So Katy has a #Jinhao10 and today the clicker seems to be jamming. When pressed, it seems to resist extending or retracting the nib. I'm giving it a cleaning right now to make sure there was no debris or anything in there stopping it from working, but I don't know if that'll fix it.
Has anyone experienced this before? Is there a fix?
So, keeping a #journal in #teeline has had some unexpected benefits for my #ADHD brain beyond my handwriting just being more able to keep up with the rate of my thoughts.
I might blog about this later, but the TL;DR is that the process of transcribing my entries requires me to think deliberately about the meaning of every word I've written.
So, I've finally settled on a technique to keep shimmer inks from clogging my #FountainPens and it's working well, but it's not exactly condusive to writing in #teeline which is what I use 90% of the time these days.
It looks like I wasn't moving the pen enough. As I would keep writing, the shimmer would collect in the feed until it just straight-up clogged. I didn't realize I had to periodically roll the pen around even while I was actively using it. This should have been obvious by the fact that my writing kept getting more and more, well... shimmery before the ink stopped flowing.
I'll try this approach in the future.
Rookie mistake, but in my defense, I didn't even know that shimmer inks were even a thing until late last year.
It always amuses me whenever I think about the fact that I got one of my favourite #FountainPens for free with a bottle of ink. It's even more amusing that I've never inked that pen up with that ink.
@Kate McDonald It's a bit of a pain to work with because I only use it with a dip pen* and have to juggle that with a UV flashlight. That aside, it works really well. Completely invisible under normal lighting conditions and shows up really well under UV.
* Because I feel that cleaning it out of a regular pen would be a pain.
So, with this past #Inkvent calendar, I've found myself in possession of a bunch of shimmering inks. Problem is that they tend to clog my #FountainPens. Are there any inexpensive pens that handle shimmering inks well?
I've found that my Wing Sung 3008s don't clog up much anyway, and when they do they're easy to take apart to clean them, at least once you know how. Also cheap enough to be disposable once they break. ๐ The downside is that they're known for cracking and/or the screw in the cap rusting, hence the importance of being cheap.
I've cleaned out two this weekend - I can't usually get the last little bits of glitter out, but what's left doesn't seem to block it when reassembled.
huh, weird. Which ink? There are some in the inkvent that have larger and too much shimmer and is basically for dip pens as far as I'm concerned, I don't remember what they're marked with - not shimmer or chameleon but something like star bright or something.
@redbanjer ๐ช๐บ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ Yeah, dip pens were my go-to solution. It's just annoying to have to keep mixing up the ink in the bottle in addition to continually dipping the pen.
I bought a few of those small plastic "Dinky Dips" ink containers- they come in three sizes. I can use my ink syringe to put some of my shimmer ink into a Dinky, add a drop or two of Gum Arabic (to help make it more dip nib friendly), and it's a better size--- you can use the dip nib to stir the ink each time you dip it in, since it's not that deep and the container mouth is wide (straight up and down shape). Inks stores well in it, the plastic cap screws tight. Just a thought!
It looks like I wasn't moving the pen enough. As I would keep writing, the shimmer would collect in the feed until it just straight-up clogged. I didn't realize I had to periodically roll the pen around even while I was actively using it. This should have been obvious by the fact that my writing kept getting more and more, well... shimmery before the ink stopped flowing.
I'll try this approach in the future.
Rookie mistake, but in my defense, I didn't even know that shimmer inks were even a thing until late last year.
So Katy has a #Jinhao10 and today the clicker seems to be jamming. When pressed, it seems to resist extending or retracting the nib. I'm giving it a cleaning right now to make sure there was no debris or anything in there stopping it from working, but I don't know if that'll fix it.
Has anyone experienced this before? Is there a fix?
Is the trap door opening/closing properly? It could be wedged somehow. You should be able to poke the nib unit through it manually with the top removed and see if it works as expected.
Also when it's apart you can press the rear of the nib unit up into the tail and press the button and see if it operates normally that way.
