How to Clean a Fountain Pen: Fountain Pen 101 Part Three

[@Snick3927]

I’ve found a repurposed sriracha bottle beats a bulb syringe hands down-huge water capacity and the nozzle fits quite nicely 90%+ of the time.

[@jamesyoo4779]

This is an incredible tip and it’s such a shame there’s a shortage at the moment.

[@wendymartin6479]

That's brilliant, why did I never think about that.

[@LightningWithaTouchofMag-on7oe]

Just tried it. Incredible. And the plus is that since we go through these bottles like water, I always have new ones;)

[@grayrabbit2211]

​@@jamesyoo4779the shortage is from all of the fountain pen people buying them up. 😊

[@justagerman140]

Also works with a fresh bottle to ink your pen up with hotsauce.

[@namniag]

Cleaning my pens is such a relaxing activity for me, it’s like zen gardening. It’s pen gardening!

[@stinger1756]

I agree!

[@Zsp33d7]

Pen gardening 😂

[@kirkstephens806]

That Drew Cameo with the coffee/tea is the best thing I've ever seen. 🤣🤣

[@davegoodridge8352]

I always enjoy the strange new colors I get when the new ink cartridge start’s mixing with the old ink!

[@user-el7rd8pp1l]

Buddy you're bold. I could never 😅

[@cravenpeak12]

I got a nice shade of blue from mixing a more indigo blue with a turquoise blue ink.

[@KendallW]

These revised 101 videos are so good! I will add that storing a pen nib down is fine on a desk, but be careful when it's in your pocket -always nib up for that. Also, room-temp water is best for cleaning a pen because warmer water can dissolve lubricants more. And last but not least, make sure to push on the bulb syringe on the back, as demonstrated here, a side-squeeze version that I used will wear out the bulb syringe super fast. I made a video a little while back with some of these tips I've picked up along the way. I really want that Goulet mug @2:29 :)

[@KendallW]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/inrCqo2Chd57jac

[@evanbasnaw]

Good points. I also buy a multi-pack of syringes and then sacrifice a empty catridge by cutting the end off and shoving it into the bulb. This ensures a better fit. Especially on ones like the Lamy that has an oddly shaped connection point you don't want to force a bulb tip into. And on the hot water, I've found bath-water warm (120°F ) is about as hot as is practical. Above that, you can damage feeds and may need to re heat-set them. Not something you want to do as a beginner. Once I found the bulb syringe though, I've never needed to use anything but room-temp filtered water.

[@KendallW]

@@evanbasnaw Great idea for the Lamy. I don't own one yet, but will keep this in mind for sure. Thanks!

[@AncientNovelist]

Brian, I've found ultrasound quite useful, especially for older used pens. Some of my older pens have simply not responded to normal cleaning, but ultrasound has brought them back to life. I'm now using a 1966 Parker sterling silver cisele (Model 75) 14K fine nib, which was hopelessly encrusted through the feed. Twelve minutes in ultrasound with a single drop of Dawn did the trick, and now the pen is writing as smoothly as my Pilot Elite 95s. About returning ink to the bottle from the pen: I am surprised you recommended this. I definitely recommend NOT ever doing this, especially if you experience problems. Any kind of mysterious junk can end up in your ink, especially if you use silicone grease and other things that can solubilize water-incompatible materials. By injecting potentially contaminated ink back into the bottle, you may have just ensured pen and ink problems for as long as you attempt to use that bottle of ink. Far better, I think, is to simply discard the ink, and without question this should be done if the pen is experiencing mysterious problems. Discarding a few pennies worth of ink will save both time and money--and mostly time, which would otherwise be devoted to fruitlessly troubleshooting an issue that comes down to contaminated ink. In general I recommend staying away from silicone and any other lipophilic stuff, as these materials can solubilize compounds that, once released into aqueous ink, will fall out of solution and also may precipitate out elements of the ink, creating a real mess inside the pen. I know eyedropper aficionados will not want to hear this advice, but I'm a chemist and know only too well how easy it is to really muck things up by introducing incompatible materials. Nice explanation of cleaning, but I'd recommend retracting or perhaps limiting your endorsement of squirting ink back into the bottle. My advice: Don't do it! Nice video. PM 2023

[@AncientNovelist]

