virgiliopoeta wrote:

scottmandue wrote:

should fountain pens be stored with the tip up
between uses?

No. The ink dries in the feed and slowly clogs the
pen. It is better to store fountain pens in a
horizontal position or with the nib down.

This really doesn't make sense given that we live on a planet with
gravity. Stored nib up, ink will flow down and out of the feed and
into the reservoir. Stored nib down, ink will flow out of the
reservoir and into the feed (and in some unfortunate circumstances,
out through the feed and into the cap). If you store a filled pen nib
up and leave it unused long enough for ink to evaporate, not much will
be left in the feed to clog it. If, however, you store a filled pen on
its side, or nib down,
lots of ink will remain in the feed to clog it if left long enough for
the water in the ink to evaporate. The reason the OP noticed that the
pen he kept on its side wrote wetter than the one he keeps nib up
illustrates the effects of gravity on ink in a fountain pen. There is
nothing wrong with keeping a pen nib up between uses and most dealers
etc. actually recommend this (see below for just a couple of
examples):

http://www.cajunpen.com/html/fountainpen_hints.html

http://www.bertramsinkwell.com/penstuff.html

Pens are designed to be positioned nib up between uses. After all,
most have pocket clips or ring tops or are designed to be carried in
vest pockets nib up. Of course, the ink in any pen stored in any
position will evaporate eventually. If you have to keep a pen lying on
its side between uses (assuming between uses doesn't mean many days)
lest ink dry in the feed, there's probably something wrong the pen
(ill fitting cap, no or cracked inner cap, etc.). -- B