Make your own feather pen. How to make a bird feather ballpoint pen

In my Soviet past, the following clerical tricks-tips were used very often. I also shortened the refills, changed the writing knots of the pens I liked, shaded an incorrectly written letter or word ...

I came across these tips here. Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods. Let's reminisce about childhood, shall we? :)

Hand rest.

Make a springy hand rest out of wire and it will become much easier to write. The part of the wire facing the hand is insulated with tape. The stand is easy to remove and put on your hand. Let's add: this trick does not allow the paper to become clogged when the hand touches the sheet, as a result of which the ballpoint pen gives interruptions.

Unscrewing tight parts.

When separating tightly screwed parts (for example, handle bodies), you can use a small piece of sanding paper.

Adhesive plaster to increase the strength of the fingers.

Dried ballpoint.

Don't rush to refill your ballpoint pen just because the surface of the paste near the open side of the refill has dried out and the paste has therefore stopped flowing to the ball. Drop 2-3 drops of acetone into the rod, and then slightly break the crust with a needle - the pen will regain its former performance.

Storing ballpoint pen refills.

A stock of ballpoint pen refills can be stored for years in a tightly stoppered test tube without fear that the paste will dry out. If dried rods are placed in a test tube with fresh rods, they will soon restore their properties.

Alteration of the rod from a ballpoint pen.

If you have a smooth refill for a ballpoint pen at your disposal, but you need a refill with an emphasis for a spring, it does not matter. Heat the tweezers and use the tips to make two pinches on the rod.

How to refill a ballpoint pen.

You can reload the ballpoint pen you like as follows: remove the writing unit from the full rod. The rod is inserted into the channel of a disposable ballpoint pen or into an empty rod and a thin wire is passed through their entire length until it stops in the ball. Then the structure is placed vertically and after a few hours the empty handle or rod will be filled with paste.

Short ballpoint.

When you need to reload a ballpoint pen, and instead of the necessary 107 millimeter long writing knot there is only an 82 millimeter knot, cut a 32 millimeter segment from the end-of-life knot and put it on a short knot. And now you can safely insert the knot composed in this way from two parts into your fountain pen.

Treatment of a soiling rod.

After repeated refueling of the ballpoint pen core, the gap between the edges of the core and the ball increases and the pen begins to write worse - it gets dirty. This defect will disappear if the end of the rod is compressed. The simplest "crimp" can be a pushpin stuck in a tree. Place the end of the tilted rod in the corner of the button cutout and rotate it with light pressure.

So that the handle does not leak.

In imported ballpoint pens (Hungarian "Pax", American "Parker"), a branded large-volume writing unit can be replaced with a domestic one. It is shortened from the back side by 23 mm, the back part is cut off from the used knot with a length of 25-30 mm and a new writing knot with a total length of 98 mm is assembled.

Flawless pen ink.

If a fountain pen becomes littered and refuses, it is most often not in it, but in ink. Having bought a bottle of ink, they need to be filtered through a layer of filter paper and then add a teaspoon of alcohol (you can use denatured alcohol or cologne). With such ink, the pen will write flawlessly.

Use this tip when you need to refill your fountain pen with ink. A piece of paper will keep your hands clean, and then serve as a cleaning material.

Refilling used markers.

Used felt-tip pens will still serve if they are refilled with ink. To prevent the ink from drying out, you need to store the felt-tip pens without access to air, for example, in a vessel with water. Just check to see if the caps fit well enough to the case.

(True, I don’t quite like this advice - the ink dries and gets dirty. I filled the felt-tip pens with simple inks of different colors. You just need to let them drain well - and use it to your health!).

Multicolor ballpoint pen with pencil.

In a multi-color ballpoint pen, one of the rods can be replaced with a pencil. From the used rod, you need to pull out the writing knot and insert a piece of lead 10-15 mm long in its place.

Scraper for graphic and retouching works.

A convenient scraper for graphic and retouching work can be made from a collet pencil and a piece of a trapezoidal blade clamped in the collet. The number of jaws of the collet should be even, with an odd number the blade will bend slightly.