@@Mr.BrownPants-lz8mx I have no knowledge of the components making up Krytox GPL 205 so I have no basis for giving a recommendation. I'd have to know what's in the stuff before offering an opinion on the material's efficacy or potential to foul pen or ink. If you don't know what's in it, don't use it. You say you're a 'keyboard nerd', but I don't know if you're implying the material is used to clean, lubricate, or shine the keys on your instrument. Cleaning and lubrication may be synonymous in the context of maintaining a keyboard, but the components used to lubricate will definitely pose a problem for pens, since lubrication typically means application of lipophilics such as oil or grease or long chain hydrocarbons--all of which will clog your pen. If the material is a lubricant, it may also contain Teflon micro-particles or talc micro-particles, which again are water insoluble and will foul your pen. You simply have to know what's in the material. You may think, for instance, that hand sanitizer cleans hands so, 'Hey, I'm gonna use it to clean my pen!' Bad idea. Hand sanitizer contains 65 to 80 percent ethanol (grain alcohol--the stuff you drink) and a small amount of alcohol-soluble gel which is likely *insoluble* in pure water--or water-based ink. Some plastics and feed materials are incompatible with alcohol, so you may ruin them by using hand cleaner. Worse, the gel will almost certainly ruin your ink, since it will likely act as a flocculant and may also cause otherwise soluble components of the ink to fall out of solution, and now you've got a real mess that will resist most cleaning liquids; your pen may be irreversibly ruined at that point. You have to know what you're using and how it works. I know the components of a pen and how each component will react to exposure to any liquid or solid, but that's because I'm a research chemist with deep training in incompatible materials and 35+ years experience in the laboratory. Laypeople like you will have to trust the word of an expert such as Brian Goulet, but as you see from my comments, I question some of his advice. Now I am no pen expert, to be sure, but I absolutely know materials and how they react, so I have a solid basis for questions and advice. Good luck! PM 2024

[@Tomatohater64]

I actually clean my pens in my kitchen sink, which has always worked quite well for me. No big deal if I spill any ink - which I do.

[@karma13612]

Kudos on referencing “The IT Crowd”. Loved that series!!!! ❤️🖋🙋🏼‍♀️❤️👏🤣🤣 And also thanks for these beginner Fountain Pen tutorials. I always learn something new! 👍

[@722legolas]

I think you should suggest these 101 videos to all new customers.

[@shstapleton]

Do clean out inside the cap, with a wet cotton swab, especially if the cap isn’t clear. It’s surprising how much ink can accumulate in there.

[@belphegor_dev]

Just place it under running water.

[@mphuong002]

all great contents! another thing I've learned to do, especially important with plastic bodied pens, is to not overtighten the barrel every time you twist it back onto to the grip part; otherwise the plastic may crack and eventually break. since most entry level pens are platics (the preppy and kakuno ;) ), new fountain pen users should definitely note this.

[@kimberleemodel7182]

Old pill vials are good for flushing pens. Also, when using my bulb syringe, I like to squeeze a bit of water out and suck it back in quickly. I have no idea if it works, but my thinking is that quick changes in pressure sloshes more water in and out of the gaps in the feed.

[@denniskirschbaum9109]

Great info as always. I think it is worth pointing out that if you are using a pen consistently, like daily, and you are using one color in it, and it is writing well, you may not need to clean it but rarely. I have gone years without cleaning with single color pens I use all the time. No issues at all. I don't think I have ever cleaned my Lamy 2000 which I only use with Lamy Blue Black ink. I've had it for years. When you do need to clean, you can't beat the bulb syringe as Brian says. I learned that trick from Brian and there is no easier way to clean a nib and feed. Life changing when you want to change colors.

[@MarshaLove0723]

Great info, except I cringed on the part about dipping an inked nib into the ink bottle to get it going or putting the unused ink back into the bottle. 😬 Yes, I know a lot of people successfully do that all the time. But I think about the possible paper fibers, etc that are picked up by the nib in use, and then introduced back into the 'clean' bottle of ink. If I don't want to write a pen dry, and the ink is a limited/discontinued one that I don't want to 'waste', I'll save the ink in a clean sample vial.

[@AncientNovelist]

YES! I NEVER put a pen inside an ink bottle. I purchased a set of five ink syringes a couple of years ago. That's really all you need, whether filling a cartridge or converter. It's cleaner, faster, and easier.

[@thebookwyrmslair6757]

​@@AncientNovelistDitto! I love my syringe set! I can't stand how messy doing the pen into the bottle is. 😅

[@harrylew]

@@AncientNovelist, what do you do if you're filling a piston FP?

[@AncientNovelist]

@@harrylew I use a narrow-diameter cylinder. I transfer a few mL from bottle to cylinder and then draw up into the pen from the cylinder. Yes, it means I lose a mL or two of ink, but I never have to worry about contaminating 60 or 100 mL in the bottle.

