to an injection that allows you to suck ink in by pulling a piston.
- Cartridge: you need to replace old cartridges with new ink cartridges in order to reuse cartridge pens.
- Ink bladder: pressing the ink bladder creates a vacuum inside. When you release the ink bladder, the ink is sucked up through the nib due to the difference in pressure.
3Reuse your fountain pen by refilling the ink. Use the method that is suitable for your type of pen.
- Fill ink in a piston converter pen by removing the cap and barrel and then dipping the nib inside the ink bottle. Lower the piston to remove the air inside. When you pull up the piston, the ink will be sucked in. Some pistons need to be twisted like a screwdriver in order to move them up and down.
- Replace the cartridge on a cartridge fountain pen by simply pulling out the old empty cartridge and pushing in the new one until you hear it snap in place.
- Re-fill a bladder pen by first dipping the nib inside the ink bottle (do this first to prevent making a mess because some ink will also be released when refilling a bladder pen). Squeeze on the ink compartment tightly to press out the air and remaining ink inside. Stop squeezing and allow a few seconds to let the bladder fill in with ink. You may need to repeat this process a few times to fill in more ink.
Can I change the nib of a fountain pen when the cartridge is already punctured?
- Yes, if you hold the cartridge upright, take the nib off, insert a hypodermic syringe filled with ink into the cartridge, fill the cartridge, and then put the nib back in. If you are careful, you should have no problem.
- When writing, never press hard. It ruins the nib and tears the paper.
- Clean the nib and other fountain pen parts after you fill ink. This will prevent ink stains from drying and possible damaging your pen.
- You can use a fountain pen with different colors by buying different types of ink.
- Never buy ink that is too runny. This can cause leaks in your fountain pen or make the writing appear too splotchy. Since ink bottles generally last for quite a long time you may want to consider buying high-quality ink even if the price is a little higher.
- Dispose used ink cartridges immediately because the remaining ink can leak out after the cartridge has been removed from the pen.
Things You'll Need
- Fountain Pen
- Ink Bottle
Sources and Citations
Categories: Writing Implements
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