# Converter Issues



## Todd in PA (Apr 15, 2022)

Hi all. I’m super frustrated with the land of fountain pens. I’m new to this. Specifically, it’s a “tac black (caballero) fountain pen.






						Tac Black Fountain Pen Kit - Black Chrome
					

This stylish and sleek fountain pen kit is an entry into our new Tactical pen kit series. This kit features all black hardware, plated in black chrome known for its beauty and durability. Making it the perfect choice for anyone serving in the military or working as a first responder.The fountain...




					www.exoticblanks.com
				




I popped the included SI-standard ink cartridge in and really enjoyed writing with it. The ink ran out. New adventure— I bought a bottle of blue ink at Michael’s and tried the converter. Plunged the nib, twisted the plunger and sucked up some ink. It won’t write. Rinse. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.  I thought maybe I was getting a vacuum holding the ink in, so I tried to press out all the air, but I’m pretty sure the nib is designed to prevent an air lock. I grabbed a new converter for another pen. Same result. Is there something I’m missing? Is there dried ink somewhere in the nib from the SIS that I gotta clean out?

For cleaning, do I just soak the whole nib  in DNA? Or nib and section?


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## Bryguy (Apr 16, 2022)

I just looked at your photo again. Your problem isn't the pen. It is the ink. The only inks you can use in a FP are designed for FPs. You are using a drawing ink which has a shellac base. This is a notorious way of ruining a pen! 
According to the manufacturer "These inks can be applied with brush, dip pen or airbrush and are widely used by designers, calligraphers and artists as well as illustrators" not fountain pens!.
If you had a problem with regular ink you could use ammonia for cleaning a Fountain pen, not DNA. Do you have an ultrasonic cleaner? I use a teaspoon of ammonia in a cup of water in my ultrasonic cleaner. However, a new pen shouldn't need this. Can you use the converter to draw ink up through the nib and out again? If so, pump the ammonia solution through it. What ink are you using, Never use drawing ink in a fountain pen. You will kill the pen. If you like interesting colors I'd recommend the Diamine line of inks to use in a FP. They are available in the US.
I would call indy-pen-dance, ask them if they have a cleaner that will remove India ink. Unfortunately though I think you are out of luck. Your solution may be replacement of the section and the converter.


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## monophoto (Apr 16, 2022)

Todd

Unfortunately, Brian is right - the problem is the ink.

From the Michael's website:




You may be able to save the pen (actually the nib, feed and converter)  by soaking them in DNA; if you have an ultrasonic cleaner, that may also help.  But the key point is that these inks are waterproof once they have dried, so you can't clean the pen in water.

But the worst case scenario is that the nib and section, and also the converter, are ruined and will have to be replaced. 

The bottom line is:  the only inks that should be used in fountain pens are inks that were designed for use in fountain pens, but you generally won't find them in arts/crafts stores like Michael's.  Fountain pen inks are usually water-based.  Instead, you need to look in high-end stationery stores and specialist pen shops.  The best bet is to shop on-line - Goulet Pen, Dromgooles, Vanness, Fountain Pen Hospital, Jet Pens are highly regarded in the field, and there are many others.  As to brands, Brian recommended Diamine - I would add Private Reserve to the list of dependable bottled inks.  I'm a particular fan of Noodler's inks, but you need to understand that some Noodler's inks are pretty specialized and may not be ideal for newbie users.  There are many brands to choose from, but some are priced more for the elegance of the bottle - Diamine, Private Reserve and Noodler's are all reasonably priced.

The big-box office supply stores such as Staples and OfficeMax often carry fountain pen ink in cartridges, but its rare to see bottled ink in those places.


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## Todd in PA (Apr 16, 2022)

This is a huge relief. I don’t know what prompted me to take a photo, but I’m glad I did. I’ll pitch the ink I have and get the right stuff. I’m not bothered if this pen or converter is lost. It was a pen from my ‘mistake’ pile anyway, which is why I was practicing with it. 

