Sometimes I go a little above and beyond when I'm testing a pen I've worked on. (Usually, it's because I'm getting paid for it but on occasion I can overcome my mercenary tendencies.)

I've just finished a group of cursive italics for a client who is also a good friend. This guy is a bank examiner, and he uses a lot of Noodler's inks. One of this group had Legal Lapis in it, and two had Baystate Blue. The second of those, and fortunately for me the last of his pens I'm doing today, was a Targa that -- to my dismay -- I too late discovered to have a leaky converter. Here's the result, 5 minutes A.I. (After INK-NIX).



Y'know, that Baystate Blue really is pretty on the paper, but I could do without being reminded of that fact for the next couple of weeks...

That's a nice looking mess, there!

I have the same feelings about Private Reserve Ebony Green. I can't even fill a pen without my hands looking like a green version of the above. It's the only ink with which I have that difficulty. I do like its color, though.

As a fellow Baystate user I, too, occasionally get the "blues." It's rough on the hands but washing them in a solution of household bleach diluted 9 parts water to one part bleach right after the "mishap" removes the stain. Don't let the stuff get near any existing cuts or scrapes and don't try this if you have chapped hands.

Yep, I know what you mean.... (looking down at a couple blue stains on my own fingers)

Well, I've never tried it (that blue) myself because nobody sells the darn stuff here and I too have already asked about same.
But I can order it from England (TWD) and will do.
It seems to be the very, very, very most bluest of all blues in the universe and that's why I want to try it on for size.
But I'll always put on a pair of disposable sterilized medical synthetic rubber gloves first.
And, as they say in German, "Before I even make a wince of thought about the stuff".

Mike

This is why I always wear latex gloves when filling up my pens.

Yep....my pen leaked on me last night and now I have Baystate Blue on me. That stuff really doesn't wash off very easily and I am not the kind of person who is willing to soak my hands in a bleach solution. I guess I'll have to admire the ink on the pages of my journal and my hands!

THATS AFTER USING INK-NIX!!!!!! BSB is horrible (but a lovely color).

Not as intense or as long lasting as BSB, but this is what a newly arrived bottle of Parker Penman Sapphire can do...



While the top did seem to be screwed down firmly, enough seeped out while flying over the Indian Ocean to penetrate the inner layers of bubble-wrap.

Hmmmm....I think much prefer the Baystate Blue over the Parker Penman Sapphire. Nice color swatches. I like the realistic look.

Rolf sells it.

Oh that is a picture.

well, there is a mild detergent that I've had some success with on BSB on my hands. It does take patience, though. I just try to be very careful around BSB, because it can be such a mother-in-law of the mother-in-law of stains.

Got some Baystate Blue on my hands when the Platinum Preppy ED filler that came with the bottle cracked. I had just filled it. Yikes! Fortunately I was standing over a stainless steel sink so nothing else got seriously blued except my hands. Unfortunately I had to fly out of Logan down to Florida the next day. I was worried that TSA would decide that BSB was some sort of deadly chemical and not let me board. However, the only notice paid to my bright blue hands was by a three year-old who followed me around the gate area saying, "You have blue hands," to me, and pointing at me whenever anyone else came by and announcing, "She has blue hands." Her parents were very amused and pleased that she had found someone to annoy, so they didn't have to look after her. They thanked me for entertaining their little darling as we boarded the plane. We weren't seated anywhere near each other, but the little one came to find me and said to the person in the seat next to me: (You guessed it!) "She has blue hands."

My wife has some cat earrings that seem to have a similar fascination for children. It's rather cheering to see an interested, happy child.

I have several Preppys and like them a lot, but the plastic does seem a little prone to cracking. For that reason I usually leave the eyedropper fill versions on the desk, rather than carrying them in my pockets.

As a printer that looks like my hands 5 minutes after starting work. I really need to convince the other shifts to do a better job of wiping up after themselves.

Last week I ended up with the left half my beard violet. Lovely color, but not my shade.

Bleach is not anywhere as bad as TruBlu, a printing plate cleaner we use at work, pouring straight alcohol on a cut is not even in the same universe as this stuff. However it does a pretty good job of removing fountain pen ink from hands. I really can't recommend it though, not if you have any cuts or abrasions on your hands at all. (I remember the last trainee I was training, he went to clean the plates after handling envelopes for most of the night, it was amazing how many paper cuts he found in that instant. ;-)

Only a week to go, Richard (as of today)

Spoke to the gents at Noodlers. Staining should not be an issue except for any Lamy's with caesin converters. Also in cleaning, a 20:1 mixture of bleach will do the trick.

how does bleach affect the rubber gaskets in converters in that dillution?

Sorry to hear of the embarrassment, but you sure made me bellow a hearty laugh for a while. I can just see that little girl. And she wasn't smiling right? Just doing her duty to inform others of the curious anomaly in their midst. I love it.

Btw, to end the cajoling, all you'd need to do is ask her "Would you like to have blue hands too? All I have to do is touch yours..." as you slowly reach out your hands towards her. You can bet that if that freaked her out, she'd have left you alone for good.


Incidentally, this sounds like an excellent ink for touching up denim pants. I have one pair that has lost pigment in a few places. I'll have to remember to get some Bay State Blue next time I place a Noodler's order.