Be sure to clean out the remaining ink before not using a pen for a long time. Otherwise, the existing ink will easily evaporate and dry up, leaving sediment in the pen, which will be difficult to clean over time. You will be in a lot of trouble using this pen again.

Extended information

Usage and maintenance

New pen received

Generally, fountain pens can be used normally after being filled with water. As others said, take out the blisters and soak a new pen. Of course, sometimes it is inevitable that the pen will not discharge water or the pen tip is dry. At this time, it is necessary to deal with it a little bit.

Generally, what needs to be cleaned is a pen that has poor ink output after buying it, because the ink of some pens is not cleaned when the nib is inspected before leaving the factory or after customers test the pen at the counter. Over time, the ingredients in the ink Condensation blocks the ink guide groove of the pen tip, causing water to flow poorly.

In this case, you need to remove the pen tip, soak it in warm water (not boiling water) for half to an hour, and then wipe it dry. After installation, it can generally be used normally. If that still doesn't work, extend the soaking time.

If it still doesn’t work, you need to remove the metal piece of the pen tip, and then use a small brush to clean the ink guide groove and the entire capillary structure on the back of the pen feed (that is, the small slits on the plastic part of the pen tip). Sluggish water discharge may also be caused by the pen tip itself.

One is that the slit at the front end of the pen tip is too narrow. At this time, you can press the pen tip slightly harder according to your usual writing posture and hold it for one to two seconds, or you can use a thin blade to expand the slit. , but be careful. The second reason is that the ink guide groove is too narrow. At this time, you need to use a thin blade to expand the ink guide groove. You must also be careful.

Some new pens may have difficulty in water discharge when they are first used. This is because the new pens are like this when they leave the factory, so don’t be too nervous. After writing for two or three days, the pen tip will become smooth and it will be much easier to write.

Maintenance

When writing, some manuscript paper should be placed under the paper to enhance the elasticity of the pen tip and reduce friction. Do not write the pen tip on hard materials such as metal to prevent damage to the pen tip.

In daily use, avoid mixing different inks to avoid sedimentation and clogging of the pen. The pen should be cleaned once every month or so to keep the ink draining smoothly. If carbon ink is used, it should be cleaned more frequently and must be thoroughly cleaned. If the pen is not used for a long time, it should be cleaned and stored. And don't use excessive force when writing.

Cleaning

Generally, when cleaning, you can repeatedly absorb and drain water until the discharged water is clean, and then wipe it dry. If the cleaning interval is long or if you plan to clean and store the pen, you need to disassemble the parts and clean them separately. After initial disassembly, it is divided into five parts: nib, converter (converter/ink bag), pen grip, pen cap, and pen barrel. The latter two generally do not need to be cleaned.

The metal part of the pen tip and the pen feed (inking structure) should be further disassembled. The metal piece of the pen tip should be rinsed with water, and the entire inking structure can be carefully scrubbed with an old toothbrush and then soaked in warm water. One night.

After cleaning all parts, wipe them dry, and then install and seal them when they are completely dry. Of course, different pens have different structures, and not all pens can be disassembled. For pens that are difficult to disassemble, you can only use the first method to clean them. Do not forcefully disassemble or damage the pen.

It needs to be mentioned here that there is an elbow pen called a "calligraphy pen", which has the characteristic of large changes in the thickness of writing strokes. When in use, lower the pen holder, and the strokes will be thicker, and you can write slightly larger characters; if you raise the pen holder, the strokes will be thinner, and you can write smaller characters.

This kind of pen is more expressive than ordinary pens and is often used to write larger fonts such as envelopes. However, it is difficult to write with this kind of pen, and beginners should not use it to practice calligraphy.

Finally, you should pay special attention to: Never use boiling water or overheated water to clean the pen, otherwise it will cause damage to the pen. In particular, some well-known pen brands use a material called "celluloid" to make pen holders;

For example, Pelikan, etc., hot water will cause serious damage to this material! And do not let water touch the pen tip, otherwise it may cause the pen to become lighter or unable to write.

Structural composition

Pen tip

The pen tip can be said to be the most critical part of the pen. There are various changes from thin to thick, and generally the most critical part is the nib. Common pen nib sizes are "B (Broad), M (Medium), FM (Fine-Medium), F (Fine) and EF (Extra-Fine)";

From thick to fine, the order is B > M > F > EF. Each pen manufacturer will have slight differences in pen tip size. In the same size unit, the nib of Japanese fountain pens will be thinner than that of European fountain pens.

According to normal writing habits, Westerners mostly use the M nib when using fountain pens, and use the B nib when signing. Due to the complicated strokes in Chinese writing, F or the thinner EF nib can generally be used.

Types

There are many types and models of pens. According to the composition of the pen tip, it can be divided into two types: gold pen and iridium gold pen.

Gold pen

The pen tip is made of gold alloy. The pen tip is soft, has good elasticity and feels comfortable in the hand.

However, gold pens are more expensive, have soft nibs, and are difficult to master, so they should not be used by beginners.

Iridium pen

The pen tip does not contain gold, and some of the pen tips are gold-plated. The pen tip is hard, but it is high-quality and low-priced. It is a suitable tool for beginners to write.

The secret why gold nibs and iridium nibs are more durable than steel nibs lies in the small round particles on the steel nib. This small round particle is made of iridium-ruthenium alloy, which is very hard and wear-resistant. According to experiments by Shanghai Jinxing Gold Pen Factory, if the gold pen tip and the steel pen tip are ground on a whetstone at the same time, after one hour, the gold pen tip will only wear 0.07 mm, while the steel pen tip will wear as much as 5 mm!

Although the prices are very different, the iridium particles in the pen tip are all alloys of the special alloy "iridium and ruthenium"! The reason why the smoothness varies so much is because of the different polishing methods and fineness. So in a sense, gold pens and iridium pens are the same. However, the materials and feel are different, which leads to the price gap.

Reference materials: fountain pen. Baidu Encyclopedia