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Using Pump Pens
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To fill the pen with ink or paint, remove the pen barrel and slide the reservoir off the pen. This method of filling is called the eye-dropper method because you usually use an eye dropper or similar filling device. This method requires more dexterity on your part, but it allows for the largest reservoir capacity.
You can purchase additional reservoirs with caps to carry for reserve.
The pump is one of the great advantages of the Pump Pen - hence its name. The pump lets you pump more ink or paint when you want more. Once you're used to pumping, you'll find it hard to use a pen without a pump.
You don't have to pump all the time, gravity flow will work most of the time, just like it does in an ordinary fountain pen.
The pump can help you start the flow in a new Pump Pen, when you re-fill the pen, and when you change the brush or nib. The pump also helps when you use a thicker paint or ink, or when you want to lay down an especially thick coat of ink or paint.
To start pumping, hold the pen with the tool end down, and start pumping until ink or paint appears at the tip. You can start drawing, painting or lettering and pump while you work.
When you first start working with the Pump Pen, it might take awhile to adjust the flow correctly. After awhile, it will become second nature.
When you start out with a fresh batch of ink or paint, you should press the pump a couple of times to get the flow going.
Once you get the flow going, you usually do not need to pump unless you need a stronger flow or you are working with thicker inks or paints. Viscosity makes a difference in the flow. So does the ambient air pressure, the type of paper you're drawing or painting on, even the temperature of your hand.
When you want to ink in a large area or paint a solid swath of color, that's the time to press the pump. You get what you press, from a drop to a gush.
You can hold the pen using various methods to adjust the position of the pump.
When you use the brush pen, it doesn't make a difference how you hold the pen - the brush always contacts the surface correctly. If you are using a nib Pump Pen, you must twist the nib to ensure that it is always in the correct position to touch the surface.
Experiment to find the position that best suits your work. If you hold the pen in a standard three finger grip, and all three fingers are close to the front end of the pen, you might prefer pumping with your thumb. This means you should position the pump in the top position. If you place your fingers further back on the pen, you might find your index finger works better.
You can use a variant of the three finger grip where you press the pump using your middle finger. This requires that the pump be pointed downwards. This lets you press the pump by gently squeezing the pen with all three fingers. I prefer this method since it is almost an unconscious movement.
If you hold the pen perpendicular to the paper in the traditional position used to Chinese calligraphy, you will probably prefer pumping with your thumb.
Over time, and with experience, you will find the position that's most comfortable for you.
You don't have to pump all the time - gravity flow will work much of the time, just like it does in an ordinary fountain pen.
The pump can help you start the flow in a new Pump Pen, when you re-fill the pen, and when you change the brush or nib. The pump also helps when you use a thicker paint or ink, or when you want to lay down an especially thick coat of ink or paint.
When you first start working with the Pump Pen, it might take awhile to adjust the flow correctly. Pumping can take some getting used to, but after awhile, it will become second nature.
When you start out with a fresh batch of ink or paint, you should press the pump a couple of times to get the flow going.
Once you get the flow going, you usually do not need to pump unless you want a stronger flow or you are working with thick ink or paint. The viscosity of the media makes a big difference in the flow. So does the ambient air pressure, the type of paper you're drawing or painting on, the speed at which you draw or paint, even the temperature of your hand.
When you want to ink in a large area or paint a solid swath of color, that's the time to press the pump. You get what you press, from a drop to a gush.
You can hold the Pump Pen just like you do an ordinary pen. You can use any finger to press the pump.
Over time, and with some use, you'll find the position that's best for you. Over time, and with experience, you will find the position that's most comfortable for you.
You can replace the brush in the Brush Pump Pen when it wears down or plugs up.
You can order additional brushes.
You can replace these nibs when they break or wear down. Dip nibs used in Pump Pens are sold in most art stores throughout the world and online.
You can also use nibs from other manufacturers with a similar size and shape. For example, you can use Gillott 303 nibs in the the Dip Nib Pump Pen, and you can use other crowquills in the Crowquill PUmp Pen, such as those made by Tashikawa and Deleter.
You should put the cap on the pen when you are not using it. This prevents air from drying out the ink or paint, and it prevents ink or paint from leaking out of the pen.
There is a small hole in the cap under the pen clip that serves as a vent. When you cover the hole with the pen clip, the cap is sealed and should not leak. When you want to use the pen, twist the clip to expose the vent. This lets you pull off the cap with less resistance - it prevents a vacuum from forming inside the cap as you remove it.
Leave the vent open when you re-cap the pen. This makes it easier to slide the cap back onto the pen. As soon as the cap is secure on the pen, twist the clip over the vent to close it. This prevents ink or paint, which might leak from the pen, from leaking outside the cap. Make sure the cap is securely and completely pressed onto the pen.
The pen has a modular design, which lets you field strip it easily. You can take the pen apart quickly, clean the inside, and reassemble the pen in moments.
Just hold the pen under warm running water to flush it out. If there is an obstruction that doesn't dissolve, such as dried ink, straighten out a paper clip and poke it free. Don't be shy - the Pump Pen is tough.
If you leave the pen uncleaned for weeks or months, for example you set it down after using it, you'll probably end up with a problem. India ink and acrylic paint dry into insoluble plugs.
If that happens to your Pump Pen, flush the pen with warm water. If that doesn't work, soak the pen body in a dilute solution of ammonia and water or common household cleaner, then try poking again. Don't be too cautious. The Pump Pen is a tough pen.
If none of that works, you can order a replacement pen head. You don't have to replace the entire pen.
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