Baystate Blue Questions

[Tom Traubert]

Hello all.

 

I'm soon to be the lucky recipient of a bottle of Baystate Blue. It's hard to get this sort of stuff in the UK, so I'm pretty excited.

 

Anyway, I get the impression that it's a somewhat interesting beast. I have several pens (some, not on this board, might suggest too many) and was wondering which one you lovely people would recommend for this ink.

 

Steel nibs:

Pilot MR - only takes standard international cartridges at the moment, but I can pick up a converter pretty easily

Jinhao X750 - this seems like a good choice because it's a cheap pen (£3.99) and leaves a big, fat, wet line

Parker IM Premium

Lamy Safari w/ 1.1 stub - my only concern here is that it's the 2013 neon yellow acid trip version and the bright blue might clash horrifically

 

Gold nibs:

Cross Apogee - my first proper FP and one that works well with any ink

Parker UK Duofold Junior - great flow, but a bugger to clean

Pelikan Souverän M600 - somehow I doubt it'll be going in this pen...

 

Or, do I bite the bullet and buy a new pen to dedicate to it? I'm thinking a Lamy Vista might be an interesting pen for the ink.

 

All opinions gratefully received.

[WayTooManyHobbies]

BSB is a striking color in a demonstrator. I have it loaded in a Noodler's Ahab now, and both the pen and ink have been quite well behaved.

[johnmc2]

I have BSB in a Lapis Blue Noodler's Ahab too. I figured it was going to stain whatever I put it into so the pen had to be metal or blue to start with.

I don't use it in anything that has a sac, or any Lamy.

The Jinhao sounds like a good idea, they are solid, good writers.

[Tom Traubert]

I have BSB in a Lapis Blue Noodler's Ahab too. I figured it was going to stain whatever I put it into so the pen had to be metal or blue to start with.

I don't use it in anything that has a sac, or any Lamy.

The Jinhao sounds like a good idea, they are solid, good writers.

 

Thanks for the replies. Any particular reason why you don't use it in a Lamy?

[Baric]

I think the BSB hate is really overblown. I have it in a Conway Stewart Belliver, no issues so far.

[swanjun]

I'd say try it in the Jinhao to start, especially 'cos you can pull the nib and feed on that pen and give it a good cleaning, if you were gonna change colors down the line.

 

I really love BSB but so far have only been brave enough to put it in cheap things. Right now, I've dedicated a Pilot Varsity to it and am really loving it. Perhaps one day I'll try it in a wide italic.

[paulmcmanus]

I've had it in an Edison Collier with a broad stub and it's currently in a Parson's Italix with a broad italic nib. Wet broad nibs really allow the ink to perform at its best - fantastic vibrancy - although you do need to pick your paper. Tomoe River is by far and away the best for BSB - it doesn't feather at all. Check the classifieds: I've just bought 100 sheets myself.

[knappinman]

I love that BSB with a passion and have two bottles so I have one at work in my classroom and one at home. I have found that as long as you clean the pen really well, as in not a bit of colored water even and your nib and feed are clean the ink behaves well. I am an ink switcher, Now granted I only have a few colors but I get bored with colors quick and like to switch. BSB if mixed with other colors will gum up and get sticky and sludgy. This is why you have to have the nib and feed squeaky clean if it has been previously inked with something else BEFORE you fill with BSB. I like and have used the idea that others mentioned to dedicate a pen to it but I end up switching around. My rule is as long as I can take the nib and feed out easily and clean it thoroughly than it can be a BSB pen. If it is difficult to clean thoroughly I do not fill it up with BSB. I have had issues with staining but they are easily solved with bleach and when I clean it I keep a small container with strong bleach solution so I can use a bulb flusher with it and bleach out any staining that has happened.

[Tom Traubert]

Aha! It seems like you're saying "buy a new TWSBI!"

[A144]

I think many over exaggerate the evilness of BSB. I have a blue Safari and a Pilot Metro both dedicated to the ink simply to keep it from staining my demonstrators.

 

I'd avoid it in the LE Safari as it will stain the grip if any gets on it. It's also stained the feed and part of the black section of the Metropolitan, but that doesn't bother me.

 

The Pilot MR or Jinhao would be great pens to try it out in if you're hesitant to buy a dedicated pen for it.

[DaveBj]

I used BSB in a Levenger Truewriter, and when I had used it up and flushed the pen, the converter came out perfectly clear -- no staining. It's going on my buy-a-bottle list.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I suggest the Pilot MR.

 

As NBsBl is vibrant, a narrow nib will give a lower % coverage of the page, so readability is sustainable. I am amongst those Members who find full pages of NBsBl are 'retina searing'.

 

Depending on the paper used, if you encounter wooly line quality, dilution to 80 - 90% concentration with [distilled] water is a no-low-cost work-around.

