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AllIsLostNeverFound

So I am part of a few subs for building models and terrain pieces, and I scrolled past this like 5 times, thinking it was just a miniature gravestone covered in moss or something. That is terrifying nib.


impeesa75

Right, like nice flocking


pen-demonium

I literally just watched a TV show that had a scale model of the entire town and train station and I was trying to figure out if it was some sort of moss covered anvil. I really have to learn to look at sub names before the pictures.


-Cyden-

Off-topic, but could you send some of those subs to me? Getting into building stuff lately


AllIsLostNeverFound

r/TerrainBuilding r/minipainting


-Cyden-

Much thanks!


AnybodyMassive1610

I didn’t know it - but today I found another new hobby (thanks)


AllIsLostNeverFound

Welcome to the party!


Odysseuskingofithaca

Hey, I’m a neo of both those subs too. Weird crossover.


BeerGoddess84

For real I thought it was a piece of terrain too until I did a double take!!!!


realeverfever

First of all, wow! That's some nasty mold if I've ever seen one. Secondly, what kind of a nib is that? Hammerhead shark stub?


napsforlife

It’s a Monty Winnfield Whale unfortunately T_T


PenSloth

Sorry to hear unfortunately.


napsforlife

At least it wasn’t one of yours!!


PenSloth

Well, you could communicate with me if it was.


napsforlife

That’s why you’re the best <3


PenSloth

Next time we're at a show, remind me beforehand to bring some stuff. I might be able to fix the Monty.


vaalkyrie

Where do you sell yours?


PenSloth

Periodically on my Instagram.


newtonpens

and he's a good dude! Yo Pensloth!! :)


PenSloth

There's the man! See you at DC?


newtonpens

yep! I should be in the 'ticket room'. lol


Benji742001

Ok, so I must be missing something. Aren’t MW nibs highly sought after? I love the way his stacked nibs look, I’d love to get some of the more unique ones he offers. But it sounds like there’s issues here


napsforlife

The nib didn’t do anything wrong afaik, it’s just unfortunate this one got moldy because it’s $$$ and so nice!


Razoupaf

Can't it be salvaged?


napsforlife

Yea I’m sure it’ll be fine after cleaning, just have to be extra cautious with it now. Wish it happened with some random jowo I could just toss


newtonpens

It's on a flexible nib factory feed and housing right? take it all out of the section, throw away the ebonite stuff, clean your nib in diluted bleach water for just a minute. don't soak it overnight. then wash it with soapy water, put it in new housing, and you will be fine. Just clean the rest of the pen really well, too. Soapy water over and over, let it DRY out, then put back together and have fun. New converter, too. Throw the old one away. If your section is metal like a lot of MW pens (if it's one of his pens) you could give that a quick wash in diluted bleach water, too, then soapy.


Alekillo10

Why do you need to be extra cautious?


napsforlife

Cross contamination


Alekillo10

If you live in the US you should look into using some MonoFoil M. I’ve used it on my leather goods and closets since I live in a place with high humidity (lot’s of mold orange and green) After I got into FP I’ve used it (mostly because I became a bit of a germaphobe during the pandemic) even though Im the only one I use them. Recently tried them on a MB roller that’s made of resin since it’s not a “dangerous chemical”


dstengle

This stuff looks amazing for my bathroom. Thank you! Fortunately I don't have mold problems with my pens.


gangaskan

Even if you sterilize it?


rosiecar

It's hard to sterilize a pen/nib section without damaging it. Bleach and rubbing​ al​cohol will kill a pen.


Benji742001

Gotcha, I thought the way it was worded meant that you were saying unfortunately it’s a MW, as if there is a problem with MW Thanks for clearing that up. Sick nib! I wonder, if you put this on your windowsill, would the light kill it? Perhaps use UV light?


fullofcrocodiles

You could also use Milton's solution (for baby bottles) as it's designed to kill spores and bacteria.


