Easy methods to Retailer Your Fountain Pen (2025)

As a toddler, I fondly bear in mind opening the various novels on my grandmother’s bookcase to search out flowers pressed inside. Pansies, zinnias, African violets, she had every kind of petals magically frozen in time. Identical to urgent flowers is an excellent strategy to protect the fantastic thing about their blooms, storing luxurious fountain pens correctly may also help protect their efficiency and longevity. For many who recognize the artwork of fantastic writing, proudly owning a fountain pen isn’t only a assertion, it’s a dedication to the timelessness of stylish penmanship.

The important thing to preserving the wonder and performance of your fountain pen lies in correct care and storage. On this article, we delve into the basics of fountain pen storage, particular issues, errors to keep away from, and one of the best fountain pen circumstances. Whether or not you’re a long-time collector or are model new to the world of fountain pens, it’s price taking the time to discover ways to correctly retailer your most prized writing companion.

The Fundamentals of Fountain Pen Storage

Fountain pens aren’t like disposable pens that you could toss in a drawer and overlook about. Earlier than we dive into desk, journey, and long-term options, let’s contact on the essential tenets of fountain pen storage. Naturally, it’s best to at all times cap the pen when not in use to forestall the ink from drying and to guard the nib. Temperature and the place of your pen additionally play an element in preserving its longevity, which we’ll talk about intimately under.

The Ultimate Setting

Temperature and Humidity Concerns

The place attainable, retailer fountain pens in a temperature-controlled room. Preserve the pen away from excessive temperatures. Ink viscosity will increase at decrease temperatures and reduces with greater temperatures. Warmth could cause the ink to develop, leading to fountain pen leaking, whereas excessive chilly can thicken the ink and clog the nib. Humidity, or the quantity of moisture within the air, is one other consideration. Excessive humidity ranges can injury the pen’s parts and ink over time. When you stay in an space with continually fluctuating temperatures, contemplate investing in a humidity-controlled storage case on your pen.

Avoiding Direct Daylight and Warmth

It’s simple to underestimate the facility of the solar. When storing a fountain pen, daylight could cause the ink to fade or change in colour. Warmth publicity also can trigger the pen elements to crack, degrade, and weaken over time. Sure forms of plastics or resins are significantly delicate to the solar’s UV rays, inflicting their colours and designs to fade. The easiest way to retailer fountain pens is to maintain them in a cool, dry place away from direct daylight.

Positioning Your Pen

Sooner or later, all pen lovers have requested “Do you retailer fountain pens up or down?” The reply relies on the pen’s design, filling mechanism, and your private desire. When contemplating one of the best ways to retailer pens, listed here are some issues to bear in mind.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Storage

Typically talking, horizontal pen storage is really useful for fountain pens. This retains the ink involved with the feed whereas concurrently maintaining the nib moist sufficient to jot down when wanted. When you don’t plan on utilizing your pen for a very long time, contemplate storing it vertically. Sure, the nib will dry out sooner because the ink will stream again into the converter part, however you don’t have to fret about leaks. When storing gel pens, they do nicely in both place.

Nib Orientation (Up, Down, or Sideways)

Not surprisingly, nib orientation is essential with fountain pen storage. Storing the pen up, nib to the sky, means your pen will dry out faster however leaks are almost nonexistent. Must you retailer pens the wrong way up? We don’t suggest it, because the mixed forces of gravity and capillary motion will pull the ink into the nib, leaving you with clogs or leaks. If doubtful, it’s often finest to retailer the nib going through sideways: this retains the nib moist sufficient to jot down when wanted. Whether or not you retailer pens horizontally or vertically, prioritize maintaining the nib cleaned from any ink that might pool, dry, and clog the tip.

Fountain Pen Storage Strategies

When contemplating learn how to retailer fountain pens, time, place, and degree of utilization are key components. Do you plan to make use of your fountain pen on a regular basis for on a regular basis writing? Or do you solely use it for particular events, like letter-writing or a one-off enterprise deal? Your solutions will inform your splendid fountain pen storage technique.

How To Carry Fountain Pens In Your Pocket For On a regular basis Use

Probably the most easy strategy to carry your fountain pen whereas out and about is within the interior pocket of a swimsuit jacket. Preserve it hidden or clip it to the skin breast pocket with a handkerchief sq. for a trendy contact. To maintain any potential leaks from staining your clothes (it occurs!), a skinny leather-based fountain pen case supplies a protecting layer with out much-added bulk.

