Noodler Baystate Blue Ink Review

[Mafia Geek]

Here's a scan of my written review of Noodler's notorious Baystate Blue. The scan really doesn't do this ink justice, it really jumps off the page, almost a purplish shade to it or a shine almost. It writes really well, dries REALLY fast for how saturated it is and doesn't bleedthrough or even have much showthrough on the paper I did the test on. It didn't feather on the paper at all either. The only thing with the ink is that it did leave a residue on the inside of my pen. Cleaning with water didn't fully get it out, a couple drops of dish detergent in water cleaned it out almost right away. A little more effort needed over other inks, but still not bad, just a couple flushes once in a while with dish detergent.

 

 

I did a water resistance test on the ink (can't find my scan of it right now). For this I wrote on a small Rhodia pad and after letting the ink dry for a few minutes ran it under water for a few seconds. This ink actually ran a little but then bonded to the paper right away, giving the appearance that the ink was simply smudged rather than put under water.

[mirosc]

Thank you.

I really appreciate how well this ink behaves, too.

[ChuckR9]

I like Baystate blue, but don't use it in my better fountain pens (like Pelikan) because of staining.

[Newjelan]

I love this ink and the way it leaps out at you

[inkstainedruth]

While I like Liberty's Elysium better, there is just no getting around the fact that BSB is like *nothing* else out there! Not an ink for the faint of heart, that's for sure.

I keep it in a cheapie Guanleming 2001 demonstrator, so I don't care whether or not it stains -- and it just make the clear plastic pen look so doggone *pretty*....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ruminator]

I refrain from purchasing this ink (or a sample) because of the reported staining and clean-up issues. If I had a pen I didn't mind sacrificing to this ink, I would snatch it up quickly because of that jump-out-at-you color.

 

Thanks for a solid review. You reminded me just how attractive I find this blue.

[Mafia Geek]

I was hesitant to try the ink as well but really wanted to see what it was like in person so I took the plunge and filled my Prera with it. It did leave a residue on the pen that water alone couldn't get rid of. I thought I was going to have to use bleach but tried dish soap first. It worked like a charm, one flush and gone from converter, quick soak and gone from nib, feed, and section. Very pleasantly surprised by that. I personally like an ink with a little more shading to it and am still a little nervous about long term staining to use it regularly, but I'm glad I tried it.

[harrietthespy]

Maybe I'm crazy but I purposely bought a clear pen so it would stain like crazy with BSB! The pen will arrive soon...OK it's the TWSBI Mini I ordered. Nuts? Well, I hope so!

[crunchmaster]

Anyone want some more BSB?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/classifieds/item/13308-wtt-baystate-blue-for-other-noodlers/

[bpendleton]

Maybe I'm crazy but I purposely bought a clear pen so it would stain like crazy with BSB! The pen will arrive soon...OK it's the TWSBI Mini I ordered. Nuts? Well, I hope so!

 

Yeap. My favorite BSB pen (After torturing a Lamy Safari with it, and trying it in several other things) is a Kaweco Ice Sport with a blue cap, filled eyedropper style. The clear ink section stains to nearly exactly the same color as the blue cap comes, and being clear otherwise means you have (some) warning if something goes wrong and you'd otherwise get BSB all over yourself. That particular pen seems to have held up well under the torture of BSB.

 

.. though I do find it ironic to keep such a torturous, bright color in my Schrade Tactical pen. That one's hard to keep happy, because it doesn't hold much ink and it seems to dry out a little too fast. The Kaweco makes an awesome everyday carry BSB pen for the opposite reasons.

[cjjohnst]

While I like Liberty's Elysium better, there is just no getting around the fact that BSB is like *nothing* else out there! Not an ink for the faint of heart, that's for sure.

I keep it in a cheapie Guanleming 2001 demonstrator, so I don't care whether or not it stains -- and it just make the clear plastic pen look so doggone *pretty*....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I agree about the clear pen .I inked my Noodlers Ahab flex clear demonstrator with it.Because of the extra fine line there is no feathering at all.I cleaned out the clear pen with a dilution of 10 per cent bleach ,and the only thing left stained was the silicone grease.I have now dedicated tis cheap $20 pen,which BTW writes flawlessly ,to BSB.

[cjjohnst]

I am not quite sure where all this staining talk comes from.I used this ink on 3 different clear pens and it didnt stain any of them.The ink was in for a week .I think enough time to stain.

[Frank C]

I refrain from purchasing this ink (or a sample) because of the reported staining and clean-up issues. If I had a pen I didn't mind sacrificing to this ink, I would snatch it up quickly because of that jump-out-at-you color.

 

Thanks for a solid review. You reminded me just how attractive I find this blue.

 

I bought several Platinum Preppies with converters for the Baystate series. These inks are beautiful, if not well-behaved. (Had a girlfriend like that, too.) About $11. from the Goulet's. I tried the eyedropper route, but when the ink level starts going down, the heat from my hand causes it to drip.

 

Carson City, I hope you're not a legislator!

