I have a Rotring 600. I haven't used it in several years. Made a stop on the way home from work today and got some new cartridges. Popped one in and got it writing. I replaced the cap (definitely closed, as it's easy to tell if a 600 is actually closed or not) and walked away for a few hours. I came back to my desk and started to write again, but the nib was already dry and wouldn't start up. I'm sure I can run a little water over it and get it flowing again. However, I'm recalling that the reason I put it up a year ago is because of the same issue. It's the original Rotring nib that came on the pen. Any thoughts or solutions?
Dried out
- Thread starter JohnYaddy
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If there's enough room in the cap, Brian Goulet claims to have had success with perpetually dry nibs by cutting a small piece of sponge, wetting it, and wedging the sponge in the top of the cap. The extra ambient moisture is supposed to keep things flowing smoothly. If, however, there is little enough room that the nib comes into contact with the sponge it will simply wick vast quantities of ink and leave you with a terrible mess.
Have you tried lubricated inks? They might help solve the problem, or at least narrow down where the hitch is. Does the pen tend to write dry when it's writing? If so a slight tuning of the nib or feed may be in order. But first, check out a lubricated ink. Anything from the Noodler's Eel series could work. I've heard the Pilot Iroshizuku inks also tend to work well in dry pens, but can't attest to that personally.
Of course, there's always the silly question - was the pen stored after a thorough cleaning? Did you clean the dickens out of it before loading it with a fresh cartridge?
Have you tried lubricated inks? They might help solve the problem, or at least narrow down where the hitch is. Does the pen tend to write dry when it's writing? If so a slight tuning of the nib or feed may be in order. But first, check out a lubricated ink. Anything from the Noodler's Eel series could work. I've heard the Pilot Iroshizuku inks also tend to work well in dry pens, but can't attest to that personally.
Of course, there's always the silly question - was the pen stored after a thorough cleaning? Did you clean the dickens out of it before loading it with a fresh cartridge?
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- #3
I'll answer your questions in reverse order:
1) No, I did not clean it before storing. It stopped writing, so I removed the nearly spend cartridge and stored it.
2) I have no clue how to clean a fountain pen. I'm pretty much a total newbie.
3) I don't know the pens prior history, although I recall that this one was a PIF (or I paid ridiculously little for it) from someone here on B&B. I would speculate it was well cared for, and fully admit I'm probably the one who gummed it up.
4) The pen does dry out when it's writing. I have a cartridge of "Private Reserve" or "Private Label" blue-black ink that I got from a local paper shop today. It worked when I put it in and ran a drop of water over the nib, then dried out as I mentioned above. I just came back from a hair cut and wet the nib again. I was able to scribble on some nice paper for a few minutes, and then it dried out again.
5) I have a bottle of Noodler's Ink (Ottoman Azure), but it's not one of the eel inks. I don't have a converter yet, so I can't try that ink out. I got a Rotring Core on eBay that should be here in the mail tomorrow, as well as a converter.
6) I think I'll pass on the sponge for the time being. I don't know if there any room in the cap, but I'd rather not chance it. With my luck, it would be too tight and then I'd have a hard time getting the sponge back out, which would compound the issue.
1) No, I did not clean it before storing. It stopped writing, so I removed the nearly spend cartridge and stored it.
2) I have no clue how to clean a fountain pen. I'm pretty much a total newbie.
3) I don't know the pens prior history, although I recall that this one was a PIF (or I paid ridiculously little for it) from someone here on B&B. I would speculate it was well cared for, and fully admit I'm probably the one who gummed it up.
4) The pen does dry out when it's writing. I have a cartridge of "Private Reserve" or "Private Label" blue-black ink that I got from a local paper shop today. It worked when I put it in and ran a drop of water over the nib, then dried out as I mentioned above. I just came back from a hair cut and wet the nib again. I was able to scribble on some nice paper for a few minutes, and then it dried out again.
