# testing a FP



## mbower (Jul 3, 2008)

On one of the forums, I saw something about keeping a FP 'virgin' by not putting ink in it.

I will be doing my first FP this weekend (Jr. Stateman) for myself but then I will be doing a Statesman for a friend (my first custom order - wahoo).

Once I have the second pen done, is it ok to test it by dipping the nib in ink and trying it (very carefully) or does even that break the rules?  If even that breaks the rules, am I not even supposed to test the pen at all?

Michael


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## Malainse (Jul 3, 2008)

Some test and some do not !!!  I test them because I stand behind a quality product and want to make sure it works... 

I do not test it attached to the pen.  I would hate to have a leak and mess up the pen.   I also test the converter with just water to make sure that it holds.  One of my first ones had bad seal and leaked ink.

When done testing clean the nib/feed with warm/room temp water...


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## Texatdurango (Jul 3, 2008)

I look at it like this, if I am standing in front of a customer who is interested in one of my pens, he is looking at and picking up pens whose nibs have never been inked.

If he wants to try one, I have identical inked nibs he can write with.  If he buys the pen he can do anything he wants with it, even ink it on the spot and try it out.

I don't sell at the level where I encounter pen aficionados so I don't worry a lot about the "rules".

When I sell a pen from my website I tell the customer that I will dip the nib in some ink and test it to make sure it writes well before shipping it out unless he/she instructs me not to.  So far I have only had two customers tell me not to ink them, everyone else says fine, check it out!


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## Jerryconn (Jul 3, 2008)

Dipping is a good way to test the pen.  I don't ink it because of the fact that if it is stored for any length of time the ink will tend to dry up in the little channels (a fountain works off capillary action and all the channels have to be open and clean) and cause it to skip or not write at all. 
I take apart the nib an feed and wash them under warm water and use an old toothbrush to insure all oils and debris are removed. I don't test the pen, I just put it back together.
I also coach folks to break-in the pen before they ink it.  FWIW all of the fountain pens I have sold to date have worked great once inked (now I've probably jinxed myself!).


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## redfishsc (Jul 13, 2008)

The only time I've had a customer complain about ink flow on one of our kit pens was when 

1) I suspected they let the pen sit with ink in it and never cleaned it much.

2) They bent the nib or otherwise goofed with it. 


Right now I have a fellow who wants me to look at his pen, and he is a FP collector. While I still suspect he let it dry out, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and taking a spare broad-tip nib (his preference) in case I can't make it work.


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