Thank you so much for reading and replying!


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## monophoto (Apr 16, 2022)

Todd in PA said:


> This is a huge relief. I don’t know what prompted me to take a photo, but I’m glad I did. I’ll pitch the ink I have and get the right stuff. I’m not bothered if this pen or converter is lost. It was a pen from my ‘mistake’ pile anyway, which is why I was practicing with it.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and replying!


Mistake pile = learning opportunities!


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## montmill (Apr 16, 2022)

Thanks for asking this, we're all learning as we progress into FP's.


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## TDahl (Apr 16, 2022)

Before you pitch the whole pen, reach out to Ed at Exotic Blanks. They carry replacement nibs and sections as well as new converters. He may be able to recommend a replacement for you, and the prices are very reasonable.


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## darrin1200 (Apr 17, 2022)

It may take some work, but you could try to clean the nib. It would be a good learning/experiment case, since it’s considered trash any way.
If the ink is shellac based, you will likely need alcohol to to clean it.


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## duncsuss (Apr 17, 2022)

With denatured alcohol and an "ear syringe" from a pharmacy (or Amazon) you might be able to unclog it - but removing the nib and the feed from the housing is the best place to start.

Soak in hand-hot water for a while before attempting to pull the nib and feed from the housing - shellac softens with heat. Once you've got them out, use a soft toothbrush and alcohol to clean the gunk out of the ink channels in the top of the feed. (You can clean the fins on the underside too, but they are not essential to get ink flowing through the nib, they help prevent it drying up if you write quicker than the feed can deliver by storing a small amount for emergencies.)


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## Penultimate (Apr 17, 2022)

Ink is another fun part of fountain pens and another rabbit hole to fall into. There are a lot of choices. Anderson pens has sampler packs that might narrow your brand choices. I like Iroshizuku inks

Also, iron gall ink is only for dip pens. 

Have fun.


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## Todd in PA (Apr 17, 2022)

I tried cleaning the nib by soaking in how water and gently brushing with alcohol ant place I could find. I may have salvaged this one.  thanks for all the help!


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## egnald (Apr 17, 2022)

Glad it worked out for you.  I have not ventured into the FP realm yet - Dave


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## darrin1200 (Apr 18, 2022)

Glad it cleaned up for you.
Cleaning, tuning and maintaining nibs is just another aspect you will need to learn as you sell/use fountain pens.
Hang on to the ink. You never know, you might try your hand at calligraphy. Or at least making calligraphy holders.


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## monophoto (Apr 18, 2022)

Penultimate said:


> Also, iron gall ink is only for dip pens.
> 
> Have fun.


As Mike says - inks are another rabbit hole.  

Iron gall is just one example.  Iron gall inks go back to at least the nineteenth century, and are noted for their permanence.  In some places, they are still mandatory in situations where permanence is required - especially in legal or ecclesiastical settings where they may also be called 'registrar's ink'.  They typically appear to be blue or purple when they are first applied to paper, but over time the iron component oxidizes to darken to a brownish or grayish color.

Traditional iron gall inks were designed before fountain pens were invented and dip pens (or quill pens) were the only option. And as the name implies, they had a rather crude origin - 'galls' from oak trees were soaked or boiled in iron sulfate, water and gum arabic.  The resulting mess was sticky and highly acidic - it was OK in dip pens that could be cleaned between use, but it was definitely a No-No when fountain pens came along because iron gall inks could clog the feed and could corrode steel components such as nibs.

But there are modern iron gall inks that are perfectly OK in fountain pens.  For example, the Japanese penmaker Platinum makes a line of inks that are chemically similar to traditional iron gall inks although aren't made by boiling oak galls.  These inks are sold in bottles as well as proprietary cartridges that fit their pens and are perfectly fine in modern fountain pens.  Diamine, Roher and Klinger, TWSBI, and KWZ also make modern iron gall inks.


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