# Cleaning Fountain Pens



## cjester (Oct 18, 2017)

This weekend at the Chicagoland meeting somebody asked about cleaning a dried fountain pen. I mentioned a video I'd just seen using pen wash and an ultrasonic cleaner.

Here's that video:
Using Ultrasonic Cleaners


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## mg_dreyer (Oct 18, 2017)

Thanks ...


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## Mr Vic (Oct 18, 2017)

you can also just add a bit of ammonia to warm water and soak.


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## Woodchipper (Oct 18, 2017)

I recall my parents cleaning a fountain pen with just lots of hot water.  Shake it to get excess water out of it and let it sit out and dry.


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## duncsuss (Oct 18, 2017)

Woodchipper said:


> I recall my parents cleaning a fountain pen with just lots of hot water.  Shake it to get excess water out of it and let it sit out and dry.



Oooh ... please not hot water!

If there are parts cemented with shellac, heat will cause them to come unstuck. (A latex ink sac, for example.)

It can also cause older resins (such as celluloid) to soften and distort.


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## Woodchipper (Oct 19, 2017)

Didn't hurt them.  Might not have been hot water.  After all, this was over 65 years ago.  Now I can't remember what I had for dinner yesterday.


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## tonylumps (Oct 21, 2017)

When I first got into turning Pens I got obsessed with Fountain pens.Well the beginners mistake was,Finish a pen and screw the ink cartridge in and test the pen.put it into a case and there it would sit for quite a while. Well one day getting ready for a show tested the FP and they were all dried up I had about 8 to clean by hand.Then I found out about the Ultra sonic cleaner What a breeze to clean now. I do not screw the Cartridge in now unless I Demo. a pen.I use a little zip lock bag filled with water and place the nib in and place it in the cleaner that is almost filled with water.Cleans the pen and keeps the water in the unit clear.


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## Texasshipagent (Feb 16, 2018)

light cut of ammonia in water and soak , then flush and repeat, a baby flush bulb, can get in pharmacy for like $2 helps too, ultrasonic good for really old pens that are have decades old gunk in them but not completely nesc with patience, don’t use hot water may warp something , stuff some paper towels in a coffee mug and dry tip down , for new pens if you test it, a quick flush will leave it fine for the next use , it’s ok to leave ink in a pen for a while but for extended periods best to flush , some inks may have acidic properties that could damage the internals over time 


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