Most common questions used to investigate
Friction: Press the tip of your pen onto a piece of paper to get the ball moving. Does this Work?
Friction: Tap the pen tip on a hard surface to move the ink into the tip. Does this Work?
Friction: Draw circles on paper with your pen to get the ball moving. Draw in one direction and then switch to the opposite direction. Does this work?
Friction: Scribble on a piece of paper to free the ball. Does this work?
Friction: Try circles and scribbles on an eraser or any other rubber surface. Does this work?
Gravity: Hold the back end of the pen and shake it to free any air bubbles in the ink tube. Does this work?
Use of Household items: Soak the tip of the pen in alcohol for 5 minutes. After soaking the tip, try writing on a piece of paper to get the ink flowing. Does this work?
Use of Household items: Hold a small flame to the ballpoint to loosen the ink in the tip, then press the tip onto a piece of paper and scribble until the ink is flowing. Does this work?
Use of Household items: Heat up the tip of the pen with hot water to get the ink flowing. Does this work?
Inspection: can you Take the pen apart and check if the ink tube contains ink?
Inspection: Take your pen apart, can you see if the ink tube contains ink?
Moving the ink: Hold the ink tube between your hands and rub them against each other. Does this work?
Moving the ink: Blow into the end of the ink tube to push the ink down. Does this help?
Common conclusions
Happy to help! The friction against paper helps get the end rolling so that ink can flow.
Happy to help!
Happy to help! The circular motion is very efficient when trying to get the ball moving.
Happy to help! Sometimes, all it takes to free a pen into writing again is to roll the ball when a little bit of ink has dried in the tip.
Happy to help! A rubbery surface grips the ball of the pen and forces it to roll.
Happy to help! If air bubbles get in the ink tube, shaking the ink down toward the tip forces it back down the ball tip.
Happy to help! Alcohol can be very helpful when trying to get the ink flowing.
Happy to help! The flames heat up the ink and loosens it around the ball tip.
Happy to help! Hot water helps dampening the ink and loosens it around the ball tip.
Sorry, but if you can't take your pen apart you won't be able to determine if the tube is full or empty and can not fully determine if this pen is usable.
If the plastic of the tube isn't transparent, you won't be able to determine if the tube is full or empty and can not fully determine if this pen is usable.
happy to help! The movement of the tube between your Hands helps jostle the ink down towards the tip.
Sorry but it seems this pen is all spent. We recommend getting a new one
References
Related Problems
