Us Sample/bottle Share - Feasibility?

December 18, 2014

So I've been thinking about how I'd like to sample the Kobe line without paying a thousand dollars. I had the same thought about a bunch of other inks. Usually I want a bigger sample than 2 ml, as well; 5-8 ml is usually adequate.

I've crunched a bunch of numbers, and I think it's financially feasible. For example, a 2 ml sample vial of Kobe ink (similar to what Goulet and Anderson does) would only need to be $1.27. A 2 dram sample in a glass bottle would be $4.05. Bigger bottles might also be a possibility: 15 ml for $5.90. That doesn't make the ink *cheap* by any means, but it would be affordable to try inks without risking $20 for 50 ml of ink you might hate. (It can be tough to recover that money in the Classifieds, as well; I certainly trust bottles that are aliquoted at the time of opening more than bottles that have sat on someone's desk for a long time.)

I know that it takes me a long time to make it through a bottle, and for those of us that really love colors, this could be a way to have a mini-collection, lots of variety, and not spend thousands of dollars.

I don't think this is limited necessarily to Kobe, either; I could see this working for L'Artisan Pastellier inks, or Diamine Music/Flower Inks. I don't want to step on established toes, so 2 ml samples of commonly available inks at isellpens or Goulet or Anderson probably wouldn't be available. Besides, the savings probably are pretty minimal there. (But that doesn't mean that we couldn't divvy up a bottle into bigger samples.)

So I'm wondering:

a) if anyone is interested in sharing out smallish samples (2-15 ml) of rarer/more expensive inks that don't have samples on the market, and

if anyone is interested in sharing out bigger samples (8-30 ml) of more commonly available inks that you might not want full bottles of (i.e. 6 vials of Diamine for the price of a bottle), and

c) if people have specific inks in either of those two categories that they want to suggest.

I'm not really imagining a pre-paid Group Buy so much as a bit of a trial run if people are really interested in a certain category.

December 18, 2014

I might be interested in this. I find that with larger nibbed pens a 2 ml sample might get me only one real fill, and then if I don't like the pen/ink combination I may not have enough leftover to try in a different pen.

I just went to my favorite measurement conversion site (I have it bookmarked because it's entirely too useful) and 15 ml is about a half ounce. You may be able to get bulk nalgene bottles in bulk. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend glass because of the shipping issues, but I just got a small number of 2 and 4 oz amber glass bottles (the shape of the bottles is what are called "Boston Rounds" -- tallish round bottles with narrow necks) from a place I found online that was amazingly cheap (if you want the caps with the polyseal cones you have to talk to someone on the phone because those aren't listed on the company's website, but I got 6 each of the 2 oz and 4 oz bottles with the correct size cap, plus they threw in a couple of 4 oz eyedropper cap bottles for free as "samples" -- and with shipping the total bill came to just over $20). If you *are* interested in glass (I think they might have had 1 oz ones as well), PM me for details. Standard disclaimer about the company, and having to do a phone order than online to get the caps I wanted was a bit of a PITA -- but if I ever need more bottles I would definitely check that place out first to see if they had the size/shape I wanted.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

December 18, 2014

I might be interested in this. I find that with larger nibbed pens a 2 ml sample might get me only one real fill, and then if I don't like the pen/ink combination I may not have enough leftover to try in a different pen.

I find I can't even get any ink into many of my pens from a 2ml sample. It just isn't deep enough. I can saturate the feed, but that's it. That's usually more than enough to get an idea of the ink, though.

I might be interested in a split like this, depending on the details, etc., etc.

December 19, 2014

This project definitely seems workable!

December 19, 2014

We did this in the UK with the whole Akkerman ink collection (and we all got 5mls of each colour and 1 empty Akkerman bottle).

