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multigeek627 · 22 February 2015, 11:48 PM

Lots of talk about pens, with the fountain variety appearing to have the edge. Not surprising, most people find it difficult to get emotional over a roller ball, or dog forbid, the accursed ballpoint. So unless that cherished Montblanc or Pelikan or vintage Duofold or 51 just sits in a drawer, ink must be involved at some point. So what are your favorites?

I'll start the ball rolling, so to speak. Or the ink flowing.

My present go-to is anything by Noodler. I love the color choices, with Aircorp Blue-Black preferred for daily use. Almost everything I own writes well with any of them with one notable exception. My Waterman LeMan 200, showing commendable brand loyalty, balks at anything except Waterman ink, and the LeMan 100 won't write well with anything. There may be a trip to Richard Binder in its future. The Pelikans show a very small amount of favoritism towards Pelikan inks, but other than that all of my pens seem brand-agnostic where ink is concerned.

Over to you.

Bisquitlips · 23 February 2015, 06:37 AM

Noodler's is also one of my favorite ink makers. Some of the nicest blends of colors I have found!

I especially like the Noodler's Squeteague. Fun! And excellent shading out of a BB or Italic nib!

TexasJohnny · 25 February 2015, 09:49 AM

Iroshizuku, Asa-gao (blue)

2careless · 25 February 2015, 10:42 PM

Montblanc British Racing Green. Can't get them from the shops anymore but I got 6 bottles stashed up :-)

Lion · 9 March 2015, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2careless

Montblanc British Racing Green. Can't get them from the shops anymore but I got 6 bottles stashed up :-)

I sure wish I could have known beforehand when a company like MontBlanc discontinues a color!!!

As I too would of stocked up on British Racing Green and also I really liked their Bordeaux ink and would of put a few bottles away for a rainy day.....but currently along with the Bordeaux I am using their Toffee Brown and I really like their Oyster Gray.....but I did buy and stash two bottles of their 90th Anniversary ink(Permanent Gray)and two bottles of their Daniel Defoe!!!

Take care.....Leo

Zdenek · 17 March 2015, 09:26 PM

These two...

Jamiewabbit · 17 March 2015, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lion

I sure wish I could have known beforehand when a company like MontBlanc discontinues a color!!!

As I too would of stocked up on British Racing Green and also I really liked their Bordeaux ink and would of put a few bottles away for a rainy day.....but currently along with the Bordeaux I am using their Toffee Brown and I really like their Oyster Gray.....but I did buy and stash two bottles of their 90th Anniversary ink(Permanent Gray)and two bottles of their Daniel Defoe!!!

Take care.....Leo

Pardon me Leo, is there an expiry for inks. The idea of stashing away the permanent grey ink seems good. But is there a shelf life?

Cheers

melodymaster73 · 26 March 2015, 12:59 PM

Love Noodler's 54th Massachusetts. Bulletproof, blue-black, reserved yet expressive, and always treats my workhorse Lamy Pur right.

Bisquitlips · 27 March 2015, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lion

I sure wish I could have known beforehand when a company like MontBlanc discontinues a color!!!

As I too would of stocked up on British Racing Green and also I really liked their Bordeaux ink and would of put a few bottles away for a rainy day.....but currently along with the Bordeaux I am using their Toffee Brown and I really like their Oyster Gray.....but I did buy and stash two bottles of their 90th Anniversary ink(Permanent Gray)and two bottles of their Daniel Defoe!!!

Take care.....Leo

Leo,

You can always know beforehand when MB discontinues an ink.

Get you a part time job at a MB boutique! Then I will have a friend at the factory and you will have the inside scoop!

hugs · 27 March 2015, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bisquitlips

Noodler's is also one of my favorite ink makers. Some of the nicest blends of colors I have found!

I especially like the Noodler's Squeteague. Fun! And excellent shading out of a BB or Italic nib!

this resembles pages in my old schoolbooks from certain subjects which i found boring

Lion · 28 March 2015, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamiewabbit

Pardon me Leo, is there an expiry for inks. The idea of stashing away the permanent grey ink seems good. But is there a shelf life?

