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Disastorous Ink Cocktail/combination


fountainpenlady

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Must admit, rarely do I ever attempt to mix inks. Very new to even mixing two different shade of red ink, let alone different brands.

Usually, I find someone to PIF inks, which find I do not like after filling my fountain pen to sample. However, had a 10ml bottle of J. Herbin Rouge Opera. Thinking the size bottle cute and perfect for carrying a nice amount of ink on the go, decided to blend remnants of the remaining ink with others similar, but stronger colors of red which seemed nearly low. Rouge Opera, reminded me too much of Rouge Caroubier, recent PIF shared with three FPN recipients. Well, I also had a little bit left of Noodler's Cape Cod Cranberry, so thought "what's the harm?" After putting a couple of drops of it in other various shades of red; thinking, it would only enhance or do nothing special to sample colors of inks, mixed a couple drops of Rouge Opera with Noodler's Cape Cod Cranberry.

 

Well, in what seemed like seconds, as I picked up the vial again to see what color the mixed combination in sample tube would resemble, noticed first it was very dense. I could not see what color the mixture in the tube looked like at all. Opening cap, looking inside tube, on the cap itself, it looked like a science experiment gone awry. First, after deciding to pour the ink down the bathroom drain, it came out seeming to appear as if foaming, not resemble either inks in consistency or color; let alone, the ink was not remotely appealing. I was planning on using the sample vial again. Well, never could I have imagined the results of this new version of ink innocently created. The ink stained my sink bowl. The ink left a brownish stain on the sink bowl which appeared to be permanent, would not clean off. Needless to say, after pouring bleach into sink bowl, decided to discard sample ink vial all together. Another learning experience. Are there absolutely any other combinations of inks, or brands which you definitely should not even consider mixing together? :sick:

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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Quink and Waterman are usually safe with several others, e.g. Diamine and Montblanc, but I have never tried mixing Noodler's with anything but other Noodler's. I am very happy with my mix of Van Gogh Starry Night and Tulipe Noire, for instance. That's a very deep and dark purple. I had a bottle of Diamine Prussian blue that wasn't all there it seemed, the color was off, and instead of tossing it, because I did like the flow and other characteristics, I tried mixing in some Quink blue and got a very nice dark blue ink as a result.

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It's my understanding that the Noodler's Baystate inks should only be mixed amongst themselves. Even mixing with other Noodler's inks is a no-no. I can attest that they mix quite nicely with each other, as I made a nice blurple with blue and grape.

~Brian

 

"Mostly I just kill time, and it dies hard." - Raymond Chandler (The Long Goodbye)

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I will not mix any Noodler's with any other brand.

Now, neither will I.

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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It's my understanding that the Noodler's Baystate inks should only be mixed amongst themselves. Even mixing with other Noodler's inks is a no-no. I can attest that they mix quite nicely with each other, as I made a nice blurple with blue and grape.

Thanks, I have only been using only many years ago and few months ago, Montblanc inks; now, nearly exclusively Iroshizuku inks. However, I have been gifted in PIFs an assortment of sample inks, and have also purchased a nice assortment of sample inks not Iroshizuku. This was my first time attempting anything with Noodler's. This was my first introduction to Noodler's. I believe I purchased it with other reds in samples, because it looked nearest red.

Now, I am aware. blurple sounds interesting. Yet, I have not become advanced enough away from my love of red long enough to give anything else serious consideration. :wub:

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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The first cardinal rule in mixing inks... is NEVER to mix different pH. The Baystate line should never be mixed with anything but the same line, they are acidic (low pH)

 

Japanese inks in general have a higher pH. So, mix japanese inks with japanese inks. Baystate with Baystate... most other inks are neutral pH, so it should be safe.

 

A little research before mixing helps a long way.

 

 

C.

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Quink and Waterman are usually safe with several others, e.g. Diamine and Montblanc, but I have never tried mixing Noodler's with anything but other Noodler's. I am very happy with my mix of Van Gogh Starry Night and Tulipe Noire, for instance. That's a very deep and dark purple. I had a bottle of Diamine Prussian blue that wasn't all there it seemed, the color was off, and instead of tossing it, because I did like the flow and other characteristics, I tried mixing in some Quink blue and got a very nice dark blue ink as a result.