5) I have a bottle of Noodler's Ink (Ottoman Azure), but it's not one of the eel inks. I don't have a converter yet, so I can't try that ink out. I got a Rotring Core on eBay that should be here in the mail tomorrow, as well as a converter.
6) I think I'll pass on the sponge for the time being. I don't know if there any room in the cap, but I'd rather not chance it. With my luck, it would be too tight and then I'd have a hard time getting the sponge back out, which would compound the issue.
My guess is that when you stored the pen, there was still ink in the feed and that ink dried out. Now, when you wet the nib, you're wetting that dried ink and rehydrating a small amount which is why you can scribble for a bit before it dries out again.
I think the pen would be served well by a cleaning. You could try soaking the nib section in some water overnight. This should loosen the dried ink. Also, the Rotring 600 is easily flushed with a bulb syringe. These can be had pretty inexpensively at the local drug store. Using the bulb syringe, force water through the feed until it runs clear.
Then try the new cartridges. If you still have issues, the suggestion of a lubricated ink is a good option. But I suspect that the feed has probably been clogged since you have had it. A good cleaning should really help. Also, search here as there are some "recipes" to make a pen flush with water, ammonia, and dishwashing liquid.
I think the pen would be served well by a cleaning. You could try soaking the nib section in some water overnight. This should loosen the dried ink. Also, the Rotring 600 is easily flushed with a bulb syringe. These can be had pretty inexpensively at the local drug store. Using the bulb syringe, force water through the feed until it runs clear.
Then try the new cartridges. If you still have issues, the suggestion of a lubricated ink is a good option. But I suspect that the feed has probably been clogged since you have had it. A good cleaning should really help. Also, search here as there are some "recipes" to make a pen flush with water, ammonia, and dishwashing liquid.
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I agree with BubblesTGB. Knowing that the pen is of unknown providence, a thorough cleaning is in order and the most likely cause of your problems. A soak in distilled water overnight can work wonders. If it's still giving you trouble, consider buying some pen flush or making a very mild ammonia/washer solution for cleaning.
If you aren't hip to it yet, I recommend taking 15 minutes and watching the Goulet Fountain Pen 101 Cleaning And Maintenance video.
https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=OxH5VS9BeO8
If you aren't hip to it yet, I recommend taking 15 minutes and watching the Goulet Fountain Pen 101 Cleaning And Maintenance video.
https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=OxH5VS9BeO8
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- #6
- Thread starter
- #7
Glad to hear it is working again. A good cleaning from time to time will keep it that way. Enjoy it - I love my 600.
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- #9
I would go to a pen store and try out nibs. I like medium to broad nibs.
But as they say, YMMV.
But as they say, YMMV.
The best recommendation I've encountered for nib shopping is the "e" test. That is, use the broadest nib you can that still allows for legible lower case "e"s without the loop closing on itself. So the goal is to maintain the open loop as in the example on the left and avoid the ink filling in as happened on the right.
View attachment 573550
The theory here is that you can maximize the amount of shading your writing displays as well as provide the smoothest writing experience possible while maintaining legibility. That said, a lot of people love using the tiniest nibs they can. I've heard it said that tiny nibs tend to showcase any unevenness or wiggling in your handwriting, so some people like to use them to help practice their handwriting.
Personally I tend to stick with an untipped flex nib, so it basically functions like a 1.1mm italic, but with a tiny bit of flex in it as well. That definitely hides the sloppiness in my penmanship, for good or ill.
View attachment 573550
The theory here is that you can maximize the amount of shading your writing displays as well as provide the smoothest writing experience possible while maintaining legibility. That said, a lot of people love using the tiniest nibs they can. I've heard it said that tiny nibs tend to showcase any unevenness or wiggling in your handwriting, so some people like to use them to help practice their handwriting.
Personally I tend to stick with an untipped flex nib, so it basically functions like a 1.1mm italic, but with a tiny bit of flex in it as well. That definitely hides the sloppiness in my penmanship, for good or ill.