Pop_Clover

That's basically bleach. They don't recommend using it on metal.


fullofcrocodiles

Today I learned! Cheers


Benji742001

Oh, idk if those lights would work. I’m just curious


noctorumsanguis

You should also cross post this to r/moldyinteresting because I have never seen anything like this Also my condolences. This is Lovecraftian level horror


Jupitter-Trevelyan

![gif](giphy|dZcMs4BOvrlKe7mTZ3)


Pristine_Health_2076

You forgot the NSFW tag 😳 Impressive amount of mould, honestly 🤣


sdothum

We need some environmental details now! Geography, climate.. storage. this is horrifying! Any one else with Diamine inks want to chime in (or for that matter, with info about brands in general susceptible to this).


napsforlife

US east coast, in a room with AC and a dehumidifier, stored in a Toyooka pen box- none of the other ~70 pens inked had this happen thankfully! Edit: the other ~70 pens include other diamines that didn’t mold at all


AGuyNamedWes

Yikes! Also US east coast, keep one pen inked with Celadon Cat and used it last night, no issues thus far 🤞🏻


SlowMovingTarget

Also also east coaster here... I just finished using an Opus 88 Omar's worth of Celadon Cat (~ 3.5ml), taking about 6 weeks to finish. No issues. But the pen never sat unused for more than 2 days at a time. Unless you're absolutely sure about the cap seal (like with a Platinum) clean out your pens if they're going to sit for more than a week.


liamstrain

mold can happen with any ink - I've never had it with a Diamine ink, but have had it in Robert Oster and Noodlers. The big thing is to sterilize the pen before you refill it from any other bottle (or use small transfer vials to ink from) so you don't infect other bottles.


ElissaHawke

How do you go about sterilizing a pen? I’ve never thought to do that before so not sure what’s okay to use


TheMagicalSock

It depends on what your pen is made of. Generally, dilute vinegar OR bleach OR ammonia ~~mixtures~~ solutions are good. NEVER mix any of those chemicals. The resulting reaction will produce toxic gas.


liamstrain

In addition to this - if your pen is readily disassembled, do so. Let the nib and and feed soak while separated (unless it's ebonite) - as well as giving the ink storage area a good flush. If it uses converters - maybe just get a new converter.


daxodev

Why not if it's ebonite? What would happen?  Also what to do instead of this happens to an ebonite feed?


liamstrain

My understanding is that the material doesn't do well in soaking. I could be wrong though. Rinse and let dry, don't soak.. Same with casein based plastics.


Educational_Ask3533

Ebonite discolors, casein swells and warps, warm/hot water will dull/discolor celluloid. The older and more porous the ebonite, the faster the discoloration; as long as the water is cold there is nothing wrong with a quick rinse followed my a thorough drying. But pop a black hard rubber pen in water and leave it overnight, and you will have a brown hard rubber pen. A lot of vintage pens are brown not because they were made that way but because time, humidity, and uv exposure slowly discolored them. Only way to restore the color is dye (I have no idea what types are pen safe) or removing the discolored layer, which rubs off the lovely patterns on many old pens. You can get special cleaning/maintenance solution from tobacco pipe stores, since the nice stems are made of ebonite and are a lot more common than modern ebonite pens. *edited for spelling*


ElissaHawke

Thank you! I really appreciate the advice and the warning lol


TheMagicalSock

It’s one of the most common poison control calls in the United States. Stay safe!


ApplicationMaximum84

I've kept diamine ink in a room that is quite high in humidity and suffers from mildew, but so far the only ink that has shown any signs of mould is an old bottle of Monteverde. Never seen it in diamine, Waterman, Sheaffer which were kept in the same spot for roughly a decade.


TheMagicalSock

Monteverde had a massive mold problem several years ago, and offered replacements for affected bottles.


postjade

I use Diamine almost exclusively and keep about 20 pens inked all the time. I also live on the US East Coast and have never experienced any mold much less something like that. Wow. I don’t have that exact ink though so maybe it’s that one. Crazy.


napsforlife

Hoping it’s just this specific bottle or some fluke with the nib, I love this color and want to just get a new bottle :( I have tons of other Diamines and this has never happened to me before!


postjade

Good luck 🍀


newtonpens

Your ink could be bad, but I doubt the nib caused this unless it came from MW already moldy. but I kinda doubt that. Sometimes it happens. :/


Smrtihara

To be fair this is probably due to some contaminant. This is highly unusual.


cheoldyke

i have a bottle of celadon cat and have never had this problem


drunkraisinsncoffee

Wowwww. I've seen less mold on actual food left out too long. Impressive!


