6 replies to this topic

[JonSzanto]

I could have asked this at one of the more "generalist", user-oriented sites, but I prefer the Brain Trust.

I started with a couple pens a couple years ago, and I like to write with fountain pens. Nonetheless, I now am up to around 70 pens. I still like to write, and have a number that are inked. I keep the bulk of the gathering inkless, clean and dry. My problem is having a few different pens that are nice to write with, and not enough things to write, and some of them, eventually, start to dry out.

Is there any particular storage solution to this (like people store cigars in humidifier boxes)? Or should I simply realize that I can't use the pens enough to keep the ink from drying, and ink only a couple of pens? I note that some of the pens will write first-time, every-time no matter how long they've sat (most of my Sheaffers seem to exhibit this), but other seemingly well made pens just have a tendency to become dry and stop writing, and a smaller number will just gradually dry completely.

I'm sure I should keep it down to just a couple, but different moments beg for different nibs, inks, pen-feel, etc. Just wondering if there were any ideas or options for this situation.

P.S. This is in San Diego. Not completely Las Vegas or Phoenix, but we're certainly on the dry side compared to many areas of the country/globe. Don't use AC much, so it is just the natural humidity (or lack of it) that is affecting the situation.

Edited by JonSzanto, 08 July 2013 - 05:50 PM.

[spotted and speckled]

Clean & dry & uninked is a great way to store your pens.

I have about 20 FPs inked at any given time. If I don't use one for a few days, it will start eventually. Most start right up but I have a few fussy pens. The ones that like to give me trouble, I either dip the nib in ink or water to get the feed kick started, or I twist the piston (or convertor) to push ink up into the feed. Ones I have inked, I keep nib up until they get in my hand.

I wash all my inked pens out every few weeks and start fresh, with the exception of the ones that are in permanent rotation or are married to a particular ink. Those just get rinsed and refilled. I don't want inks to completely dry up inside my pens--I have been traumatized by Ancient Copper. (Google those nib pictures a few other people took, awful)

The one pen type I don't store dry is vintage cork fillers. I've learned that those maintain best either filled with water (which I change every month, it's not that big of a deal) or married to an ink. I'm not sure how everyone else feels about this strategy for this type of pen, but it's working for me.

I do see your problem though--you said it, and you can fix it! "not enough things to write"

[JonSzanto]

Well, this has been insightful.

[Roger W.]

Well, this has been insightful.

Jon;

The pen needs to work properly - meaning that the nib seals at least somewhat when closed. It was a long term problem for Sheaffer and their desk pens going through many iterations. My pens are in the basement which tends to be moist in the summer and I dehumidify to keep it livable but, we are at 50-70% humidity. That said most the nibs start up pretty well. Modern Skrip works better than vintage in my Targa but, with plastic feeds they have wetting issues anyway. I don't usually ever have a problem with hard rubber feeds starting up. I think I'd have greater problems if I had lower humidity so if you are below 35% maybe you need to humidify a bit. Otherwise maybe different inks would give you better performance.

Roger W.

[JonSzanto]

Thanks, Roger. I wasn't even assuming that there *is* a good answer, save for fewer pens inked and used more often but I thought I would ask. I'm certain our ambient atmospheric conditions come into play.

[David Nishimura]

Myself, I've moved over the years in the fewer pens inked used more often direction.
It's not so much a technical issue as facing facts: if my pens are drying out, I'm clearly not writing enough to support inking so many pens.

[JonSzanto]

David, that certainly is a truism. Another motivation for the query was the fact that some pens seem to 'hold their ink' so much better, but I've never found the common thread - though now I must admit I've been far from rigorous (types of ink, types of cap, etc). I think it is time to move downward in number, indeed.