Ballpoint Pen Guide
Care and maintenance of your ballpoint pen.
Sierra / Gatsby Style Twist Pen
General Care
Your pen is a unique, hand-crafted work of functional art designed to last you a lifetime if you take proper care.
Please take care to not drop your pen on a hard surface. Your pen’s finish or hardware can be blemished or damaged from a drop.
Please take care to not expose your pen to excessive moisture. Never submerge your pen in water.
Your pen can be damaged with exposure to extreme heat or cold. Never leave your pen inside an unattended vehicle or outside in the weather. Don’t leave your pen anywhere you wouldn’t be comfortable overnight.
Take care not to expose your pen to harsh chemicals or solvents.
Changing Ink Cartridge: Parker Ballpoint/Gel Refill (or compatible size)
While holding the pen upside down, grasp the pen along the clip and twist the nib section (pen tip & black section above the tip) counter-clockwise. Remove the ink cartridge and spring, being careful not to lose the spring. Replace with equivalent style ink cartridge, replace the spring and screw the nib section back on to the top section. (Tip - there are many manufacturers of Parker compatible ink refills. I recommend Parker Quink gel refills, or Schneider refills for the smoothest writing experience. See your local office supply store or Amazon for the best selection.)
Exterior Cleaning & Maintenance
Lightly buff with a clean, dry 100% cotton cloth or a microfiber cloth. Never use cleaning fluids, solvents, or abrasives to clean your pen. Your pen has been finished with either a wax-based friction finish or with many thin layers of CA (cyanoacrylate) glue specially formulated for fine finishes. Both types of finish provide a very durable exterior that resists scratching or staining from daily use. If minor scratches appear over time on acrylic or CA finish, a quality plastic polish may be used (per manufacturer’s instructions) to bring back the shine.
Note: The above guidelines are not all-inclusive. Common sense will go a long way in the care of your fine writing instrument.