Ballpoint pens are a common tool in everyday life, yet they can easily become damaged after a period of use. Therefore, today we will guide you on the best and simplest ways to maintain your ballpoint pens.
How to Properly Maintain Ballpoint Pens
Although more durable than fountain pens, ballpoint pens can still be easily damaged if users do not know how to maintain them properly. The following article will suggest tips to help extend the lifespan of your ballpoint pen.
How should ballpoint pens be stored properly?
First, it is important to know that when the ink in a ballpoint pen dries, it will harden around the ballpoint tip, which can obstruct the flow of ink when writing. Additionally, the ink in ballpoint pens is a mixture of substances including sesame oil, pine oil, mineral oil, and other hard resins.
Therefore, whenever you are done using the ballpoint pen, the best advice is to cap it or securely twist the cap back on to prevent the tip from coming into contact with other objects. This can prevent damage to the tip or cause the ink at the tip to dry out faster.
Always cap or retract the ballpoint tip when not in use.
If the pen does dry out, you can place the tip of the pen in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds to a minute, and then remove it to write normally again.
Also, avoid dropping the pen, especially if it falls uncapped, as the nib can easily become damaged, leading to ink leakage or, in severe cases, the ballpoint tip may fall out. In this case, you will need to replace the tip or the entire pen.
Why is it important to take care of ballpoint pens?
Due to the characteristics and operational structure of ballpoint pens, if not properly maintained, the ink can easily dry and harden around the tip, which obstructs the flow of ink when writing, making it difficult to produce clear letters, causing inconvenience in daily life.
Once the ink in the ballpoint pen dries, writing becomes difficult.
Furthermore, if you do not cap the pen after use, the risk of dropping or bumping the tip against other objects can lead to the need to purchase a replacement pen, resulting in unnecessary financial waste.
Finally, because ballpoint pens are made from materials that are very difficult to decompose in the environment, limiting the need to replace ballpoint pens will significantly reduce plastic waste released into the environment.
Some tips for maintaining ballpoint pens
Cap the pen or retract the nib when not in use
This will help protect the nib, preventing damage from contact with hard objects. Additionally, the ink will not dry out as the nib will not be exposed to air for long periods.
Store the pen in a case or pen pouch after writing
This is an important step to avoid forgetting or losing the pen.
Place the ballpoint pen in a case or pen holder to avoid losing it.
Keep the pen in a moderate temperature environment, avoiding extreme heat or cold
Temperature is an important factor affecting ink quality; high temperatures can cause the ballpoint nib to leak ink, and worse, the pen barrel can become deformed. Meanwhile, extremely low temperatures can cause the ink to dry and clump.
Do not buy pens that have been stored for too long
The ink in ballpoint pens has a shelf life, typically around 2 years. Therefore, it is advisable not to buy too many pens for stockpiling as this can lead to waste.
Fixing some common pen issues
Ink dries up in cold weather
As mentioned earlier, low temperatures can cause the ink to dry, making it difficult to write clearly, leading to inconvenience for the user.
If you encounter this situation, try one of the following four methods to “treat this issue”:
In cold weather, ballpoint ink tends to dry, leading to unclear writing.
- Method 1: Soak the nib in warm water for a few seconds to a minute to warm the ink, allowing it to write normally again. Use a cloth to wipe clean after soaking to avoid ink smudging while writing.
- Method 2: Similar to Method 1, but use the high temperature of a flame (from a match/candle/lighter, etc.) to liquefy the ink at the nib and allow for normal writing. When using heat, be sure to maintain a safe distance and only warm for a few seconds to avoid damaging the pen due to excessive heat.
High temperatures will liquefy ballpoint ink, making writing easier.
- Method 3: Use a hairdryer for a few seconds. Turn on the hairdryer, hold the pen at a safe distance, and dry. While drying, test the nib until the ink flows, then stop.
- Method 4: If your ballpoint pen has oil-based ink, try soaking it in alcohol or spirits; this will yield better results than warm water.
Nib makes strong contact with hard surfaces
In many cases, when you have to write on a hard surface, the ballpoint nib may have difficulty releasing ink.
In this case, simply take a blank sheet of paper and write continuously until the nib gradually smooths out. If you don’t have blank paper, you can use a piece of rubber or an eraser.
When the nib has difficulty releasing ink, you can use a blank sheet of paper and write continuously until the nib smooths out.
Clean the rubber grip on the pen
The rubber grip on the pen can easily get dirty, leading to a lack of aesthetics and hygiene. In this case, apply one of the following two methods:
- Method 1: Use a cotton swab or cotton soaked in alcohol to clean the dirty grip. Stains will quickly disappear as the alcohol evaporates.
- Method 2: Use an eraser to wipe away dirt on the rubber grip.
Above are important pieces of information regarding the maintenance of ballpoint pens that we would like to share with you. We hope these useful tips will help you take better care of your pens, saving costs and enhancing convenience in your daily life.