Easy methods to Retailer a Fountain Pen with a Cartridge

When you use and clear your fountain pen repeatedly, it’s not an issue to retailer it with the cartridge inside. As a rule of thumb, it’s fantastic to go away the cartridge intact should you use your pen each few days. Nonetheless, should you solely apply it to event (lower than as soon as a month), we suggest eradicating the cartridge and cleansing your pen earlier than storing it. Leaving ink in a fountain pen for an prolonged interval can create issues down the street.

Easy methods to Retailer Fountain Pens when Not in Use

Each author could have a distinct desire for the way they retailer a fountain pen. Whether or not you employ yours continuously or just for particular functions, take away the ink (cartridge or bottled) and clear the pen from nib to feed totally earlier than storing. Storage choices embody a fountain pen holder stand, leather-based pen case, pen pouch, or the unique field your pen got here in. No matter your chosen storage technique, your fountain pen needs to be positioned with the nib going through upwards or sideways. A downward-facing nib means a possible mess in your fingers (or in your denims pocket).

Brief-Time period Fountain Pen Storage Options

Storing your pen correctly relies on how typically you plan to make use of it. When you observe your penmanship repeatedly, short-term storage choices like a fountain pen pouch or pen sleeve, are adequate. Let’s look into the nuances of this type of fountain pen storage.

Each day Use and Accessibility

Brief-term fountain pen storage is all about defending your pen whereas maintaining it inside handy attain. When you use your pen each day, it shouldn’t be packed away so fastidiously that it’s a headache to retrieve each time you wish to write. Listed here are some fountain storage choices for on a regular basis use.

How To Retailer Fountain Pens On Your Desk

Your desk isn’t simply the place you’re employed, it’s the place you showcase objects that encourage you. When displayed correctly, fountain pens generally is a lovely addition to your workplace decor. Select a fountain pen storage case that matches your aesthetic, be it wooden, acrylic, or leather-based. Experiment with fashionable show circumstances, trays, and even classic containers. A selfmade fountain pen organizer might be neatly saved in a drawer for a clutter-free desk floor. The final rule is to retailer your pen with ink vertically for not more than a month, and horizontally with ink for not more than 2 weeks.

Utilizing Pen Holders or Stands

Fountain pen holders are a easy and chic storage answer. Holders include a base and several other slots to maintain pens organized and accessible. Ornamental cups or jars work as nicely (so long as you don’t retailer nib-down), however should you’ve already invested a bit of cash into your assortment, it’s price buying a correct fountain pen holder stand. It’s additionally an outward indicator that you’re now “certainly one of us”, i.e. a real pen geek!

Defending the Nib and Ink

The nib is the guts of your fountain pen. If it turns into bent, warped, or clogged with ink, you possibly can’t count on it to carry out at its finest. That’s why it’s essential to guard the nib when in use and when storing. It’s the tiny however mighty part that brings your ideas from thoughts to pen, to paper.

Capping and Uncapping Practices

Caps are designed to suit snugly. To cap your fountain pen correctly, align the cap over the nib and shut it gently. Some fountain pens are crafted to make an audible click on when absolutely capped. Others shut with screw threads. To uncap, maintain the cap in a single hand and the barrel within the different and gently transfer them aside. Keep away from unsnapping the pen’s cap too shortly, as this will create a vacuum inside that results in ink splatters. Additionally, should you’re undecided whether or not the pen you picked up is a twist or pull-off cap, attempt twisting first earlier than trying to drag off the cap.

Stopping Ink Drying and Leakage

While you’re able to put your pen away for the day, ensure the nib is clear to forestall dried ink from compromising the stream. You’ll want to cap your pen utterly to forestall the fountain pen from drying out or leaking. There’s no better buzzkill than sitting down to jot down, inspiration flowing, solely to search out that your pen ink has dried out from not being capped correctly the final time you used it.

Lengthy-Time period Storage Methods

When you solely use your fountain pen for particular events, a long-term storage answer is so as. Particularly in terms of classic pens or household heirlooms, retailer fountain pens correctly to make sure they continue to be in good situation over time. As a normal guideline, we wouldn’t suggest storing pens with ink in them for longer than a few weeks.

Making ready Your Pen for Prolonged Storage

To retailer fountain pens correctly, be ready for a bit of little bit of prep work. It’s not so simple as tossing them in a fountain pen field and calling it a day. Whereas tedious within the quick time period, your pen (and your future self) will thanks later!

