Intro to the Rapidograph Pen

Cleaning, and cleaning and filling this wonderful, aggravating tool.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Dan
• Nelson.
• Illustration.
• Rapidograph.

[DantheArtMan]

They can be used for writing if you are a very punctilious kind of person. They don't stand up to a lot of abuse, but if you are careful, you can certainly write with them. I used to use one to write BETWEEN the lines of type in a book! Now that's some SMALL writing!

[DantheArtMan]

Yes, I think so. The "Ultradraw" Black India Ink made by Rapidograph claims that it is designed to NOT clog pens. It does clog them, of course, but my guess is that it clogs them more slowly.

[DantheArtMan]

Ha! Good point. So here is the warning: USE RAPIDOGRAPH PENS AT YOUR OWN RISK! :-) They are a true pain the in butt . . . BUT . . . What are you going to do? Use a cheap imitation, go back to a crow quill (even MORE of a pain!) or stop doing fine pen and ink artwork. The bent wire DOES diminish functionality, but it is still pretty good. I don't think you could really get the pen clean without removing the wire. Every nib is a temporary tool. They last awhile, then you buy a new one.

[DantheArtMan]

Actually, I guess the very best treatment would be to STORE the nibs in detatured alcohol. But if you're like me, I usually think "Nah! I'll be using it again in just a couple of days . . . " Then a couple WEEKS go by, and,Voi la! Dried out nib again!

[DantheArtMan]

Ha! Only an experienced user would recognize that! That is hilarious. Yes, I SHOULD have had it covered . . . especially for the video!

[Edel99]

Thanks! I just ordered a Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Pen size 6 * 0!! I thought they were air tight... How often should I clean them? I suppose when and if they start clogging?

[DantheArtMan]

@Edel99 Exactly. They actually do better in frequent use than they do sitting in a drawer. If you are using it every day, it should function quite well. If you leave it sitting still over the weekend, you'll probably have to take it apart and clean it the next time you want to use it.

[QueenWaspGo]

I found my brother's old koh-i-noor rapidographs the other day and they haven't been used in probably twenty years. I'm going to try to clean them out. Would you recommend the koh-i-noor cleaner, or would denatured alcohol do the job?

[Inkbleedful]

Those needle things at the begging, are they replaceable if the wire needle thing breaks because I was trying to put mine in and the damn thing kept bending I tries straightening the needle thing but it broke?

[Esperantisto84]

Hey I'm very curious about these pens...can they be used for writing ordinary writing as well as drawing? Like if you're writing a note or memo or something, could you use it like a regular pen?

[kotapaka]

Why don't you just fking buy a new nib. Why are you wasting your time to clean it...using your mouth even.

[SCAREDBANANA]

Can I use any ink that I would use in fountain pens?

[timtak1]

With the smaller bore pens I found that I could not get the wire back into the hole without bending it. Your wire seems to be a little bent. That adds friction to the movement. Do Rotring encourage the removal of the wire from the nib? I guess that there is no otherway to clean the final part of the nib. And the do include the little red spanner. All the same I would be very scared to wash a any pen smaller than 4mm. Perhaps your video should come with a warning?