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Ballpoint pens use smooth ink, which is resistant to drying and responds very well to different pressures. Unfortunately, ballpoint pens also sometimes clog. If you’ve tried drawing circles on scratch paper without success, don’t rush to throw the pen away. Try simple tricks like heating the tip of the pen or dipping it in a household solvent to re-melt the ink. Note that you won’t always be able to fix ballpoint pen problems – you may need a different pen or ink cartridge if these tips don’t work.
Steps
Using heat to restore ballpoint pens
- If the pen has metal parts, you should dry it thoroughly to prevent rust. You can also disassemble the pen and just submerge the ink cartridge in water if you don’t want the pen case to get wet.
- Don’t use industrial heat guns! It gets extremely hot and can melt the pen.
- Be careful not to burn or melt the pen. Only hold the tip of the pen over the flame, and do not hold it for longer than 2-3 seconds.
- If you are afraid of melting the pen case, you should remove the ink cartridge first. This will make it easier for you to hold the tip of the pen.
- Draw on the paper immediately to let the ink flow and test to see if the pen can write.
Tip: Wrap foil around the tip of the pen to separate the tip from the flame, but it may take longer for the ink to warm up and reflow. [4] X Research Sources
Make ink flow with solvents
- Ballpoint pen ink is not classified as toxic, so don’t worry about getting sick when licking the tip of the pen. Ingredients that are considered to be mildly toxic, such as glycp, are only present in such small amounts that they are not harmful. [6] X Research Sources
- Most ballpoint pens use oil-based inks, which is also one of the reasons why it’s so difficult to remove ballpoint pen ink stains from clothes. Solvents such as alcohol will help dilute oil-based inks more effectively than water.
- Acetone emits toxic gases, so you need to work in a well-ventilated area.
- Try to dip only the tip of the pen tip in acetone, as this chemical can damage many plastics. [9] X Research Source
Tip: If alcohol or acetone is not available, you can use kerosene, unscented white gasoline, or WD-40 oil.
Handling clogged ink by friction and gravity
- Some people find that swiping a pen on a glass surface (such as a hand mirror) also helps a clogged ballpoint pen to rewrite. [11] X Research Source
- You can also try tapping the pen vigorously against a hard surface, such as the edge of a table.
Tip: To keep the ink flowing from the tip of the pen, it’s a good idea to stick the tip down in a cup or pen holder.
- If the cotton swab doesn’t fit because the ink tube is too narrow, you can use a smaller object, such as a paper clip.
- Immediately throw the ink-stained cotton swab in the trash to prevent ink from spilling onto other objects.
Advice
- Some luxury ballpoint pens have replaceable or refillable ink cartridges. If you want to keep the pen but don’t get the ink flowing again, look online or go to a stationery store to buy an ink cartridge. Remember to choose the right ink for your pen type.
- Some ballpoint pens or ink tubes have a small cap on the tip to protect the tip and prevent dripping. Remember to remove this cap before writing test.
- While some of the tips above may help, there’s no guaranteed way to get the ballpoint pen working again. If your pen still won’t work and you can’t easily change the cartridge, it may be time to buy a new pen.
This article is co-authored by a team of editors and trained researchers who confirm the accuracy and completeness of the article.
The wikiHow Content Management team carefully monitors the work of editors to ensure that every article is up to a high standard of quality.
There are 12 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 59,591 times.
Ballpoint pens use smooth ink, which is resistant to drying and responds very well to different pressures. Unfortunately, ballpoint pens also sometimes clog. If you’ve tried drawing circles on scratch paper without success, don’t rush to throw the pen away. Try simple tricks like heating the tip of the pen or dipping it in a household solvent to re-melt the ink. Note that you won’t always be able to fix ballpoint pen problems – you may need a different pen or ink cartridge if these tips don’t work.
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