Cheers

MontBlanc will tell you that their inks only have a certain length of time as to their shelf life and then should be replaced..…but I have found through using their inks that they are still good for years!!!

So there you go…those are my experiences but others may feel differently…..

Take care…..Leo

Lion · 28 March 2015, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bisquitlips

Leo,

You can always know beforehand when MB discontinues an ink.

Get you a part time job at a MB boutique! Then I will have a friend at the factory and you will have the inside scoop!

Yes, I could have a lot of fun working at their retail store located on the "Magnificent Mile" in Chicago except for three problems. One, I would spend my paycheck on commuting expenses and the rest on products in their Boutique…..never taking and money home. Two, they want their male associates wearing a suit…..and I do not do Suits. And three, they would never pay me what I am worth!!! LOL!!!

Take care…..Leo

Bisquitlips · 28 March 2015, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lion

Yes, I could have a lot of fun working at their retail store located on the "Magnificent Mile" in Chicago except for three problems. One, I would spend my paycheck on commuting expenses and the rest on products in their Boutique…..never taking and money home. Two, they want their male associates wearing a suit…..and I do not do Suits. And three, they would never pay me what I am worth!!! LOL!!!

Take care…..Leo

Acknowledged and understood! Fully!

Lion · 29 March 2015, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bisquitlips

Acknowledged and understood! Fully!

Thanx, appreciate the vote of confidence…as a Horticultural Consultant I'm worth approx. $150.00 per hour and my fee for being a guest lecturer to Garden Clubs runs to between $100.00 to $150.00 plus expenses. I also do programs for Coin Clubs and have a lecture set for September and October this year and am doing programs on Early American Copper coins. I also work for a prominent Specialist Dealer in Early American coins when he has shows here in the Chicagoland area. I have already worked one show and have 6 more shows to do this year!!!

Take care…..Leo

Bisquitlips · 29 March 2015, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lion

Thanx, appreciate the vote of confidence…as a Horticultural Consultant I'm worth approx. $150.00 per hour and my fee for being a guest lecturer to Garden Clubs runs to between $100.00 to $150.00 plus expenses. I also do programs for Coin Clubs and have a lecture set for September and October this year and am doing programs on Early American Copper coins. I also work for a prominent Specialist Dealer in Early American coins when he has shows here in the Chicagoland area. I have already worked one show and have 6 more shows to do this year!!!

Take care…..Leo

Ah.... I knew I liked you Leo!!! A fellow numismatist!!! Yes! I didn't know that about you. Fine timepieces, writing instruments, and numismatics. 3 things in common we have. :)

I just met a goal to get my Dansco 7070 Type Set in XF and above about 2 years ago. Took me the better part of 30 years to get it where it is at in those grades! It was a mile stone for sure. Such an adventure.

Take care Leo!

Jamiewabbit · 31 March 2015, 12:58 AM

Thx for the tips on the inks Leo! I should get myself a few bottles of the anniversary ink. Cheers!

multigeek627 · 1 April 2015, 09:29 PM

I've found that a tightly capped bottle will keep ink usable for a number of years. I have some Waterman and Pelikan inks that are 10+ years old and show no signs of deterioration. The only thing to watch for is sediment. If you experience that and it's causing a problem you can decant the good ink into a clean bottle and dump the residue, or you can just strain the ink through a coffee filter into a temporary container, clean the old bottle thoroughly and dry it, then return the remaining ink to the bottle.

As for disappearing colors, try mixing. Many enthusiasts create their own signature colors by mixing two or more likely component colors. Start with all components from the same company and then branch out depending on your level of success. Some inks don't play well with others but the only way to know is to experiment. It's like being back in high school chemistry without the noxious odors and loud explosions.

gontomt · 26 July 2015, 12:25 PM

I apologize, in advance, for the length of this reply, but I do certainly want to engage those with more experience in this area than I.

