Parker Quink Black

[Ad_Astra]

http://i.imgur.com/XuxSO.jpg

 

The X Feather is more black, but still not hugely so. More significant is the water test, where I just took a damp Q-tip and swabbed it over the ink, and already it seemed to be breaking up on the surface.

 

Thoughts?

[welch]

Parker no longer focusses on their inks, but you still can't go far wrong with Parker Quink, Sheaffer new Skrip, or Waterman, or Pelikan for a dry touch. Use other inks when you find a need. (And I keep a bottle of imported Quink ermanent Blue, just because I kind of like it. Parker does not make it available to retailers in North America, for some reason.)

[inkstainedruth]

Parker no longer focusses on their inks, but you still can't go far wrong with Parker Quink, Sheaffer new Skrip, or Waterman, or Pelikan for a dry touch. Use other inks when you find a need. (And I keep a bottle of imported Quink ermanent Blue, just because I kind of like it. Parker does not make it available to retailers in North America, for some reason.)

 

Which in a way is kinda too bad. I have some Quink Permanent Blue in cartridges, and it's a much nicer color than the Quink Washable Blue (which has the additional problem of being extremely UV sensitive -- haven't checked about the Permanent Blue, but the WB faded a *lot* after a month or two in a closed notebook where I didn't write all the way to the margins.... :blink:

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mhosea]

I have some Quink Permanent Blue in cartridges, and it's a much nicer color than the Quink Washable Blue (which has the additional problem of being extremely UV sensitive -- haven't checked about the Permanent Blue, but the WB faded a *lot* after a month or two in a closed notebook where I didn't write all the way to the margins.... :blink:

 

Quink Washable Blue has magical fading ability. I bought a bottle of Quink Washable Blue from Goulet because it was on-sale once, and because their swab of it looked nice. I found that this ink fades significantly in a matter of several minutes to something like an hour after drying, no matter what you do. I wasn't satisfied with the faded, washed-out result. After reading that they were both acidic, I combined Quink Washable Blue with a bottle of Waterman South Sea Blue, which I had thought I would like but got tired of. The combined color still has the fading behavior of the Quink component. It goes on looking like you are writing with Noodler's blue, but an hour later it becomes dark turquoise as some of the blueness fades away.

[WetWetWet]

I've used black Quink and blue Quink in a broad nibbed P51 for over 20 years. The slightly dry Quink combines very well with the generously flowing and smooth nib.

 

Thanks for a nice review

[Parker Quink Turquoise]

Parker Quink Black is the only black ink I use.Never any problems with it.

[jra81]

I have some Quink Permanent Blue in cartridges, and it's a much nicer color than the Quink Washable Blue (which has the additional problem of being extremely UV sensitive -- haven't checked about the Permanent Blue, but the WB faded a *lot* after a month or two in a closed notebook where I didn't write all the way to the margins.... :blink:

 

Quink Washable Blue has magical fading ability. I bought a bottle of Quink Washable Blue from Goulet because it was on-sale once, and because their swab of it looked nice. I found that this ink fades significantly in a matter of several minutes to something like an hour after drying, no matter what you do. I wasn't satisfied with the faded, washed-out result. After reading that they were both acidic, I combined Quink Washable Blue with a bottle of Waterman South Sea Blue, which I had thought I would like but got tired of. The combined color still has the fading behavior of the Quink component. It goes on looking like you are writing with Noodler's blue, but an hour later it becomes dark turquoise as some of the blueness fades away.

 

I did an interesting exam after I read this thing about its fading effects. I took a drop of this washable blue Quink to a transparent glass vial and added 5 cc tap water. After mixing the ink and the water, I put a little bit baking soda into this solution. What I found, I could barely see the blue color. The pH of the solution was alkaline. Soon after I put couple drops of vinegar into this solution and the nice, blue color came back in an acidic solution.

 

So the fade might be explained by the properties of the paper. If the wet paper is alkaline, as they quite often are, it really can provoke this fading phenomena.

 

I checked also couple reviews from users about Parker Quink washable blue and I found 50:50 situation there. About half of the users used this ink as daily basis, the others couldn´t stand it at all and some people even said this ink was too grey for their taste.

 

So the properties of the paper may do matter.

[welch]

I have some Quink Permanent Blue in cartridges, and it's a much nicer color than the Quink Washable Blue (which has the additional problem of being extremely UV sensitive -- haven't checked about the Permanent Blue, but the WB faded a *lot* after a month or two in a closed notebook where I didn't write all the way to the margins.... :blink:

 

Quink Washable Blue has magical fading ability. I bought a bottle of Quink Washable Blue from Goulet because it was on-sale once, and because their swab of it looked nice. I found that this ink fades significantly in a matter of several minutes to something like an hour after drying, no matter what you do. I wasn't satisfied with the faded, washed-out result. After reading that they were both acidic, I combined Quink Washable Blue with a bottle of Waterman South Sea Blue, which I had thought I would like but got tired of. The combined color still has the fading behavior of the Quink component. It goes on looking like you are writing with Noodler's blue, but an hour later it becomes dark turquoise as some of the blueness fades away.

 

I did an interesting exam after I read this thing about its fading effects. I took a drop of this washable blue Quink to a transparent glass vial and added 5 cc tap water. After mixing the ink and the water, I put a little bit baking soda into this solution. What I found, I could barely see the blue color. The pH of the solution was alkaline. Soon after I put couple drops of vinegar into this solution and the nice, blue color came back in an acidic solution.

 

So the fade might be explained by the properties of the paper. If the wet paper is alkaline, as they quite often are, it really can provoke this fading phenomena.

