hArt fountain pen month: The complete guide to refilling and maintaining the most prestigious writing instruments

“The pen is the language of the soul”, believes the author of Don Quixote, the great Miguel de Cervantes. This notion of his is particularly relevant today when we mainly use keyboards, physical or virtual, for writing, whose practical advantages cannot be disputed. But are there still things that cannot be expressed in any other way than with the good ‘old’ pen?The general answer boils down to signing important documents when the dignity of the moment and the authenticity of the signature can only be assured by a premium writing instrument, which for these reasons is inevitable in professional environments.

But the more important answer is our own. And it depends on our style, on the affinities in life that define us as individuals; and on our experiences of indulging in the art of living.

Do our thoughts and feelings move in the same way when we hold a fine fountain pen and a beautiful notebook in our hands, and when the white screen waits impatiently for us to write on the keyboard? Is the pen just an attractive tool for writing or does it transform it completely, making our experience of expression deeply personal? Are there things that remain unexpressed if they are not “imprinted” with our handwriting in its full expression?

It’s no coincidence that we mentioned the fountain pen because everything listed in the previous paragraph best epitomizes this very writing instrument, which is experiencing a renaissance as an essential gentleman’s and lady’s accessory because of its elegance. External… and deeply internal…

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How to fill ink in your fountain pen? 

For fountain pen enthusiasts, ink refilling and care for their instrument are part of the usual routine, rituals of pleasure, ways of enjoying beauty and timeless technology.

The way you refill the ink in your fountain pen depends on the type of instrument you own. Before going into detail, we’ll briefly describe the three most common refill mechanisms: one involves changing cartridges, and the other two – piston-fill and converter – refill from an ink bottle.

Cartridge fountain pens are the most common type and are the easiest to refill.

Piston-fill or converter instruments have an ink refill chamber. A piston-fill offers a similar filling mechanism to a converter, but does not require the disassembly of the pen.

How to replace a cartridge?

To replace a used cartridge, unscrew the bottom of the pen barrel (the one you are holding while writing). Remove the used cartridge and insert a new one by following these steps:

-insert the narrower end of the new cartridge into the nib housing;

-press down on the cartridge until you hear the writing block puncturing the cartridge’s protective seal;

-wait for the ink to flow through the nib (approximately one minute);

Once you reassemble the instrument, it should start writing almost immediately. Otherwise, hold it in a vertical position to let gravity do its work. It may take several minutes before the writing becomes smooth.

How to fill a piston pen?

Fountain pens made with a piston mechanism have a reservoir concealed inside the barrel. Start the refilling procedure by twisting the blind cap anticlockwise until it stops (the top part of the instrument that cannot be removed). Then dip the entire nib into the ink bottle. Draw ink into the pen by twisting the blind cap clockwise until it stops. After removing the nib from the ink bottle, turn the blind cap half a turn anticlockwise, letting a little ink drip out to release air. Finally, clean the nib with a damp, lint-free cloth.

How to fill a converter pen?

To refill a converter pen, you must first unscrew the instrument. The converter is at the bottom. Dip the nib into the ink bottle and turn the knob on the top of the converter clockwise to draw ink. The rest is identical to filling a piston pen.

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Tips for perfect care of your fountain pen

Taking care of your fountain pen is crucial to ensuring perfect ink flow, i.e. perfect writing every time you use it.

Here are a few tips for this purpose:

-Try to use the instrument regularly enough to use up the ink in it at least once every six months. A good idea for infrequent users is to only half-fill the reservoir with ink, and to rinse it with warm water every 3-5 months. Never use detergents or solvents.

-It is advisable to remove any remaining ink in your pen if you know you will not be using it for a long period. The reaction of the ink’s acids with the air can cause the nib to oxidize.

-Unlike conventional blue ink, inks in other colours contain more solid residues. If you use ink in other colours, you need to clean your fountain pen more often.

-Do not leave your fountain pen without the cap. Exposure to air causes liquids to evaporate faster, increasing the rate at which solid ink residue collects in the instrument. The ink thickens and accumulates in the capillary grooves, which can cause clogging.

-Don’t buy large quantities of ink or cartridges, only as much as you will use in the next 12-18 months.

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How to clean the nib?

Whenever a fountain pen does not write well – despite being fully charged with ink – the nib is most likely the problem. We recommend cleaning the nib every time you refill ink or change a cartridge.

Cleaning involves unscrewing the pen body. During disassembly and cleaning, hold the instrument in a vertical position. If the pen has a converter system, carefully remove the converter from the barrel.

Clean the nib by running lukewarm water through it. Hold it vertically under a light stream or use a syringe to inject small amounts of water into the tip of the nib. Always use lukewarm, clean water – high temperatures can damage some of the internal components.

Continue the flushing process until the water that comes out is completely clear. To remove the most stubborn residue of dried or hardened ink, leave the nib to soak overnight in a solution of water and vinegar, with a recommended concentration of 5 ml vinegar to 250 ml water.

Once dry, shake it several times to remove any remaining moisture. Then leave it overnight in a ventilated place, upright.

How to clean the converter?

After removing the converter from the instrument, empty any remaining ink. Use a syringe to rinse it with lukewarm water. Inject with moderate pressure – too much pressure can cause water to collect under the mechanism gasket.

Then fill the converter with water, seal it and shake it vigorously to remove any remaining ink. Rinse it again until it is completely clean, then let it dry overnight on a paper towel. For thorough drying, place the converter vertically

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Tips for surface cleaning

Of course, besides a perfect writing experience, we also expect a perfect appearance from the fountain pen. Proper maintenance of the surface of these writing instruments depends on the material they are made of.

Silver or silver-plated items are cleaned with silver polish and a soft cloth. For intricate engravings such as those found on premium pens, dirt and tarnishing can be removed with a soft toothbrush.

A soft cloth is all you need to clean pens with hard metal finishes, like palladium or stainless steel. The same recommendation applies to instruments made of celluloid or resin. For sensitive finishes like those mentioned, it is very important to avoid any chemicals and abrasives.