How to Get Pen Ink Flowing Again

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Ballpoint pens take smooth ink that's resistant to drying and wonderfully responsive to dissimilar levels of pressure. Unfortunately, they likewise tend to suddenly stop working. If you lot've tried scribbling in circles on a piece of scrap paper with no success, don't give up on your pen simply nonetheless. Try a uncomplicated hack like heating up the pecker or dipping it in a household solvent to get the ink flowing again. Go along in mind that ballpoint pens tin't always exist saved, yet, so you may demand to replace your pen or cartridge if these tricks don't piece of work.

1. 1

   Put the pen in boiling-hot water for 5 minutes to avert using flames. If you're worried nigh burning yourself or your pen, use hot h2o to warm up the ink.^[one] Heat some water to humid in a kettle or in a pan on the stove, and then pour it into a mug. Set the pen tip-down in the h2o for virtually 5 minutes, and so test it out on a piece of paper.

   • If your pen has any metal components, dry out them thoroughly to preclude corrosion. You tin can also have the pen autonomously and soak just the cartridge if y'all don't want to get the butt of the pen wet.

2. 2

   Warm the pen with a blow dryer or arts and crafts heat gun for gentler heating. If yous're worried that an open flame or humid water volition be too harsh, warm the nib and cartridge with a hair dryer on a high heat setting. For slightly more than powerful heating, you can also employ a craft heat gun or embossing gun. Warm the nib of the pen for a few seconds at a time, so try writing with information technology.^[2]

   • Don't use an industrial heat gun! They go extremely hot and volition probably melt your pen.

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3. 3

   Hold the tip of the pen to a flame for a few seconds to unclog the ink. Apply a lighter, friction match, or candle to create a flame, and so place just the very tip of your pen in the flame for a few seconds. In many cases, the heat will melt any gummed-upwards ink most the tip and become the pen working again.^[3]

   • Be careful not to burn yourself or cook the pen. Hold merely the very tip of the neb in the flame, and don't practise it for longer than two-3 seconds.
   • If you're worried nearly melting the barrel of your pen, remove the cartridge first. That way, information technology's easier to just heat the neb of the pen.
   • Scribble on some newspaper correct away to get the ink moving and bank check if your pen works.

   Tip: Wrapping a niggling aluminum foil around the tip of your pen tin also assist insulate it from the flame. Still, it may take longer for the ink to warm up enough to first flowing over again.^[4]

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1. 1

   Dab a piffling spit on the pecker to lubricate the brawl. This may sound gross, but spit tin human activity as a lubricant or gentle solvent to help unclog the tip of your pen. If you're hesitant to actually lick the pecker of your pen, put a piffling spit on your fingertip or a napkin and dip the pen tip in that. Then, scribble on a slice of paper to see if y'all can get the ink flowing.^[5]

   • Ballpoint pen ink is generally not considered toxic, so don't worry about getting sick from licking the pen. Any mildly toxic components, such equally glycols, are nowadays in such small-scale amounts that they won't cause whatever harm.^[6]

2. 2

   Dip the indicate of the pen in rubbing alcohol to dissolve clogs. If some of the ink is stale out in the pen, you might be able to get it going by thinning information technology a little with rubbing alcohol. Pour some alcohol into a loving cup or bowl and dip the pen into it, then scribble on a piece of paper to see if you can get it flowing again.^[7]

   • Most ballpoint pens have oil-based ink, which is part of the reason information technology's so hard to get ballpoint stains out of wear. Solvents, such every bit alcohol, are better at thinning oil-based ink than apparently h2o.

3. 3

   Try acetone if alcohol doesn't work. Acetone is a more than aggressive solvent that might unclog your pen if booze isn't potent plenty. Dip the nib of your pen in a little bit of acetone-based smash polish remover and come across if that does the trick.^[eight]

   • Acetone releases harsh fumes, so always apply information technology in a well-ventilated area.
   • Endeavor to dip only the very tip of the pen in the acetone, since acetone can damage many types of plastic.^[9]

   Tip: If you don't have alcohol or acetone on hand, kerosene, odorless mineral spirits, or WD-40 might work.

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1. ane

   Scrape the nib on a prophylactic surface to get the ball rolling. When scribbling on paper doesn't work, sometimes you can get a stuck ball moving by rubbing the pen on a safe surface. Scribble on a rubber eraser or even the sole of your shoe.^[ten]

   • Alternatively, some people find information technology helpful to scribble on a glass surface (such as a paw mirror) to get a stuck ballpoint pen going over again.^[xi]

2. 2

   Milkshake the pen to motion the ink down in the cartridge. Sometimes a ballpoint pen will end writing because there's a space or bubble between the ink in the cartridge and the bill. Agree the end of your pen opposite the nib and give the pen several firm shakes, as if you were shaking downward an erstwhile-fashioned glass thermometer. When you're done, give it a scribble to see if information technology works.^[12]

   • You tin also attempt tapping the pen firmly on a hard surface, similar the edge of a desk or table.

   Tip: To keep the ink from flowing away from the neb, shop your ballpoint pens tip-down in a mug or pen holder.

