Quink Black. . .

[kissing]

It's a strange ink. It works perfectly in some pens. My Sonnet and inexpensive Inoxcroms love the stuff, and write beautifully with Quink black as though they were destined to have been filled with that ink

 

On the other hand, we have pens where Quink black will absolutely not work well with - even after being tweaked by Richard

 

Hawk - I've said this many times, but I will again. Thinking that we should only use the same brand ink in our pens is as significant as using the same branded toothpaste on our toothbrushes

 

You say that manufacturers are never wrong - but history and experience says otherwise (take the Parker Superchrome and Parker "51" ink as examples )

[brh]

My pens love the stuff! I must have a lucky bunch. Granted I don't use vintage, maybe that's part of it. But I generally use Skrip Black 'cause I like the looks of it... But if my flow slows up even slightly, that's when I load the pen up with Quink Black, and all gushes forth again! Not trying to doubt anyone here, just by my own experiences I can't imagine it being problematic! That said, if any of my future pens decide to reject it, well, I'll know not to call the authorities.

 

-brian

[Ink Stained Wretch]

.... Thinking that we should only use the same brand ink in our pens is as significant as using the same branded toothpaste on our toothbrushes

Indeed! Good analogy.

[Hawk]

Let me see if I get the drift of this thread.

1. Parker black Quink ink is no good, it is a faulty product, and should be taken on the market completely.

2. Parker black Quink ink does not work in some models of Parker pens, but might work in others. (How can that possible be?)

3. All the information about Parker Quink ink on the web is completely faulty or incorrect. All positive reviews of this ink are to be ignored.

4. One should buy a Parker pen but not use Parker black Quink ink in it. (Does that make any sense at all).

5. It has been made and sold to the public since 1931 and all this time it has failed to work in Parker pens and other pens, yet people keep buying Parker pens.

6. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will have trouble with the writing ability of their Parker pens.

7. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will experience skipping, flow problems and pen failures.

8. If you own a Parker pen it is advised if you want to use a black use something other than a Parker Quink ink.

9. Parker Quink ink will work perfectly in other brands of pens, but not all. But might in a few.

10. Parker black Quink ink will work in a few modern Parker's but not all.

 

None of this sits right with me.

I own a Parker Frontier, and use the Parker cartridges that came with it (The Parker name is on the Parker cartridge package) and it performs perfectly. starts immediately, and never skips, it is an ideal pen, and ink I might add.

 

Perhaps I somehow have an odd, or unusual, non-functioning Parker pen with Parker cartridges with some other ink in it ?

Hawk

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Let me see if I get the drift of this thread.

1. Parker black Quink ink is no good, it is a faulty product, and should be taken on the market completely. ....

No. No one has said that. Try thinking it through again.

 

Perhaps I somehow have an odd, or unusual, non-functioning Parker pen ...

Well, I think you should look beyond the pen.

[kissing]

1. Parker black Quink ink is no good, it is a faulty product, and should be taken on the market completely.

It works well in most pens, but not some. Now, products in the market are not always "clearly faulty" or "clearly functional". Consumers have opinions, and opinions obviously cause a degree of ambiguity. Whether Black Quink is totally no good is up to the individual to decide. Richard personally says he won't recommend it to anyone. I personally say it works fine in most pens, but not all.

 

2. Parker black Quink ink does not work in some models of Parker pens, but might work in others. (How can that possible be?)

Pens made by the same manufacturer can be VERY different to eachother. Why? Although they're made under the same brand name, they could have different designers, made in different countries, made in different time era, are of different quality levels, etc. For example, a Parker Sonnet is nothing like a Parker Vector, though they're both Parkers. A Parker "51" writes nothing like a modern day Parker Duofold. Different inks work better in them. (eg: Quink works fine in Sonnets, but write too dry in Vectors, generally).

 

3. All the information about Parker Quink ink on the web is completely faulty or incorrect. All positive reviews of this ink are to be ignored.

Wikipedia's article written up by some random person is not "All the information on the web" Speaking of which, anyone who knows a little bit about Parker's ink will tell you that Wikipedia's page on Quink is definitely incorrect. Even the Wiki page has notices about how the article needs a clean up, and that there are disputes on the accuracy of it.

