Fixing Faber Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens!

I just got a note from Roxane in the MCBA Visual Journal Collective alerting me to this video "Sharpen your Pitt Pen." (If the embedded video doesn't work, click on the video title for a link.)

In this video the speaker shows how to take a worn fiber tip from the Faber Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pen, pull it out, flip it around and use the other end, which is also pointed!!!

This must have been the maker's intent all along, and frankly, years ago when I used markers more often I had other pens that you were encouraged to do this with. But I've never heard anyone talk about this until now. (Perhaps it is something those in calligraphy circles experiment with all the time?) I have used a lot of these Faber Castell pens and simply discarded them when the tip goes.

It just so happens that I had a brush tip ready to toss and just performed this procedure on the pen in less than 5 seconds. It now has a new tip and since there is plenty of ink in the pen I'm in business again!

I bet you can do the same thing with their large brush pens. (I don't have one worn enough yet to take apart.)

Tell everyone. This will substantially increase the use and value you get out of these pens. The wearing down of the tip has always bothered me, now I'm much happier!

Comments

[annie]

HURRAY! Thank you, Roz.
annie

[Roz]

You're welcome Annie, but we have Roxane to thank for finding this little video. (I'm having to curb myself from pulling out all the tips in my markers!)

Roz

[Carolyn Pappas]

Wow thanks Roz. I use these all the time but didn't know you could take them apart. I would think that Faber-Castell would not want people to find out about this as they would not be selling so many pitt pens.

[Roz]

Carolyn, I wondered, when I found out about this flippable tip, if it had been something they intended so the tip would have a double life, or if the tip was flippable because manufacturing processes made it easier to have a point on each end (so when the pen is assembled it doesn't matter which way the tip is facing).

Regardless of that I would think they ultimately would be happy to have people know how to switch the tip around because it gives people twice as long to work with the pen, so they will be happier and love the pen more and actually buy more pens when one really does die.

When I first tried these pens years ago I was disappointed in how quickly the tip would lose it's freshness (and I'm not heavy handed so it would be worse for someone who bears down). I actually didn't use them much because of that. I would have one or two around for special needs, but that's it. Now I'm much happier about having many around.

I actually think people in the stores should point this out as a selling point!
Roz