Cleansing and Emptying the Ink Reservoir

For fountain pen and ink storage alike, empty the pen completely. Drain bottled ink from the reservoir or take away the ink cartridge, in any other case it may injury the pen. Totally clear away any remaining ink with lukewarm water and gentle cleaning soap, as residue can dry, clog, and injury the nib and feed.

Drying and Disassembly Suggestions

As soon as all of the parts of your fountain pen are clear, dry them with a smooth fabric. Any remaining moisture could cause metals to corrode. Preserve monitor of small elements like screws, washers, and comes, and keep away from utilizing extreme pressure whereas disassembling. When you’re new to fountain pens, we suggest taking a photograph of your disassembled pen so you’ve gotten a visible reference of learn how to rebuild it. Lay out every bit on a paper towel to dry earlier than placing them again collectively for storage.

Choosing the Proper Storage Container

The storage container you select on your fountain pen relies on your private desire. Would you like your pens to be out of sight, out of thoughts, or proudly displayed? Price range is one other side to contemplate, as show circumstances are usually pricier (and prettier) than easy storage containers. Let’s look into some completely different storage containers subsequent.

Pen Circumstances: Leather-based, Material, and Arduous Circumstances

Single or double? As in, what number of pens would you want your case to hold? At Goldspot Pens, we feature a wide array of fountain pen circumstances. Particularly when gifting, you possibly can’t go unsuitable with a traditional leather-based fountain pen case. Material pen sleeves supply oodles of various designs and colours. Arduous circumstances, whereas bulkier, supply essentially the most safety as a fountain pen holder.

Show Circumstances and Storage Bins

Visibility is essential in terms of show circumstances. Many are clear so you possibly can shortly determine the pens inside with out having to open the container. Opaque circumstances can be found for fountain pen supplies which might be delicate to gentle. A perfect storage field might be massive sufficient to accommodate your assortment and smooth sufficient to guard it. Inside linings like velvet or microfiber assist stop scratches on the pen’s floor. With each show circumstances and storage containers, guarantee they’ve a dependable closure mechanism to forestall publicity to mud. Hermetic seals defend towards humidity and water injury.

Particular Concerns for Fountain Pen Storage

What’s the enjoyable of fountain pens should you solely use them at dwelling? By sticking to some primary pointers, you’ll hold your writing devices in working situation for a very long time within the workplace or on the street. Common cleansing, avoiding excessive temperatures, and utilizing pen circumstances will defend towards incidental injury. At all times hold your pens upright and capped when not in use. Subsequent, we’ll tackle some particular issues for journey and collectibles.

Touring with Fountain Pens

Planes, trains, and cars! Regardless of your technique of journey, we suggest bringing fountain pen fashions which might be available available on the market. When you tout a uncommon classic pen in your suitcase that isn’t simple to exchange should you occur to lose it, that might be a tragic trip certainly. Depend your pens, particularly earlier than any safety checkpoints, to make sure you depart and arrive with the identical quantity. Now, for extra touring specifics.

Dealing with Strain and Temperature Adjustments

In a airplane, cabin air strain modifications essentially the most dramatically throughout takeoff and touchdown. Retailer your inked fountain pens nib as much as decrease leaking and burping. Uninked pens are secure to retailer in an overhead compartment, however we suggest maintaining your inked pens in a carry-on beneath the seat in entrance of you. Guarantee your pen is both almost full or full earlier than you permit the tarmac. With much less air within the pen, it will likely be much less prone to leak attributable to strain modifications.

Flying with a Fountain Pen

This goes with out saying, however save your writing for when the airplane is ready on the gate, at cruising altitude, or after you’ve landed. If there’s any sort of turbulence on the flight, that’s an indicator to retailer away your pen, in any other case somebody may find yourself with a nib to the neck (not an amazing look). Burping points apart, it’s onerous to jot down legibly on a bumpy airplane trip, so use your judgment on when to uncap versus when to atone for Netflix.

Easy methods to Journey with Fountain Pens – Avoiding Leaks

There are extra steps you possibly can take to keep away from leaks when touring with fountain pens. Retailer your pens upright to forestall ink from pooling within the cap and nib. Your finest wager is to make use of a fountain pen journey case that’s designed with further padding and safety. To guard your different carry-on objects or baggage, seal your inked pens in a resealable zip-lock bag.

Storing Collectible and Vintage Pens

For collectors of uncommon, worthwhile, or vintage pens, all the ideas we’ve already shared pertain. All fountain pens needs to be saved in a cool, dry place away from direct daylight, with the nib going through up or sideways. Nonetheless, there are some further issues to bear in mind whenever you retailer a very particular fountain pen.