 

As discussed on the other topic in which pendemonium's ink reviews were mentioned - if you visit their review page and read carefully, they have clearly stated that those reviews are strictly their own opinions. The information shared here on this forum is also great information (often more accurate than any manufacturer or independent seller) - but it seems to be the only source of info you dispute and have doubts about...

 

4. One should buy a Parker pen but not use Parker black Quink ink in it. (Does that make any sense at all).

Maybe not to you, since you are adamant in thinking that only Parker inks are to be used in Parker pens. As for the rest of us - it makes perfect sense

 

5. It has been made and sold to the public since 1931 and all this time it has failed to work in Parker pens and other pens, yet people keep buying Parker pens.

This would be a problem for you, as you are limited to using only Quink in Parkers. But for the rest of us, this is no problem at all We just use other, better inks. (Well, you still have Quink Blue, Blue Black and Washable blue at your disposal I guess )

 

6. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will have trouble with the writing ability of their Parker pens.

We never said that. You are jumping to conclusions. I use Black Quink in my Parker Sonnet and have used it in a Duofold before with no problems. However, it has given me trouble in Parker "51"s and Vectors (and as Richard mentioned, a Parker 75 that wrote beautifully with every other ink except Black Quink). Most of us are not goofballs who will continue using a product if the manufacturer told us to do so. If a product doesn't work well for us, we find alternatives..

 

7. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will experience skipping, flow problems and pen failures.

refer to no.6

 

8. If you own a Parker pen it is advised if you want to use a black use something other than a Parker Quink ink.

Yes. From experience, and expert advice. I for one believe personal experience and expert advice from one of the most respected pen professionals beats an uninformed, marketing-focused manufacturer's recommendations any day.

If we had a poll on "Do you only use Parker inks in your Parker pens, and no other brand ink?" The results would be "Yes: 1 No: 100+". Sorry.

 

9. Parker Quink ink will work perfectly in other brands of pens, but not all. But might in a few.

Yes. Now come to the light

 

10. Parker black Quink ink will work in a few modern Parker's but not all.

For most of us, this is dead obvious. It seems as though it's a difficult concept on your side.

 

None of this sits right with me.

I own a Parker Frontier, and use the Parker cartridges that came with it (The Parker name is on the Parker cartridge package) and it performs perfectly. starts immediately, and never skips, it is an ideal pen, and ink I might add.

Yes, you are 100% right Hawk. Your single little test with one Frontier and Quink black disproves all of us, who have used fountain pens for years. It proves that Richard Binder is totally wrong, and he must be doing his pen repairs wrong all the time, somehow causing only Black Quink not to flow well in the pens *nose grows longer*

 

Perhaps I somehow have an odd, or unusual, non-functioning Parker pen with Parker cartridges with some other ink in it ?

Hawk

Believe what you want

 

In the end, you're the only one who's missing out

[Hawk]

1. Parker black Quink ink is no good, it is a faulty product, and should be taken on the market completely.

It works well in most pens, but not some. Now, products in the market are not always "clearly faulty" or "clearly functional". Consumers have opinions, and opinions obviously cause a degree of ambiguity. Whether Black Quink is totally no good is up to the individual to decide. Richard personally says he won't recommend it to anyone. I personally say it works fine in most pens, but not all.

 

2. Parker black Quink ink does not work in some models of Parker pens, but might work in others. (How can that possible be?)

Pens made by the same manufacturer can be VERY different to eachother. Why? Although they're made under the same brand name, they could have different designers, made in different countries, made in different time era, are of different quality levels, etc. For example, a Parker Sonnet is nothing like a Parker Vector, though they're both Parkers. A Parker "51" writes nothing like a modern day Parker Duofold. Different inks work better in them. (eg: Quink works fine in Sonnets, but write too dry in Vectors, generally).

 

3. All the information about Parker Quink ink on the web is completely faulty or incorrect. All positive reviews of this ink are to be ignored.

