Pens That Won't Work

By

MarilynLV

01/23/2010

Grasp the end opposite of the tip and shake it like an old fashioned thermometer.

By

Carol L.

11/28/2009

LadyBee said it, light a match, or use a lighter, and hold the tip very gently over the match or lighter for several, or a few seconds, not so close as to melt the tip or the barrel of the pen, but close enough to heat the tip, and then use the tip to "scribble" for a few seconds, then the ink should start to flow again.

You may have to try this a couple of times to get the ink flowing.

By

Lady Bee

11/21/2009

Ball point pen? Heat the tip in a lighted match for a few seconds to get the ink flowing.

By

Suntydt

11/19/2009

What pamphyila said. Try a lighter on the metal tip but is it looks like it is too sensite (might melt) try just perching it across a hot cup of water (or coffee) for a while.

By

pamphyila

11/19/2009

Most ballpoints can be made to work if you heat up the tip and or the top of the ink, to make the ink flow. It's probably dried out at the top.

When my students' pens don't work, I put them over a burning match. If the pen isn't empty, 7 out of 10 times it gets the ink flowing.

By Kathleen Cochran

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RE: Pens That Won't Work

You can also hold the pen to a lit, very warm, light bulb. This usually works for me. (03/17/2005)

By jlxian

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How do you get old ink pens to write?

By Barbara from Cadiz, KY

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RE: Pens That Won't Work

Soaking them for a while in a cup of hot water will work also. (03/24/2009)

By theseamstress

RE: Pens That Won't Work

Use a match and heat the tip of the pen, it should start the ink flowing. But be careful that the heat from the match doesn't melt the pen. (03/24/2009)

By MCW

RE: Pens That Won't Work

The match works on most pens, but inexpensive pens have plastic tips that will melt over the heat, so be careful. There is nothing worse than cleaning ink stains from clothing! (03/27/2009)

By susanmajp

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