Additional Look after Helpful Pens

In relation to your most treasured pens, giving them further care couldn’t damage, proper? Particularly classic pens, upwards of 40-100+ years outdated, that are uncommon and troublesome to restore. To maintain the end in your fountain pen wanting its finest, we suggest utilizing a jeweler’s sharpening fabric and a small little bit of metallic tarnish remover. The material will hold a resin’s end wanting clear whereas the tarnish remover may also help brighten the metallic trims and pocket clips. As I discussed earlier, it’s possible you’ll wish to suppose twice about taking your irreplaceable pens out on lengthy journeys. It’s wisest to maintain them at dwelling, secure in a pen case at your desk.

Sustaining Pen Situation Over Time

When you use your pens for hours on daily basis, count on some put on and tear over time. Decrease the variety of scuffs, dings, dents, discolorations, and soiled nibs by following these pen upkeep suggestions:

• Retailer your pen in a pen sleeve or case when not in use for longer than an hour.

• Shut/cap your pen whenever you pause in writing for greater than 30 seconds.

• Preserve your fingers clear when dealing with your pen – no heavy lotions, hand sanitizer, peanut butter, or spicy habanero sauce needs to be in your fingers when dealing with your pen.

• Don’t mortgage your pen to somebody who has by no means written with a fountain pen earlier than.

• Retailer your pens in a spot the place a small little one or pet can’t get to them.

• Don’t retailer pens in direct daylight or in an space that drastically modifications temperature and humidity.

Widespread Storage Errors to Keep away from

For the continued efficiency of your fountain pen, there are some newbie errors to keep away from. Guaranteeing you retailer your pen within the correct atmosphere and place is essential long-term.

Incorrect Positioning and Setting

When doubtful, retailer your fountain pen upright, with the nib towards the ceiling. When you write almost on daily basis, it is usually secure to retailer your pen horizontally. Some other place may end up in an ink mess in your fingers. By no means retailer your pen in a automobile, shed, or atmosphere that experiences excessive fluctuations in temperature.

Dangers of Storing Nib Down

Ink leakage is essentially the most important danger of storing your nib down. In case your fountain pen isn’t absolutely sealed, the ink can stream out of the nib and pool into the cap. This creates a multitude and might injury different elements of the pen if left unchecked.

Avoiding Dangerous Environmental Components

The most important contributors to fountain pen degradation are pure components. Direct daylight, mud, moisture and humidity, and oils or dust out of your fingers can weaken, discolor, and stain pen supplies over time. Excessive cold and warm could cause the pen parts to develop, contract, or deteriorate. Retailer your fountain pens in a temperature-controlled house away from acid-containing supplies. Acid-free paper, foam, and velvet are good selections. And at all times deal with your pen with clear fingers!

Overlooking Common Upkeep

Sustaining your fountain pen is akin to sustaining your automobile. You wouldn’t neglect oil modifications and tire rotations and count on it to drive easily, proper? The identical goes on your fantastic writing devices. Get into the behavior of cleansing and monitoring your fountain pen routinely, and also you’ll get pleasure from years of use.

Significance of Routine Cleansing

To stop your fountain pen drying out, clear it after each few makes use of or each time you turn ink colours. If left unflushed, ink can accumulate within the feed, nib, and different areas of the pen, resulting in inconsistent ink stream, clogging, and even injury. Routine cleansing additionally helps keep away from “onerous begins”, the place ink residue dries and hardens within the nib.

Monitoring Ink Ranges and High quality

When you’re operating low on fountain pen ink, the stream might turn into inconsistent with skipping and scratching. Some fountain pens have clear ink reservoirs that make it simple to see how a lot ink you’ve gotten left. With converter pens, you’ll have to unscrew the barrel to visually examine the degrees. At all times make sure you’re utilizing high quality ink that’s appropriate together with your particular fountain pen. Constantly monitoring your ink ranges will assist stop sudden dryouts when writing.

Superior Suggestions and Tips

Taking excellent care of your fountain pens doesn’t must be a troublesome process that takes away pleasure from the writing expertise. Fortunately, there are many pen circumstances, cleansing provides, and equipment available on the market that assist clear and preserve your pens over the long run. You can also’t cease pen individuals from being creative in developing with their homegrown options. Right here, we current some next-level suggestions from our years of expertise within the pen group.

