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  2. Look what you have !!! 👍😀 Nice Mini Review 😀👍 I didn't know about Castell Gulf blue ink. Great bottle. btw.. It says "Document ink".. does that mean water proof? Hey Eagle Eyes !!!! 🐧 Heart shaped breather holes... 4 clicks to enlarge and it was clear... LOL You'll have to tell me about that Muji paper. Nice review also.👍😀
  3. platorepublic

    The quest for the perfect blue ink

    Personally, I really like Iroshizuku Ama-iro and Sailor Souten. If I had to choose between the two, probably the Souten.
  4. platorepublic

    AI has come for calligraphy

    It does a terrible job with hanzi, e.g. inputting 煮豆持作羹 gives nothing that resembles the original text.
  5. A Smug Dill

    Jinhao 777

    Hmmm, I just ordered fifty-two of the Jinhao 777 pens, so I damn well hope they're good and don't break easily! In which case, model 777 would use 3.4mm-bore ink cartridges, whereas model 599 would use 2.6mm-bore.
  6. AmandaW

    Blue Pen Club- Show Me Your Blue Pens!

    Top to bottom: Faber Castell School pen, Sheaffer No Nonsense dark blue and transparent blue, TWSBI Eco Dark Sapphire (filled with Quink Blue).
  7. AmandaW

    BluePenClub.jpg

    Top to bottom: Faber Castell School pen, Sheaffer No Nonsense dark blue and transparent blue, TWSBI Eco Dark Sapphire (filled with Quink Blue).
  8. platorepublic

    Preserving Your Fountain Pen Ink Collection: Tips and Concerns

    When I mentioned the concern about inks "going bad," I was referring to potential changes in consistency, color, or performance over time that might render them less suitable for writing or even potentially harmful to fountain pens. While it's heartening to hear that your older inks have remained usable, it's also worth acknowledging that not all inks may age as gracefully, for example modern inks that may have been formulated with planned obsolescence in mind, to ensure consumers keep on replacing old inks with new ones. They may perhaps use less concentrated/less effective biocide on purpose or to adhere to everchanging manufacturing standards. Your mention of iron gall inks changing color but remaining usable is a valuable insight. It highlights the resilience of certain types of ink formulations and underscores the importance of understanding how different ink compositions may react over time. Ultimately, the goal of discussing ink preservation is to share knowledge and best practices to ensure that fountain pen enthusiasts can continue to enjoy their collections for years to come. Your firsthand experience with vintage inks adds a valuable perspective to this conversation, and I'm sure many members, myself included, would appreciate further insights or advice you might have on preserving and caring for fountain pen inks.
  9. AmandaW

    What pen(s) are you using today?

    Today, brand new and just inked, a TWSBI Eco Dark Sapphire with an extra fine nib and Quink Blue. It writes OK, but extra fine, it isn't.
  10. Today
  11. lestrade

    Dismantling A Waterman L'etalon Section...

    Like Dr. X, I want to thank you, Ernst, for the encouragement to fix my Etalon that I bought in 1991 in Toulouse. It has been sitting unused for many many years due to a leak in the nib barrel. I hope to have the same success that you have had since this is (was) the nicest writing pen I ever owned. L
  12. Medal Unbleached Flour
  13. Runnin_Ute

    Crane Paper acquired, reopening

    Not certain, but my guess would be "Crane Co" was a shell company that was merged into the original business. I have heard of such things happening.
  14. A good place to start is Stephen Hull's book. Fountain Pens for the Million, The History of Conway Stewart 1905-2005.
  15. Namiki50

    Visit to Hakase and orders

    I order my Amboyna Burl Urushi LE 30, it's so beautiful. May I ask how long is the dimensions of this pen. I choised 134mm wiyhout cap.
  16. Ink stored in the original boxes in a cool, dark place. Inks that come in plastic bottles are transferred to glass (preferred) or Nalgene for long term storage. I watched too many ink levels fall in manufacturer's plastic bottles that had never been opened. Spoilage is indicated by an obnoxious smell and/or blobs of nasty stringy stuff in the ink (aka SITB) and/or a precipitate or other solids in the bottle sticking to the glass or on the bottom of the bottle. All three of my SITB were discovered when I tried to remove some ink to load a sample vial (see below) and the syringe wouldn't fill. When the tip was pulled out of the ink bottle there was a miniature refugee from a science fiction movie hanging from the tip. I never fill a pen from the bottle. I use a sterile syringe to remove ink from the bottle and fill a 5 mL sample vial. Pens are filled from the vial. Vials are stored in shotgun shell storage boxes kept in a box with a lid. The vial contents (not to be confused with vile contents like Concord Bream) are written on a notebook paper reinforcing ring which is then attached to the cap of the bottle. Old inks that are properly stored (i.e. in the dark, tightly capped bottles) can have very old shelf lives. Ink bottles stored where they were exposed to light can fade. I have seen this in inks from Noodler's, Parker, Sheaffer's, and Waterman's. My early 20th century bottle of Paul Wirt blue-black, on the other hand, was kept in its original box and looks really good. I don't try to give each ink its fair share of use. I use what I want when I want and if the inks aren't happy about it that's tough. They are my inks that I bought and I am their master and owner. Then again, there have been rumblings from the J. Herbin shelf of late and I suspect the 1670 inks might be trying to unionize.
  17. I just discovered Spencerian Calligraphy on a website. Oh boy. Not going to clip and paste anything else because I don't know if that is really allowed. I had trouble deciphering about half the alphabet, especially the capital letters 🙂
  18. Please, explain what you mean. With a couple gallons of ink 60-80 years old sitting on the shelves, none have "gone bad." The color of some iron gall inks have changed, but that's it. They are still useable. So, what do you mean by "going bad?"
  19. lestrade

    Waterman L'etalon

    Hi Ashanta, I cannot believe that we have the exact same pen and the same leak! I bought mine in Toulouse in 1991. It is identical to yours. If you have found a source of repair parts, I would love to get the information. Thanks, Patrick
  20. AceNinja

    Lamy Safari Cap Problem

    @DLCJr one can DIY fix the Safari's cap "snapping" feel, I've made a video about this.
  21. lestrade

    Waterman L’etalon problem

    Hi Henk, I have the same pen, which I bought in Toulouse in 1991. My leak problem is caused by a thin crack in the barrel -- same location as in the arrow in your photo. I have had no luck finding a replacement. Patrick
  22. Glenn-SC

    Fake Lamy Studio

    Are you worried about counterfeit Lamys and then asking about getting into the grey market? I am confused.
  23. Runnin_Ute

    "Thick" ink for leaky vintage pen?

    Waterman Serenity Blue is not as wet as many more modern ink formulations is true. It is more of a mid range in wetness these days.
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