[@McAmeron089III]

Brian Goulet can make pen-cleaning seem interesting and entertaining while freely imparting many years of gleaned knowledge; no small feat! BUT,for me,the most exciting moments in this video are of Drew rinsing that beautiful Visconti Mythos Apollo...sigh. It was so nice to see Drew's video on that,most affordable,Visconti in its revamped/updated and exquisite form. Viva l'Italia! Viva GPC!

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

Thanks, Brian! A refresher course is never a bad thing. It’s easy to forget a step or two.

[@mempo77]

your channel (and all the underlying efforts) are an endless goldmine of practical data en nerdy faits divers. Love it. Thank you so much, once again - this one freshed up my handling & got forwarded to a colleague and (fresher) fountain pen enthousiast.

[@arlenet.1520]

Hello! Thank you for making this video! It’s very helpful to me as a newbie in the pen community as I am finding out different pens have cartridges only, converters or piston filled etc. So much to learn…but I am determined to learn as much as I can and have fun along the way. Thanks Brian and Drew for the video!

[@woodthrushcottage]

Well done! Love this remake including your funny co-star's appearances! 🎉

[@sonyaj66]

This video was so timely! I recently got into fountain pens, and after getting my first one a couple of months ago, I recently ordered some inexpensive pens of various brands and nib types to help learn about what I like/don't like before possibly dropping some major $$ on one. So, I've got them filled with different inks, and make a point to use them (for sketching and drawing, primarily) each day. I was rinsing them in the sink and soaking the nib/feeder section, so I'm glad to see the correct way. Thank you for the info - I love that there's so much info on fountain pens out there to help out newbies. It was Marc Kompanyets' drawing channel that got me hooked on fountain pens, and I now totally understand the obsession with them 😂!

[@hani7up]

Thanks Brian.pity you don’t ship to Europe, you’re my reference to fountain pens on KZbin

[@edieo7796]

Helpful tips, your analogies were great. I've been using fountain pens for several years but didn't know some things.

[@stareenafraser]

Thanks for this. Loved the part about walking in the rain hehe 😂

[@thedirtygot9570]

Just got my pilot custom 743 in verdigris from Goulet! Excellent service and the pen is beautiful ❤❤

[@mishmallows]

I watched this series a while back but loving these new videos as a refresher!

[@anguswhite8233]

ashamed to say I’ve never cleaned my pens before first use but, given that they’re mostly Pilot78g+’s it’s not been a problem:); the water, pen flush, water reminder is the best!(thanks for this:)

[@annelyle5474]

All through high school I used a Parker fountain pen with Parker ink and never ever cleaned it 😂 Then again, I was using it every school day and sometimes at weekends, so the ink never had a chance to settle. I'm much more careful with my pens now that there are so many inks to choose from!

[@rknine7998]

I use the bulb to flush out my pens from dark to clear water every week. I let it air dry before reassembling. I knew everything about this video, with the exception of using the syringe needle to flush out the converter and using the cotton swab for the cap.

[@tommccafferty5591]

Excellent video Brian. Thanks.

[@MissMarilynDarling]

Yeah Brian clean your pens :)

[@peterdandyk2342]

Excellent video as always! Wish I had access to these lessons when I first started my pen journey!

[@susanjenkin4333]

Thank you for all you do, I always come back to your videos 😊

[@robertcochran7103]

Thank you for posting this excellent video. I'm reviewing it because I need to clean one of my TWBSI Eco pens.

[@mararainwater5290]

Many thanks, Brian!

[@diablomom]

Drew is so funny😂 2:31

[@raytheron]

Another excellent video. Thanks, Brian!

[@fossilimprint2954]

Good information, will definitely bookmark this video.

[@Stitchxavi]

9:31 no link to the official droulet toothbrush?!?!

[@Guairenito]

Very informative video. Thank you for making it.

[@rockymarciano6750]

Thanks Brian.

[@danh9002]

Great video! Thank you!

[@michelledelecki6224]

8:43 The part where Brian smirks about waiting too long to clean out your pens 😂😂😂

[@RobertStoddard]

Because we all know how much Brian LOVES to clean his pens and how meticulous he is about it. 😂

[@drnimish333]

Good video Thank you for sharing

[@melanarbs]

This is awesome

[@christalitjens501]

Great video! Thank you Brian!

[@dahaizang]

I use tap water and, if it is a new pen, dish soap. It works every time.

[@jolienkrispijn]

Thanks Brian!

