Brass pens and drawing tools ask for very little — but fountain pens ask for it regularly. Five minutes every few weeks keeps a nib writing the way it should.
Fountain pens: flushing the nib
Flush the pen whenever you change ink colour, and every 4–6 weeks in regular use. Empty the converter, then fill and empty the pen with plain lukewarm water several times until the water runs nearly clear. Shake out the excess, wrap the nib in a soft cloth or tissue for a few hours, and let it dry before refilling. Never use hot water, detergents or solvents on a nib unit.
Converters and cartridges
The converters are standard international fitting: they rinse clean under the tap and should be left to dry fully before being stored. A converter that has held waterproof or heavily saturated ink may keep a stain — that is cosmetic and does not affect how it writes.
Brass: patina or polish
Uncoated brass darkens where your hands touch it. To keep the patina, do nothing but wipe the pen with a dry soft cloth. To polish it back, use a small amount of brass polish on a soft cloth, keep the polish away from nibs, lacquer and inlay, and buff dry. Lacquered editions should only ever be wiped — polish will cut the lacquer at the edges.
Rollerballs and ballpoints
Wipe the body with a soft cloth. Store rollerballs tip-down or horizontal so the refill stays ready, and replace the cap after use — the ceramic refills write best kept sealed.
Storage
Store pens out of direct sunlight, ideally in their case or a pen roll, and keep fountain pens nib-upright when they will sit for a while. Drawing instruments should be stored closed, with the leaves relaxed.
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