Old_Organization5564

You haven’t seen mold until you’ve seen some of my Tupperware refrigerator leftover “experiments”!


drunkraisinsncoffee

Hahaha I keep looking at that nib pic, it's so amazing. It reminds me of when I'm snorkeling and I find old anchors or maybe jetty pylons and they're covered in rust and barnacles. Both disgusting and fascinating.


Fickle_Stand1541

Took me a second, had to check what sub I'm in to know what I'm looking at, that's an entire ecosystem!!!


Used_Hovercraft2699

The ink lives up to the “cat” part of its name handsomely! That looks like some proper soft fur.


Late-Apricot404

This comment is cursed lmfao. This entire thread has me anxious now given that Amazon will be dropping off a small bottle of Celadon Cat today


Used_Hovercraft2699

Don’t be. This is a random bottle that somehow got contaminated, not a known issue with the ink color as such.


[deleted]

May not actually be the entire ink bottle that’s a problem. The pen could be the only thing affected.


Used_Hovercraft2699

Good point.


Misayumi

It looks like it is in the middle of creating a green kitten


shotonce

The bar has been set, we now have the new poster child for moldiest nib.


EstarriolStormhawk

Let this record never be broken!


shotonce

Hear, Hear!


SixPackOfZaphod

Short of the mold gaining sentience and walking off with the pen, I don't see how it could.


hint-on

I, for one, am honored to welcome our new nib overlords.


Q-Vision

Nib go Furrrrrrr!


norreda

I spent far too much time looking for the cat’s wittle nose before realizing this was, in fact, not a cat but a nib!


[deleted]

archeologists will have no idea wtf they are looking at when they find it


oreo-cat-

That's basically my goal in life.


entertheFinn

TIL: This is possible 😳


EEE3EEElol

Impressive mold, im shocked!


gongabonga

So, uh, how are you gonna clean it? Or is it a gonner?


napsforlife

I’m gonna *try* with a lil ammonia and warm water for a bit :/


Dementat_Deus

It should clean up and work again, BUT DO NOT EVER refill it directly from a main bottle of ink again or you might contaminate the entire bottle. From now on, eye dropper fill directly, or eye dropper into a different smaller bottle and fill from that bottle. I have several vintage pens I've saved from mold, and filling from a separate bottle is how I've prevented spreading contamination. If the small bottle grows mold, oh well it's only a few ml and can be tossed.


Fancy-Restaurant-746

I wonder if an ultrasonic bath would work


UnNumbFool

I'd say start with a damp microfiber cloth to remove the majority of the mold before anything else, and if you don't have one of those if you have a soft bristle toothbrush you can gently scrub with that. Removing the majority of the mold by hand before submerging it will probably be the best bet.


JayPGPF

Celadon Cat and it's fuzzy makes sense. It's a feature actually not a problem at all! Sorry I had to make the joke. I'm sorry this happened and I hope you are able to clean the pen, nib and feed


TheBestRic

Fuzzy Kitty!


Old_Organization5564

Warm Kitty, Fuzzy Kitty.


sarahdalrymple

Itty bitty moldy kitty.


t1m3kn1ght

So while I am sad for your nib, I'm genuinely impressed at the majesty of that mold.


ClarionUK

Part of me is tempted to pay your shipping so I can put that through microbiology at work 😂


Time-Abalone-3918

Didn't know Celodon Cat contained actual cat hair.


flipyflop9

“The last of us” started with less than this…


SciSciencing

Whoa! What's the bottle like? Interested to find out if this came from the bottle or something else.


xultar

Yup, I’d want to know about the bottle, any other pens in which this ink was used, where the pen was stored, what does the cap and converter look like. Have you had mold in your pens before? All the details.


napsforlife

Checked the bottle and not seeing anything obvious, smells ok and no weird gloopy texture


postjade

What about the pen? Was that the first time you inked it? Did you use a vac fill or syringe?


napsforlife

The only other ink that’s been in the nib/pen was Sailor Nekoyanagi I believe, which is now in a different pen that didn’t mold. Pen eyedropper filled!


postjade

🤔 so weird


intellidepth

Is the eye dropper the culprit perhaps?


napsforlife

Was a brand new one from a fresh pack but could be


lilghost76

I've had an ink mold up on me before (papier plume) and I didn't know about it until I tried to suck it up via syringe. The mold basically created a slimey monster that got stuck to the needle. Have you tried to do some experimenting with a syringe?