[@lead-dog]

Excellent. Thank you very much.

[@eric_the_egggremlin]

I hate bulbs so much. I get nervous that they won't dry fast enough and grow mold or mildew. I use my ink syringe because I can see that it's clean.

[@fumiscorner3793]

Glad I found this content. Why did I not thought of cotton puds..? 😅

[@peterhui9353]

Newbie question. How clear should the water be before re-inking with a different color ink?

[@mynamedoesntmatter8652]

Clear. Rinse it clear to make sure you don’t get a ‘surprise’ color at first.

[@ThePenDungeon]

I’ve never heard you talk about sonic cleaners. Is there a specific reason you don’t mention or use them?

[@shreyasshah3336]

Thanks for this information

[@Jay-ql4gp]

That was good, thank you!

[@thebookwyrmslair6757]

If I'm flushing out a pen, I'll use the syringe from your cleaning set to essentially power wash the cartridge. :) The bulb is great for cleaning out the nib.

[@SrtaMiette]

When “DISCLAIMER” appeared I was expecting something like “do as I say, not as I do” 😂😂😂😂

[@InkDiaries]

I like how you say add a few drops of dish soap, but then the video shows squeezing way more than a few drops 🤣

[@denisgsv]

what about the pens with cartridges ?

[@archivist17]

I'm not sure Brian's queue of pens waiting to be cleaned speaks to his expertise in this matter! 🤔 😆 Perhaps ask Drew 😉

[@abdulhameed10515]

If we clean nibs with water without dismantle nib unit. It will rust???

[@robynfuller3988]

I needed this! My pens have gotten dry and are skipping or not writing at all. I was wondering if the way I'd been cleaning was wrong, so this was a big help, thanks

[@Snowy_Breeze]

What about ink in the pen caps? I have a Platinum Prefounte and a Conklin All American. The former clearly has some ink in the (what I assume is) rubber protector to prevent drying out, and the Conklin has ink stuck between the metal thing that the clip attaches to and it just won't get out. Soak it in pen flush? What do I do?

[@mynamedoesntmatter8652]

I had a ‘problem’ fountain pen that had been put back into its box for a long, long time. I had a bad converter that leaked everywhere in and on that pen. I flushed everything in the sink and then put the nib into a glass of water and had to continually change it out because of all gunked up ink residue. I did add a few drops of Dawn dish soap for a bit. After it began to pretty much go mostly clear I held the glass under running water (not too hard) and let the ‘nib and ribs’ as I call it gently agitate, sort of like a wash cycle in a washing machine. When it got even clearer, I left it sitting in the glass of water overnight. I cleaned the barrel under the faucet (we have good water here so I just used tap water and also used a bit of Dawn dw liquid (that poor pen) and I keep a plastic box of cotton swabs handy in the kitchen (I also clean my coffee maker brew basket with those). When everything was free and clear I left all of it lying on paper towels. Viva is a good thick brand that has little if any paper dust, but that’s what I always have so it was handy. I did use a pen syringe as well during all this. I spent a few hours one night doing all this. I have learned my lesson from leaving a pen dirty just because I was exasperated by its poor performance that was due to a bad converter cartridge. Now that pen lives in its box clean. I’ll eventually get around to replacing the converter, but I now have a standing army of Lamy Safaris that live happily in a leather pen case I got just for them. I’ll get another for my other pens - later. Lamy has my full attention as of now, as I love everything about them.

[@Semitic_from_Mesopotamia]

Can iput it under running water?

[@Kingfisher58]

I'm 58 and just bought my first quill and ink pen and to be honest I'm kinda scared and a bit confused on how to properly use this thing. Also,I'm wondering what I'm going to do with it.... Id like to make a buck or two with it but not sure how .... But thank you for the helpful information!!!!

[@joseluisortiz6917]

What about using the Pen at different altitudes, I mean if you travel from beeing at sea level to mountain at lets said 2000 meters over sea level. Or viceversa. May it drip because pressure change? Some advice?

[@samanthanicholson9015]

Shouldn't it be dried to well so it does rust?

[@jinchoung]

wait... so where do i aim the hose?

[@samanthanicholson9015]

If you use the same color ink do I need to clean the barrel?

[@mynamedoesntmatter8652]

If you’re using it regularly you wouldn’t have to until you think it’s time for a good flushing out.

[@j.s.3753]

Cleaning a fountain pen once a month?!? I rinsed my Lamy Safari mybe three times in 16 years 😭

[@stickinthemud23]

What about Amodex?

