MAGAZINE . Writing Basics • Fountain pens: mistakes not to be made

Fountain pens: mistakes not to be made

Six things not to do with your writing instruments

 

Until now we have focused on what to do and how to treat a fountain pen: from the most accessible to the most valuable we explored the world of writing instruments Montegrappa trying to steal the secrets for proper maintenance and to get the best from their use.

In the midst of so many good rules, however, there are also things not to do, mistakes that can damage in a more or less serious way the fountain pens that we love so much. So let’s find out together what are the actions not to be committed while dealing with Montegrappa pens.

 
 
 

1. Do not shake the fountain pen

Prevents the formation of air bubbles

Beautiful, beautiful, design that wins at first glance. Fountain pens are small masterpieces of engravings and chromatic nuances and when you squeeze them in your hands you get lost in observing the meticulous details that are more accurate and more tell us a lot about the quality of that writing instrument.

Well, the temptation to turn them vigorously to grasp the moving effect is great, but this move could seriously damage the pen. Shaking it, in fact, you can create air bubbles inside the body of the pen that determine the interruption of the flow of writing.

 

2. Do not press too hard while writing

Danger of deformation of the nib

The operation of a fountain pen is very natural and resembles that of the sap that flows through the roots. Thus the ink flows by capillarity towards the nib and, consequently, towards the sheet imprinting it over the writing line. Excessive pressure is not necessary to write with this type of pen.

How to tell if we are pressing too much? With the pencil trick: we pass a pencil on the next sheet to the one on which we are writing and if it comes out what is written on the previous page that will be the signal that warns us to be exaggerating with the pressure on the sheet. Let us remember that we are not writing with a pen and that the pressure could damage the nib.

 
 
 

3. Do not use aggressive alcohol to clean the fountain pen

Gentle cleaning with the right detergents

We have seen in detail how to clean a fountain pen: the guide advises us to use particular delicacy in the maintenance of our writing instrument, especially since not all fountain pens are made of the same material.

Precious fountain pens, such as those in celluloid or made of precious materials, can suffer serious damage from a cleaning carried out with the wrong detergents: alcohol could penetrate deep into the material and deform it irremediably. Neutral soaps are always preferred because we want a clean fountain pen, not destroyed!

 

4. Do not leave fountain pens within the reach of cats

Keep away from scratches and accidental falls

A warning that may sound ironic, but that in fact is very useful. Collectors of luxury fountain pens have seen how much pets, and cats in particular, are attracted to pens. Often conquered by the bright colors of fountain pens our four-legged friends spend a lot of time playing with the result of throwing our precious allies writing on the ground.

To avoid having to collect broken pens, irreparably damaged or scratched, the advice is to store them in a place not accessible to cats or to use a little trick that allows them to play without dropping them on the ground: Many have found it satisfactory to place the pens inside a box with high edges: the cat can get there and move the pens enough for his fun without risking catastrophes.

 
 
 

5. Do not store fountain pens in close contact

Every pen has the right space

We tend to think that fountain pens can be stored together in cases created specifically for storing writing instruments, but it is not advisable to put them close together and in close contact with each other. The risk is to find them scratched, especially when they present relief sculptures and particular clips.

To be sure to arrange them in the right way it is always better to use the respective packaging that, in the case of Montegrappa luxury fountain pens turn out to be real caskets treated in every detail just like the jewelry they contain. Alternatively we can think of placing them in containers divided into compartments so that they are not in contact with each other.

 

6. Don’t forget to use your fountain pens

Beautiful to collect, but beautiful to write

If you think that using fountain pens will wear out, you should know that not using them will also damage your writing instruments. As often as stretches of collectible pens designed to make a fine display of themselves in a fine display case, we must not forget that they were created to write.

The internal mechanisms and materials have been mixed together to ensure excellent functionality and spend your life admiring them without enjoying the extraordinary performance of writing would be a shame. So the advice is to take down the fountain pens, even the most luxurious, from the display cases and let them take a ride every now and then on sheets, notebooks, notebooks and worlds of paper created specifically for their touch.

 
 
 
 

A short list to remind you always to act with care towards the precious writing instruments signed Montegrappa: fountain pens are one of the most coveted and loved accessories, a symbol of style for which it is worth having the right daily precautions. In return our pen will guarantee us excellent writing performance, an always impeccable aesthetic and absolute fidelity.

 

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