A fountain pen should make writing feel fluid - not leave gaps halfway through a word. When ink delivery becomes intermittent, it is tempting to assume the nib is defective. The more useful starting point is simpler: check the ink supply, look for an obstruction, and work toward more involved repairs only when necessary.
The video Fountain Pen Skipping: 5 Simple Fixes offers that troubleshooting progression. Its strongest lesson is not any single technique, but the order of operations: start with reversible maintenance before attempting changes to the nib.
Here is how to apply that approach, what each step can tell you, and where the video’s advice deserves some caution.
Key Takeaways
- Check the ink supply first. Refilling may address both a low reservoir and dried residue in the ink path.
- Inspect before adjusting. Paper fibers, uneven tines, and tipping issues call for different responses.
- Escalate cleaning gradually. Begin with flushing; do not assume nib removal is necessary or appropriate.
- Test your writing position. Unintentional rotation can interrupt ink delivery even when the pen is functioning.
- Use ink intended for fountain pens. The video warns against calligraphy and dip-pen inks.
- Change one variable at a time. Testing after each step helps distinguish maintenance problems from technique or ink issues.
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First, Treat Skipping as a Symptom
Skipping describes interrupted marks during writing. It does not, by itself, identify the cause.
The video groups likely explanations into three broad areas:
- Ink delivery: insufficient ink, dried residue, or a clogged feed.
- Nib condition: debris between the tines, alignment problems, or unsuitable tipping geometry.
- Writing conditions: pen rotation or an ink that does not flow well in the pen.
That distinction matters. A refill cannot correct a mechanical defect, and nib adjustment cannot solve an empty reservoir.
A useful diagnostic habit is to write a short sample after every intervention. If you refill, clean, change ink, and alter your grip all at once, you may restore performance without learning which change helped.
1. Refill Before Assuming Something Is Broken
The presenter recommends refilling as the first response. The reasoning is twofold: the pen may simply be running low, or fresh ink passing through the feed may help rehydrate dried deposits.
For a pen filled from a bottle, the video suggests two filling cycles rather than one. Drawing ink in, expelling it, and filling again moves liquid through the nib and feed repeatedly.
What This Step Can Tell You
If normal writing returns after refilling, an ink-supply or residue issue becomes a more plausible explanation than a damaged nib. It is a useful first test because it requires relatively little intervention.
The presenter estimates that this resolves skipping nearly 90% of the time. The basis for that estimate is not specified in the video, so it is better treated as an experience-based claim than a measured success rate.
When You Cannot Refill
For a cartridge pen or a pen away from its ink bottle, the video suggests briefly wetting the nib and feed with water, then drying the exterior.
Think of this as a limited diagnostic measure: if moisture restores writing, dried ink may be involved. It does not establish that the pen is thoroughly clean or that the underlying issue has been resolved.
2. Inspect the Nib - and Separate Debris From Damage
If refilling does not help, the next step is observation. The video recommends magnification to check the nib’s two tines and the narrow slit between them.
Look for three different problems:
| What you notice | What it may indicate | Sensible next step |
|---|---|---|
| Visible fibers or debris | An obstruction in the slit | Address the debris before considering adjustment |
| One tine sitting differently from the other | An alignment issue | Avoid treating this as a simple cleaning problem |
| Persistent skipping despite no obvious obstruction | A less visible tipping or flow issue | Continue diagnosis rather than guessing |
Paper Fibers: A Small Obstruction With a Large Effect
The video demonstrates how fibrous paper can leave material lodged between the tines. The important distinction is that an obstruction is not the same as a defective nib.
The presenter suggests thin brass sheets for removing fibers. However, the correct sheet thickness and detailed handling technique are not specified in the video. That limits how complete the demonstration is as an instruction for someone using the tool for the first time.
Alignment and "Baby’s Bottom" Need More Caution
The video also discusses uneven tines, excessive spacing, and "baby’s bottom" - a tipping shape that can interfere with consistent ink transfer to paper.
These are materially different from dried ink. Cleaning may remove deposits, but it does not reshape tipping or correct alignment.
The presenter acknowledges that tipping correction may require professional work. That is an important boundary: inspection is a reasonable troubleshooting step; grinding is not a casual next step. The video does not specify adjustment tolerances or a complete repair procedure.
3. Clean More Thoroughly, Without Making Disassembly the Default
When the nib appears unobstructed but skipping continues, the video moves to deeper cleaning.
Its main options are:
- Flush liquid through the ink pathway using the converter or filling mechanism.
- Use a bulb syringe where the pen’s construction permits.
- Rinse away any cleaning solution with clean water before refilling.
The presenter mentions pen flush and soapy water. Exact solution concentrations, material compatibility, and model-specific restrictions are not specified in the video. Those omissions matter when translating a general demonstration into a maintenance plan for a particular pen.
Flushing and Disassembly Are Different Levels of Intervention
The video presents removing the nib and feed as a way to access deposits directly. But it also broadly suggests that most pens can be taken apart this way.
That advice needs qualification. The video does not identify which models support user removal or provide model-specific removal instructions. It therefore should not be read as authorization to pull the nib and feed from any pen.
The more useful principle is to escalate gradually. If flushing restores reliable writing, further disassembly offers no demonstrated benefit in that troubleshooting session.
4. Check Whether the Pen Rotates as You Write
A clean, filled pen can still skip if its writing surface moves away from a suitable contact position.
The presenter demonstrates this by gradually rotating a pen while writing until ink delivery stops. The value of the example is that it makes technique visible: a writer may change the nib’s position without noticing.
A Simple Comparison Test
Write a short line while watching the nib’s orientation. Then repeat while keeping that orientation steady.
If skipping appears during rotation but disappears in a consistent position, technique becomes a stronger candidate than a blockage.
This is also a reason to avoid interpreting every skipped stroke as a manufacturing problem. The pen and the writer operate together. A change in orientation can produce a symptom that resembles poor ink flow.
The video does not specify a universal writing angle or rotation tolerance. Its practical message is consistency, not a single grip position that suits every pen.
5. Review the Ink Before Changing the Nib
If ink supply, cleanliness, and writing position do not explain the problem, consider what is inside the pen.
The video warns against using inks intended for dip pens or calligraphy tools. It also suggests trying a more freely flowing fountain pen ink when the current ink seems dry.
Make the Comparison Meaningful
If you change ink, test again without simultaneously adjusting the nib or changing your writing habits. A clearer comparison makes the result more useful.
The presenter mentions waterproof ink as a possible factor, but the video does not establish that every waterproof fountain pen ink causes skipping. Avoid turning that suggestion into a blanket rule.
Likewise, the age threshold for problematic ink is not specified in the video. "Old ink" alone is not a complete diagnosis.
When to Stop Troubleshooting
The five steps form a useful escalation ladder:
Refill → inspect → clean → check technique → evaluate ink.
But that ladder should not automatically lead to bending, removing, or grinding parts. If the problem persists - or inspection reveals a likely mechanical issue - the video does not provide enough model-specific detail to guide every repair safely.
The central insight is reassuring: skipping does not necessarily mean your fountain pen is beyond repair. Approach it methodically, test after each change, and keep ordinary maintenance separate from nib modification. The goal is not merely to get ink flowing once, but to understand what helps your pen write reliably.
Source: "The 60-Second Fix For 90% Of Skipping Pens" - Fountain Pen Revolution, YouTube, Sep 25, 2026 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPx7UT-9acM