 

Also, please be aware that the Baystate series of inks do not play well with other inks, so when/if switching inks, a thorough cleansing would be a good thing; and that clean-up chemistry stronger than water is suggested. As such some Members prefer dedicating pen/s for sole use with those inks.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Bye,

S1

[melodiousb]

I recommend against the Lamy--I used BSB in my 10 or so year old yellow Safari, and it turned the section green. That said, if you do stain anything, alcohol wipes work amazingly well.

[johnmc2]

 

Thanks for the replies. Any particular reason why you don't use it in a Lamy?

 

I have read reports on this very website of BSB melting Lamy feeds. I have no personal experience of this, and I can't say whether it's a real or imagined problem, but the number of people who said they have problems was sufficient for me not to risk it.

It's a great colour, though!

Cheers

John

[tmenyc]

BSB is wonderful ink, but it stains what it touches. So, as long as it's going into a pen that's not clear, it works well. That's the good news. The bad news is that this isn't just a permanent ink that stains, it STAINS. Do not flush it out into a jar of water and toss it in the sink or commode, unless you want a Bay State sink or commode. Do not fill your pen from that top heavy bottle if the open bottle is in the same metropolitan area as anything you don't want irrevocably stained, because it seems to attract disaster. That said, it's a lovely ink. And, as I've said many times on this board, I mix it 2:2:1 with Bay State Grape and water -- it is even prettier but not as blinding, and the water helps it dry sometime today.

 

Tim

[wallylynn]

 

I have read reports on this very website of BSB melting Lamy feeds. I have no personal experience of this, and I can't say whether it's a real or imagined problem, but the number of people who said they have problems was sufficient for me not to risk it.

It's a great colour, though!

Cheers

John

I've read the same reports. Apparently, there was a batch of Safari's where the plastic or the glue used didn't like BSB and would dissolve and fall apart.

 

Keep in mind the reports are about 10 years old, none more recent. Reports are also that the problem was remedied. All I can say is that I have used BSB in my Vista with no ill effects. Though my Vista was a dry writer, and BSB is a volatile ink and the combination made for a hard starter. Dilution helped to alleviate that.

 

[Tom Traubert]

I'm considering a Prera as it looks like they can be taken apart for cleaning.

[kestrel]

I have two dedicated BSB pens. One is a blue Estie J with a 2668 nib. As a test I kept it in the rotation for one year without cleaning between refills and had no problems other than the staining mentioned above. Then I dedicated a Lapis Ahab to it and, other than staining, had no problems. Thorough cleaning is important. BSB plus many other inks produces feed clogging sludge.

 

Bleach or bleach wipes will remove stains from sinks, commodes, and most nonporous surfaces. I do not recommend those solutions for porous materials or the curious family cat who tangles with a sample vial (we called our kitty Smurf for a few weeks after the event) and I am reluctant to let bleach or alcohol near my pens.

 

BSB is a fun and unique ink. You just have to make some concessions to its eccentricities.

[Threadbear]

I'll second Sandy1's recommendation of a narrow nib. A thick line of BSB would just be too much for me, though I like it in smaller doses. I've also found that, unless you use top-flight paper like Tomoe River, the feathering can be pretty horrid from pens that lay down a lot of ink (though I haven't tried diluting it yet).

 

It certainly is a unique and fun ink, and I think it's well worth trying to accommodate its foibles. And it gives the perfect excuse for buying lots of lovely Tomoe River paper!

[Tom Traubert]

Sorry for the continued questions but you guys seem to know you stuff with this ink, and demonstrators too; I've decided I really want to see its radiance even before it goes down on paper.

 

So here goes; I've narrowed it down to five pens - which would you choose? I'm hoping that the 'it melts Lamys' thing is in the past - I can't see a popular ink brand getting away with doing that to a popular pen brand!

 

Lamy Vista

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/450x450_fitPad/LM09880-ZZZ~Lamy-vista-Fountain-Pen_P1.jpg

 

Platinum PGB-3000A

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/450x450_fitPad/PT27611-ZZZ~Platinum-PGB-3000A-Cool-Fountain-Pen-Clear_P1.jpg

 

Monteverde Artista Crystal

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/450x450_fitPad/MV26276-ZZZ~Monteverde-Artista-Crystal-Fountain-Pen-Clear_P1.jpg

 

Pilot Prera

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/450x450_fitPad/PL22432-ZZZ~Pilot-Prera-Iro-Ai-Fountain-Pen-Blue_P1.jpg

 

TWSBI Vac 700 (only because I already own a 580 and a Mini and I don't like doubles!)

http://d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/450x450_fitPad/TW27743-ZZZ~TWSBI-Vac-700-Fountain-Pen-Clear_P1.jpg

 

They're all great looking pens, IMHO, so I'll probably go with whichever the majority recommends. Again, mega-thanks for your help - you guys are superb.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Tom Traubert