How to Get a Dried Out Ballpoint Pen to Write Again (with Pictures)

Your ballpoint pen has dried out, or there's air between the ink tube and the tip of the pen - and your pen no longer writes. With the following tips you can get him to do it again.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Manual repair

Step 1. Quickly scratch back and forth on a piece of scrap paper with your pen

Sometimes that's all you need to do to get a pen working again.

Step 2. If the ink tube can be removed and there is no cap on the end, blow into the pen for about two seconds

A quick but simple solution.

Step 3. Remove the ink tube and blow from the clean side

Then reinsert the ink tube with tip.

Step 4. Place the tip of the pen on a piece of paper and apply light pressure

This may cause the pen to work again.

Step 5. Place the tip of the pen on a piece of paper, hold the pen straight, apply firm pressure and move the pen, keeping the pen upright at all times

This will allow the ball to roll off the pen again.

Step 6. Put some dots

If ink comes out, draw a few lines to make sure the pen works again.

Step 7. Shake the pen vigorously

Hold the pen by the back, not the tip side, and shake the pen like you shake a thermometer. Sometimes air bubbles get into the ink tube, so shaking the ink can bring the ink back to the nib.

Step 8. Replace the ink refill

Make sure your new ink refill fits in your pen. If you are attached to your pen and prefer not to have a new pen, purchase a new ink cartridge or refill from your stationery supply and place it in your pen.

Method 2 of 2: Remedies to fix

There are many home, garden and kitchen remedies that you can use to get a pen working again.

Step 1. Scratch the bottom of your shoe with the pen

Then try the pen on a piece of paper.

Step 2. Tap the pen tip on a table or other hard surface

Just remember to put a piece of paper on top first so that the ink doesn't leak onto the table. This may be the way to make the pen work again.

Step 3. Write on an eraser or other rubbery object

This may cause the ball to come loose from the pen.

Step 4. Remove the ink tube-and-tipped ink tube and soak it in rubbing alcohol for about five minutes

Step 5. Light a lighter and hold the flame near the tip of the ballpoint pen

(Don't do this for too long, though, because otherwise the plastic will melt and your pen will be really broken.) Place the tip of the pen on a piece of scrap paper and draw until the ink starts to flow.

Step 6. Sand the tip of a clogged pen over a sandpaper pad

Step 7. Place the pen(s) in a sealable plastic bag

Place the plastic bag in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Then take the bag out of the water and let it cool. Once they have cooled down sufficiently, take the pens out of the bag and press the pen hard on paper. After a few times the pen should work again.

Step 8. Put a drop of nail polish remover in the ink tube and push it further in with a wire until it reaches the dry ink

Remove as much dry ink as possible. Note: it can get a bit of a mess. Once you have reached the bottom of the ink tube with the wire, repeat this process with a.010" guitar string, until you can get all the way to the ballpoint pen ball. The nail polish remover dissolves the ink and causes the pen to clean it up again. going to do.

Step 9. If there is visible air bubble at the tip of the pen, take the metal tip off the pen and press the ink down from the other end

Use a paper clip or other metal object. A small piece of sponge may also work. Once the ink has pushed far enough to the front of the pen, you can put the metal nib back on. Scribble on paper until the ink runs freely again.

Step 10. Use water

Warm or cold water can also help repair a dried-out ballpoint pen.

• Hold the nib under running cold water. If dried ink has clogged the tip, this will allow the ink to flow again. The water then lubricates the dried ballpoint pen ball.

  

• Hold the pen tip under running warm water. The warm water loosens the dried ink.

  

• Take a damp cloth and try to write on it. Press the pen hard on the cloth (that will make the ballpoint ball start to roll again) and start writing. Make sure you use an old cloth, because ink stains will inevitably appear!

  

Step 11. Place the filling on a piece of kitchen roll in the microwave

Switch on the microwave very briefly, just long enough to warm up the filling just a little bit.

• If you have an older type of microwave, heat the filling twice for 10 seconds. If your microwave is a newer type, you will probably need to heat up for a shorter period of time. Do this carefully and don't let the plastic melt.
• Keep a close eye on the pen; it could happen that a pen explodes or melts, smearing your microwave with ink.

Step 12. Touch the tip of the pen with a permanent marker

A waterproof marker usually contains a strong solvent. By applying this to the tip of the ballpoint pen you can dissolve the dried ink

Step 13. Use baby nasal spray, available at your local drug store or online

It's very simple: insert the end of the ink tube into the nozzle of the spray ball and squeeze it until you see ink coming out of your pen.

Tips

• It sometimes happens that despite all your efforts, the pen just stops. Feel free to buy a new one if you've tried everything described above.
• Make sure you blow and don't suck or your mouth will be stained!
• Take the pen apart and look at the ink tube. Many tubes are transparent, so you can see if the ink has run out or if there is an air bubble. When the ink runs out, it doesn't really help to scribble on a piece of paper to get the pen working again.
• Remember to carry a spare pen with you in the future, in case you can't get a dried out pen to work anymore.
• If your ballpoint pen writes well and you can't find a replacement refill for it, fill the ink tube with ink from another pen. For example, uses a cotton swab to transfer the ink from one ink tube to another. To do this, stick the tubes together or just hold them together.
• Be aware that if you shake the pen while you are in a room, for example, you may splatter objects. Better to go outside and shake the pen outside.
• You can spin the ink by tying the pen to a string and then quickly swinging the pen around. Then put something on your head. That way you will definitely stay clean.

Warnings

• If you decide to blow on the tip of the pen, be careful not to suck. It could result in ink poisoning.
• Tapping or shaking a pen may cause ink splatter. Point the pen away from you and others and be careful not to get ink on your clothes or other things around you.