A Public Service Announcement: Pen Disassembly and The Importance of Carefully Vetting Online Information

Two pens that should never be opened up and serviced yourself. Send them to Pilot to have it done properly and to preserve your warranty. I'm often asked how I got into this hobby, and how I managed to learn enough about fountain pens, ink, and paper to feel comfortable (1) starting The Gentleman Stationer and (2) later, opening a pen store. Both have a pretty straightforward answer: lots of personal trial and error, and reading extensively online and attempting to learn as much as possible before embarking on any "experiments."Despite what seems like a bounty of pen-related information on the internet and social media, I feel that "teaching yourself pens" has become more difficult than it was 15 years ago. There are fewer well-organized forums that are updated on a regular basis. There are fewer blogs and websites focused on pen education as opposed to pure entertainment. While there is technically more information out there devoted to pens and stationery, much of this information is…