3 Tips on cleaning nibs

To ensure reliable ink flow, it is important to keep your calligraphy pen clean.  Dip pens and nibs should be cleaned after each use.

The easiest way to clean your nib is to simply rinse the pen in slow running cold or warm water.  If your nib has a reservoir attached, be careful not to loose the reservoir down the plug hole.  Sometimes an old brush can be useful to help clean nibs and dip pens. 

Always dry your nibs and reservoirs before storing them. You can dry them using a sheet of kitchen roll.  Lay the nibs and reservoirs at one end of kitchen roll sheet, and then fold the other end over the nibs.  Gently squeeze the folded up sheet between your hands to dry the nibs. It may be necessary to repeat to make sure everything is dry.

If you clean your nib whilst it is still in the pen holder you need to be careful not to get the metal ferrule wet as it will soon rust.  This then makes it much harder to insert and remove the nib.