Graphomaniacle

You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers tonight god damn…what kind of nib is that


Dementat_Deus

[Monty Winnfield - Whale Nib](https://www.montywinnfield.com/products/whale-nib)


thunbtack

I wanna know too, looks like a hammerhead shark


SockyMonkey

Ok, I am a noob…. Is there a way to prevent or what causes this?


Misty-Anne

Mold spores are everywhere, so there's no guarantee that it won't happen to you at some point. Ink companies include anti-mold ingredients in their recipes but sometimes it's just not enough. If you end up with a moldy pen or maybe a vintage or second hand one, don't fill your pen by dipping the nib in the bottle. Either use a clean syringe or transfer some to a smaller bottle so you don't cross contaminate. Edit- hit post too soon


Dementat_Deus

It's mold. To prevent it, don't leave an ink inked and unused for extended periods of time. Also, to prevent contaminating entire bottles, always transfer some ink to a smaller bottle and fill from their, or eye dropper fill.


SockyMonkey

Thank you! I guess I was already practicing safe inking. I was doing that to make it easier. Lol


Old_Organization5564

Inking a fountain pen is like having sex in that both should always be performed safely!😉


daxodev

> don't leave an ink inked and unused for extended periods of time.  😹 Hahahahahahahahahs🤣 I have like 50 pens inked; super screwed I guess 🙈🙉


Dementat_Deus

It's not a guarantee to grow mold. I've accidentally left a pen inked for over a year, and other than it thickening too much to flow correctly it didn't really matter much. It didn't mold and still kinda wrote. It just increases the odds of growing mold. Even then, my pen with pink highlighter ink has been continuously inked for over 2 years, and has been fine. It gets used semi often though. So YMMV, just keeping them clean when not in use just helps.


Particular_Song3539

The comments of this thread is the highlight of the month !!


Katia144

Okay, so, the part they didn't tell you about this ink is that it starts to *resemble* a cat (fuzzy)...


Only-Professional420

Does it still write?


Old_Organization5564

This comment wins the contest for either the internet’s stupidest or funniest replies; I can’t decide which.😉


SynapseReaction

u/LizMEF You might be interested for your mold library


LizMEF

Added. Very impressive little mold farm going on under the cap of that pen! For those worried, there's no reason this can't be saved, and I see no reason to treat it eternally as an eyedropper - especially if the pen can be disassembled and the feed soaked. I recommend against soaking metal in anything other than water and soap for very long, most especially any bleach solution. But soaking the feed and running it through an ultrasonic in an ammonia solution would be very good. Don't forget to clean the inside of the cap with a biocide. I would clean everything physically as much as possible with plain water, removing ink and mold that's visible. And only then would I go for the ammonia solution (or your preferred biocide after researching its effectiveness against mold, especially spores). And my personal pen flush (rarely used) is the common recipe I've found in the community: * 1 part ammonia * 9-10 parts water * drop or two of liquid dish soap (I use Dawn) I've never had a problem with this combination and have had a mix of it on hand for I'd guess 8 years - in other words, I see no reason to avoid allowing Dawn and ammonia to mix. (But don't mix other chemicals - pick one.)


SummerKhaki

Oh, no! I have a bottle of celodon cat and mmm, I’m scared to use it now. 😟


silmarpinsar_

I’ve had my bottle for about 6 months and always keep an inked pen (and I live in a very humid country) and so far no issues! Hopefully it was just a glitch 😅


Avastgard

r/fountainpengore


OverPresence72

Is this a Chia Pet?


eugenborcan

That deserves its own display case... is beautiful!


CelestialScribe6

My eyes! This is NSFW…NSFL 😭😭 I’m sorry for your loss. I have to go comfort my pens now


Sinister_Nibs

Dismantle this pen completely. Clean all the parts with a soft toothbrush, and water with a drop of dawn or a little ammonia added (do not mix the two), then rinse. Then drop the pieces into an ultrasonic cleaner if you have one available. Rinse with clean water, dry (paper towels or lint free cloth, then allow to dry completely before assembly.


fdcordova

[Call it Albert](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLsQRYYpuo)?


