Repairing vintage fountain pens

Do you have a cherished fountain pen lingering in a desk drawer which no longer works. Read on for The Field's advice on where to have it repaired.

An inherited fountain pen may well be a cherished possession but what if it no longer works properly?  Never fear. We have discovered where to have your old fountain pens repaired. (If you’re looking for a new fountain pen, read our guide to the best fountain pens.)

Ink fountain pens can be sent by registered post to Vintage Fountain Pens  where staff are able to restore the majority of ink fountain pens. (Read The Field’s guide to the best fountain pens.) Prices at the time of writing start at £25 which includes return postage and packing.

On receipt, a full examination is carried out and a quote for repairs is emailed. If accepted, payment must be made in full and work will be completed in two to four weeks. As well as repairing pens, Vintage Fountain Pens also sells and buys pens.

Vintage Fountain Pens also has large stocks of spare parts from original pens.

What sets fountain pens apart?

“A handwritten letter is a pleasure for both the author and recipient,” says Kit Harrison of Leeming Brothers. “It’s impossible to produce or read such a thing in haste; it demands that one takes time out from frenetic everyday life. There’s no backspace or delete, so it focuses the mind. Using a beautiful pen only adds to the glorious experience.”

If you are a fan of reusing and repairing you might like to read our recent interview with Patrick Grant of The Great British Sewing Bee, who is an advocate for mending and recycling.

This article was originally published in 2012 and has been updated. 

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