3. three

   Push the ink downward in a broad cartridge with a cotton fiber swab. If your pen has a wide enough cartridge, you may exist able to push button the ink downwardly toward the nib. Unscrew the barrel of your pen and take out the cartridge, then pull the cap off the end of the cartridge. Push a cotton fiber swab into the cartridge and apply gentle pressure to the fluid inside. Put your pen back together and examination information technology once more.^[xiii]

   • If the cartridge is also narrow to fit a cotton wool swab in, utilise a smaller object, like a paperclip.
   • If the cotton swab gets ink on it, toss it in the trash right away then that the ink doesn't spread effectually and stain anything.

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Add New Question

• Question

  How exercise I get a Zebra Orbit pen to work again?

  

  This reply was written by one of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  Commencement of all, try checking the cartridge to see if it looks similar there's yet ink inside. If not, your pen might demand a refill. Yous can buy new cartridges online or from an function supply store. Otherwise, try running hot h2o over the bill to get the ink flowing and dissolve clogs, or milkshake your pen to get any bubbles out.

• Question

  What exercise I exercise if my dry ball point pen is dispensing ink poorly?

  

  This answer was written by ane of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  If the ink is skipping a lot, there could be bubbles or a clog in the ink. Heating the cartridge in warm water might help loosen things up. You tin can also try dipping the nib in booze or another solvent to dissolve any clogs.

• Question

  Are the Scribble Stuff pens usable for this type of process?

  

  This respond was written by ane of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Reply

  If yous're using the gel pens, dipping the cartridge in warm or hot water might work. Almost Scribble Stuff pens have marker tips and are not ballpoint pens, so you might have to use a different technique for those (such as injecting water into the tips or soaking them in vinegar).

• Question

  How do I get the ink working on a Pilot BeGreen Precise V5?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Respond

  The Airplane pilot BeGreen is a rollerball pen, which is similar to a ballpoint but with less viscous ink. Check the cartridge outset to see if it looks empty. If and then, you'll need to buy a replacement cartridge. Otherwise, you tin try dipping the cartridge in hot water for a few minutes or shaking it down to become the ink flowing.

• Question

  Volition I get ink all over my mouth if I blow on the pen?

  

  No, merely if y'all're blowing into the cartridge, you may get a spray or spatter from the other end, so sentinel what you're pointing at. Besides, make sure you don't suck in.

• Question

  Why do yous put it in h2o?

  

  The pen is placed in h2o to rut the ink and let it to be released like normal. When pens don't work very well, the ink has often dried out a scrap, so putting it in water allows it to become more than fluid and usable.

• Question

  My pen has ink, but stops writing randomly. How can I ready it?

  

  I recommend propping the pen up against something that will keep it point downward for a few minutes. I had the same problem, and when I did it, the ink was flowing pretty well.

• Question

  My ballpoint pens spit out ink in blobs, smudges, blurs, and big spots. How do I foreclose this?

  

  This can happen when the ball within the tip has been nudged or scratched. It causes the tip to distribute ink in an odd fashion. It might exist time for you to become a new pen. If you can't get a new pen, then consider getting a new betoken for your pen instead.

• Question

  How do I restart a Pilot juice pen?

  

  AtlanticEX

  Community Answer

  Take a water sprayer and spray it one time. This would become rid of air bubbles and make it run again. Note: This works on a few, and might fail on a few.

• Question

  What should I do if my new, expensive pen runs out of ink?

  

  Get-go, make sure that the pen isn't just dry. Follow the steps in this article to get it working over again. If the article does not assistance, get a refill cartilage. Depending on the type of pen y'all got, your pen might also accept a warranty. Check the packaging and/or characterization. If the pen is under warranty, you lot might be able to get information technology replaced.

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VideoRead Video Transcript

• While some of these tricks might help, in that location'southward no totally reliable method for getting a ballpoint pen working again. If your pen is still being stubborn and you tin't easily replace the cartridge, information technology may exist fourth dimension to get a new pen.

• Some fancier ballpoint pens accept cartridges that can be replaced or refilled. If you lot're determined to go along your ballpoint pen but y'all only can't get the ink flowing, check online or visit your local role supply store to come across if you tin can buy a refill. Make sure to go one that's designed for your type of pen.

• Some new ballpoint pens or cartridges have a tiny plastic cap over the pecker to protect it and prevent leaks. Make sure to remove that and then that your pen can write.

Cheers for submitting a tip for review!

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Article Summary X

To restart a dry ballpoint pen, starting time bring some h2o to a boil and transfer it to a mug. And so, put your pen tip-side down in the water and allow it sit for 5 minutes. The hot water volition loosen the ink and get it flowing again. Yous can achieve the same outcome past heating the tip of the pen with a blow dryer, or by carefully heating the tip with a lighter for a few seconds. You can also restart a ballpoint pen by dipping the tip in rubbing alcohol or acetone. The solvent volition deliquesce any clogs so the ink is able to flow again. Another pick is to rub the tip on something rubber, similar an eraser or the sole of your shoe. Sometimes the friction is enough to get the pen working again. Or you can try shaking it and tapping it on a hard surface to move the ink downward into the cartridge in case in that location are any gaps or bubbling that are preventing information technology from flowing. Remember to store your ballpoint pens tip-side downwardly so the ink doesn't flow away from the pecker. For more easy tips on manually restarting a dry brawl point pen, read on!

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