How To Unclog Technical Pens (Hint: Don’t Shake!)

Have you ever been deep in the throes of a drawing and suddenly found yourself desperately trying to figure out how to unclog technical pens? Rest assured you are not alone.

Many artists prefer technical pens for drawing because they’re easy to use and provide smooth movement. The one drawback of technical pens, though, is that they sometimes clog. This is especially true if they haven’t been used in a while.

When any pen stops working, the natural tendency is to shake it. Unfortunately this does not work for technical pens. In fact, shaking the pen will only make the problem worse. If you shake a technical pen, ink will get into the vent channel and clog it even further. So whatever you do, don’t shake that pen!

Follow These Few Simple Steps for How to Unclog Technical Pens:

1. Hold the pen vertical, with the pen nib up. Tap the base of the pen on a hard surface, such as a tabletop.
2. Dip the nib of the pen into a bit of pen-cleaning solution.
3. Wipe the nib of the pen with a clean dry cloth.

It’s best practice to follow this process any time you finish a drawing, before you recap the pen. Getting into this simple habit can keep your technical pens clog-free for months or even years.