How to Change the Pen Again

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Ballpoint pens take smooth ink that'due south resistant to drying and wonderfully responsive to different levels of pressure. Unfortunately, they likewise tend to suddenly stop working. If you've tried scribbling in circles on a piece of scrap paper with no success, don't requite up on your pen merely all the same. Endeavor a elementary hack like heating upwardly the nib or dipping information technology in a household solvent to get the ink flowing again. Go on in heed that ballpoint pens can't e'er be saved, even so, and then you may demand to supersede your pen or cartridge if these tricks don't work.

1. i

   Put the pen in boiling-hot water for v minutes to avert using flames. If you're worried about called-for yourself or your pen, employ hot water to warm upwards the ink.^[1] Oestrus some h2o to boiling in a kettle or in a pan on the stove, then pour it into a mug. Ready the pen tip-down in the water for near five minutes, then examination it out on a slice of paper.

   • If your pen has any metal components, dry them thoroughly to prevent corrosion. You can also take the pen apart and soak just the cartridge if you don't want to become the barrel of the pen wet.

2. 2

   Warm the pen with a blow dryer or craft heat gun for gentler heating. If you're worried that an open up flame or boiling water will be too harsh, warm the nib and cartridge with a pilus dryer on a high heat setting. For slightly more than powerful heating, y'all can also use a arts and crafts rut gun or embossing gun. Warm the nib of the pen for a few seconds at a time, then try writing with it.^[two]

   • Don't employ an industrial oestrus gun! They get 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. Use a lighter, friction match, or candle to create a flame, then place just the very tip of your pen in the flame for a few seconds. In many cases, the rut will melt whatever gummed-upwards ink almost the tip and go the pen working once again.^[iii]

   • Be careful non to burn yourself or melt the pen. Concord just the very tip of the nib in the flame, and don't do it for longer than 2-3 seconds.
   • If you lot're worried about melting the barrel of your pen, remove the cartridge start. That style, information technology's easier to but oestrus the neb of the pen.
   • Scribble on some newspaper right away to get the ink moving and check if your pen works.

   Tip: Wrapping a little aluminum foil around the tip of your pen can likewise assistance insulate information technology from the flame. Nevertheless, information technology may take longer for the ink to warm upwards enough to start flowing again.^[4]

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1. one

   Dab a little spit on the nib to lubricate the brawl. This may sound gross, merely spit can act as a lubricant or gentle solvent to assist unclog the tip of your pen. If you're hesitant to actually lick the neb of your pen, put a niggling spit on your fingertip or a napkin and dip the pen tip in that. Then, scribble on a slice of newspaper to run into if y'all can get the ink flowing.^[5]

   • Ballpoint pen ink is generally non considered toxic, and so don't worry virtually getting ill from licking the pen. Any mildly toxic components, such every bit glycols, are nowadays in such small amounts that they won't cause any harm.^{[half dozen]}

2. 2

   Dip the point of the pen in rubbing booze to dissolve clogs. If some of the ink is stale out in the pen, you might be able to get it going by thinning it a little with rubbing booze. Cascade some alcohol into a cup or basin and dip the pen into it, then scribble on a piece of paper to encounter if y'all can get it flowing once more.^[7]

   • Nigh ballpoint pens have oil-based ink, which is part of the reason information technology'south so difficult to get ballpoint stains out of clothing. Solvents, such equally alcohol, are better at thinning oil-based ink than plain water.

3. iii

   Attempt acetone if booze doesn't piece of work. Acetone is a more aggressive solvent that might unclog your pen if alcohol isn't strong enough. Dip the bill of your pen in a little scrap of acetone-based boom polish remover and see if that does the trick.^[viii]

   • Acetone releases harsh fumes, so ever apply it in a well-ventilated area.
   • Try 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 take alcohol or acetone on mitt, kerosene, odorless mineral spirits, or WD-40 might work.

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1. 1

   Scrape the nib on a rubber 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 rubber surface. Scribble on a rubber eraser or even the sole of your shoe.^[10]

   • Alternatively, some people discover it helpful to scribble on a glass surface (such as a hand mirror) to become a stuck ballpoint pen going again.^[11]

2. ii

   Shake the pen to movement the ink down in the cartridge. Sometimes a ballpoint pen will end writing because there's a space or bubble betwixt the ink in the cartridge and the beak. Hold the end of your pen opposite the beak and give the pen several firm shakes, as if yous were shaking down an old-fashioned glass thermometer. When you're done, requite information technology a scribble to see if information technology works.^[12]

   • Y'all can as well try tapping the pen firmly on a difficult surface, like the edge of a desk or tabular array.

