You might have seen us write with glass pens in previous videos and wondered, what exactly is that
thing? In this video, we’ll explain all there is to know about glass pens and how to use them! If
you find this video helpful, make sure to like, leave a comment, and subscribe to our channel.
What Is a Glass Pen? Glass pens are hand-blown dip pens made of glass,
designed with a twisted tip.
The tip can store enough ink to write for several sentences.
They require periodic dipping, or refilling, as they don’t have ink reservoirs.
Why Use a Glass Pen? If kept safe,
a glass pen can outlive a metal pen—it requires little maintenance and won’t rust or clog.
It’s super easy to clean, often only needing a rinse of water, making it a great choice for
testing or switching between inks. If you want a clear view of your ink before it’s on the page,
or want to decorate your desk with a luxurious writing instrument, try a glass pen.
Now that we’ve explained what glass pens are, here’s a step by step guide on how to use them!
1. Pick an ink Glass pens work with virtually any ink,
but how long you can write between dips depends on the viscosity of the ink.
Personally, we like fountain pen ink best!
Another thing to keep in mind when picking ink
is ease of cleaning. For example India ink and metallic ink will take some scrubbing to remove
from your pen. If you want to see an in-depth comparison chart with all the inks you can use,
check out our glass pen blog!
2. Select a paper
Glass pens are wet writers, especially right after they’re dipped, so pick a less-absorbent
paper that doesn’t feather. For regular writing, we love Yamamoto Cosmo Air Light Paper:
fountain pen ink dries beautifully on it, as it shows off the ink’s sheen and shading.
For calligraphy and artwork, try sturdy mixed-media or watercolor paper like Global
Art Fluid Watercolor Paper. It's great for wet lines or ink washes with a water brush.
3. Ink the pen
Once you’ve settled on a bottle of ink, dip the glass pen tip inside. You want to get enough ink
so there’s sufficient flow, but you want to avoid collecting too much ink or else you might cause
blots as you write. If there’s too much ink, it could even dry in the grooves while you’re
writing. Remove any excess ink by brushing the tip against the edge of the bottle.
4. Write First, make a few practice strokes on your paper
to figure out what angle works best—we recommend writing at an angle to encourage ink flow. You can
vary pressure to see what feels comfortable, but don’t over-stress it. Unlike metal nibs,
glass pen line width is consistent and can't be controlled through applying pressure.
However, lines are thicker right after dipping, and they gradually become thinner as your pen
runs out of ink. As you write, turn the pen in your hand so you use the ink stored on all sides.
What If My Pen Doesn’t Write Well?
Most quality glass pens will write fine straight out of the box, but some may need adjusting.
Every person has their own preferences. Some might like a scratchier nib—which feels similar
to a metal nib and produces more sound—while others might prefer a smoother experience.
If your glass pen feels too scratchy, you can use the “paper bag method”,
using the textured surface as a light abrasive to smoothen any rough parts of the tip.
If your glass pen needs serious adjustment, you can use very fine
grit sandpaper to polish the nib, but we only recommend this method for advanced users.
How Do I Clean and Store a Glass Pen? Cleaning
If you used fountain pen or water-soluble ink, swish your pen in water and then dry
it with a cloth rag or a paper towel. If you used a higher viscosity ink like metallic ink,
you’ll need to scrub with a toothbrush or a small paintbrush to remove residue.
Storing To store a glass dip pen,
your most convenient and effective option is the original packaging, so don’t toss it! Pen stands
or pen trays may also work, but make sure to set it somewhere it can’t be knocked over.
Don’t store the pen tip down, as this can damage it.
A glass pen is a little more fragile than other dip pens, so you'll want to keep it safe.
Is there anything else you want to know about glass pens? If you want to see more
glass pens in action, check out our other videos and make sure you’re subscribed to
our channel. You can find all these products and more at JetPens.com. Thanks for watching!