A match instead of a poster pen.

Those who need to write a headline or announcement in large letters can be advised to write with a match inserted into a collet pencil.

Stitch pen.

A piece of eraser with several notches, fixed in an old brush, makes a wonderful poster pen.

Fountain pen.

Graphic designers often use a fountain pen with multi-colored ink and ink to design art posters and panels. After a long work with such a pen, the pen begins to scratch and cling to the paper. To correct this defect, take a small piece of fine-grained sandpaper - “zeros”, and on it, with pressure (not more than required for writing), make a dozen or two circular movements with a fountain pen. The pen will be polished and will write well. Save the sandpaper, it will come in handy more than once.

Protection of steel feathers.

All writers are well aware of how quickly steel nibs are corroded by ink and deteriorate even when they are thoroughly wiped after each use. Meanwhile, there is a very simple way to preserve feathers for a long time. New feathers before use are immersed for half an hour in a solution of copper sulfate; then they are taken out so that they remain damp and allowed to dry. Steel parts and nibs treated in this way will not rust or be corroded by ink.

In addition to this method, there is another, extremely simple method for the long-term preservation of steel pens, which consists in sticking the nib after writing into a raw potato and leaving it there until the next use. The alkaline juice of the potato weakens the oxidizing effect of the ink on the pen and completely protects the latter from damage.

Removing a blot from a drawing.

To remove a blot from the drawing, erase it with an ink eraser, shade this place with a soft pencil and draw a line again. The ink does not smudge on graphite. Once dry, erase the pencil with a soft eraser.

Removing ink from a drawing.

You can remove ink from the drawing in this way: clean the defective place with fine sandpaper, and then with the thinnest sandpaper - "zero". Then wipe with an eraser and polish with a smooth hard object. The paper at the same time fully retains its drawing qualities.

Cleaning the carcass with a piece of glass.

Cleaning up the ink on a drawing with a piece of glass from a burnt out light bulb is much better than with a razor blade.

How to get grease stains out of paper.

Burnt magnesia is mixed with such an amount of completely pure gasoline that a granular mass is formed. With a small amount of this mass, gently rub the greasy spot with a finger, then remove small grains of magnesia from the paper. Fresh grease stains usually disappear immediately, and old stains are removed with repeated rubbing.

Accurate line removal.

It is easy to remove a pencil line from the drawing with a small piece of elastic band, clamped in a drawing pen, without affecting another one that is close to it.

Taken from the section, "Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods" Patlakh V.V. 1993-2007

In fountain pens, atmospheric pressure prevents ink from escaping. If you draw water into a straw for cocktails and pinch one end, then the water will be securely locked in it. But this technology works as long as the pressure is stable. If you board an airplane with such a straw, then some time after takeoff, some of the water will still spill out, since at an altitude in the cabin the pressure drops by about 25%. In the case of a fountain pen, an ink stain would form in the pocket area.

The most important part of a non-leaking fountain pen, the feeder, is partly or completely hidden under the nib. From above there are one or, as in Monblanc pens, two capillary channels through which the ink flows to the pen. Feeder ribs act as a kind of buffer, on which excess ink accumulates and from which, in case of increased ink consumption, reserves are taken. On the ribs, the ink is held by capillary action. Despite the apparent simplicity, the solution is very non-trivial, requiring outstanding knowledge of mechanics and physics.

However, for an inkblot disaster, it is not necessary to take off - a simple fluctuation in atmospheric pressure or a slight shaking is enough. In order to prevent this from happening, a rather ingenious solution was invented - a feeder with a ribbed collector. All excess ink was retained on the ribs due to the capillary effect. The feeder also performed other functions - the ink was delivered to the pen through a channel, the cross section of which determined the rate of ink flow. Since the ink consumption was not constant when using the pen, the collector also played the role of a kind of buffer.

