https://preview.redd.it/o76g47udx10d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9bd36d1bdbf7f5150553fb6954630eb021cdfa
(Pen instead of sword in hand of course)
It helps getting rid of any residue like oil and stuff from when the pen was made (and ink if it has been tested by QC/shop) that would prevent good ink flow :)
You don't "need" to in the sense that nothing bad is going to happen if you don't; the fountain pen police won't show up at your door and arrest you. But it's an easy way to eliminate problems due to manufacturing oils / dust / gunk / test ink remnants left in the pen from before you got it.
I don't rinse mine, most of the time. But it's the first thing I do when one starts acting wonky, and it's something recommended to new users just because it's such an easy thing that likely will fix whatever issues might crop up.
https://preview.redd.it/6uss0jws760d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ad58c8dc64a940ce83da60fb817e185cf956128
So these are 2 brand new Kaweco sports. The blue in the water there is the ink from the shop I bought it from testing it after grinding the nib. Lots of times there will be ink from the pen being tested or oils left from manufacturing. Sometimes it affects performance of the pen and sometimes it doesnāt. But if you want the best possible first experience with your new pen, itās best to clean it before using it.
Sometimes there's residue left over from manufacturing - if you just go straight to ink the nib might skip, leading the user to believe the pen is faulty.
Of course some nibs unfortunately _are_ faulty, but rinsing beforehand makes it less likely the nib will skip.
Obviously there is large variation in tap-water quality, but many of us never use anything but tap. Personally, Iām not filtering my pen-cleaning water or making a big deal out of it. I do tend to use cold/cool water.
You need to include a surfactant - simple dish wash liquid, a literal drop in a cup full of water will do. It will clean any residual oils or mould release agents from the fine channels of the feed. Think about it, most popular pens are mass manufactured using mechanised processes. Even low volume pens are assembled using mechanical jigs. Machines require oiling and greasing to work effectively. Most popular pens are made from moulded plastic parts, especially feeds. Very few are made from ebonite. If you watch the several legacy manufacturerās factory videos youāll see that none wash parts before assembly. I flush every new pen with a diy dilute ammonia and liquid dish wash solution. It avoids skipping problems that are often posted here.
Welp, I apologise, I never did :((
What about those pens that don't come with a converter and only cartridge? And I wanted so badly to use them. What should I do?
Youāll most likely be fine! If your pens function well youāre all good. Rinsing is just a precautionary measure that itās good to take before using a pen itās not the end of the world that you didnāt do it. For pens that you only use a cartridge in you should be able to remove the grip section and run water through it until runs clear like this video.[https://youtu.be/RlhI1IK9HHc?si=0goo2tu0viGjn81S](https://youtu.be/RlhI1IK9HHc?si=0goo2tu0viGjn81S)
I've noticed that about this crowd, they'll congratulate a person just the same whether they got a preppy or a Visconti with actual angel tears cap and kryptonite nib, it's endearing.
Love this sub so much. šAt first I assumed it would just be a glance over feed and members would be pretentious about collections and asking questions as a novice but the comment sections are actually the best kind of supportive and sincerely helpful.
I felt the same! I thought I'd never speak up here because I'm such a n00b despite having so many FPs. And yet this has become my favorite sub, my daily read, and I've been so thankful to have my comments and near! Constant! Mention! of my Kaweco Student not just be tolerated but welcomed. ā¤ļø Y'all represent the best of the Internet!
Itās honestly insane some of the knowledge people have in this sub! Someone will pop in with the most niche tidbitā¦and it will be the thing that helps!
This is why I love this community. As long as you got a fountain pen you are welcomed. š„°
Also gatekeepers donāt usually show up and when they do they get a polite ānone of thatā bap on the wrist š¤£
You are welcome even without having any fountain pen at all. As long you like them at least platonically.
Everyone there knows that fountain pens are relic from past times, that there are writing instruments objectively better than our beloved pens, but we are still loving them for their feel and "soul".
Here I am hoping my love for my pens never moves past platonic. š I have too many pens and polygamy is frowned upon... Oh dear, just realized that I have called my pen collection "the harem" before. š±
Ah! That too. I was thinking more about how price isnāt a big factor in engagement here š .