Wikipedia's article written up by some random person is not "All the information on the web" Speaking of which, anyone who knows a little bit about Parker's ink will tell you that Wikipedia's page on Quink is definitely incorrect. Even the Wiki page has notices about how the article needs a clean up, and that there are disputes on the accuracy of it.

 

As discussed on the other topic in which pendemonium's ink reviews were mentioned - if you visit their review page and read carefully, they have clearly stated that those reviews are strictly their own opinions. The information shared here on this forum is also great information (often more accurate than any manufacturer or independent seller) - but it seems to be the only source of info you dispute and have doubts about...

 

4. One should buy a Parker pen but not use Parker black Quink ink in it. (Does that make any sense at all).

Maybe not to you, since you are adamant in thinking that only Parker inks are to be used in Parker pens. As for the rest of us - it makes perfect sense

 

5. It has been made and sold to the public since 1931 and all this time it has failed to work in Parker pens and other pens, yet people keep buying Parker pens.

This would be a problem for you, as you are limited to using only Quink in Parkers. But for the rest of us, this is no problem at all We just use other, better inks. (Well, you still have Quink Blue, Blue Black and Washable blue at your disposal I guess )

 

6. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will have trouble with the writing ability of their Parker pens.

We never said that. You are jumping to conclusions. I use Black Quink in my Parker Sonnet and have used it in a Duofold before with no problems. However, it has given me trouble in Parker "51"s and Vectors (and as Richard mentioned, a Parker 75 that wrote beautifully with every other ink except Black Quink). Most of us are not goofballs who will continue using a product if the manufacturer told us to do so. If a product doesn't work well for us, we find alternatives..

 

7. Anyone using black Parker Quink ink will experience skipping, flow problems and pen failures.

refer to no.6

 

8. If you own a Parker pen it is advised if you want to use a black use something other than a Parker Quink ink.

Yes. From experience, and expert advice. I for one believe personal experience and expert advice from one of the most respected pen professionals beats an uninformed, marketing-focused manufacturer's recommendations any day.

If we had a poll on "Do you only use Parker inks in your Parker pens, and no other brand ink?" The results would be "Yes: 1 No: 100+". Sorry.

 

9. Parker Quink ink will work perfectly in other brands of pens, but not all. But might in a few.

Yes. Now come to the light

 

10. Parker black Quink ink will work in a few modern Parker's but not all.

For most of us, this is dead obvious. It seems as though it's a difficult concept on your side.

 

None of this sits right with me.

I own a Parker Frontier, and use the Parker cartridges that came with it (The Parker name is on the Parker cartridge package) and it performs perfectly. starts immediately, and never skips, it is an ideal pen, and ink I might add.

Yes, you are 100% right Hawk. Your single little test with one Frontier and Quink black disproves all of us, who have used fountain pens for years. It proves that Richard Binder is totally wrong, and he must be doing his pen repairs wrong all the time, somehow causing only Black Quink not to flow well in the pens *nose grows longer*

 

Perhaps I somehow have an odd, or unusual, non-functioning Parker pen with Parker cartridges with some other ink in it ?

Hawk

Believe what you want

 

In the end, you're the only one who's missing out

Well, if what you and others have said is true I have purchased my very last Parker pen, and I would strongly advise others to do the same.

Hawk

Edited December 24, 2006 by Hawk

[jsonewald]

If you can say " I own a Parker Frontier, and use the Parker cartridges that came with it (The Parker name is on the Parker cartridge package) and it performs perfectly. starts immediately, and never skips, it is an ideal pen, and ink I might add." , followed by "Well, if what you and others have said is true I have purchased my very last Parker pen, and I would advise others to do the same."

 

then your evaluation and decision is based on some very strange logic.

 

The message of this thread is very simple, Quink Black works for some people, in some pens, It does not work for some people, in some pens. The collective experience of some users and pen professionals is that it is more likely to cause problems than other inks. Leaping to the conclusion that no one should buy any Parker pen because of a single problematic ink is simply (put your own choice of wording here).

 

(Edited to lower the tone.)

