[LyndsySimon]

I’m fond of my 61s as well, with their capillary reservoir, and being one of the first commercial uses of Teflon.

They’re a pain to clean thoroughly, though, so they’re best used as a pen for someone who doesn’t change inks very often. That person is not me :)

[mrbill]

Protip: cheap ultrasonic jewelry cleaner.

You wouldn't believe some of the gunk i've gotten out of pens that sat in a drawer for 20 years....

[LyndsySimon]

Of course! I've got a couple actually, they're useful in my other hobbies.

The capillary filler is still a beast to clean, though. It's not so much a matter of it getting crusty with dried ink as it is that it's designed to hold the ink inside.

I've built two things to address this: the first is a rubber bulb with a length of clear medical tubing that just fits over the back of the reservoir. This lets me force water and cleaning solution through the reservoir with a modest amount of pressure, flushing it out. The second is a felt-lined holder with a spot for a rag or paper towel in the end. I can chuck that in my lathe, put the pen in it with the nib facing away from the chuck, and turn it on low for a few minutes. Centripetal force forces the ink (or water) out of the reservoir, through the feed, and into the paper towel - aided by capillary action, of course.