DIY Storage Options

When you’re simply beginning your assortment or are a fountain pen beginner (welcome), it is smart to begin with what you’ve gotten. In time, you possibly can graduate with a flowery fountain pen ink holder and case. There are many methods to DIY fountain pen storage with objects you’ve gotten round the home.

Creating Customized Pen Storage at Residence

The extra worthwhile the pen, the more room you want between it and others to keep away from scratches. The way you customise your pen storage relies on how you like to group them collectively. Your “dwelling base” on your pens may be in your bed room, research, workplace, and even your kitchen drawer. Being organized means having all of your pens, bottles of ink, refills, notebooks, and upkeep provides in a single spot.

Using Family Objects for Storage

That is the place you may get artistic! Mason jars or glass containers are an affordable, seen choice. You may even add coloured stones or beads on the backside to assist hold your pens upright. Repurpose outdated containers, like cookie or tea tins, for a classic aesthetic. You may simply add felt-covered dividers to outdated picket wine or cigar containers. A regular pencil holder or perhaps a ornamental flower pot also can do the trick.

Skilled Recommendation for Pen Fans

Insights from Fountain Pen Specialists

When you’re a author at coronary heart or simply get pleasure from geeking out with devices, you’ll be stunned how shortly you possibly can go from beginner to fountain pen junkie. Preserving an everyday rotation of your fountain pens will be certain that they’re all being worn equally, maintained correctly, and loved to their fullest. Create a “dwelling base” on your pens, inks, and papers in your workplace in addition to an EDC, or on a regular basis carry, that accommodates the pens that match your duties on any given work day. Experiment with completely different containers and mixtures to handle your fountain pen assortment in a approach that works for you. Simply bear in mind: there isn’t one proper approach to do that. Discover a approach that most closely fits your writing habits and the pens you repeatedly use.

Fountain Pen Circumstances

There are simply as many fountain pen circumstances to select from as there are pens! Out there in supplies like leather-based, mesh, artificial, nylon, and extra, one of the best fountain pen circumstances are designed to guard and transport your pens whereas additionally showcasing your type. From high-end, luxurious circumstances to budget-friendly choices, we feature circumstances for each sort of Pen Pal at Goldspot.

Fountain Pen Storage Field

A storage field will present essentially the most safety on your fountain pens. Some include a number of compartments and drawers for simple entry. Comprised of high-quality supplies like wooden or metallic, they typically characteristic slots to carry particular person pens securely. Whether or not on show or tucked away, a fountain pen storage field is a smart funding.

Fountain Pen Show Circumstances

These circumstances are particularly designed to each retailer and showcase worthwhile or collectible fountain pens. Comprised of wooden, acrylic, or metallic, they typically have clear or glass panels so you possibly can see the one that you love pens with out opening the case. A fountain pen show case suits completely in a library or research.

Fountain Pen Journey Case

Beginner pen lovers typically study the onerous approach to not carry a fountain pen of their again pocket. A great fountain pen journey case will stylishly safeguard and defend your pens (and your pants) whenever you’re on the go. With particular person slots lined with smooth supplies, some journey circumstances have extra pockets for storing ink cartridges of converters. We supply some fantastically crafted EDC circumstances at Goldspot Pens.

Leather-based Fountain Pen Circumstances

There’s nothing extra traditional than a leather-based fountain pen case. Collectors typically recognize these circumstances not only for their practicality however for the aesthetic worth they add. Handy, sturdy, and complicated, leather-based is a go-to materials for pen circumstances. When you just like the look of leather-based however not the animal materials, there are many vegan leather-based choices to discover available on the market.

Saved with Loving Longevity

Trying again, it’s no marvel my grandmother’s pressed flowers stored for therefore lengthy. They have been ready and preserved for magnificence and longevity. Likewise, whenever you retailer fountain pens correctly, you’re guaranteeing years of joyful writing. We hope this text on learn how to retailer fountain pens was illuminating. Earlier than you go, try extra fountain pen equipment to pair together with your chosen storage technique. As at all times, depart your questions under!

Concerning the Creator

Madeleine is a copywriter and video script whiz for artistic and creative manufacturers. As an empathy-based marketer, each web site, touchdown web page, weblog, electronic mail, and video she writes showcases her shoppers at their finest. Some say she’s a mind-reader, however she’s actually simply an professional listener with one purpose in thoughts: to encourage readers (and viewers) to take motion. A real logophile, she’s the one who (unabashedly) retains a tough copy thesaurus on her desk. When she’s not on set or crafting copy, you’ll find her nostril in a e-book sipping a matcha latte.