Edited December 24, 2006 by jsonewald

[Hawk]

If you can say " I own a Parker Frontier, and use the Parker cartridges that came with it (The Parker name is on the Parker cartridge package) and it performs perfectly. starts immediately, and never skips, it is an ideal pen, and ink I might add." , followed by "Well, if what you and others have said is true I have purchased my very last Parker pen, and I would advise others to do the same."

 

then your evaluation and decision is based on some very strange logic.

 

The message of this thread is very simple, Quink Black works for some people, in some pens, It does not work for some people, in some pens. The collective experience of some users and pen professionals is that it is more likely to cause problems than other inks. Leaping to the conclusion that no one should buy any Parker pen because of a single problematic ink is simply (put your own choice of wording here).

 

(Edited to lower the tone.)

My point being is that I am not about to make purchases from any company that produces and sells faulty products.

Hawk

[helius]

You won't buy from any company that intentionally sells faulty products?

 

When exactly will you be retreating from modern civilization?

[Hawk]

When exactly will you be retreating from modern civilization? 

Just curious what do you mean by that last remark?

Edited December 24, 2006 by Hawk

[Green Maned Lion]

I am not the biggest fan of Parker pens in the world. I have had 3 Parkers, and Hero 100, all of which have, to my mind, outragously stiff nibs with no character to them. I am not going to claim that all Parkers are that way, but a Parker Reflex, Parker Vector, Parker Jotter, and a copy of the Parker 51 all write that way for me. I may try out other Parkers in the future, I might not.

 

I have several bottles of Quink Black which works very well in some pens, and is worthless in others. One of the pens it is worthless in was the Parker Jotter.

 

I have quite a few bottles of ink, and some work in some pens, and some work less well in a given pen than others. One of my Waterman Phileases absolutely HATES Waterman Blue-Black. My dad's Honda seems to choke up on Sunoco gas, but runs fine on (somewhat cheaper) fuel from Amarada-Hess. My mom's Audi runs better on Sunoco than others. Go figure.

 

IBM made perhaps the best Windows desktops in the world for a while. One of their hard-drive lines is (ink) and shouldn't be used in an IBM or anything else.

 

Pelikan, among others, makes inks that are not for fountain pens. Try using that in your Pelikan. See what happens.

 

Hawk, Richard is considered one of the leading authorities on fountain pens around here, he runs a very successful business repairing and selling both new and used fountain pens. He charges more than most web repaires and nib-meisters, and gets it because he is that good. When he tells you something, shut up and listen because he knows a lot more about it than you.

 

You are a fountain pen hobbiest and, since you are such a new member here, probably something of a novice at it. Richard repairs and sells fountain pens for a living, does so successfully, and does so under the scrutiny of this forum, almost all members of which respect him.

 

Think about this for a second. Who knows more about what he is talking about? Richard, the expert, or you, the novice?

 

I don't wish to be rude, but you know not of which you speak. I am finding your force-fed opinions on the subject more tiresome than appreciated, to be brutally frank. If you want to give your opinions, that's fine. But keep in mind a lot of it is pure opinion (thus, you can't be right as there is neither right nor wrong with opinions), and in some cases its simply a lack of information. When an expert corrects you, it is wise that, unless you can cite and quote 7 sources proving the man wrong, that you simply realize he is likely right.

 

I love giving people my opinion, but I know when I am talking to the person who knows more and bow to the more knowledgeable person in that instant. Perhaps you would consider doing the same.

 

Edited: small typographical errors pointed out by my nag of a girlfriend (actually she's the best girl ever and I love teasing her, but whatever)

Edited December 24, 2006 by Green Maned Lion

[OldGriz]

5. It has been made and sold to the public since 1931 and all this time it has failed to work in Parker pens and other pens, yet people keep buying Parker pens.

 

Well, if what you and others have said is true I have purchased my very last Parker pen, and I would strongly advise others to do the same.

Hawk

You continue to make the statement that this ink has been made and sold to the public since 1931. You are wrong... the ink originally developed back then was taken off the market due to problems with it hurting pens.

The Parker Quink that is sold today, no way resembles for formula that was sold in 1931... it is a totally different ink formulation.