Colors of inks are all well and good. Most ink manufactures offer a variety of colors (some offer many more colors than others). To me, color is always a solvable problem - one can always mix inks, if the chemistry is right. Some "permanent" inks have solvents, others are water-based. Can you mix them? Are the solvents safe for the pen?

"Is it SAFE" to wear my DSSD Blue while refilling my fountain pen?

:-)

My issues are flow, drying time and bleeding on a variety of paper types.

When I was a triple-science major (biochemistry, chemistry and genetics) at a very tough university, I needed to take notes in lecture at lightning speed in spiral notebooks with cheap, thin paper. The fountain pen was the answer - fast, light, low pressure on the paper, minimal fatigue at speed - but the availability of good inks was limited (Schaeffer, Parker, and sometimes Montblanc). I had a stainless steel 4th-tier Montblanc (they do not make pens of this lower level anymore). Although their bottom tier, it was a good pen.

I experimented with various ink mixtures. The Schaeffer and Montblanc were entirely water-based. They did not flow quickly enough for fast writing, and took too long to dry. Parker Quink, with isopropyl alcohol flowed quickly, but bled outward and through the paper. Then it dried - quickly - but too late.

I settled on a mixture of about 1/3 Parker Quink Blue and 2/3 Montblanc Black, giving me the desired combination of Blue-Black (like all the old documents and letters from my family history), fast flow, fast drying time, no lateral or vertical bleeding and no apparent damage to the pen.

Perfect. That pen-and-ink combination saved my hind end, and I graduated "With Distinction" from an Ivy League school.

I wore that pen out at the end of my college career - it simply wouldn't work anymore, and its demise coincided exactly with my graduation - but it served its purpose. Almost 40 years later, I cannot find it or remember what happened to it.

But back to inks. After 30-40 years, I am reentering the sphere of fountain pens (more on this in an upcoming new thread).

Do any of you have any recommendations on an ink with the qualities that I mentioned above (flow, bleeding laterally and through various papers, and reasonable drying time)?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

gontomt · 28 July 2015, 04:13 AM

I got most of my ink questions answered from an article on Richard Binder's site (RichardsPens.com).

An iteresting read, and a lot of good information. Interesting to see the flip side of some of the "Premium" or "Boutique" inks.

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/care/inks.htm

22 February 2015, 11:48 PM	#1
multigeek627 "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Dave Location: Colorado, USA Watch: Depends on the day Posts: 31	Favorite inks Lots of talk about pens, with the fountain variety appearing to have the edge. Not surprising, most people find it difficult to get emotional over a roller ball, or dog forbid, the accursed ballpoint. So unless that cherished Montblanc or Pelikan or vintage Duofold or 51 just sits in a drawer, ink must be involved at some point. So what are your favorites? I'll start the ball rolling, so to speak. Or the ink flowing. My present go-to is anything by Noodler. I love the color choices, with Aircorp Blue-Black preferred for daily use. Almost everything I own writes well with any of them with one notable exception. My Waterman LeMan 200, showing commendable brand loyalty, balks at anything except Waterman ink, and the LeMan 100 won't write well with anything. There may be a trip to Richard Binder in its future. The Pelikans show a very small amount of favoritism towards Pelikan inks, but other than that all of my pens seem brand-agnostic where ink is concerned. Over to you.

23 February 2015, 06:37 AM	#2
Bisquitlips 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Real Name: Richard Location: USA Watch: YM Deep Space Posts: 12,501	Noodler's is also one of my favorite ink makers. Some of the nicest blends of colors I have found! I especially like the Noodler's Squeteague. Fun! And excellent shading out of a BB or Italic nib! __________________ Rolex Yacht-Master 40mm (SS-YG / Deep Space MOP) 16623 Breitling Aerospace Titanium / 18K with UTC. Omega Speedmaster 3510.50 Oris TT1 Pro Diver Regulator 43MM