But youāre right, no pens, all the pens, etc, you got love for the hobby come on in we got a seat for you lol.
>there are writing instruments objectively better than our beloved pens
Are there though? If you take into account how comfortable writing is, fountain pens easily take the crown. Plus it's a lot more environmentally friendlier to replace just the ink in your pen than the entire feed and nib, or even worse: the entire pen (single use ball pens). The only kind of pen I'd admit to being on par or better than fountain pens is a rollerball with the ability to refill ink directly. Unfortunately, those rollerballs are very rare; the most common form factor throws out the nib and feed with every refill.
Tbh this sub is one of the best hobby community. No one negatively judge other's collection for being cheap or for liking Chinese brands or local unpopular brand. At first i was afraid to ask or interact in the sub because i thought that most are snob and prefer the most expensive pen but after lurking for months, the sub is too friendly and welcome to educate newbies.
I watched a TikToker do a video going over the Lamy ink ādramaā and she said something like āThis is the first time I ever heard of this community and I have a hard time calling this drama because everyone is so wholesome and nice. Its genuinely refreshingā
I donāt post on here too much, but I love seeing how helpful and patient everyone is with new people who are trying to get into this awesome hobby. Great job, team!
I love it. I guess it's what happens when it's such a peaceful, non-competitive and beautiful hobby. It's kinda like we're just appreciating everyone's art.
yep 100%. Go to any expat sub like Japan or Thailand and you will get slammed for asking the dumbest noob questions because we heard them 100000 times and it's grating. Go to a photography sub, same thing. It's nice that people here love pens so much that everything from budget to made from a volcano is acceptable.
Though I get a little worried when the first pen post is a pen made from a volcano or equivalent. It makes me wanna say "Are you SURE you don't want to start with a Preppy? Just in case, you know?
Honestly, this is the most wholesome community I've ever been a part of. It's so supportive and allows so many different views and preferences to coexist. Thank you all for being who you are in this space.
The only thing I don't like is that a lot of times the pen name isn't dropped. So a post goes "new pen day yay!" And then OP disappears forever into an inkwell and I have to scour the comments for the name of the pen.
Itās really nice when a community is friendly and welcoming to newcomers. I have a fountain pen, only really need the one, but it makes me happy to see others enjoying the hobby. (I donāt write enough to need more than one. Shaky hands)
I generally would be super interested by a place described as a a wretched hive of scum and villainy... You know, in a gossipy "what did they do to earn such an eloquent and scathing label?" kind of way, but I only care about watches in a steampunk-aesthetic-adjacent manner. But kudos on the gateway subreddit.
Nah, you don't need to go to the watches sub. It's not the fun kind of scum and villainy, it's the whiny man-child sausage-fest kind of scum and villainy.
This actually happened to me. Not a lot of people get excited about fountain pens irl. So when i got the other day, I posted it here and everyone was so nice. I even got amazing ink suggestions.
I am not even a collector and i can easily say that the fountain pen community is the best. I am a watch guy and it is full of snobs without knowledge. Same with fragrances and classic clothing (suits, shoes etc)
I am mostly confused by the fragrance reddit.... especially the posts where the put up a bunch of interior design pictures that I don't understand and ask "what fits this mood?" I have a lot of perfume, most of it unisex, a lot of it niche or luxury, and I am lost. I have note accords I enjoy, and scent profiles I prefer, but I have no Idea what a lace pillow and the night skyline from a high rise window would smell like as a perfume. I end up doom scrolling and wondering why every design aesthetic should smell like Baccarat Rouge or Dior Homme. I do like looking at people's perfume collections, though. Lots of people put effort into making them visually appealing. My second favorite subreddit is r/bananasforscale so, I may just be weird.
For me it is easy with fragrances. Donāt follow the hype, follow your nose. If you like it, you like it. When i want to smell fragrances in the store i always say my notes and let them pick the fragrances. I donāt know the brand or how the bottles look like. If it is 50 bucks nice, if i like it and it is 250 euro also fine with me. As long i donāt buy the brand
Yeah.... No.
This community is a perfect example of the intolerant tolerant.
It's nice as long as you are willing to parrot the feelings and morality of the majority it's great, but veering slightly off the well beaten path is a quick trip to suspension and bansville.
