Do Fountain Pens Bleed through Paper?

Are you distressed by the way a fountain pen bleeds through paper? This can be a common source of confusion when you are a regular user of fountain pens. If you’ve ever experienced a fountain pen bleeding through paper, you might want to figure out why. That’s why you might be thinking, do fountain pens bleed through paper?

Unless a fountain pen is defective, it will not bleed through the paper. The most common reason is the paper. If the paper has a low GSM, the pen might bleed through it. Moreover, this can happen when the ink is not appropriate or the storage system is not right. Besides, the nib size can cause bleeding through paper.

However, there might be some other reasons too. You must know the details if you want to write smoothly with a fountain pen. Let’s see the reasons and solutions for a fountain pen’s bleeding through the paper in detail.

Do Fountain Pens Bleed through Paper?

Yes, fountain pens bleed through paper for some reason. Generally, fountain pens are not supposed to bleed through paper. But sometimes it can happen. When you write with other normal pens, the ink consistency is thick and doesn’t bleed through the paper.

But the fountain pen’s ink has less consistency, and you have to put pressure on the nib to write. That’s why the ink can bleed through the paper if there is a problem with the pen or the paper.

Sometimes, bleeding ink through the paper is not noticeable when you write on one side of the paper. But when you want to write on the other side of the paper, you will see the marks of ink. So, the writing will be messy and unclear. That’s why knowing about the fountain pen’s bleeding is essential.

Generally, if the fountain pen has a fault or nib problem, bleeding through the paper can happen. For example, a wider nib can cause bleeding through the paper. It’s pretty understandable when the fault is in the pen. But when the pen is okay and you see ink bleeding, then the problem might be with the paper.

It is recommended that people use a fountain pen to write on high-quality GSM paper. High GSM means more grams per square inch. High GSM paper is thicker and absorbs the ink instantly. But if the paper is low GSM, fountain pens’ ink might bleed.

The problem can be caused not only by the GSM, but also by cheap and low-quality paper. If the paper quality is not good, a fountain pen can bleed through it. However, there could be a variety of causes for the ink to bleed. But you can also be responsible for it.

For example, when you write with a fountain pen, you should not put excess pressure on the paper with the nib. You should write slowly and with a little bit of pressure. That will help you write without the ink bleeding.

However, people have been using fountain pens for more than three thousand years. Fountain pen manufacturers are constantly improving their quality. Modern fountain pens are so advanced that ink bleeding is almost impossible. Still, you should know some instructions before writing with fountain pens to avoid bleeding through paper.

Why Do Fountain Pens Bleed through Paper?

Now that you know fountain pens can bleed through paper, you might want to know the reasons why. Because you should avoid making mistakes when writing with fountain pens. Let’s see some common reasons why fountain pens bleed through paper.

• Faulty nib

The most common cause of ink bleeding through the paper is a faulty nib. If the fountain pen’s nib is wide, it’s common to bleed some ink onto the paper. Moreover, sometimes, the nib is damaged or you drop the pen on a hard surface. This can also cause problems.

• Paper problem

Generally, writing with a fountain pen on high-quality GSM paper is recommended. If the paper is not thick enough or has a low GSM, a fountain pen can bleed through it. Moreover, if the quality of the paper is poor, ink bleeding can also happen.

Some Tips When Using Fountain Pens on Cheap Paper:

• Wrong ink

Sometimes, the ink is not appropriate for the fountain pen or the quality of the ink is poor. This ink has a tendency to clog the pen and release unevenly while writing. If the ink is not refined or not of premium quality, it can bleed through the paper.

• Putting extra pressure

When writing with fountain pens, sometimes people put extra pressure on the nib, like with a ballpoint pen. Using pressure on the nib will not help because it will cause bleeding through the paper. The pressure should be at a minimum. Excessive pressure will produce a wider pen stroke. This will lead to ink bleeding.

• Unclean fountain pen

Sometimes, the fountain pen is not clean, and the ink gets clogged. Clogged ink releases unevenly and can also cause the ink to bleed through the paper.

• Storage problem

Sometimes people store the fountain pens vertically with the nib facing downward. This can lead to the clogging of ink, and as a result, the fountain pen bleeds through the paper.

How to Stop Fountain Pen from Bleeding through Paper?

Fountain pens’ bleeding through paper can be very disturbing. Nonetheless, it can result in ink and paper waste. Sometimes, it can destroy the whole document. To prevent this problem, let’s see how you can stop fountain pens from bleeding through paper.

• Use the appropriate paper

One of the most effective ways to solve the problem is to use the appropriate paper. You should use high GSM paper for writing with a fountain pen. Moreover, the high-quality and thick papers are suitable to write on with fountain pens.

• Use the right ink

For the fountain pen, select the appropriate refined ink. Make sure the consistency is appropriate. The ink that is too thick may clog and dry quickly. So, select the suitable ink with the appropriate chemical composition.

• Store the pens appropriately

You must store the fountain pens wisely. While storing the pens, the nibs should always be facing upwards. Sometimes, people travel with fountain pens and the ink is clogged. To avoid this problem, store the pens correctly.

• Apply the least amount of pressure

While writing, you should not put excess pressure on the nib. The nib of a fountain pen is not the same as the nib of a ballpoint pen. The nib’s stroke becomes wider when you put pressure on it. So, don’t put pressure on the nib when you write with a fountain pen.

• Clean the pen regularly

You might know that a clogged pen is supposed to bleed through the paper sometimes. That’s why cleaning the pen and the nib regularly is necessary. You can clean the pen with warm water and make sure the nib is not clogged or contains ink while cleaning.

• Other issues

You should also check for some other issues and solve them. For example, sometimes the cap of the pen is pull-off. This can result in ink leaking from the nib. Moreover, a twisted cap can also cause problem. You should choose the pen with the appropriate cap while buying. From an overall perspective, you should avoid buying cheaper fountain pens or cheaper ink with low quality to prevent ink bleeding problems.

Here are a Few Tips and Tricks to Avoid Fountain Pen Mistakes:

Final Words

Fountain pens are excellent for regular writing or artistic writing purposes. But when these pens bleed ink through paper, it becomes a hassle to cope with the problem. Bleeding through the paper can even destroy the whole document. There might be different reasons behind this problem, such as a nib problem, low GSM paper, an inappropriate ink system, inappropriate storage of the pen, etc. If you want to prevent these problems, you have to solve the above-mentioned issues.