Tip - Getting the ink flowing in a new cartridge pen | Anything Left-Handed

In most cases, once you insert a cartridge and start writing you will get ink flow very quickly and without any problems.   Occasionally, new nibs do sometimes take a little work to start for the first time and here are a few things you can try: Make sure you have an ink cartridge properly seated inside the body of the pen so that the seal on the ink is broken and it can flow.   Press the cartridge firmly into the nib unit and if you are using a half size cartridge make sure you have spare one upside down in the barrel of the pen to keep the live one in place. Hold the pen vertical and tap the nib onto a piece of scrap paper - this can help gravity do its work on pulling down the ink. The ink actually flows due to a capillary action as the two halves of the nib at the point are pushed apart when you press it onto the paper.   It can help to start the ink flow if you hold the pen at a normal writing angle and press down harder than normal (just in one place, not trying to write) so you