 

I checked also couple reviews from users about Parker Quink washable blue and I found 50:50 situation there. About half of the users used this ink as daily basis, the others couldn´t stand it at all and some people even said this ink was too grey for their taste.

 

So the properties of the paper may do matter.

 

Thank you. Fascinating investigation, and would explain why I could use washable inks (some Quink blue) more than 40 years ago without noticing a problem. About three years ago I tried Quink Washable Blue in Levenger's Notabilia notebooks, and found that it faded as it dried. Wrote a bright blue, but then looked washed-out by the time I had finished a sentence.

[The Good Captain]

So maybe using Quink on 'acid-free paper' should be avoided if longevity of colour is desired? I've noticed that the Quink Blue-Black containing Solv-X certainly stays a respectable colour and doesn't go to Teal, like the modern one minus the 'miracle ingredient' does.

[crinar]

I'm in the market for my first black ink. I've got the list narrowed down to Waterman, Sheaffer Skrip, and Parker Quink. I'm giving strong consideration to Parker because it's relatively inexpensive and very easy to find locally.

[bwnewton]

I'm in the market for my first black ink. I've got the list narrowed down to Waterman, Sheaffer Skrip, and Parker Quink. I'm giving strong consideration to Parker because it's relatively inexpensive and very easy to find locally.

 

Among those three choices, I think you'll be satisfied with Quink. I've used both Skrip and Quink a lot. Both are good, but I keep going back to Quink for use in one of my journals. It seems to flow a bit better than Skrip from the pen I use for journaling. Skrip might be a bit more water resistant, however.

[pienaar]

Your water test did not look to bad. The Quink I have is the white label with the Solv-X on the label. This stuff was totally readable after a soaking. But it turned blue. I like how fast it drys.

[Ad_Astra]

Your water test did not look to bad. The Quink I have is the white label with the Solv-X on the label. This stuff was totally readable after a soaking. But it turned blue. I like how fast it drys.

 

It really depends how much water you think you'll be encountering. A slight spill of your water bottle onto your desk? Probably not a huge deal. A rainstorm with droplets hitting your exposed page of notes at a decent velocity while you walk to class? Might not hold up so well.

[pienaar]

Your water test did not look to bad. The Quink I have is the white label with the Solv-X on the label. This stuff was totally readable after a soaking. But it turned blue. I like how fast it drys.

 

It really depends how much water you think you'll be encountering. A slight spill of your water bottle onto your desk? Probably not a huge deal. A rainstorm with droplets hitting your exposed page of notes at a decent velocity while you walk to class? Might not hold up so well.

 

I did not see your reply. Sorry that this is a month later. But I wanted to clarify, I put my paper I was testing in the sink, turned the water on high. I let the water run for 30secs. The paper was so soaked you could see your hand through it. The Quink was totally readable after that. Though the black was gone and it was blue.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Some one lent me a Sonnet in F, so I decided to use the Parker Qwink Black cartridges that had been laying around since Custer had hair.

 

The Sonnet wrote very well....I was using Clairefontaine Veloute 90g (very similar to Oxford Optic 90g which is used in the Red & Black notebooks too.) and the Quink was a nice dark shading gray. I swapped nibs to an OM that was B wide, and there was no real line variation, but on that paper the dark gray ink shaded very well indeed.

 

Tried some regular papers, Uninspiring Black was not as good as Inspired Gray.

 

Gray ink seems in, to some folks...so if you have the right paper, Quink permanent black, can be a real nice dark shading gray.

 

There had been a post or two from folks looking for a shading black....a color I'd never thought about as shading...out side the IG inks.

I'm not much into black inks...my bottle of Pelikan has not been used since I dipped it and said...yep real black still...it being some 45 years since I'd last used it. I used some to try and make a home made Pelikan Blue Black...more blue than black. That didn't work well.

I'd used Parker Black back in the day of B&W TV just like the cheaper due to $ to DM rate, Pelikan. We didn't know enough back in the day to be nit picky like today....and for boys....there was only three colors, blue, BB and Black.

I'm telling you i had a dismal childhood....but survived to live into The Golden Age of Inks.

 

Aurora is on my list....even if it's just to say I have it.

 

Well, on the right paper, Qwink black is a shading black, or a nice dark gray shading ink.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[bluebellrose]

Parker no longer focusses on their inks, but you still can't go far wrong with Parker Quink, Sheaffer new Skrip, or Waterman, or Pelikan for a dry touch. Use other inks when you find a need. (And I keep a bottle of imported Quink ermanent Blue, just because I kind of like it. Parker does not make it available to retailers in North America, for some reason.)

Waterman and Parker have the same parent company. For all intents and purposes Waterman ink and Parker ink are interchangable

 

Just like Sheffer and Cross now have the same parent company

Edited January 8, 2018 by bluebellrose

[alexander_k]

Thanks for the review. Quink doesn't receive much attention and it's getting rather expensive in comparison to better alternatives like R&K. I've used Black (actually dark grey) for years and it's alright with fine nibs but nothing more than that. As for Washable Blue, it's the best cleaning fluid I've used and quite useful for diluting other inks, too. Diamine Sargasso and Majestic Blue lost the irritating sheen when diluted with it. So, I still keep a bottle of Washable Blue but not for writing.

[carlos.q]

My medium nibbed Parker 51 loves this ink...

[bluebellrose]

I discovered parker black quink can actually be black in a wet enough nib. Tried it in my wettest pen which isn't tipped and more of a gusher

Edited April 4, 2018 by bluebellrose

[Honeybadgers]

quink black is fine. Nothing WRONG with it, and it can sometimes shade and look like a nice purple-grey.

 

Now, the quink color I REALLY like is their blue black. it's one of the most vibrant BB's out there and I adore the shade.