December 21, 2014

I might be interested in this. I find that with larger nibbed pens a 2 ml sample might get me only one real fill, and then if I don't like the pen/ink combination I may not have enough leftover to try in a different pen.
I just went to my favorite measurement conversion site (I have it bookmarked because it's entirely too useful) and 15 ml is about a half ounce. You may be able to get bulk nalgene bottles in bulk. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend glass because of the shipping issues, but I just got a small number of 2 and 4 oz amber glass bottles (the shape of the bottles is what are called "Boston Rounds" -- tallish round bottles with narrow necks) from a place I found online that was amazingly cheap (if you want the caps with the polyseal cones you have to talk to someone on the phone because those aren't listed on the company's website, but I got 6 each of the 2 oz and 4 oz bottles with the correct size cap, plus they threw in a couple of 4 oz eyedropper cap bottles for free as "samples" -- and with shipping the total bill came to just over $20). If you *are* interested in glass (I think they might have had 1 oz ones as well), PM me for details. Standard disclaimer about the company, and having to do a phone order than online to get the caps I wanted was a bit of a PITA -- but if I ever need more bottles I would definitely check that place out first to see if they had the size/shape I wanted.
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I use Boston Rounds myself for larger amounts of ink. I really like them, but I am not sure about that cap during shipping. (I think I know which place you're talking about, as I had a similar experience.) I am thinking of trying 30 ml sample or transport vials, which are like a scaled up version of the 5 ml vials commonly used. They are fairly wide, stable enough, and the cap seals are really tough. I also haven't had any issues with cap cracking, which I have seen on the rounds occasionally.

I will try to put something together in the next week or so.

December 26, 2014

Ink samples are the best! I'm definately interested in this!

December 30, 2014

I will try to put something together in the next week or so.

If you don't mind me meddling... I've done some of the math and research for this (successfully done with posse)

They way it was executed was as follows (numbers have been changed to fit your objective)

1. Select four trustworthy people (with you is 5 people total)

2. Each one will choose 5 ink colors (total = 25 different ink colors)

3. Each one will Order/Pays for those confirmed colors (Ex. each ones pays 20X5 = $100)

4. Each ones Order/Pays for Transport Tubes (picture below)... can be obtained from any Medical Supply store, or ebay.. cost approx <$10 for 20 pieces

5. Once all have been received, each ones pays for shipping to the other 4 people.

Because of the Transport Tubes, shipping cost is kept to a minimum (I have shipped them all over the world)... You can easily put 5 tubes into a medium size bubble envelope. (Do use silicon tape on the cap just to be safe) Shipping cost approx $4 x 4 = $16

Total cost: 100 (ink) + 10 (tubes) + 20 (shipping) = $130 (approx)

Each pays $130, no exchange of money between participants, each one gets 10ml of 25 different colors and each ones keeps 5 bottles.

Real cost... 130/25 = approx $5/10ml of Kobe ink.

Not too shabby. If you decide to go for 5ml per person, you can get 100 different colors (10 people x 10 bottles... + vials + shipping ... 200 + 10 + 20 = $230, or $2.3/ 5ml sample)

Personally, the 10ml vials seems more worthy.

Transportation tubes are leak proof and light, great for shipping.

http://p.globalsources.com/IMAGES/PDT/B1046491785/Centrifuge-tube.jpg

December 30, 2014

I've actually thought a lot about this too, because mainly I've found that I'm left with like 60 mL bottles of some inks that I like but will literally never use. It's a great idea if you can organize it. My solution has been to eventually just sell samples on FPN (which I'm putting together now, filling vials and whatnot). The more expensive inks still feel pricey, at $2.50 CAD for 2 mL, but it's still better than $40 per bottle of an ink you'll wind up not liking.

Good luck!

December 31, 2014

Thanks! I think I have what I need now. It is nice to get confirmation on the transport vials. I was planning to seal with Parafilm, which makes a mean seal and can exert a good amount of resistance if the lid loosens.

I was really hoping to see samples of some of the more esoteric Sailor inks, and I think 2.50 isn't that high, considering the risks of buying a $40 bottle of ink.

I'm not sure I am up to negotiating split buys like Cyber6 suggests. I am going to start with a few unopened bottles and go from there. (I'm currently waiting for permission to post in the Classifieds, given that I will technically be over my limit as a gold member.)

December 31, 2014

I'm not sure I am up to negotiating split buys like Cyber6 suggests.

I've done that kind of scheme with close friends.. it works really well and I like the part of not having to exchange money. If you want to go on your own, then Saskia's method is better.

...and yes, those tubes are awesome.

C.

December 31, 2014

I've actually thought a lot about this too, because mainly I've found that I'm left with like 60 mL bottles of some inks that I like but will literally never use. It's a great idea if you can organize it. My solution has been to eventually just sell samples on FPN (which I'm putting together now, filling vials and whatnot).

You have an amazing collection of blues that I've been coveting for ages, I can't wait!

December 31, 2014

I am definitely interested - 5 or 10 ml seems to be the sweet spot for me, if I use any more than that I usually finish the entire bottle. Count me in!