Q&A for How to Use a Fountain Pen

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Can I not use a fountain pen if I am left-handed?

Community Answer

You can use a fountain pen if you are left-handed. The author stated right hand since most people are right-handed.

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Question

How do I write with a fountain pen in normal handwriting?

Community Answer

Use a light touch with very little pressure on the tip. The nib just touches the paper and the ink flows.

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Question

What if my cartridge isn't clicking in?

Community Answer

Apply a little more pressure. Keep your pen vertical and push it with force. Then, a clicking sound will happen.

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Question

How do I get an ink cartridge out if it's stuck in the pen?

Community Answer

Put the pen in water for a couple of hours and try again. Repeat until you can remove the cartridge.

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Question

Can I change the nib of a fountain pen when the cartridge is already punctured?

Community Answer

Yes, if you hold the cartridge upright, take the nib off, insert a hypodermic syringe filled with ink into the cartridge, fill the cartridge, and then put the nib back in. If you are careful, you should have no problem.

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Question

How do I get the nib to open so the writing is broader (like the one in calligraphy)? I use the same fountain pen as in the tutorial.

Community Answer

You can use a flex nib fountain pen instead. It is not good to press hard on the nib of a normal fountain pen because you will damage the nib. Use a flex nib.

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Question

Can I refill the black ink fountain pen cartridges?

Pascal Leers

Community Answer

Yes. Just clean them and use a syringe to refill them.

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Question

How do I store my fountain pen without it drying out?

Community Answer

Make sure to keep the lid on the pen at all times. If it does not have a nib, it is okay for the ink to dry. Just slightly dip the nib in water and hold the pen vertically (nib faced down) and wait for the ink flow which can take 1-5 minutes.

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Question

How often does a fountain pen need new ink?

Community Answer

It really depends on how much you use it. When the ink is beginning to look faint, it's time for a replacement.

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Question

Should I throw away a damaged or old fountain pen?

Pascal Leers

Community Answer

It depends. Parts like the nib can sometimes be repaired or replaced. And sometimes a fountain pen that doesn't write just needs a good cleaning. (As old and dry ink may be stuck inside the pen.) In some cases you may ask the company that made the pen to restore it.

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Question

What do I do if my pen leaks?

Community Answer

Get some tissues and if it gets on your clothes, try and find a way to get ink out of your clothing. Wrap the leaking pen in tissues and get more if the ink continues seeping through.

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Question

Can I put in a different ink color without blending it with the first one?

Xinyi Sun

Community Answer

Yes, you can, but you should clean the pen nib throughly first so it doesn’t blend.

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Question

Can the metal nibs in quills be sharpened? If so, when do I sharpen it and how?

Community Answer

A cheaper fountain pen most likely will not have an iridium bearing on the tip, so you will need to grind and polish your own nib. Frequency depends upon how much and how hard you write.

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Question

I have a 1.1 mm fountain pen, and I can't seem to get a thicker line, or a thinner line for that matter. Does anyone have any tips?

Pascal Leers

Community Answer

It depends on your nib. A steel nib (or a hard 18 K gold nib) may not give much line variation. So to get more line variation, you might want to replace the nib with a softer one, a semi flex nib. Some pen brands offer these. A few modern pens that offer a nice bit of line variation are the Pelikan M1000, Noodlers Ahab, and the Namiki Falcon.

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Question

How do I replace the nib in a fountain pen?

Community Answer

If the nib is replaceable, simply unscrew the nib you want to change and then screw the new nib back in. If the nib is not replaceable, you may not be able to do anything for it.

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Question

What nib should I use for calligraphy?

Community Answer

Check Method 3, Step 2. It talks about the best nibs for decorative writing.

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Question

My fountain pen is too inky to write with. What should I do?

Community Answer

If the nib is covered in ink, wipe it off with a paper towel. If you're using a converter or piston pen and too much ink is flowing out, try ejecting a tiny bit of the ink.

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Question

When you refill the ink and the ink isn't coming out. What do I do?

Cloudysky1562

Community Answer

Just keep making shapes with it on plain or not coloured paper. The ink will flow out eventually.

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Question

Can I close an ink cartridge after puncturing it? If so, how?

Community Answer

An ink cartridge can be closed again with some PVA glue. Don’t use super glue as it may be too tough to be punctured by the pen.

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Question

Does the ink pen nib break when it falls?

Avika Kumari

Community Answer

It depends on the quality of the pen you are using. Yes, the ink pen nib can break when falls but If you are using a good brand fountain pen, it might not break. It also depends what it lands on.

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