As for you statement about never buying another Parker pen because Quink Black is not a good ink... that happens to one of the strangest statements I have heard here in a long time. Parker makes good pens.... just because one of the colors of ink is not great, you don't quit buying the pens, you quit buying the ink.

Richard Binder has forgotten more about pen repair and inks than I will probably learn in what remains of my life time. I am lucky to know the man personally and have learned (through my own stupidity) to listen to what he says. I had the same problems with Quink Black in 51s that a lot of people do... I refused to accept it was the ink. In the end, I finally had to take apart the pens, reclean the collectors and change inks.... Some of these same pens that skipped and wrote dry with Quink Black work great with Noodlers and some won't... but work great with Watermans or J Herbin or Diamine. Does this mean because Quink Black does not write well in these pens I have to throw away great writing pens...

Ain't gonna happen my friend.....

[Richard]

I am not about to make purchases from any company that produces and sells faulty products.

I'm not helius, and I don't play him on TV, but I can answer his point. You say you are not about to purchase from companies that make faulty products, well, the percentage of the world's manufacturers that make faulty products is precisely 100%. There has never existed, nor will there ever exist, a manufacturer that has never made and will never make a defective product of some sort. This is what warranties are about -- why would you need a warranty on your brandy-new MacBook or ThinkPad or Vaio or whatever if there were zero chance that it would fail on you?

 

The ineluctable conclusion from the combination of your statement with the fact of universal imperfection is that you are never going to buy anything from anybody, and that, not to put too fine a point on it, means that you are going to withdraw from civilization.

 

Look at it this way: {insert company name here} makes ink. Some of this company's inks are spectacularly good, some are mediocre, and some don't work for some people in some pens. The proper response to this situation is to avoid the specific products that do not work for you. Real-world example: your Frontier works for you, and the ink you're using in it works for you, so to decide not to purchase any more Frontiers or any more of that ink seems rather like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

MORAL: Absolutism almost never works out.

[Hawk]

I am not the biggest fan of Parker pens in the world. I have had 3 Parkers, and Hero 100, all of which have, to my mind, outragously stiff nibs with no character to them. I am not going to claim that all Parkers are that way, but a Parker Reflex, Parker Vector, Parker Jotter, and a copy of the Parker 51 all write that way for me. I may try out other Parkers in the future, I might not.

 

I have several bottles of Quink Black which works very well in some pens, and is worthless in others. One of the pens it is worthless in was the Parker Jotter.

 

I have quite a few bottles of ink, and some work in some pens, and some work less well in a given pen than others. One of my Waterman Phileases absolutely HATES Waterman Blue-Black. My dad's Honda seems to choke up on Sunoco gas, but runs fine on (somewhat cheaper) fuel from Amarada-Hess. My mom's Audi runs better on Sunoco than others. Go figure.

 

IBM made perhaps the best Windows desktops in the world for a while. One of their hard-drive lines is (ink) and shouldn't be used in an IBM or anything else.

 

Pelikan, among others, makes inks that are not for fountain pens. Try using that in your Pelikan. See what happens.

 

Hawk, Richard is considered one of the leading authorities on fountain pens around here, he runs a very successful business repairing and selling both new and used fountain pens. He charges more than most web repaires and nib-meisters, and gets it because he is that good. When he tells you something, shut up and listen because he knows a lot more about it than you.

 

You are a fountain pen hobbiest and, since you are such a new member here, probably something of a novice at it. Richard repairs and sells fountain pens for a living, does so successfully, and does so under the scrutiny of this forum, almost all members of which respect him.

 

Think about this for a second. Who knows more about what he is talking about? Richard, the expert, or you, the novice?

 

I don't wish to be rude, but you know not of which you speak. I am finding your force-fed opinions on the subject more tiresome than appreciated, to be brutally frank. If you want to give your opinions, that's fine. But keep in mind a lot of it is pure opinion (thus, you can't be right as there is neither right nor wrong with opinions), and in some cases its simply a lack of information. When an expert corrects you, it is wise that, unless you can cite and quote 7 sources proving the man wrong, that you simply realize he is likely right.

 

I love giving people my opinion, but I know when I am talking to the person who knows more and bow to the more knowledgeable person in that instant. Perhaps you would consider doing the same.

