Restart a Dry Ball Point Pen

If your ball point pen has dried out, or air has entered the ink tube next to the ball point, it may stop working. However, you can make the process of fixing it a bit faster using the following tips.

Steps

Manual means

  1. Scribble vigorously for a while on a piece of scratch paper. Sometimes, this is all it takes to coax a pen into writing again.
  2. If you're able to remove the ink cartridge and the cartridge does not have a cap on the opposite end from the ballpoint, you can blow into that end for a second or two. This may work as an on the go fix.
  3. You can also take the ink cartridge out and blow on the clean end. Once you've done that, reinsert the ink cartridge.
  4. Lightly press your pen on something (paper is best) and see if it will start writing.
  5. Press down hard vertically on a piece of paper then move it while still holding it down. This may get the end rolling.
  6. Make a few dots. When something comes out, make swirls to test that the pen is working.
  7. Shake the pen. Hold the back end of the pen, opposite the tip, and shake the pen like a thermometer. Sometimes air bubbles get into the ink cylinder, so shaking the ink down toward the tip is a good idea.
  8. Install the correct refill. If a pen was a special favorite and you'd rather not replace it, get a fresh ink cartridge or refill from your office supply store and install it.

Using household objects

Many household items that can be used as an aid to fix the problem.

  1. Rub the pen on the bottom of your shoe. Test it on a piece of paper.
  2. Tap the pen tip against a desk or other hard surface. Put paper underneath so that you don't get ink all over the surface. The ink may start to flow.
  3. Write on an eraser or other rubber surface. This may get the ball of the pen to move freely.
  4. Remove the tip of the pen and soak it in rubbing alcohol. Do this for 5 minutes
  5. Take a lighter and hold the flame to the ballpoint tip. (But don't do this too long because the plastic will melt, ruining the pen.) Press the tip to scrap paper and scribble until the ink flows.
  6. Rub the tip of clogged pen on an emery board.
  7. Put the pen(s) in a Ziploc bag. Lay the bag flat in a pot of boiling water for about three to five minutes. Take the Ziploc bag out of the pot and let it cool. When they are cool enough to handle, take the pens out of the bag and forcefully dab them on paper. After several dabs, the pens should work.
  8. Using a drop of nail polish remover, force a wire into the tube until you find the dried ink and remove as much as you can. It gets messy. Once you can push the wire to the bottom of the refill, take a .010" guitar string and repeat the process until you get all the way to the ball itself. The nail polish remover will act as a solvent and get it going again.
  9. Pull the metal tip off and push the ink down from the other end, using a paperclip or piece of metal if there is a visible air bubble at the tip of the pen. A small piece of sponge is an acceptable alternative. Once the ink is down far enough, re-attach the metal tip and push. Scribble until the ink flows freely again.
  10. Use water. Hot or cold water can also be used to get a dry ball point pen to work again.
    • Run the tip under cold water. If dried up ink is clogging the tip, this could get things flowing again. The water will lubricate the dried ball
    • Run warm water over the tip of the pen. The heat will loosen the dried ink.
    • Use a damp rag and try to write on it, pressing down hard - it will also get the ball moving and begin to write. Be sure it's a rag - you'll end up with pen marks on the piece of cloth you are using!
  11. Microwave the refill. Lay the refill on a small piece of paper towel. Microwave for a very short time, until the refill is barely warm.
    • For an older microwave, try two sessions of 10 seconds each, but if you have a newer microwave oven you'll probably need less. Be cautious and don't melt the plastic.
    • Monitor the pen closely if you try this; frequently the pen can explode or melt, leaving ink in your microwave.
  12. Use a permanent marker on pen tip.
    • Permanent marker usually contain strong solvent, use it on pen tip to help dissolve dried ink.
  13. Use a baby nasal aspirator. You can find these at any local pharmacy or Babies "R" Us. Simply insert the end of the cartridge into the the nasal aspirator and squeeze the nasal aspirator. Do this until you see ink flowing out of your pen.

Tips

  • Sometimes, despite your best efforts, pens just wear out. Don't be afraid to buy another one if you've tried all the options above.
  • Always blow not suck otherwise you'll end up with a new coloured mouth!
  • Take the pen apart and look at the ink tube. Many tubes are transparent, so you can see if the pen is out of ink or has a bubble in it. In these cases, scribbling on a piece of paper probably won't help much.
  • Remember to carry an extra pen with you in the future, in case you can't get the dry pen to restart
  • If your ballpoint writes well and you can't find a refill, then fill it with ink from the tube inside another pen. Use a swab to push the ink from one tube into the other. Tape the tubes together while you are doing this or just hold them together.
  • Be very aware when shaking the pen that it gets on other objects if you shake it in a room. Go out side or to an open space to try that.
  • You can centrifuge the ink tying a rope do the pen. Put a cap on. This way is cleaner.

Warnings

  • If you decide to blow on the top of the pen, be careful that you don't suck, as you could get ink poisoning.
  • Tapping or shaking a pen could cause ink to splatter. Point it away from yourself and others and be careful not to get ink on your clothing or surroundings.

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