Speedball Pen Cleaner, 16 oz Bottle - Ink Cleaning Solution for Calligraphy Nibs and Art Tools Review (2026)

What it is

Speedball's Pen Cleaner is a liquid cleaning solution sold in a 16 fl oz (480 mL) squirt bottle under the Speedball brand, best known for its dip pen nibs and India ink. It is formulated to loosen dried ink and shellac from steel dip pen nibs, fountain pen nibs, and technical pens. The maker also notes it can lift dried ink from drafting film and clean fine jewelry, which points to a fairly strong solvent rather than a mild soap and water rinse. For a working calligrapher, that strength matters most on nibs that have sat inked for a day or two, where dried pigment and shellac coating start to gum up the tines and slow ink flow.

How you use it

The instructions call for placing the nib, brush, or pen part into the cleaner and letting it sit for about 30 minutes before flushing thoroughly with warm water. That soak time is the trade-off for the strength: it is not a wipe-and-go product, so you need a small jar or dish set aside for the soak and a sink nearby for the rinse. Once flushed, nibs come back free of the dried ink film that causes scratchy, inconsistent lines, and any leftover shellac coating that was slowing initial ink flow is removed as well, which matters on fresh nibs straight from the packet.

What it works on

According to the product listing, the cleaner is effective on India ink and other acrylic-based inks, which are notoriously hard to remove once dry because they are designed to be permanent and water resistant. It also handles traditional, non-permanent fountain pen inks, so one bottle covers both a dip pen calligraphy practice and any fountain pens in the same kit. That range is useful because many letterers alternate between waterproof India ink for finished pieces and washable fountain pen ink for daily practice, and having a single cleaner that works on both simplifies the desk.

Value and who it suits

At 16 oz, this bottle is sized for a calligrapher who cleans nibs regularly, whether that is a hobbyist practicing several times a week or someone running a small lettering business with multiple nibs and holders in rotation. Casual users who dip a brush pen occasionally are unlikely to need this volume and might be better served by a smaller 2 oz bottle from the same Speedball line. For anyone maintaining several pointed pen nibs, oblique holders, or a collection of vintage nibs picked up secondhand, the larger bottle avoids running out mid-project and works out cheaper per ounce than buying small bottles repeatedly.

Bottom line

Overall, this is a practical, no-frills maintenance product rather than an exciting purchase, and that is exactly its appeal. Nibs that build up dried ink lose their spring and start skipping or scratching, and a proper soak in a cleaner made for the job restores them faster than scrubbing with water alone. Because Speedball has made pen and nib products for decades, the formulation is built around the same dip pen nibs and inks most calligraphers already use. Keep a small jar set aside on the desk just for soaking, rinse nibs well afterward under running water, and dry them off completely before storing to avoid rust building up between cleaning sessions, especially on plain steel nibs that are not chrome coated.

Frequently asked questions