How To Clean A Fountain Pen - Beginner's Guide

[@JournalSunshine]

Would love to hear how many of you folks are fountain pen newbies or aspiring fountain pen friends vs experienced pros! I can definitely make more beginner-friendly content if that's something you'd like to see, in addition to the reviews and thoughts and fountain pen-heavy journal with me videos.

[@suicidalkatt]

I would highly recommend using distilled water, just to avoid calcium buildup.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh good to know, thank you!

[@mjalbert5359]

​@@suicidalkatt that's a great tip, thanks for that!!!!

[@mjalbert5359]

My mom was a calligraphist so I have lots of fond memories of her using her pens and cleaning them. Sadly, she passed and I've put off anything fountain pen for that reason. I recently have a desire to connect with my mom's passion and to share it with my children, her grandchildren, but she's not here to teach us, so I'm kind of a newbie. Thanks to your videos and content style, I'm learning a lot and remembering a lot!!!😃😃😃😃 @journalsunshine

[@KarynaLovesToPlan]

I only started my fountain pen journey in September but have gone into the deep end very quickly so I would say I am more intermediate now. I actually love cleaning my pens - I find it so therapeutic and find it exciting knowing that I will be able to have a new pen and ink combo!

[@AvecPoesie]

This video is exceptionally informative and a perfect guide as I delve deeper and deeper into this preoccupation with my now adored Fountain pens.

[@marachristian8726]

I finally used up the ink in my TWSBI Eco--it was a dark teal shimmer ink and once I had it mostly clean, I left it filled with clear water most of the way and let it sit for about an hour to help dissolve any remaining ink, then gave it a quick shake before pushing out the remaining water. I actually look forward to cleaning my pens because it means I can ink up a different pen as a replacement! I currently have about 10 pens inked, but I'm trying to cut that back to 5 at a time. I did have a pen that sat with ink in it for a long time, and I had to soak that one overnight with some pen flush to get it clean. The bulb syringe is really helpful, especially when you have ink that dried in the feed. I purchased some vintage pens from ebay that had old ink in them and the pen flush and syringe were MUSTS to get those pens clean! Even though I have used fountain pens for years, I didn't really know how to clean them properly until last year (I learned from watching videos like this one!) Whenever I gift a fountain pen, I include a note with how to find instructions on using and cleaning them! I will direct the next newbie to your channel!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh I like that tip to let it sit with water in it and shake it to get those stubborn shimmers out! I haven't needed to get pen flush yet, but it's good to know it would help even super old ink that dried in there. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@dragonfly656]

Thank you for this video. On the Eco, it’s possible to take the nib and feed off to clean with a bulb syringe, but for those who aren’t sure about getting everything put back together properly, your method is simple and straightforward. I’ll use it.

[@Gray_Novembers]

This video was soooo helpful! My TWSBI ECO is my first and only fountain pen and cleaning it seemed so daunting until I watched your video. It’s currently drying and awaiting its next ink! Thank you so much for this easy tutorial 😊

[@9559maya]

Always so fun and aesthetically pleasing to watch your videos, thanks for the "for beginners" content, super helpful🥰

[@JournalSunshine]

Thank you so much! I wasn't sure how many folks here were pros already but I guess we'll see!

[@clarkbilgrav]

I’ve been cleaning my pens for years, but I learned something new today. Thanks Lauren!

[@JournalSunshine]

Aww yay, happy to hear it!

[@mjalbert5359]

Thank you for this video!!!! I just received this very same pen last week, and when I opened the box, I felt a little dread at the tools and instruction card on cleaning. In short, I felt scared to use it. Such a helpful video, I now can't wait to get home to ink it up!!!! TWSBI Eco in Smoke and Rose 🌹 Gold 🪙

[@rijgddurfncg]

I don't own a fountain pen or really have any interest in them, but your voice is so nice to listen to and your production quality is lovely. The general aesthetics and tone are inspiring and relaxing.

[@JournalSunshine]

Aww, that’s so nice of you to say! I like watching videos like this too. Happy that you’re enjoying them!