Then you at least know which end of the pen is misbehaving.
@Jim P. It looks like there was some debris caught in the mechanism. A good cleaning seems to have resolved the issue. I'm a little confused as to where it came from though.
Okay, I'm done making pen rolls. This is the first one I actually didn't eyeball and am reasonably satisfied with the finished result. Made an identical one for Katy. #FountainPens
Learned from the last pen roll and have significantly upped my sewing game. I made this one out of an old shirt that no longer fit me. (I swear it shrunk.) #FountainPens
I have never before in my life touched a sewing machine, but now that I have one, I decided that the first thing I'd try to make was a pen roll for my #FountainPens (one of them is a ballpoint, but we don't talk about that). There are definitely some things I'd do differently the second time around, but I freaking love this machine!
You don't have to post yours openly. I think there are various forums for sharing in a more limited manner, i.e. direct with someone. You can find addresses and mail to them first.
Pretty sure even short hand written notes count, so you could leave some fancy notes for people in your life who you appreciate.
Who was the genius that decided that Cult Pens' search bar should disappear as you're typing in it on mobile? This person belongs in UX jail. #FountainPens
Could be a component of a dark color. Try some paper chromatography with a dot of ink. See if any green shows up. I use coffee filters but paper towel will work.
@Tallastro ๐บ๐ฆ I had two pens inked up with dark inks. One with Parker Quink Black and the other with Diamine Chilly Nights. I hadn't really handled either, but they were both in the same bag with the pen I was using. I see no evidence of leaking.
Interestingly enough, the pen I was using had previously been filled with green ink, but I'd cleaned* and re-inked it with something else a couple days prior. Maybe it was a leftover ink stain from when I did that? They usually don't hang around that long though.
* There was an ultrasonic cleaner involved, so it should've been really clean.
I am now the proud owner of an ultrasonic cleaner for my #FountainPens which, per the instructions, is "suitable for lazy people in sports without rolling hair".
Say what you will about the materials quality of #TWSBI pens, but their customer service is top-notch. They're working on sending me replacement parts for my pen, though there are still some lingering shipping issues in the aftermath of the Canada Post strike. #FountainPens
if their pens held up better, people wouldnโt need to use their customer service as much thoughโฆ the fact that everyone knows about their customer service being good is kind of a failure in itself
counterpoint is that plenty of budget pen makers donโt have these issues to nearly the same degreeโฆ not to mention budget pens from the big manufacturers like Pilot or Faber Castell
My replacement TWSBI cap finally arrived today. Went to finally ink the pen up only to discover that the thread that connects the nib assembly is broken.
I know I can order a replacement nib assembly relatively inexpensively, but I don't know if the thread in the pen body is intact either.
It looks like when I lost the cap I didn't clean the pen out properly before putting it in storage and there was still some ink sitting in it for a few years. I don't know if that was what caused the damage.
My local pen shop apparently has an AL in stock, and I happen to have gotten a gift card for them for Christmas that would cover the difference between the Diamond 580 and the AL. Perhaps it's time to upgrade?
at this point I would consider a different brand of pen. Hongdian has good piston fillers if youโre into that. Fine Writing International has the Scepter button filler which is very good. Opus 88 might be worth a try also if you are curious about Japanese eyedroppers
@paradoxmo Have you had problems with TWSBI in general? The pen actually served me pretty well for years. I suspect the problem may have been my fault.
my one remaining TWSBI is OK (580 ALRโsold or gave away my others), but TWSBI has a long history of materials issues. Cracked cap, cracked barrel, faulty threads, these are all pretty common complaints. Itโs not just you, I wouldnโt assume itโs your fault.
@paradoxmo I've heard that. I really like my TWSBI though. It's a combination of factors. The fact that it's a piston filler was the initial selling point, but I also like that it's a very wet pen. I need something that lays down a good amount of ink. The price is also a major factor. I have a hard time justifying spending over $100 on a pen.
