I am a bit confused. On the Noodlers homepage, they seem to state that their ink can be used in vintage pens, but The Writing Desk warns against using it in vintage pens.

Having just acquired a Conway Stewart 27, which was not cheap, I would like to know if I can load it with Noodlers ink, or if I should avoid it.

Do you use Noodlers in your vintage pens?

Nope. As I recall, the safest fountain pen inks are Watrerman, Sheaffer and Diamine (although violets, purples and reds may stain transparrent barrels). I think Richard Binder's website has an article about safe inks.

I use Noodler's (not Zhivago specifically, but about 15 other colors) in a wide variety of pens, predominantly vintage. I have experienced no issues with Noodler's that I haven't with some other "safe" inks. Some inks in some pens will flow poorly or stain, but that is not unique to Noodler's or other modern, saturated inks.

I know that several, well-respected folks discourage the use of Noodler's (and Private Reserve) ink in vintage pens, but I believe this is mostly an issue of risk management. Newer formulations have not been time-tested like Skrip and Quink, and as such are less of a known quantity. However, these "safe" inks are frequently less vividly colored. It is a trade-off, risk for variety. I manage the risk of using newer inks by trying them out on less expensive pens first, and by rinsing those pens more often than one with, say, Quink.

Best regards, greg

Noodler's and PR inks contain much more dye than the older formulations, and hence will precipitate dye crystals in the feed and between nib and feed more easily than older formulations. This will result in hard starting and dry writing until fresh ink dissolves the dye.

Neither will actually clog the pen with insoluble materials any more than any other ink will (since Parker Superchrome is gone), and if the pens stops writing flushing will almost always get it flowing again.

However, many vintage pens have a feed and nib system that is more prone to drying out than modern pens, so you may find a particular pen won't write well with Noodler's or PR inks. In that case, use something else. I have a few that a baukly, but most, particularly my "51"s, work just fine.

I would reommend that you do not fill too many pens at once as they will then sit around too long and the ink will eventually dry up in the nib and give you fits. Easily fixed, but they won't write instantly. This is a problem with ANY fountain pen, although again vintage pens, particularly those with the original style of Waterman's feed, will be more trouble.

If you have a pen with a visulated section in good condition, I would be careful of what you put in there -- some inks stain the celluloid badly and will cause it to go dark. For those pens, I tend to stick to Skrip or Parker ink, usually my old standby blue-black. Vintage inks will also stain these, particularly reds, so it's a matter of the celluoid being exposed to ink dyes that seep into it, not modern inks. I would expect Noodler's bulletproofs would be less of a problem due to the nature of the dyes used, but I have not tried. My clear section pens get Skrip blue black/

Peter

Don't do it! Many will say it is safe, but that hasn't been my experience. Noodlers inks are beautiful but have clogged many a pen-I gave some to a friend and her modern pen hasn't worked since.

Anecdotal evidence is not necessarily your best guide. I, for instance, have had no problems with Noodler's Black or Lapis, but my Quink Green causes one of my pens to blob horribly. Never use Quink Green!!! Not. Just not in that one pen. I have a Skyline that tends to be a hard starter with PR inks, but a drop of water on the nib is usually enough to get it flowing again.