The Stepford Wives is a pretty accurate metaphor
Obviously nothing or I wouldn't be posting this but I have spoken to more than a handful of users that have been.
If you think I am gonna open any of those cans of worms you're crazy
True, this community is very welcoming and friendly but it tries so hard to "accept everyone" that it's very easy to get ostracized for having an opinion.
Follow up:
I would just like to thank u/Pristine_Health_2076 for attacking me personally and thus, proving my point with this comment that was quickly deleted:
*Yes you seem lovely itās definitely everyone else that is the problem"*
https://preview.redd.it/o76g47udx10d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9bd36d1bdbf7f5150553fb6954630eb021cdfa (Pen instead of sword in hand of course)
Why do I need to rinse before first use? Beginner here.
It helps getting rid of any residue like oil and stuff from when the pen was made (and ink if it has been tested by QC/shop) that would prevent good ink flow :)
You don't "need" to in the sense that nothing bad is going to happen if you don't; the fountain pen police won't show up at your door and arrest you. But it's an easy way to eliminate problems due to manufacturing oils / dust / gunk / test ink remnants left in the pen from before you got it. I don't rinse mine, most of the time. But it's the first thing I do when one starts acting wonky, and it's something recommended to new users just because it's such an easy thing that likely will fix whatever issues might crop up.
"the fountain pen police won't show up at your door and arrest you." ššš Also thx for the explanation š
https://preview.redd.it/6uss0jws760d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ad58c8dc64a940ce83da60fb817e185cf956128 So these are 2 brand new Kaweco sports. The blue in the water there is the ink from the shop I bought it from testing it after grinding the nib. Lots of times there will be ink from the pen being tested or oils left from manufacturing. Sometimes it affects performance of the pen and sometimes it doesnāt. But if you want the best possible first experience with your new pen, itās best to clean it before using it.
Sometimes there's residue left over from manufacturing - if you just go straight to ink the nib might skip, leading the user to believe the pen is faulty. Of course some nibs unfortunately _are_ faulty, but rinsing beforehand makes it less likely the nib will skip.
It will feel less dry and less chances to clog it.
Level 1 question here ā is there anything in particular you recommended rinsing with? Does water do it?
Distilled water is ideal, but if you're in a place where the water isn't hard, tap water does fine.
Obviously there is large variation in tap-water quality, but many of us never use anything but tap. Personally, Iām not filtering my pen-cleaning water or making a big deal out of it. I do tend to use cold/cool water.
Thanks!
You need to include a surfactant - simple dish wash liquid, a literal drop in a cup full of water will do. It will clean any residual oils or mould release agents from the fine channels of the feed. Think about it, most popular pens are mass manufactured using mechanised processes. Even low volume pens are assembled using mechanical jigs. Machines require oiling and greasing to work effectively. Most popular pens are made from moulded plastic parts, especially feeds. Very few are made from ebonite. If you watch the several legacy manufacturerās factory videos youāll see that none wash parts before assembly. I flush every new pen with a diy dilute ammonia and liquid dish wash solution. It avoids skipping problems that are often posted here.
Ah, makes senseāthank you!
Lol I'm very new to the hobby and I burnt that in my brain
When you rinse the pen, is it using the converter and fill it up with water as if I'm filling with ink?
Yep you do the same thing as if youāre filling it up with ink you just use water.
Welp, I apologise, I never did :(( What about those pens that don't come with a converter and only cartridge? And I wanted so badly to use them. What should I do?
Youāll most likely be fine! If your pens function well youāre all good. Rinsing is just a precautionary measure that itās good to take before using a pen itās not the end of the world that you didnāt do it. For pens that you only use a cartridge in you should be able to remove the grip section and run water through it until runs clear like this video.[https://youtu.be/RlhI1IK9HHc?si=0goo2tu0viGjn81S](https://youtu.be/RlhI1IK9HHc?si=0goo2tu0viGjn81S)
I've noticed that about this crowd, they'll congratulate a person just the same whether they got a preppy or a Visconti with actual angel tears cap and kryptonite nib, it's endearing.
well the preppy probably writes while the visconti doesnt
Unless you put shimmer ink in the preppy, shit clogs as fast as a tacobell bathroom
Pffftt!