[@mirandabarnett7116]

super helpful!! part of my fountain pen purchase hesitation has been worrying that the cleaning process would involve tools/time i'm not willing to invest but this seems very manageable. thanks lauren! hope you have a good week

[@JournalSunshine]

It's not too bad! Some take more time than others, as demonstrated, but starting with pens that use cartridges can make the process simple to start (especially international cartridges since you have loads more ink options to choose from!).

[@Joliaux76]

I have 3 twsbi, 1 eco and 2 eco-T. Eco-T are really the best. EF nibs, I write with them (of course 🤷) but I bought them for sketching (or at least trying 🙄). My cleaning process is easy : (gently) remove the nib after several washing ànd drying with a Q-tip before replacing the nib. Don't be afraid to remove the nib, it is very easy, protect it with a tissue while (gently) turning and replace the same eventually.

[@CuriousReader]

This is so helpful! I only got into fountain pens earlier this year and have yet to really create a routine for cleaning but I feel like I got a better sense of how to approach it now. Thank you!

[@JournalSunshine]

Yay, happy I could help! It’s been pretty manageable for me as long as I don’t let the ink dry out in the pens. But I use them all the time, so they usually run out of ink before that happens.

[@sandrapawula4109]

I remove the remaining ink from the Twsbi Eco in a similar way. But I also remove the nib and feed using a rubber grip (available from Jet Pens or use a thick rubber band) rinse it under running water and place in a jar of clean water for an hour or so to make sure the nib and feed are clear of ink. You can also access the inner part of the barrel this way. I leave it all overnight to dry and then reinsert the nib and feed the next day. I watched the How to Clean a Fountain Pen video on Jet Pens. I'm relatively new to fountain pens.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, that’s a really good idea, especially for the more stubborn ink! Thank you for sharing it!

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

New to your channel. Thanks for this tutorial. Keep up the great work.

[@JournalSunshine]

Aww yay, welcome! Happy you liked the video.

[@aorangifrearson5213]

I just started using fountain pens for journalling and loving it. New to your channel and enjoying your videos, now catching up on the others!

[@JournalSunshine]

Aww yay, I’m happy that you found me! Thanks for leaving such a nice comment.

[@odensama5330]

This really helps, thank you.

[@animasyxa]

I use a blunt end syringe to flush the feed through the hole in the feed

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, I’ll have to try that! Thank you!

[@jonathonshanecrawford1840]

*Help me please:* I have a Parker Fountain pen, I've use warm water to soak my pen, and still ink won't flow, I believe it's the feed part from the converter may be blocked, Is there a way of unblocking it __(like a blocked kitchen drain pipe) I want to avoid poking a piece of wire down the feed from the converter end?

[@jackivaltrades]

Super informative and useful pen video! Thanks for making it easy to understand for any and all. 💜 I've been using fountain pens since this month last year, and I agree with most of the directions. (Sorry, that sounds contrarian. Don't take me too seriously 😂) I would say that drying out the nib and feed is only necessary if you're not immediately using the pen. Or course, pulling out a good bit of water helps not to dilute ink all that much, but if you pull in ink with a converter, the water shouldn't affect it too much because it's like a 1 to 50 concentration that won't mess it up. If you don't have a converter, drying your nib and feed makes the cartridge take longer to come through, as well. If you do dry it out, dipping the nib into ink to get a bit of it started helps the cartridge go IF you're refilling cartridges from bottled ink. That should also stop the water dilution, as well, if there is any water in the immediate nib and feed. 🙂 If you think anything I said is disagreeable, please call me out. 😂 Again, thank you for all the fountain pen content you post!

[@JournalSunshine]

Glad you liked the video! I found your comment to be really helpful too - it’s interesting to learn more about how these pens work. I had never thought about how drying them makes the ink take longer to come through, but that makes a lot of sense! I was mostly trying to avoid diluting the ink, since that bothers me. I can be patient if I need to, heh! Really appreciate you sharing all of that. Thanks so much!

