How to Fix a Fountain Pen That Won't Write

Four fountain pens drawn to scale, each labelled with its maker's first fix: Pilot Metropolitan soak, LAMY safari converter flush, Platinum 3776 monthly bath, Pelikan M200 flush and half fill — Each maker's first fix for a pen that won't write; drawn to scale at 1 mm = 1.21 px from each pen's guide. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain PenPilot	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
LAMY safari Fountain PenLAMY	Germany	Germany^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)Platinum	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item
Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim)Pelikan	Germany	Germany^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item

Notes on these facts

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen: Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: per Milligram's listing (made in Japan). Pilot's Japanese catalog page for the Cocoon (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. eBay and Rokomari listings cited earlier blocked our access on that date, so we dropped them. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Pilot's Japanese site says the Cocoon, the Metropolitan's Japanese sibling, went on sale in 2012; Wikipedia gives 2012 for the Metropolitan. We found no Pilot page dating the Metropolitan itself.
LAMY safari Fountain Pen: Made by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.). Made in Germany: LAMY's own product listing (India storefront) gives Germany as the country of origin and names C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg, as the manufacturer, and also says made in Germany. LAMY's German page names no country. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Museum Boijmans and LAMY's India listing give 1980; LAMY's German page says the safari was introduced in the 1980s.
Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim): Made by Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: Unsharpen's review says the band reads "Platinum #3776 Century Made in Japan". Platinum's own English pages don't state it in the sources we found. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Platinum's January 29, 2026 press release says the #3776 brand began in 1978 and the Century with Slip & Seal was born in 2011; we found no exact launch month.
Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim): Made by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023. Made in Germany: Pelikan's German product page for the Classic 200 Schwarz says "Gefertigt und montiert in Deutschland" (made and assembled in Germany) and "Qualität, made in Germany". Source. Price: example listing. Released: Per the Pelikan's Perch collectors' database; Pelikan restyled the trim in 1997. Pelikan doesn't give a launch year on its product page.
How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

Pilot suggests a 1 to 2 hour soak in water or 40 °C (104 °F) lukewarm water for a cartridge pen's nib section, overnight if it sat unused.
Pilot gives 2 cartridge mistakes: twisting it on insertion can reseal its lid, and pushing it in backwards can break the part that pierces it.
LAMY says an unopened ink cartridge keeps about 12 months; after that, evaporation can leave it only half full.
Pelikan says ink that has dried hard may need the nib to soak in clean water for up to a week.
Pilot says coated papers such as fax, thermal and inkjet paper can scrape coating into the nib and clog it.

Why won’t my fountain pen write?

Usually because ink has dried in the nib and feed. Pilot says a pen left unused for a long time stops flowing mostly because dried ink solids or debris clog the nib and feed, and Sailor names ink hardening inside the feed as the most common reason a pen stops writing. The other usual causes are a cartridge that isn’t feeding, a nib held at an angle, or a paper or ink that doesn’t suit the pen.

Work through it in this order:

Symptom	Likely cause	First fix	Maker
Won’t write after sitting unused	Dried ink in the feed	Flush or soak the nib section in lukewarm water	Pilot, LAMY, Sailor
New cartridge, no ink	Cartridge not pierced or resealed	Push it in straight, without twisting	Pilot
Old cartridge writes faintly	Ink evaporated in storage	Use a fresh cartridge; LAMY gives about 12 months	LAMY
First letters skip	One side of the nib lifts off the paper	Keep the nib flat and facing the paper	Pilot, Nakaya
Ink breaks up on some paper	Coated paper clogging the nib	Use uncoated paper, then flush	Pilot
Still fails after washing	A fault in the feed or nib	Contact the maker’s repair service	Pilot, Sailor, Platinum

How do you fix a fountain pen with dried ink?

Flush the nib section with lukewarm water until it runs clear, let it dry, then refill. Pilot says to wash the inside with lukewarm water, and LAMY says never to add washing-up liquid. Our how to clean a fountain pen guide has the routine for each filling system.

Unscrew the front part and soak it in clean water. LAMY says crusted ink dissolves if you leave the unscrewed front part in water for a while. Pelikan says ink that has dried hard may need the nib to soak for up to a week.