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

3. iii

   Button the ink down in a wide cartridge with a cotton swab. If your pen has a broad enough cartridge, yous may be able to push the ink downwards toward the beak. Unscrew the barrel of your pen and accept out the cartridge, and then pull the cap off the end of the cartridge. Push a cotton swab into the cartridge and apply gentle pressure to the fluid inside. Put your pen back together and examination it again.^[thirteen]

   • If the cartridge is too narrow to fit a cotton swab in, utilize a smaller object, like a paperclip.
   • If the cotton swab gets ink on it, toss information technology in the trash right abroad so that the ink doesn't spread around and stain anything.

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Add New Question

• Question

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

  

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

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Respond

  Showtime of all, effort checking the cartridge to meet if it looks similar in that location's notwithstanding ink inside. If not, your pen might need a refill. You tin buy new cartridges online or from an office supply store. Otherwise, try running hot water over the nib to go the ink flowing and dissolve clogs, or milkshake your pen to get any bubbles out.

• Question

  What do I do if my dry ball betoken pen is dispensing ink poorly?

  

  This answer was written past 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, in that location could be bubbles or a clog in the ink. Heating the cartridge in warm water might aid loosen things up. You can also try dipping the bill in alcohol or some other solvent to dissolve any clogs.

• Question

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

  

  This respond was written by 1 of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  If you're using the gel pens, dipping the cartridge in warm or hot water might work. Almost Scribble Stuff pens accept marking tips and are non ballpoint pens, so you might take to employ a dissimilar 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 Airplane pilot BeGreen Precise V5?

  

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

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  The Pilot BeGreen is a rollerball pen, which is similar to a ballpoint only with less viscous ink. Check the cartridge commencement to see if it looks empty. If so, you'll need to buy a replacement cartridge. Otherwise, you lot tin can try dipping the cartridge in hot h2o for a few minutes or shaking it down to get the ink flowing.

• Question

  Will I get ink all over my oral fissure if I blow on the pen?

  

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

• Question

  Why do you put information technology in water?

  

  The pen is placed in h2o to rut the ink and allow it to be released like normal. When pens don't work very well, the ink has often stale out a bit, so putting it in h2o allows it to get more fluid and usable.

• Question

  My pen has ink, just stops writing randomly. How tin can I gear up information technology?

  

  I recommend propping the pen upwards against something that volition keep it point down for a few minutes. I had the same problem, and when I did information technology, the ink was flowing pretty well.

• Question

  My ballpoint pens spit out ink in blobs, smudges, blurs, and large spots. How exercise I prevent this?

  

  This tin happen when the ball inside the tip has been nudged or scratched. It causes the tip to distribute ink in an odd mode. Information technology might be fourth dimension for yous to get a new pen. If you lot can't get a new pen, then consider getting a new indicate for your pen instead.

• Question

  How exercise I restart a Pilot juice pen?

  

  AtlanticEX

  Customs Answer

  Take a h2o sprayer and spray information technology in one case. This would get 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?

  

  First, make sure that the pen isn't simply dry out. Follow the steps in this article to get it working again. If the article does not help, go a refill cartilage. Depending on the type of pen y'all got, your pen might as well accept a warranty. Check the packaging and/or characterization. If the pen is under warranty, you might be able to get it replaced.

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VideoRead Video Transcript

• While some of these tricks might help, there'south no totally reliable method for getting a ballpoint pen working once again. If your pen is withal existence stubborn and you tin can't easily replace the cartridge, it may exist time to get a new pen.

• Some fancier ballpoint pens have cartridges that can exist replaced or refilled. If y'all're adamant to proceed your ballpoint pen but you just can't go the ink flowing, check online or visit your local function supply store to encounter if you can purchase a refill. Make sure to get one that'south designed for your blazon of pen.

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

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Article Summary X

To restart a dry ballpoint pen, start bring some h2o to a boil and transfer information technology to a mug. Then, put your pen tip-side downwards in the water and let it sit for 5 minutes. The hot h2o will loosen the ink and get it flowing over again. You can achieve the same issue by heating the tip of the pen with a blow dryer, or by advisedly heating the tip with a lighter for a few seconds. You can besides restart a ballpoint pen past dipping the tip in rubbing booze or acetone. The solvent will dissolve any clogs so the ink is able to flow again. Some other option is to rub the tip on something rubber, like an eraser or the sole of your shoe. Sometimes the friction is enough to get the pen working again. Or you tin can try shaking it and tapping it on a hard surface to move the ink downwardly into the cartridge in case in that location are any gaps or bubbles that are preventing information technology from flowing. Recollect to store your ballpoint pens tip-side downwardly and so the ink doesn't flow away from the nib. For more easy tips on manually restarting a dry ball signal pen, read on!

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