Why doesn't my fountain pen write?

Nothing is more annoying than a fountain pen that won't write. But what's to blame? Well, that's not an easy question to answer. So let's try a little compendium!

Problem 1: The filler is not filled correctly

Therefore, first check whether the cartridge or converter is correctly inserted. Sometimes dipping the nib in ink helps to get the ink flowing properly.

It often helps to give your new fountain pen a thorough cleaning. To do this, rinse the pen thoroughly with clean water and a little ink cleaner, then let it dry before filling it with ink.

Did you fill your piston fountain pen correctly and leave some air in it?

Sometimes a fountain pen needs air. Or rather, it always needs air. The capillary action of the ink guide only works with the help of air. It's not for nothing that the hole at the end of the nib slot is called a "breather hole." While the ink is drawn through the small, fine slits of the ink guide to the tip of the nib, there must be no vacuum in the ink reservoir. Therefore, a parallel air channel is built into the ink guide. But even that alone isn't enough for perfect ink flow!

To ensure that air can easily enter the ink reservoir, you should ensure that there is a little air space when filling it. Here's how: Immerse the fountain pen in the inkwell and fill it with ink. Then remove it and turn the plunger knob half a turn so that 1 to 2 drops of ink flow out. Then turn the plunger knob back to its original position. Now there's a little air in the ink reservoir, and the ink flow is good again.

Problem 2: The ink cleaner is blocked

Different inks also have different formulations, different pH values, and so on. Therefore, it's always necessary to clean the fountain pen when switching from one ink to another. Otherwise, deposits can form due to the combination of these inks.

This is also the case if the fountain pen has dried out. Even then, it still needs to be thoroughly cleaned. The cleaning syringes from Octopus or Kaweco are ideal for this, as they allow you to easily flush the ink channel.

But be careful: these won't help with dried-out pigment ink! Therefore, always clean your fountain pen immediately after use!

Problem 3: Ink feed and nib are incorrectly assembled

Even though all our manufacturers pay attention to the quality of their products, it can happen that the smallest deviations occur. For example, the gap between the nib and the ink guide may be a fraction of a millimeter too wide, resulting in ink flow being compromised. If this occurs, please contact our customer service immediately so we can assist you!