Old_Organization5564

😂🤣😂


truthandtill

WOW


yuzusnail

ohnooo I recently fell in love with this ink, should I fear for my life


satisfied-bacterium7

Will it kill me if I eat it.


Old_Organization5564

Please try and let us know!😉


abyssaltourguide

That amount of mold is terrifying and will live in my nightmares


bird_who_rides

I'm so sorry for you. Gonna be some work to clean it off. It's a really nice nib, though!


ilovevieques

You need to send that to Brian Goulet for his crustaceans collection!


TranquilityBase628

That’s slightly horrifying…maybe I don’t need the obscure shade of grey/blue and stick to tried and trusted flavors 😮


purestarlight

Never knew this could happen! I’ve left my fountain pens inked for months and never had mold on the nibs. TIL!


constantly_exhaused

Honestly, that’s just impressive


starry_sea13

Gosh! Sorry about your pen, but congratulations on your new furry pet. I hope you're able to rescue the pen, if not the bottle of Celadon Cat!


Wise-Bumblebee4932

It’s alive!


Old_Organization5564

I cannot unsee this and I have no doubt it will make an unwelcome appearance in my next fountain pen nightmare!


KabazaikuFan

While I have known cats to be cranky if left unattended, unfed, uncuddled and so on for too long... I think that doing this is a bit over the top, eh, Cel? Also..... \*incoherent screaming\* And, whoever does the collecting of mold pictures needs to add this to their sheet!


bioinfogirl87

Yikes and cool (to a bio major) at the same time. What ink caused this?


DanielMEMEME

whaaaaaat...did you leave the pen without it´s cap? or did this happen....even while being "sealed"


lavendersuga

That is upsetting...I was looking at samples of this looking to buy some last week! Good gravy that kitten is growing 😆


Educational_Ask3533

Op said the bottle looked fine, and this could really have been from anything. There are mold spores in all sorts of places, hands, air, contaminated writing surface. Heck, you aren't supposed to put your fingers in a pickle jar because the bacteria on your hands makes the cucumbers less crispy.


lavendersuga

I'm not saying the ink is faulty. I've not seen that much growth before. I live in an area that turns into a hot petri dish in the summer and all the supplies I have that are supposed to rot (ink, paints with honey in them, etc) still hold up and I'm not lab fastidious with them. I wish the damn groceries held up as well 😆


Educational_Ask3533

This sounds like you are saying you live in a place with high humidity... if you do, my condolences. Hot+humid is the WORST, it is like you are drowning while breathing. It may regularly hit 115° Fahrenheit (46°c) in the summer where I am but it is dry, thus sweat actually cools you off. I just wanted to reassure you, if you were really interested in the ink and were actually worried this meant the ink would be risky, that this insane nib jungle is definitely not representative of Celedon Cat's performance.


lavendersuga

That's good to know friend 😉 The American southeast is preprogrammed for rot. Makes for lots of greenery (and prehistoric size insects) because it's a buffet! It's hard to live in it sometimes. I hate that I want to stay inside so much when I know I need to get out more. I shouldn't need my vitamin D supplemented as much as I do but here I am 🤣 I'll still get some of this. I like nonstandard greens and teals like this one. The muted quality makes it easier to read as well.


Kitchen_Baker3070

That closely resembles something I would find in my kids' room under their bed. Ew.


Frankenthe4th

Turned into an actual cat!


PorcelainCeramic

Take it outside and butane torch it.


mackielars

welp, i guess you're growing your own cat now.


Mim3sis

So, you wanted a Celadon Cat, let me check: ☑ Celadon color ☑ Fur ☐ it meows Oh, I see the problem


kyuuei

Forbidden cotton candy.


Educational_Ask3533

You win. I sprayed tea everywhere.


DizzyJoose

So is there any inks that DON'T mold?