Edited March 4, 2013 by Frank C

[Turlough]

I love this ink; never had any problem with it. I use it in blue Kaweko Sport and frequently carry it clipped to the front Jeans pocket. Of course one has to be careful to make sure the cap in on tight.

It is a sure attention getter when signing in for the doctors apointment. You'll know they won't forget you're there. But if one is a clutz and use this ink,.... well problems will occur.

Regards, Turlough

[ronlakin]

I’ve read many reports about Noodlers Baystate Blue and such is the controversy that I just had to buy some. I couldn’t find a UK retailer and ended up buying from the USA via eBay.

 

The first thing to note is that the bottle should be opened with care because it is literally filled to the brim. Place the bottle on a firm surface and make sure it is rock steady before removing the cap. Failure to do this runs the risk of spillage.

 

Because of comments I have read on various forums I decided to test this ink in a couple of pens that are low value and it doesn’t matter if they are ruined.

 

The first pen was a Jinhao x450. This pen will sometimes write very wet, will sometimes blob ink on the paper, will sometimes write dry and will sometimes simply stop writing. For this reason I used this pen as a dip pen. This gave quite a wet write and on the paper I used (an inexpensive well known UK supermarket own brand) feathering and bleed through was dreadful. Quite simply this combination of ink, pen and paper was a disaster.

 

Before testing with the second pen I decided to wash the Jinhao. There are reports of Baystate Blue staining everything it comes in contact with. My limited experience is that it does indeed stain. I rinsed the nib of the Jinhao under running water and the bathroom washbasin went from white to blue in a flash. Fortunately I managed to clean it up before my wife saw the mess I had made. In the end the stain came off quite easily with CIF but let me tell you liquid soap, washing up liquid and shampoo had no impact.

 

The second pen I tried this ink in was a Paltignum No 1. This pen has been unused for a couple of years simply because I don’t like it; the section is brass and slippery, the nib is as stiff as a nail and it writes as dry as a bone. This time I filled the pen. In doing so the brass pen section was stained blue.

 

Putting pen to paper (the same supermarket own brand as before) was a big surprise. Baystate Blue performs in this pen in a manner in which Diamine, J Herbin, Waterman, Mont Blanc and Quink do not. It’s not a gusher but definitely not dry. Ink flow is adequate and it provides enhanced lubrication between nib and paper such that the pen is a joy to write with. It has transformed the pen from a piece of junk into something quite pleasant. Not only that but to the naked eye there is not a hint of feathering; there is some show through but no bleed through. My conclusion is that feathering and bleed through is the result of the combination of the pen, the ink and the paper and not necessarily one of those components in isolation.

 

Colour is a matter of personal choice and not everyone will like it. It is a vibrant cobalt blue. It is by far, quite simply, the best blue ink I have ever seen.

 

I will definitely be using this ink a lot. But I will be using it with caution. I won’t be putting it in any of my expensive pens. The pens I will put it in will be inexpensive, have a black plastic section, and can completely dismantled for cleaning. I’ve already earmarked a Lamy Safari, Baoer 388 and Kaigelu 356 specifically for this ink.

[ThyPenMaker]

I believe BSB is the most notorious stainer on the planet. But God, it's beautiful. Maybe dipped.

[Newjelan]

Since my previous post in 2012, I've been using BSB regularly but diluted with 20% water and am finding this helps with staining (a little) and feathering (a lot).

 

Over the past 6 months I've used it nonstop in a TWSBI 580Al with a M nib. I flushed the pen the other day. (I'm moving house and as our stuff is going into storage for a months, I didn't want to risk BSB colouring all my worldly goods. I adore the colour but there's a limit to everything.)

 

I cleaned the pen with water (no detergent, nothing) and while there's a faint shadow of blue in the barrel (and the nib is stained near the feed), it's not so bad as to be annoying and with ink in the pen the "blue shadow" would not be noticeable.

[WillN]

To get ink off my hands like Bay State Blue aka Permanent State.....? I scrub the bathtub with Comet cleanser and wear no gloves. I guess this is sort of the bleach option.

Otherwise it's about 3 days or so.

[Arkanabar]

The other issue with BSB is that it's reputed to form nasty solid precipitates when mixed with even tiny amounts of more conventional inks.

[MRose]

I love Noodler's Bay State Blue, it was my first ink ever to buy for a fountain pen and believe me I did know what I was get into cause I did some research but I've challenge myself and learn how to use it. Is so rich in color and beautiful to see when you write with it. Also the qualities that this ink has you wont find them in any other ink, and the story behind it is just great for a Bottle of Ink made in USA. Yes it stains, yes is difficult, and yes you might end up looking like a Smurf but is ok, is all about the fun on using a fountain pen but when you find the write pen and dedicate this pen to this particular ink you will be in love.

 

I've always use this ink with a Hero 9626 they are like made for each other, when I take the pen out to sign something people immediately as me questions and receive lots of compliments for it. If you haven't try it do so, you wont regret it...