An equally important part of the pen is the pen, and the comfort of using the tool and the beauty of writing depend on its quality. The best Montblanc nibs are made from gold alloy sheet with variable thickness - from 0.18 mm at the base of the nib to 0.52 mm at the tip. This provides a slight springy moment, well known to Montblanc owners, for increased writing comfort. The body of the pen is stamped, bent, polished, engraved and welded on a tip of a harder metal. After that, it is given a certain shape corresponding to the style of writing, from the traditional sphere to the beveled flat tip for calligraphy. Some Montblanc boutiques have computerized systems that allow, after a test task, to give out unique parameters for your writing style, according to which you can choose the pen that suits you, and if you have a great desire and budget, you can make a unique pen especially for you.

One of the final operations is carried out with the thinnest diamond saw. It is this almost invisible cut that delivers the ink to the tip and paper due to the capillary effect. It remains only to manually polish it and insert it into the pen.

Many modern people prefer to use ballpoint pens, but there are those who still prefer the finesse, clarity and individual style of fountain pens. Instead of a ball, a sharp nib is installed at the end of such a pen, leaving behind lines of varying thickness depending on the pressure on the pen, writing speed and the direction of specific strokes. In addition, the fountain pen can be refilled with ink many times, so it can last a lifetime. However, the application of a fountain pen is somewhat different from that of ballpoint pens. When you learn proper writing technique, it will become noticeably easier for you to write with a fountain pen.

Steps

Part 1

Get the pen right. Remove the cap from the pen and take it in your main hand, holding it gently between your thumb and forefinger. In this case, the body of the pen should rest on the middle finger. Rest your fingers on the paper to stabilize your hand.

Place the pen nib on the paper. This may seem simple enough to do, but the construction of a fountain pen is somewhat more complicated than that of a ballpoint pen. Because of the pointed nib instead of a ball at the end, the pen must be properly pressed against the paper in order to be able to write with it. This is the so-called optimal position.

Hold the pen firmly. When writing, there are two ways to control a pen: with your fingers or with your hand as a whole. When you work with a ballpoint pen, it is quite possible to get by with just your fingers, because thanks to the ballpoint, the pen will write in any position. But the fountain pen must be controlled with the whole hand in order not to miss the optimal position. So use the tips below.

• When the pen is in your hand, keep your fingers and wrist still, using your entire hand to move the pen as you write. Practice writing in the air first and then on paper to gradually get used to writing with your whole hand.

1. Lightly press the pen while writing. It is not necessary to apply much pressure to the fountain pen, however, you must apply some pressure to the pen in order for the ink to flow into it. Gently press down on the pen and start practicing writing with a fountain pen.

   Part 2

   How to fill a fountain pen with ink

   1. Determine the type of fountain pen. To date, there are three types of fountain pens on sale: with cartridges, converters and a built-in piston system. The difference between the two lies in the ink supply system and the way the pen is filled with ink when it runs out.

      • Fountain pens with cartridges are currently the most common, as cartridges are the easiest to change. To write with this type of pen, you will need to buy ready-made ink cartridges and periodically change them in the pen when the ink runs out.
      • Converter pens are equipped with a reusable cartridge that is inserted inside. They're fine if you don't mind refilling the ink cartridge yourself every time you run out of ink.
      • Piston pens are similar to converter pens, except they have a built-in refill system, so you don't have to replace the refillable cartridge with a converter purchased separately.

   2. Replace the cartridge in your fountain pen. First, remove or unscrew the cap from the pen, then unscrew its body. Remove the empty cartridge from inside. Then follow the steps below for the new cartridge.

      Fill the piston handle. Remove the cap from the pen and, if necessary, the additional cap on the back of the pen that covers the piston mechanism. Turn the plunger adjuster (usually counterclockwise) until the plunger is at the writing end of the pen. Then follow the steps below.

      • Dip the pen nib completely into the ink bottle so that the ink covers the hole in the base of the nib.
      • Start turning the plunger clockwise to draw ink into the pen.
      • When the ink tank is full, remove the pen from the ink bottle. Turn the plunger counterclockwise a little again to push a few drops of ink back into the jar. This will allow you to get rid of air bubbles.
      • Wipe the ink off the pen with a paper towel.