26 July 2015, 12:25 PM	#18
gontomt "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Real Name: Mark Location: Montana Posts: 109	I apologize, in advance, for the length of this reply, but I do certainly want to engage those with more experience in this area than I. Colors of inks are all well and good. Most ink manufactures offer a variety of colors (some offer many more colors than others). To me, color is always a solvable problem - one can always mix inks, if the chemistry is right. Some "permanent" inks have solvents, others are water-based. Can you mix them? Are the solvents safe for the pen? "Is it SAFE" to wear my DSSD Blue while refilling my fountain pen? :-) My issues are flow, drying time and bleeding on a variety of paper types. When I was a triple-science major (biochemistry, chemistry and genetics) at a very tough university, I needed to take notes in lecture at lightning speed in spiral notebooks with cheap, thin paper. The fountain pen was the answer - fast, light, low pressure on the paper, minimal fatigue at speed - but the availability of good inks was limited (Schaeffer, Parker, and sometimes Montblanc). I had a stainless steel 4th-tier Montblanc (they do not make pens of this lower level anymore). Although their bottom tier, it was a good pen. I experimented with various ink mixtures. The Schaeffer and Montblanc were entirely water-based. They did not flow quickly enough for fast writing, and took too long to dry. Parker Quink, with isopropyl alcohol flowed quickly, but bled outward and through the paper. Then it dried - quickly - but too late. I settled on a mixture of about 1/3 Parker Quink Blue and 2/3 Montblanc Black, giving me the desired combination of Blue-Black (like all the old documents and letters from my family history), fast flow, fast drying time, no lateral or vertical bleeding and no apparent damage to the pen. Perfect. That pen-and-ink combination saved my hind end, and I graduated "With Distinction" from an Ivy League school. I wore that pen out at the end of my college career - it simply wouldn't work anymore, and its demise coincided exactly with my graduation - but it served its purpose. Almost 40 years later, I cannot find it or remember what happened to it. But back to inks. After 30-40 years, I am reentering the sphere of fountain pens (more on this in an upcoming new thread). Do any of you have any recommendations on an ink with the qualities that I mentioned above (flow, bleeding laterally and through various papers, and reasonable drying time)? Thank you for your time and consideration. __________________ A man with one watch always knows what time it is. A man with two watches never knows what time it is.

28 July 2015, 04:13 AM	#19
gontomt "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Real Name: Mark Location: Montana Posts: 109	I got most of my ink questions answered from an article on Richard Binder's site (RichardsPens.com). An iteresting read, and a lot of good information. Interesting to see the flip side of some of the "Premium" or "Boutique" inks. http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/care/inks.htm __________________ A man with one watch always knows what time it is. A man with two watches never knows what time it is.

25 February 2015, 10:42 PM	#4
2careless "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Melbourne, AU Watch: Pepsi Posts: 4,369	Montblanc British Racing Green. Can't get them from the shops anymore but I got 6 bottles stashed up :-)

26 March 2015, 12:59 PM	#8
melodymaster73 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: ATLANTA Posts: 31	Love Noodler's 54th Massachusetts. Bulletproof, blue-black, reserved yet expressive, and always treats my workhorse Lamy Pur right.

31 March 2015, 12:58 AM	#16
Jamiewabbit "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Asia Watch: Sea dweller Posts: 257	Thx for the tips on the inks Leo! I should get myself a few bottles of the anniversary ink. Cheers!

1 April 2015, 09:29 PM	#17
multigeek627 "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Dave Location: Colorado, USA Watch: Depends on the day Posts: 31	I've found that a tightly capped bottle will keep ink usable for a number of years. I have some Waterman and Pelikan inks that are 10+ years old and show no signs of deterioration. The only thing to watch for is sediment. If you experience that and it's causing a problem you can decant the good ink into a clean bottle and dump the residue, or you can just strain the ink through a coffee filter into a temporary container, clean the old bottle thoroughly and dry it, then return the remaining ink to the bottle. As for disappearing colors, try mixing. Many enthusiasts create their own signature colors by mixing two or more likely component colors. Start with all components from the same company and then branch out depending on your level of success. Some inks don't play well with others but the only way to know is to experiment. It's like being back in high school chemistry without the noxious odors and loud explosions.

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