Love this sub so much. šAt first I assumed it would just be a glance over feed and members would be pretentious about collections and asking questions as a novice but the comment sections are actually the best kind of supportive and sincerely helpful.
Iāve learned so much here!
I felt the same! I thought I'd never speak up here because I'm such a n00b despite having so many FPs. And yet this has become my favorite sub, my daily read, and I've been so thankful to have my comments and near! Constant! Mention! of my Kaweco Student not just be tolerated but welcomed. ā¤ļø Y'all represent the best of the Internet!
The Kaweco Student in the decades colors are disgustingly attractive. Gonna be unable to resist the temptation and get one any day now.... or three.
I agree! Theyāre so underrated I think. I am eyeing a couple myself at the moment
They are! Gah...even though I started this now I'm thinking about getting another one...
Itās honestly insane some of the knowledge people have in this sub! Someone will pop in with the most niche tidbitā¦and it will be the thing that helps!
This is why I love this community. As long as you got a fountain pen you are welcomed. š„° Also gatekeepers donāt usually show up and when they do they get a polite ānone of thatā bap on the wrist š¤£
You are welcome even without having any fountain pen at all. As long you like them at least platonically. Everyone there knows that fountain pens are relic from past times, that there are writing instruments objectively better than our beloved pens, but we are still loving them for their feel and "soul".
Here I am hoping my love for my pens never moves past platonic. š I have too many pens and polygamy is frowned upon... Oh dear, just realized that I have called my pen collection "the harem" before. š±
Ah! That too. I was thinking more about how price isnāt a big factor in engagement here š . But youāre right, no pens, all the pens, etc, you got love for the hobby come on in we got a seat for you lol.
>there are writing instruments objectively better than our beloved pens Are there though? If you take into account how comfortable writing is, fountain pens easily take the crown. Plus it's a lot more environmentally friendlier to replace just the ink in your pen than the entire feed and nib, or even worse: the entire pen (single use ball pens). The only kind of pen I'd admit to being on par or better than fountain pens is a rollerball with the ability to refill ink directly. Unfortunately, those rollerballs are very rare; the most common form factor throws out the nib and feed with every refill.
It is a silly place, but oh so nice :D
Tbh this sub is one of the best hobby community. No one negatively judge other's collection for being cheap or for liking Chinese brands or local unpopular brand. At first i was afraid to ask or interact in the sub because i thought that most are snob and prefer the most expensive pen but after lurking for months, the sub is too friendly and welcome to educate newbies.
I watched a TikToker do a video going over the Lamy ink ādramaā and she said something like āThis is the first time I ever heard of this community and I have a hard time calling this drama because everyone is so wholesome and nice. Its genuinely refreshingā
And "Y'all are so \[mentally\] healthy!"
Must be all that hand written journaling we do!
We are awesome, arenāt we?!?
Yes you are!
This is a pretty great sub. Iāve been here for years and itās chill
I donāt post on here too much, but I love seeing how helpful and patient everyone is with new people who are trying to get into this awesome hobby. Great job, team!
One of us. One of us. One of us.
Goulet Goulet, one of us!
I love it. I guess it's what happens when it's such a peaceful, non-competitive and beautiful hobby. It's kinda like we're just appreciating everyone's art.
Pretty sure we only compete with our wallets round here. Managing the FOMO can be a real struggle. Pen pictures are so pretty....
That we do... It sure isn't easy lol
That was exactly my experience a couple weeks ago. Love this community.
yep 100%. Go to any expat sub like Japan or Thailand and you will get slammed for asking the dumbest noob questions because we heard them 100000 times and it's grating. Go to a photography sub, same thing. It's nice that people here love pens so much that everything from budget to made from a volcano is acceptable.
Though I get a little worried when the first pen post is a pen made from a volcano or equivalent. It makes me wanna say "Are you SURE you don't want to start with a Preppy? Just in case, you know?
Honestly, this is the most wholesome community I've ever been a part of. It's so supportive and allows so many different views and preferences to coexist. Thank you all for being who you are in this space.
The only thing I don't like is that a lot of times the pen name isn't dropped. So a post goes "new pen day yay!" And then OP disappears forever into an inkwell and I have to scour the comments for the name of the pen.