I don't need a new pen. I have a bunch. It's just that my TWSBI was my favourite.
yes, a lot of people really like their TWSBIs, they are well-designed from the user perspective and have good features, thatโs why I try not to โyuck peopleโs yumโ on them too much. TWSBI is objectively not the best company though and I say this as a Taiwanese person who is otherwise inclined to support a domestic company.
Bottom line, there are many other good Taiwanese pen makers at this point, TWSBI were among the pioneers of budget pens but theyโre far from the only option these days.
TWSBIs have a cracking issue. They used to be much worse, but they still having a cracking issue. Iโve sold all my TWSBI pens and refuse to get more. I picked up a Moonman/Majohn T1 to replace my 580 that cracked 3 times.
I've reached out to TWSBI to find out if it's possible to get a replacement barrel for the pen. If so, I know the replacement nib assemblies are relatively inexpensive. This is turning into the Pen of Theseus.
@fedops ๐๐ Yeah, I thought about that too. The local place I normally get stuff from doesn't carry a whole lot of TWSBI stock though, all they have in stock right now is the one AL (though their online stock has been known to be inaccurate).
the chameleon inks in the calendar have a shimmer that shifts between two colours depending on light and angle even though the ink itself stays the same colour.
Chameleon ink has shimmer that shows different colours depending on the angle of light or the angle you look at it. I managed to take photos demonstrating it on one of the Inkvent inks here: social.scribblers.club/@Anke/1โฆ
Diamine really should have some way to define their ink designations without spoiling. If someone is completely new to it and doesn't watch or read other fountain pen creators' videos/posts about them, they might not understand what Chameleon or the other terms mean.
The #Inkvent calendar we ordered and which has been stuck in the postal strike finally arrived. We're just going to open three a day until we're caught up. #FountainPens
I still can't make myself use blue ink after being forced to only use that color in elementary school. Going to black felt like rebellion in middle school.
I carry a blue rollerball as my emergency pen specifically because of this. I would still rather use a pen I prefer rather than a random ballpoint from the doctorโs office
@Jonathan Lamothe well many reasons, the color blind find reading other colors much more difficult. Computers find it more difficult to read the others, etc.
Just "cleaned" one of my #FountainPens and had the disassembled parts drying on a clean tissue. Found a small spot of ink where the nib was resting. Guess I've got to clean it a little better...
@Dianora (Diane Bruce) This particular pen hadn't been inked in several years until I did so a couple days ago. It's not typically one of my daily drivers. To be fair though, I've been out of the hobby for a while, and am only getting back into it somewhat recently.
I am not really a FP hobbyist I just love to write with a Fountain pen otherwise I have illegible handwriting. OTH I guess that does make me a FP hobbyist. hrmmm I don't go for the inks as .. others do but I do daily drive a FP. Otherwise as I said, I couldn't read my own handwriting!
@Dianora (Diane Bruce) I was a little out of practice, but my handwriting's starting to improve again, though I've mostly been writing in teeline (shorthand) which is pretty illegible in the first place.
I don't feel the need to gatekeep the term "hobbyist". I consider myself to have been a hobbyist from the day I bought my first fountain pen.
Okay, I got my #WEARINGEUL #Enki ink flowing nicely in my #LAMY Safari. It just needed a tiny drop of dish soap applied with a toothpick to the cartridge converter. It's still a really light colour, but I kind of expected that going in. #FountainPens
So, my local-ish pen shop has a collection of these Korean inks (Wearingeul) that I've not seen before. Just bought a bottle of Enki and can't wait to get it home to play with it. #FountainPens
Just got my sample ink pack in the mail, and I've got to say Diamine Ruby Blues might be my new favourite ink. The photos online don't do it justice. The ink changes colour depending on the angle you look at it from. Is this a more common thing than I realize? #FountainPens
@paradoxmo It uses the word "sheen" on the website, but the colour actually changes depending on the angle it's looked at from, which is why a photo would never do it justice.
@redbanjer ๐ช My two suppliers of choice are Phidon (a local-ish brick and mortar store) and Goulet Pens. Though I've recently heard good things about Jet Pens (I think) but I've no experience with them.
