What Inks For Vintage Vacs?

[ArchiMark]

Greetings Vacumaniacs,

 

Have recently acquired several very nice Vacs after not having some for a few years....

 

Guess I got the Vac bug again......something very compelling about them.....

 

So, now I'm wondering what inks to use or not use in them in order to avoiding staining the pens....

 

What do you all suggest?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

 

 

[fpultrapens]

I think maybe any visconti and omas inks are nice as well as montblanc's

[ac12]

These are what I would go with.

• Parker Quink
• Sheaffer Skrip
• Waterman

But you also have to see if you like the colors.

A XF or F nib will make the ink look lighter than it would look out of a M or B nib. That was my problem in college, Parker Quink, F nib; and the ink looked like dark gray, not a black. The narrow old US F nib (like a Lamy XF) just did not put down enough ink to make the ink like look BLACK.

I would also stay away from reds and even dark purples, unless you clean the pen regularly. In my experience, these 2 colors have been the hardest to clean out of used pens; red being the worst and purple 2nd.

[tmenyc]

Vintage Parker, Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman's ... their vintage inks are wonderful, as long as you stay away from the Superchrome or the one branded for the 51. My Sheaffer permanent blue-black from the 40's is incredible.

 

Tim

[ArchiMark]

I think maybe any visconti and omas inks are nice as well as montblanc's

 

Thanks for your input.....

 

So, when you say they are nice inks....do you mean visually or in terms of my question about safe, non-staining inks?......

 

 

These are what I would go with.

• Parker Quink
• Sheaffer Skrip
• Waterman

But you also have to see if you like the colors.

A XF or F nib will make the ink look lighter than it would look out of a M or B nib. That was my problem in college, Parker Quink, F nib; and the ink looked like dark gray, not a black. The narrow old US F nib (like a Lamy XF) just did not put down enough ink to make the ink like look BLACK.

I would also stay away from reds and even dark purples, unless you clean the pen regularly. In my experience, these 2 colors have been the hardest to clean out of used pens; red being the worst and purple 2nd.

 

Thank you for your input......

 

Understand about the colors......good point about the nib width affecting how it looks....most Vacs I just got are F's, and a M.....

 

Have not been using reds or purple inks, so, not an issue for me.....

 

I typically use blue, blue-black inks....and occasionally black or brown.....guess I'm not too adventorous color-wise, but then I mostly use my pens at work....

[ArchiMark]

Vintage Parker, Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman's ... their vintage inks are wonderful, as long as you stay away from the Superchrome or the one branded for the 51. My Sheaffer permanent blue-black from the 40's is incredible.

 

Tim

 

Thanks for your comments......

 

Had not even thought about trying to use vintage inks......hmmmm.........where do you buy good vintage ink from?..........

[Ron Z]

There are those who contend that if you want to keep the barrel from getting stained, you should use vintage Sheaffer washable blue Scrip. I don't know that I would go that far but it is the safest for vintage pens that hold the ink in the barrel as a Vac does.

 

I would modify the list above to read Waterman, Montblanc, Pelikan. The new Slovenian made Sheaffer inks tends to be a bit more saturated than the original. I would not use Noodlers or Private Reserve, in particular, and maybe not even Diamine, as they are all pretty saturated. I have had the first two stain celluloids in barrels as well as synthetic sacs, and would recommend avoiding them om a Vac for that reason. There was a time when I used Private Reserve Midnight Blues, and found that it turned a PVC sac purple.

 

Check on line, check pen shows for vintage ink. I've purchased two cases of Parker pemanent royal blue in the past, so it's out there.

[ArchiMark]

There are those who contend that if you want to keep the barrel from getting stained, you should use vintage Sheaffer washable blue Scrip. I don't know that I would go that far but it is the safest for vintage pens that hold the ink in the barrel as a Vac does.

 

I would modify the list above to read Waterman, Montblanc, Pelikan. The new Slovenian made Sheaffer inks tends to be a bit more saturated than the original. I would not use Noodlers or Private Reserve, in particular, and maybe not even Diamine, as they are all pretty saturated. I have had the first two stain celluloids in barrels as well as synthetic sacs, and would recommend avoiding them om a Vac for that reason. There was a time when I used Private Reserve Midnight Blues, and found that it turned a PVC sac purple.

 

Check on line, check pen shows for vintage ink. I've purchased two cases of Parker pemanent royal blue in the past, so it's out there.

 

Thank you, Ron, for weighing in on this subject.....really appreciate it.....

 

I have Waterman, Montblanc, and Pelikan inks among others in my ink stable.....but don't have any vintage inks.....will check around for it.....

[inkstainedruth]

I've use De Atramentis inks in both the Silver Vac Major and the sub(?) Debutante Azure Blue Pearl, with no issues (Tchaikovsky/Silver Grey and Red Roses).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[tmenyc]

but don't have any vintage inks.....will check around for it.....

Archimark,

watch for almost full bottles; they'll be more likely to be good and less gunky.

 

Tim

[ArchiMark]

I've use De Atramentis inks in both the Silver Vac Major and the sub(?) Debutante Azure Blue Pearl, with no issues (Tchaikovsky/Silver Grey and Red Roses).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

That's good to know, Ruth.....Thanks!

 

 

Archimark,

watch for almost full bottles; they'll be more likely to be good and less gunky.

 

Tim

 

Great tip, Tim......Thanks!

 

Now, all I gotta do is find some....................................