[@jackivaltrades]

@@JournalSunshine absolutely! I think with any hobby, it's great to keep learning and expanding. I am in no way an expert as I'm learning new things every day, as well. So, cheers. 💜

[@deborahrendon5993]

Bravo! Very clearly explained. Thanks

[@JournalSunshine]

You’re welcome! Happy I could help. Every pen is a little different, but the process is not as intimidating as I thought it would be!

[@HomeWithMyBookshelf]

I also have a couple of TWSBI ECOs - I never clean it as thoroughly as you do here. I am usually happy when there is a pale colour of water in the barrel. The inks might mix a bit at the beginning, but I think that's kind of fun.

[@JournalSunshine]

I love it! Good to know I can stop a bit sooner and everything will turn out okay. 💕

[@TianaJanelle]

This was SO satisfying to watch! I know they're not as good by a long shot, but do you have any recommendations for a cheap disposable fountain pen (or whatever the equivalent would be)? I know that right now I'm not actively journalling very often and I'm not sure if I want to fully commit to a real one yet. As pretty as they are, I'd hate to invest in one only for it to become a pretty desk decoration instead of a frequently used writing tool.

[@JournalSunshine]

I don’t personally have experience with it, but JetPens and Goulet Pens speak highly of the Platinum Preppy!

[@eveforster5543]

You were straightforward in your description of the cleaning process, while demonstrating each step along with the narrative. It took much of the mystery out of it & now I feel more confidant in doing it on my own. Eve Eileen @¿@--]

[@AbigailPoirier]

I've been using a fountain pen for 10+ years, but I probably still count as a newbie, haha. I ink up my pens right after washing (I do dry them as well as possible) and don't mind just a little dilution at first. It only lasts a couple sentences. And yeah, it doesn't take long to wash a pen. I'll use cotton swabs & rolled up paper towel pieces to get in nooks and crannies, if necessary. Definitely don't let the washing part intimidate you if you've never used a fountain pen before. If you're putting the same color back in or switching but you don't mind creating a new color of ink, it's often possible to refill a pen without washing it first. I only have one ink & pen combo where I absolutely have to wash my pen because it clogs.

[@shiverbliss3770]

I have a fountain pen that's just about empty and I want to clean it to switch inks. Would using regular tap water be ok (the one in my country is relatively soft water) or should I use distilled water (which I've seen people usually recommend)? Or would already boiled water be better?

[@JournalSunshine]

I’ve been using regular water since I hadn’t heard distilled water was better, but someone brought up using distilled in a comment so I’ve been trying that since.

[@shiverbliss3770]

@@JournalSunshine thank you! i'll try it out!

[@gothbunie4932]

I didnt know you have to let it dry overnight. I refilled mine immediately because I wanted to use it and had the water still in the pen diluting my ink 🙃

[@JournalSunshine]

Exactly! If I get too impatient, whatever ink I put in there ends up diluted, at least in the beginning. Have also made that mistake before! 😂

[@stevekail4543]

Although I have some piston filling pens in my collection, they are my least favorite in terms of filling and cleaning. I much prefer cartridge/converter or eyedropper fillers. Be very careful disassembling piston pens using the wrench. I've already had one that absolutely refused to go back together no matter how gently I tried.

[@JournalSunshine]

Yeah, that's another reason why I don't like to do it very often. It's nice to have the option though!

[@arabesquejacob8176]

The same thing happened to me. I broke my trusted TWSBI Eco while reassembling it but it wouldn’t go back together properly. I’m hesitant to buy another one.

[@JournalSunshine]

Oh no! Super sad.

[@paulll47]

Twsbi Ecos and other Twsbi pens are no different from other pens, flushing the pen using the piston is really all that is needed and full disassembly isn't recomended due to the fragility of Twsbi pens (they easily develop stress cracks). The reason you find it hard to clean it is due to the ink, I love shimmer inks but they are an absolute nightmare to clean in every pen, I have dedicated "shimmer pens" with whom I only use a particular type of shimmer so that I don't have to bother with cleaning them too often.