With the recent discussions about Noodler's X-Feather, I am wondering what inks, readily available from our local or online retailers, are less likely to feather on sub-par paper? I just received a Levenger Circa kit, and would hate to fall-back to using a ball-point just because the paper feathers and bleeds-through.

And yeah, I plan on getting the HP Premium paper and making my own filler, but, the question remains:

In your experience, which "common" inks are less likely to feather on suboptimal writing surfaces?

I think one of the reasons for the development of Noodler's Black was eliminating feathering on newsprint.

Ron

I may be wrong, but isn't feathering caused more by the PAPER than the ink?

Here's my experience...

The Waterman and Private Reserve inks I have never have had any problems with feathering, but there is this problem: for some reason, my latest pack of loose-leaf paper seems to have been produced poorly. It's as if it were Friday or something, and people were getting lazy. Much of the paper is good, but if a line is drawn across the page, it is revealed that small spots are extremely feather-prone, and bleeding can be seen on the other side. The pattern is that there is a strip of dotted featherness about 1.5" wide left of the middle on the front side of each sheet. It same results occurred with my Waterman Black and PR Spearmint inks. It's annoying, but I hate to waste so much paper.

The inks I use don't feather noticeably on any paper, except for this one pack of crappy filler paper. My family doesn't read newspapers, so I have yet to try any of my inks on such paper.

Use a fine-point Pelikan rollerball refilll!! Absolutely NO bleed whatsoeveron any kind of paper. (I know, that's not what you asked. Blame it on the medication making me silly, sorry.) The only FP I've ever been able to use for a newsprint crossword without getting on my nerves by feathering was a Waterman Harmonie F nib filled with Waterman blue-black ink. Believe me, I am grateful for this. This X-Feather sounds interesting.

The iron gall ink i know by experience, Lamy Blue-Black in the bottle, doesn't feather easily.

I have found on a number of different papers that Private Reserve Lake Placid Blue both feathers, and bleeds through to the other side of the paper, while Parker Quink Permanent Blue doesn't.

Glad I found this thread, but thought there would be more suggestions! It's hard to find inks less likely to feather on common paper.
So far I think Lamy Blue and Noodlers Iraqi Indigo appear to feather less than some of my other inks.

I can second the mention of Lamy Blue, here. I use Lamy Blue cartridges in a relatively cheap Lamy Safari (F nib) and have pretty good luck on cheap paper. I just tested that combination on some newsprint, and achieved decent results as far as feathering, especially with a light and quick stroke. Bleed-through was pretty bad, however....

It's the paper that causes the feathering - not the inks. Though some inks will work better on lower quality paper.

Lately I've become less enchanged with rhodia paper. Lots of inks will show slight feathering on it, and I've found it's not necessarily the best choice for flex nibs.

Stephen

On the really awful writing paper used at work I find I get bleedthrough & feathering with the following inks:
Noodler's BSB
Diamine Turquoise, Claret, Saddle Brown, Woodland Green, Sapphire Blue, Imperial Purple.

I get no feathering, but some bleedthrough with:-
Parker Quink Red

I get no feathering or bleedthrough with:-
Parker Quink Black
Pelikan Turquoise (1:1 Dilution with water).

Hope this helps,

Richard.

I have a Moleskine which is prone to feathering. With all of the Noodler's inks I have tried, there has been significant feathering. None of these inks feather in my Rhodia notebook.

Legal Lapis
Tahitian Pearl
Aircorps Blue/Black
Luxury Blue
Bulletproof Black
Le Couleur Royale (less so than the others)

Waterman Florida Blue, Havana Brown, and Parker Black Quink show virtually no feathering in the Moleskine. I had to switch to Florida Blue for this notebook, which is annoying, because I would prefer to use something water resistant. At least it's an attractive color.

Well, I have used my Noodlers' Bulletproof (standard) Black on newsprint and it works well; also on most cheap papers. On the cheap paper I have, Noodlers Legal Lapis and PR Midnight Blus and DCSS all feather moderately. Waterman Blue-Black feathers, but not as much. All are fine in Black'N'Red notebooks.

Of the Noodler's bulletproofs, Black seems to feather the least (at least in my experience) on the cheap notepads used in office. I haven't tried X-feather yet...

Doug

I have found this all very interesting and have taken note of the experiences of all concerned.
Thank you.

That said: It's all trade off.

The inks that feather eg most Waterman and most Herbin are efficient in the feed and collector and least likely to clog.

Sheaffer and Parker inks are a remarkable compromise in respect of feathering an much else (they also wash off fingers easily)

Inks containing large amounts of detergent tend to feather.

No one has mentioned the nib size but EF nibs that lay down smaller amounts of ink will be less likely to feather than big stubs.

Those lucky enough to write on the same paper every day find it easier to choose an ink.

Again thanks

Solitaire

Vintage Quink seems to be a truly magical ink when it comes to resisting feathering. My Duofold lays down huge pools of the stuff, and it doesn't feather AT ALL on almost any sort of paper (excluding recycled stuff).

I came across the Writer's Bloc website where I was pleased to find excellent color samples listed. In addition to the usual swab, the name of the ink is written underneath the sample. It can be difficult to tell how an ink will react based on a swab alone, but the written sample is telling. For instance, you'll see significant feathering in Noodler's Polar Blue and Baystate Blue, but I don't see any feathering in the Eternal inks, or the Black samples.

A drier writing pen will produce less feathering. I have found that Waterman, Quink, and Skrip do not feather on many cheap papers, but I am using vintage inks.

I have found that feathering on sub-par paper is avoided by using better than "sub-par" paper.

That said... I would break out the felt tip if you're writing on TERRIBLE PAPER....

That said... again... I like the effect of writing on tissue paper love notes with a very light touch with my fountain pens... creating a massive feathering, but beautiful, effect that my wife appreciates.

Noodlers inks differ tremendously in their formulations, and consequently, feathering properties. Besides Noodler's Black, I find that Noodler's Navy (dark teal) is nicely behaved, not tending to feather even with wet nibs. But their other "bulletproof" inks I've tried are awfully feather-prone.

I'll also mention my pet ink Pilot Blue; it takes really bad paper for it to feather, though bleedthrough is about average.

As I understand, the way feathering is a function of ink is through the ink's drying mechanism. Some "Classic" inks dry by evaporation; most modern ones, by absorption. I remember seeing a Parker Superchrome ink advertisement promoting this mechanism as "fast drying." But I suspect that, in poor papers, absorption is what makes the ink travel along paper fibers appearing as feathering.