[@GC12345]

Am I the only one who heard a cartoon gagging noise in my head after Drew took a sip from the dirty mug?

[@Jocomu1991]

i tried evrything you said but my fountain pen isent working

[@frux9392]

12:17 anyone know what pen case this is?

[@Miastrong930]

I have a TWSBI Eco. Can I use DeAtramentis ink in the color ‘Document Ink White’ with my TWSBI Eco pen? This ink is hand made and must be shaken very well be fore use.

[@larsonl6376]

how do you clean water resistant pens? if the ink is water resistant, wouldn't i need something other than water?

[@Ludwig1954]

I would not recommend using water resistant ink in a fountain pen - even though it used to be compulsory in legal or otherwise binding documents. They can ruin your pen, as many include oxidising substances like ammonia. The same goes for marker inks!

[@genlala]

Does soaking pen in iced water makes any difference?

[@NicoleCB]

Regarding bottled water, it's a good idea to check the label for the source of the water. Most bottled water is filled with municipal water aka tap water and this might be indicated by name of the municipality that it comes from.

[@andrasszabo4019]

You missed the joker... any ultrasonic cleaner does miracles in 3 minutes! :)

[@mynamedoesntmatter8652]

Ooooo, never thought of that! Thanks ~~~~~

[@MrTrackman3]

Ive had a problem recently with my TWSBI eco pens smelling like mildew. I thought maybe the ink went bad but I checked and they all smell fine so I think the problem is the pens. Does anyone have recommendations on how to fix this?

[@ndbyers23]

I would email the company directly. Their customer service team is excellent and will spend as much time as necessary to come to a solution. Hope this helps. 😊

[@texascrossbowdude636]

What water based inks do you recommend, I'm using a lamy safari ?

[@mynamedoesntmatter8652]

Diamine makes great inks, but watch out for those with sheen, unless you’re looking for those. Huge selection, huge. I have two boxes of Levenger inks from about thirty years ago and amazingly those are still good. Sailor inks are good. Shop around and watch videos from Goulet for the different inks.

[@davidtaitano4602]

I just loved the part with Drew and his sour looking face.

[@antoniosaraiva9263]

Can alcohol be used to clean the pen as well?

[@shstapleton]

Don’t! Some pen materials are destroyed by alcohol.

[@thomasquinn284]

NEVER USE ALCOHOL!!! It will harm your pen. Instead run a Luke warm solution of distilled water with two or three drops of Dawn liquid soap to flush out the old ink. I would not recommend putting the old ink into its source bottle. Use a micromesh towel to wipe. Avoid a paper towel.

[@TheRacerRich]

Do not use paper towels! It causes microscratching

[@SilverSeaOT7]

Is it ok to clean the pens with the sprayer that many kitchen sinks have or is that too much water pressure?

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

I'm afraid to use our local town's tap water. We have more dissolved minerals in our tap water than a Copper Mine...😂

[@knottheory79220]

lol also don't use hot water, ask me how I know

[@bbrachman]

Bryan: I seem to forget which of my fountain pens can be diassembled. My Lamy 2000 is a NON DISASSEMBLY pen. My Pilot Decimo is barely able to be disassembled. I keep the entire nib unit together and not mess with the nib and feed. Most other seem to affable to pulling out the nib and feed. Wish there was a master list. I keep forgetting. Or go back to KZbin and search.

[@eno88]

I used distilled watet. I may be a lazy arse but I care for my pens. Plus it's cheap, come on now...

[@onii-chandaisuki5710]

It's definitely cheap but, if you don't have a car, it's a pain to bring home.

[@eno88]

I don't have a car.. I do have arms and legs though. And shops that are not in the middle of nowhere.

[@radiofreealbemuth]

The bulb syringe won't fit cartridge converters like Pilot Explorer, because they have a plastic thing poking out, that's in the way.

[@dordly]

"don't use India/calligraphy inks" haha wish i watched this before trying my calligraphy ink in my grandma's parker 51 special. acid time baby.

[@Gouletpens]

Oh no! Yeah, India ink will wreck things. - Drew

[@dordly]

@@Gouletpens All is well because I also made my first purchase from y'all last night and ordered a TWSBI Eco! Been watching y'all and researching for months, I'm excited to actually get to use one (properly)

[@blktauna]

I am that slacker that doesn't clean a new pen... >.

[@RubensMateusPadovezeArquimago]

😍🤩

[@berk6123]

I use tap water.

[@ostensibly531]

You mean there's a difference between talking a walk in the rain, and taking a shower?

[@rudiger86]

Go for it!