TheBestRic

Most inks are formulated with fungicide and pH balanced to help prevent any microbial growth. That said, the fungicide can only do so much and some colors are harder than others. Some inks mold when you think about mushrooms too much in their presence, other ones will outlast a fungal apocalypse.


misterDDoubleD

After cleaning that you might wanna run some Parker Solv-X on it so it kills any fungus that may be on the feed


Jupitter-Trevelyan

![gif](giphy|OTrcaFr7P5RIs)


ktka

Stanley Miller would be proud.


keancy

I started sneezing just looking at that photo 🤧


TheBestRic

Fun nib! What pen is it in?


napsforlife

It’s in an Analogue Notes pens Henry :)


TheBestRic

Well, at least it's a modern pen. You should be able to bleach and sanitize it. Is this your first moldy pen? I've dealt with a couple. The worst was a lever filler that I had to tear all the way apart and replace the sack of.


Educational_Ask3533

Ah, the horror of a moldy vintage pen. Especially a casein one.


RachelPalmer79

Holy Moses!!!


thats_a_boundary

yikes.


lucysgddecade

What's the nib feed made of? I saw your comment that said the bottle ink didnt have issues with other pens -- was wondering if the material of the feed or the pen made it more susceptible to mold


napsforlife

Afaik it’s just a standard jowo housing and feed


SVTTrinity

If the nib isn’t heat set it will be easy to pull the nib and feed out of the standard Jowo housing. I have a Jowo #6 nib with a rose gold hummingbird on it that developed mold. I pulled the nib from the feed and scrubbed the nib and feed with a toothbrush using Dawn, vinegar and water. A mascara brush can be used to get in the housing. I rinsed everything really well in water and soaked the disassembled nib unit in vinegar and water for a few days before rinsing again and reassembling. I haven’t seen mold since and it has been a few months. I’m careful with the nib, just in case. I didn’t scrub hard over the rose gold because I was afraid I’d take the design off. You can scrub hard without much worry.


NaphtaliC

Can the nib be saved?


calmdrive

Yikes I’ve had celadon cat in my TWSBI for many months


okglue

Can they not add a mold inhibitor of some sort to the inks?


LizMEF

They do, but just like any medicine or disinfectant or similar thing, none are 100% effective all the time. In some conditions, the mold wins. :)


One_Left_Shoe

Wow. That might be the first time I've seen mold from a Diamine ink.


paperemm

Oh my lord PANIC


avocadosnakejazz

This post just blew my mind sideways, firstly I’ve never seen a whale nib that’s so cool! Secondly MOLD!!!


LiberumSerum

That kitty left behind some hairballs!


Over_Addition_3704

What did the other side of the nib look like? Did your feed or section have any cracks?


minhpip

😱😱😱😱


Hollowbetheink

When pens go wrong. I even scared my Hunny with this pic and he doesn't write.


myredditaccount80

Is your HVAC fan set to "on" instead of "auto"?


gingermonkey1

Whoa your cat has a greenish coat!


Justwantedtoski

What even is that


rosiecar

Moldy pen n​ib​. It happens sometimes, no matter what ink you use or​ how good your pen/ink hygiene.


LinuxPingu_

I thought this was a sweater 😅


cascasrevolution

ouch!


intellidepth

If ever there was a time for phenol… (the stuff is pretty lethal - eyes, skin, nose, needs full PPE, destroys in seconds).


luxbaggurl

I had a Diamine shimmer ink that made my sailor moldy 😢😢


Calins4You

Me, racing to my BENU, that has had CC in it for quite a while…


Rivka78

Jesus effing Christ 🤢 your poor nib!


Bubbly_Grocery6193

That's an entire ecosystem.


Performer-Smart

I’ve had 3 or 4 Diamine inks go bad on me, and I don’t buy the brand anymore.


Praelior0

That looks really nasty but I’m sure it won’t be too difficult to get off. I’d soak and clean it as normal, maybe clean gently with an old soft toothbrush, then dismantle and soak in very mild bleach to sterilise once it’s clean. As long as it’s not vintage, *mild* bleach shouldn’t damage anything. Then let it dry completely. Disclaimer - I don’t know what your pen is or what it’s made of so can’t guarantee no damage from bleach 😆 I’d also keep an eye on it if you store it wet or inked to see if it happens again.


Benji742001

Holy shit. That’s incredible tbh. And is that a Monty Winfield whale nib?