Just ordered an "inkvent" calendar because apparently they sell out fast. Now I just have to restrain myself from opening it until December. Fortunately I ordered a random sample pack as well, so we have something to keep us occupied in the meantime. #FountainPens
Hope you enjoy it! We've been enjoying them for a few years now. Lovely inks every year, and we always pick our favorites and hope Diamine releases full bottles. It's really fun!
So I've decided that I'll be giving my business to my local(ish) fountain pen store instead. It's a bit of a drive, but I prefer to support local businesses where I can.
Is there a large #FountainPens community on the fedi?
Anyhow, I have a dedicated blue #Lamy Sarafi that I used to use for my #BaystateBlue ink, because it's notorious for permanently staining everything it comes into contact with. A while ago, I accidentally let ink dry out in this pen, and I haven't been able to get the feed flowing properly since. I've cleaned the pen several times and left everything soaking in water for several hours on a few occasions. I've also tried changing the nib. Eventually, I just emptied it, cleaned it out, and left it sitting on a shelf for a while.
I recently pulled it out again, cleaned it once more, and inked it up. Same problem. I'm going to leave it sit inked for a bit to see if maybe capillary action will eventually set in, but if this doesn't resolve the issue is there anything else I can try? I can always replace the pen, but I'd rather not if it can be avoided.
@neckspike You can also use the ultrasonic cleaner on other stuff. It works great on jewelry and such. And if you bought another pen it could still get clogged, and the cycle repeats.
If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, that might help draw the ink out.
Some people have soaked pens for days to get stubborn stuff out, a couple hours may not be long enough.
Also might use (or make) pen flush to help. Some people have used a little dish soap or ammonia but it can be tricky getting the mix right so I use pre-made pen flush.
The way Lamy pens are made can make it tricky to clean with a bulb syringe but that's usually the most effective way to do it quickly.
@Jim P. I've tried pen flush, but I'm told that one should not soak a pen in it, just flush it through.
I'm going to look into the ultrasonic cleaner option though.
I may also end up resorting to soaking in water for an extended period. I'm told that Baystate Blue is notoriously hard on pens, though the Safari is known for being pretty indestructible.
yeah, soaking is just for water, generally speaking.
Before anything else, I'd let the section+feed part (without the nib on) soak overnight in room temperature water and then see what happens.
I won't touch Noodler's inks for many reasons but one of the big ones is that they do things like you're seeing. Not worth the hassle for me when there are so many other choices out there.
@Jim P. Yeah, I really do like BSB, but I know it's hard on pens. This is why I have a dedicated pen for it. I've got another one inked up with something else, and it's working fine.
Lamy has been the worst for me on this. Ultimately, the only thing that got it running again for me was putting it in an ultrasonic cleaner a few times.
UPDATE: I've let it sit inked for a bit and the flow seems to be improving. Tonight, I'll clean it and let it soak in water sans nib over night (or longer of I'm still unhappy). I'll also look into an ultrasonic cleaner.
Nib cleaner and a bulb syringe should help clear the last bits. The writing is neater than mine! Best of luck with clearing the Safari yo smooth again.
no, vinegar wonโt damage the feed. But Iโm not really sure it will help in this case. If you want something stronger than normal pen flush, try Rapido-eze. Itโs designed for technical pens and can clean out some stubborn particles.
if itโs standard ammonia-based pen flush, you should not keep the nib or the barrel submerged in it. You should fill the pen with it like you would with ink, and leave it there overnight. This is different than soaking.
vinegar is pretty safe in general and you can always dilute it. I think the safari has a plastic feed, too.
if it were me I would use a little dishsoap and an old toothbrush first and try to get into the feed's nooks and crannies. if the suds turn blue, it's working
paradoxmo
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to paradoxmo • •@paradoxmo I'm currently using a TWSBI Diamond 580. As for the technique, I was basically just making a rookie mistake:
Jonathan Lamothe
2025-04-27 21:50:13