Let the water loosen the dried ink. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Fill and empty the converter with water several times. LAMY says this also dissolves crusted ink, and that a piston or converter pen tends to clean itself as you fill it, which is why cartridge pens dry out more often.

Pump water in and out. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Blot the nib and feed until no water comes out. Platinum says water left in the feed makes the first lines pale.

Blot until the towel stays dry. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Refill and write a test line. If the line is smooth, the pen is fixed; if not, see when to send it for repair below.

A smooth line means the feed is clear. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Why won’t a new cartridge write?

Check that it is pushed in straight and has been pierced. Pilot and LAMY between them give three checks.

Push the cartridge straight in, without twisting. Pilot says twisting it as you insert it can close the lid again so no ink comes out, and inserting it backwards can break the part inside the pen that pierces it.

Straight in, no twisting. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Gently squeeze the cartridge on first use. Pilot’s handling notes say this sends ink to the nib.

A gentle squeeze starts the flow. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Swap an old cartridge for a fresh one. LAMY says an unopened cartridge keeps about 12 months, after which water evaporates through it and it may be only half full.

Old cartridges lose water. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

See how to fill a fountain pen for cartridges and converters.

Why does my fountain pen skip at the start of words?

Most often the nib is rotated, so one tine lifts off the paper. Pilot says missing first letters happen when an unconsciously twisted grip leaves one side of the nib floating. Nakaya says the same and adds that broad and soft nibs show it more.

Turn the pen so the nib faces the paper squarely. Both tines should touch the page, as Pilot asks.

Both tines on the paper. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.
Write with almost no pressure. Pilot says a fountain pen writes with almost no pressure, and heavy pressure can spread the nib’s slit.

Let the pen rest on the paper. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Our nib sizes explained guide covers which widths suit light hands.

Could the ink or paper be the problem?

Yes: coated papers, mixed inks and some third-party inks all cause trouble. Pilot warns that fax, thermal and inkjet-coated papers can scrape coating into the nib and clog it. It says other makers’ inks may not write smoothly in its pens, asks owners not to use pigment inks in them, and advises against mixing colors or old and new ink. LAMY says mixed inks can precipitate because of different pH levels, so flush with water before changing color. Read fountain pen ink properties explained before trying a pigment or shimmer ink. After a flush, a small shaped blotting piece such as Kobeha’s SUITO cleaning paper can wipe the nib dry.

When should you send the pen for repair?

When it still won’t write after a thorough flush. Pilot says that if washing doesn’t help, another problem may be present and to use its repair form. Sailor says the feed may have a fault and to contact its user service. Platinum says dirt a bath won’t shift needs the maker to take the pen apart, and asks owners not to shake a pen with poor flow. Nakaya tunes its own nibs. For collector and lacquered pens, see how to care for collector pens.

Frequently asked questions

Should I shake a fountain pen that won't write?

No. Platinum says not to shake a pen hard when ink flow is poor and to soak the nib section in water instead.

Can I press harder to get the ink flowing?

No. Pilot says a fountain pen writes with almost no pressure and that heavy pressure can spread the nib's slit, which makes things worse.

Can I use another brand's ink in my pen?

Usually, but Pilot says inks differ in viscosity and ingredients, so some may not write smoothly in its pens, and it asks owners not to use pigment inks in them.

Is it OK to mix two inks in one pen?

The makers say no. LAMY says different pH levels can make dyes precipitate, and Pilot advises against mixing colors or old and new ink of the same color. Flush the pen with water before changing ink.

How long can I leave a fountain pen unused before it dries out?

The makers give no fixed time. Sailor says daily use is the best maintenance, and Pilot and Sailor both say to empty and wash a pen you plan to leave unused.

Can a fountain pen write on receipt or printer paper?

Plain copy paper is fine, but Pilot warns that fax, thermal and inkjet-coated papers can scrape coating into the nib and clog it.

My pen writes, but the ink looks pale after cleaning. Why?

Water left in the feed thins the first lines. Platinum says to blot the nib and feed with a tissue until no water comes out before filling.

Sources (14)

Plain-text version for AI agents: how-to-fix-a-fountain-pen-that-wont-write.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.