   3. Fill the converter pen. There are two types of converters in fountain pens: with a piston mechanism or with a pipette refilling system. To refill a pipette pen, remove the cap from the pen, unscrew the barrel, dip the pen in ink, and then follow the steps below.

      • Slowly press down on the ink tank and wait for air bubbles to appear on the surface of the ink.
      • Slowly release the ink tank and wait for it to fill with ink.
      • Repeat these steps until the reservoir is full.

   Part 3

   How to use pen nibs

   1. Choose the right pen for everyday writing. There are many different types of ink pen nibs that are designed to be used in different situations and to create a variety of effects. For daily writing, opt for:

      • a pen with a rounded end, leaving behind uniform lines;
      • a small pen that writes with thin lines;
      • a stiff pen with a little bit of flaring to the sides so it won't break under pressure when you press it in an attempt to create thicker lines.

   2. Choose pens for decorative writing. To write in decorative or calligraphic handwriting, pens used for everyday writing will not work for you. Instead, opt for one of the options below.

No. 1. Write with a fountain pen with strong pressure. Perhaps the most remarkable quality of a fountain pen is that it does not require pressure when writing - it can literally write under the weight of its own weight. And yet, people who are accustomed to using ballpoint pens often continue to put pressure on the writing knot when switching to fountain pens. Excessive pressure may cause the pen tips to separate and ruin the pen. Do not attempt to write on a dry fountain pen by pressing down on the pen or tapping it on a hard surface as you risk damaging it. It is better to hold it under running water - the pen will “come to life”.

Tip: just relax and enjoy writing without pressure and without the consequences of numb fingers from fatigue.

No. 2. A fairly common mistake is to carry a pen along with other metal objects: keys, key chains, a folding knife, etc. The body of your pen can get scratched, whether it is made of plastic, metal with a lacquered or anodized surface.

Tip: Always carry the pen separately from these items: in another pocket, in a pencil case, or place the pen in a pouch or case.

#3: Use special calligraphy ink in your fountain pen, labeled as India Ink, Lawer's Ink, Pigmented Ink, etc. This ink is designed for doodle pens. Some of these inks are formulated specifically for use in fountain pens, but most are not. Calligraphy ink contains shellac, a resin that, when dry, completely blocks the ink channels in your pen. This ink dissolves only with alcohol, which can also ruin your writing instrument.

When a fountain pen needs to be refilled with waterproof ink, for example, for sketching in the “ink + watercolor” technique, pigmented ink is usually used - special for fountain pens, for example, Platinum Carbon Ink. Remember that when using such ink, the pen must be washed more often.

Tip: When buying ink, make sure it's the right type for fountain pens.

No. 4. More experienced users often make this mistake: not caring for a fountain pen. Fountain pen care is quite simple: the pen must be periodically washed with water at room temperature. Sometimes it is enough to hold the stylus under running water. If an ink-filled pen has been left unused for a long time and the ink in it has dried up, place the writing knot in a glass of water for a while. If you are using a converter, it is enough to draw water into the pen and empty it, repeating this several times until the water becomes clear. By the way, with the constant use of the converter, the pen requires less maintenance - the piston ink intake system automatically flushes the pen.

*The Goulet Pen Company blog also recommends a douche as a handy tool for washing the writing unit of the pen. As they say, everyone has their own rituals, choose the one that you like best.

If you use ink of the same color, you can wash the pen once a month. If you change ink, then wash it before each new refill.

No. 5. This is not a mistake, but rather a death sentence for your fountain pen: rinse it with alcohol or acetone. Acetone dissolves plastic, and alcohol is quite aggressive to both external and internal parts of the handle.

Tip: Use water to clean your fountain pen - it's enough to do the job.

No. 6. This mistake can be fatal for your pen: dropping a fountain pen when there is no cap on it. According to the law of the sandwich, it will fall pen down. If the surface is hard, it will bend, and as a rule, after that the pen can no longer be restored. In premium pens, a nib replacement repair can cost the cost of a whole pen. You'll have more luck if you own a Lamy pen or a couple of other brands whose nibs can be changed on your own.

Tip: when you've finished writing, immediately put the cap on the pen.