Look at it! Behold the butyl overmold on the comically oversized cap! See the screen printed lines like a 90s basketball sneaker! Feel the forced ergonomics of the weird section! Examine the submarine portholes of an ink view window!
…It actually writes okay though. Rotring made good nibs.
After soaking it in very hot water last night I got the bright idea to try to scrape it with a little wooden coffee stirrer. I broke the rubber gasket that goes around the post on the receiving end. So I think that tip is done. I bought a replacement tip last night for $10.
It sucks because it was finally flowing again too! I just wanted to scrape the dried up stuff off the receiving end, and I didn't realize there was a rubber gasket there. At least I was able to find a replacement that didn't cost as much as the entire pen itself.
Yeah, they're oddly complex little devices for what is effectively a straw with a thumb covering one end. Glad you're at least going to get the gift writing again.
And more importantly, keep it writing! I'm really glad I said something because I love these pens and I've been really disappointed that they never worked whenever I reached for one.