How to Fix a Gel Pen that Skips?

Suppose you were writing down some sweet memories or important notes on your diary or writing on a birthday card for your dearest one with an elegant gel pen and suddenly the pen started skipping. Ugh, so irritating, right? It’s not just irritating; it can spoil your mood too.

Cool down. You are not the only one who faces this problem. Many users face the same situation as you experienced! It can happen with anyone and anytime. The good news is that you don’t need to throw them out. You can easily fix them. Just follow some proper steps. Therefore, we are going to discuss how to fix a gel pen that skips.

Next: Reviving a gel pen: most-efficient methods!

Why Does a Gel Pen Skip?

Before you start fixing your favorite gel pen, learn the causes first why the pen skips or stops functioning. There can be some most common causes behind this. Take a look –

Unused for a longer period: The ink in your pen can be completely dried after a certain period. If you use the gel pen regularly, no problem will take place. But if you don’t use the pen for a longer period, the ink will be dried and it will hamper the ink flow by creating clog. This can occur commonly, when you leave your gel pen uncapped.

Wrong storing method: So, you write something precious with your beautiful gel pen and after completing, simply keep that carelessly! I hope you don’t behave like that with your best writing tool. If you do like that, the pen can release unnecessary ink. Leakage and other problems can be appeared. And finally, the pen can skip while writing.

Soaked in the water: Sometimes, accidentally your gel pen can fall into water and may be soaked in it. Most people are commonly carried their gel pen in the pocket. Unfortunately, users may forget to pull out the pen from the pocket. As a result, when it’s time to wash the cloth, the pen falls into water and finally, starts skipping.

Dirty gel pen nib: Your gel pens can skip due to buildup of dirt in their nib. If you use your gel pen for artwork, the problem can be very common.

Falling on the ground: Your pen can fall on different solid surfaces anytime. But if it happens frequently, there can be an air gap and clog in the ink. As a result, the pen stops functioning.

Not using carefully: For any tool, it’s important to be careful while using. A gel pen is quite sensitive, if you’re not careful enough while storing and using, it can stop performing as expected. Therefore, it’s vital to maintain the pen properly with watchfulness.

Also Read: Fixing a ballpoint pen that skips

How to Fix a Gel Pen That Skips?

Okay, hopefully, you know the reasons why your gel pen skips, right? Now time to know some tips and tricks to fix your gel pen. I am going to share some quick techniques below to assist you.

Soak the nib in warm or hot water

The ink of a gel pen can be dried out quickly. You need to increase the temperature on the tip to liquefy the dried ink and unblock the ink flow.

• Take a small amount of warm water in a bowl or something else that can hold water.
• Dip the nib in warm water. Take a few minutes until you notice some progress.
• Remember to apply mild heat. Because you just want to deal with hardened ink, not the whole pen ink.

Dip in rubbing alcohol

Alcohol is one of the best milder types of solvents. It can help to dissolve the dried ink and make the ink flow smooth.

• Take a little amount of rubbing alcohol depending on your need.        
• Dip the pen tip into the rubbing alcohol.
• Don’t dip the nib long time. It can cause damage to your pen tip. Just take a few seconds.
• Then clean the tip. Take a soft cloth to clean and finally dry it.
• Consider applying the process when the hot water method doesn’t work.

Dip the tip into acetone

Acetone is known as a solving substance and is more powerful than alcohol. It helps to fix a gel pen.

• Take a small amount of acetone. Don’t use too much acetone.
• Dip the tip of your gel pen into the acetone for a few seconds. Never take long time to get rid of any harmful reactions.

If your gel pen barrel is made out of plastic materials, don’t let come in contact with the acetone.

Shake your gel pen in a proper way

You shouldn’t let your pen to be a trash. If you keep your gel pen unused or uncapped for a long time, air can enter into the cartridge. It will create blockage on the way of ink.

Here is a solution for making your unused gel pen work again. Shake the pen in the right way. Hold the cap’s side of the pen and shake it so that the cartridge gets a certain amount of pressure. Shake the pen a few more times, and the pen will start writing again.

Clean the nib of your gel pen

A dirty gel pen is not your favorite choice. So, you clean the pen regularly. But your pen can be dirty unexpectedly. If you find any dirt or dust on the nib, clean it with a paper towel or a wet cloth. Don’t use any harsh objects to clean the nib.

Scribble random lines on paper

To make the gel ink working again, one common thing that you can apply – continuously drawing random lines on a piece of paper. It will assist to eliminate clogs and ensure smooth writing if there is no serious issue in the gel pen.

How Can I Make My Gel Pen Work Again?

It’s just like fixing your gel pen that we have already discussed.You can try some others methods to ensure your gel pen is working again.

• Shake the pen properly to dislodge the ink or any air bubbles inside the cartridge. Take a piece of paper and draw circles on it until the ink starts to flow smoothly again.
• You can apply air pressure at the open side of the ink cartridge that indicates the opposite side of the pen nib. It will help your pen ink flow freely and work well.
• You can try with a safety pin to dissolve the ink. Insert a safety pin inside the pen nib slowly and carefully. It assists to unclog the ink of the pen nib and write smoothly.
• Add a drop or two of hot water to the cartridge. You can use a dropper that will make your task easy. Shake the pen and try to write. Still if it doesn’t work, add more drops of water and try writing again.
• Lastly, you can soak the entire gel pen in the warm water. Soak it for at least 5 minutes to get your gel pen to work. Make sure the temperature of water is not too high.

Final Thoughts

Making a gel pen work again will surely be better than purchasing a new one, right? You may know the proverb ‘prevention is better than cure’.

Whenever you face any issue with a gel pen, at first, find out the reasons why the gel pen skips and then you have our tips on fixing a gel pen that skips. You can apply any techniques from them that are available at that moment. Enjoy a great writing experience with your elegant gel pen.