 

Edited: small typographical errors pointed out by my nag of a girlfriend (actually she's the best girl ever and I love teasing her, but whatever)

Here's my point of view based on what has been said in this thread

If a product fails to perform for the pens its designed for it is a total failure, and if a company knowingly produces such a product that has been evaluated by experts in the field to be lame, then it is time to move away from that product line completely and seek a better, more reliable product, in this case, faulty Parker pen products.

 

There are plenty of other pen manufactures (Sheaffer, Aurora, Pelikan, etc) that make worthwhile pens, and ink products so my suggestion is to look elsewhere and steer clear of all Parker products.

Hawk :ph34r:

Edited December 24, 2006 by Hawk

[Richard]

You continue to make the statement that this ink has been made and sold to the public since 1931.  You are wrong... the ink originally developed back then was taken off the market due to problems with it hurting pens.

I'm sorry, Tom, but you have fallen into the same misconception as the author of the Wikipedia article on Quink. Parker has sold four distinct brand-named ink families:

• Quink: introduced 1931, still in production with changes in formula for forensic and environmental reasons. (E.g., the biocide used today is not the same one that was used in 1931.) The classic Parker ink for all fountain pens.
• "51": introduced 1941, withdrawn 1948. The deadly one.
• Superchrome: introduced 1948, withdrawn 1956. Slightly less deadly.
• Penman: introduced 1993, withdrawn 2001. Clog prone for many people.

[lisa]

Hawk,

You seem to question what people say around here and you don't automaticly think that everything you read here is the thruth. This is IMO a healthy attitude. But you do seem to take everything you read or hear elsewhere (wikipedia/pendimonium/what a salesperson from a big company says/an ebay seller) as gospel. And don't question that at all.

This seems odd to me. On one hand you question a well known expert(Richard) and on the other hand you believe a salespitch and a wiki article when you don't know who has written at all.

 

No offence but part of me is starting to wonder if you're simply trolling us. No offence if you're not but to me you're behaviour doesn't make sence.

 

 

-edit-forgot something

Edited December 24, 2006 by lisa

[Hawk]

Hawk,

You seem to question what people say around here and you don't automaticly think that everything you read here is the thruth. This is IMO a healthy attitude. But you do seem to take everything you read or hear elsewhere (wikipedia/pendimonium/what a salesperson from a big company says/an ebay seller) as gospel. And don't question that at all.

This seems odd to me. On one hand you question a well known expert(Richard) and on the other hand you believe a salespitch and a wiki article when you don't know who has written at all.

 

No offence but part of me is starting to wonder if you're simply trolling us. No offence if you're not but to me you're behaviour doesn't make sence.

 

 

-edit-forgot something

Hello Lisa, I am not trolling anything, or anyone, as you would like to suggest, (That to me is a personal attack on my character, and a nasty dig on your part).

I am simply stating my point of view. There is no crime in that. I have based my decisions solely (Not buying any more Parker Products) on what I have read in this thread, nothing complicated there.

If member (s) say Parker products are no good I simply don't want anything further to do with Parker.

There are many other options (Pen manufactures), and I simply prefer to avoid any problems with my pens, and spend my money wisely.

Hawk

[jsonewald]

To quote: "If a product fails to perform for the pens its designed for it is a total failure, and if a company knowingly produces such a product that has been evaluated by experts in the field to be lame, then it is time to move away from that product line completely and seek a better, more reliable product, in this case, faulty Parker pen products."

 

In this case there are a number people, including you, who say their particular combination does work well. There are respected experts who say that it may, or may not work. If one is going to be precise and clear in communication, then product cannot be a "total failure". To take the extreme view that, by implication, all products from the company are suspect, is ridiculous.

 

The immediate extension of that logic is that no one should ever buy a Microsoft product, for example, or any prescription drug, or any other product for that matter.

 

I think Lisa may be on to something.

[lisa]

Hawk,

Part of me was starting to wonder, and I said 'no offence' twice in case I was wondering wrong. I personally think that that isn't a nasty dig, but a polite way of questioning what I read.

I'm sorry you took it so bad, that was not my intention.