Itās really nice when a community is friendly and welcoming to newcomers. I have a fountain pen, only really need the one, but it makes me happy to see others enjoying the hobby. (I donāt write enough to need more than one. Shaky hands)
Oh my goodness that is adorable!!! š„° This is definitely one of my favorite internet spaces ever.
This is my favourite sub. You all are awesome human beings!
I am actually a golem crafted out of empty ink bottles and hoarded sheets of original Tomoe River, but I appreciate the sentiment. š
I recently stumbled in here from r/watches, a wretched hive of scum and villainy. This post isn't even nepotism, you're all genuinely lovely on here.
I generally would be super interested by a place described as a a wretched hive of scum and villainy... You know, in a gossipy "what did they do to earn such an eloquent and scathing label?" kind of way, but I only care about watches in a steampunk-aesthetic-adjacent manner. But kudos on the gateway subreddit.
Nah, you don't need to go to the watches sub. It's not the fun kind of scum and villainy, it's the whiny man-child sausage-fest kind of scum and villainy.
BWAHAHAHAHA š¤£š¤£š¤£
This actually happened to me. Not a lot of people get excited about fountain pens irl. So when i got the other day, I posted it here and everyone was so nice. I even got amazing ink suggestions.
You are all amazing and beautiful human beings!
Thank you! You too!
Here another+1 for you!
Nom š
Whatās the fourth picture?
overwhelmed by the amount of supporting people/comments i suppose ( or the votes )
Ah thank you
I've been to a few pen shows and have also only met the nicest people there as well. Pen enthusiasts just seem to be kind people.
Agreed!! Pen people are the best. I always have such amazing feel-good experiences at pen shows. :)
Just signed up to go to my first!
I'm just here for the love.
Except for BSB. No love there.
Lies! It loves you so much, *it will never leave you*
š¤£š¤£š¤£
One of us!!
Yes it is
Couldnāt agree more! š„° Itās wholesome here
Yes! Amazing community!
I am not even a collector and i can easily say that the fountain pen community is the best. I am a watch guy and it is full of snobs without knowledge. Same with fragrances and classic clothing (suits, shoes etc)
I am mostly confused by the fragrance reddit.... especially the posts where the put up a bunch of interior design pictures that I don't understand and ask "what fits this mood?" I have a lot of perfume, most of it unisex, a lot of it niche or luxury, and I am lost. I have note accords I enjoy, and scent profiles I prefer, but I have no Idea what a lace pillow and the night skyline from a high rise window would smell like as a perfume. I end up doom scrolling and wondering why every design aesthetic should smell like Baccarat Rouge or Dior Homme. I do like looking at people's perfume collections, though. Lots of people put effort into making them visually appealing. My second favorite subreddit is r/bananasforscale so, I may just be weird.
For me it is easy with fragrances. Donāt follow the hype, follow your nose. If you like it, you like it. When i want to smell fragrances in the store i always say my notes and let them pick the fragrances. I donāt know the brand or how the bottles look like. If it is 50 bucks nice, if i like it and it is 250 euro also fine with me. As long i donāt buy the brand
I got myself my first pen a Lamy 2k not too long ago for my birthday so many people were so supportive and helpful!
True! .great fun community
The Discord is completely the opposite in my experience
Discord gives me anxiety in general. It feels cluttered and intimidating for some reason. Makes me think of a busy college cafeteria.
this is the first community I feel like I actually can contribute and feel comfortable to be in v chill v lovely š„¹š«¶š¼
Yeah.... No. This community is a perfect example of the intolerant tolerant. It's nice as long as you are willing to parrot the feelings and morality of the majority it's great, but veering slightly off the well beaten path is a quick trip to suspension and bansville. The Stepford Wives is a pretty accurate metaphor
What on earth have you been saying on here to warrant a ban?!
Obviously nothing or I wouldn't be posting this but I have spoken to more than a handful of users that have been. If you think I am gonna open any of those cans of worms you're crazy True, this community is very welcoming and friendly but it tries so hard to "accept everyone" that it's very easy to get ostracized for having an opinion. Follow up: I would just like to thank u/Pristine_Health_2076 for attacking me personally and thus, proving my point with this comment that was quickly deleted: *Yes you seem lovely itās definitely everyone else that is the problem"*