Thanks, I forgot I have mixed Montblanc with Iroshizuku. I mixed mixed chiku-rin with Montblanc blue. The chiku-rin was a pale green to me and thought the addition of an almost dark blue would only strengthen the color; it worked just enough to create the desired effect.

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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The first cardinal rule in mixing inks... is NEVER to mix different pH. The Baystate line should never be mixed with anything but the same line, they are acidic (low pH)

 

Japanese inks in general have a higher pH. So, mix japanese inks with japanese inks. Baystate with Baystate... most other inks are neutral pH, so it should be safe.

 

A little research before mixing helps a long way.

 

 

C.

Thank you. I was unsure whether the topic had been discussed in a thread somewhere else. The hour the decision was made to mix was early morning, simply on a spur of the moment and thought of why not? This simply started by my having small amounts of sample inks and nothing much to lose. Only a couple other attempts, nothing happened like this experience. Rarely, a couple times inks in the same red family, different brands, nothing happened adverse. Therefore, this is the first time I have pushed the envelope of mixing an unfamiliar ink with another one. I am a newbie to enjoying various inks.

 

Hopefully, others will at least get some fundamental knowledge from threads before willy nilly doing what I did. I am thinking of a newbie of any kind to this interest/passion altogether. I can envision/imagine someone else also seeing nothing wrong since it is all ink, right? However, since this was not something I had planned to receive an ink advanced degree, I doubt some extended research investigation was at the time thought to be required. My faux pax in this instance. Therefore, I am hoping it helps someone else. Maybe, like you have written they will be inspired, unlike me to do "A little research before mixing helps a long way." Don't you agree? Experimentation/Education is the lesson I learned does not always work. Education sometimes may need to come first, even for a foolhardy ink adventurer. :wallbash:

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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It's my understanding that the Noodler's Baystate inks should only be mixed amongst themselves. Even mixing with other Noodler's inks is a no-no. I can attest that they mix quite nicely with each other, as I made a nice blurple with blue and grape.

Yes, that's true. The problem is that unlike most inks, which are either acidic or neutral pH, the Baystate line is alkaline. Someone posted pix a couple of years ago of an attempt to mix BSB with Noodler's Black. The results weren't pretty....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Yes, that's true. The problem is that unlike most inks, which are either acidic or neutral pH, the Baystate line is alkaline. Someone posted pix a couple of years ago of an attempt to mix BSB with Noodler's Black. The results weren't pretty....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Thanks Instainedtruth.

Initially, I thought it was my imagination. Each ink mixed was in the red family not translucent, but you could see through either of them while they were in separate sample ink tubes. Once mixed, it took only seconds for me to not really understand what had happened to the ink mixture. Literally, I could not see through the sample tube to see what was in it, let alone what color. I took the cap off and it had a brownish, muddy kind of foam gritty look to it. It did not resemble any mixture of red I have ever seen, even the darkest color, or those which are red/black. I could not really see what the heck was in the vial until I proceeded to pour mixture into sink. The stained sink bowl was further confirmation of my definite fatal Noodler's ink error. Now, I know a tad bit about the substance of ink in general. Alkaline, Ph content. Seems like so very long ago, should have perhaps at least paid a bit more attention in science than to English literature. At least I am assured that my experience was not the only one in which "the results weren't pretty...." I am not alone. :lticaptd: Relief!

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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Noodlers QSH gets mixed with nothing.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'll remember. Thanks for the head's up. Also, add Cape Cod Cranberry.

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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I mix inks all the time. The only mixes I had with problems were Baystate inks. I learned to keep them as far away from other inks as possible. Most other brands like Diamine, and PR should be perfectly fine.

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I mix inks all the time. The only mixes I had with problems were Baystate inks. I learned to keep them as far away from other inks as possible. Most other brands like Diamine, and PR should be perfectly fine.

I

Thanks. I had not experienced any mishap in anything happening which was not remotely expected when I mixed rarely other inks before. Therefore, did not think much about mixing this combination. I did not know anything regarding Baystate, but now at least I know to either use it exclusively and do not mix with anything, not even some of its own.

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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It sounded dramatic, especially the part where your sink got stained. I can only imagine what that would have done to one's hands.

 

For the record, I am an ink neophyte that way because I have never quite gotten around to buying any Noodler's inks. There's a part of me that says I want to try now because there's nothing like a little danger to spice up one's writing.

 

At least you didn't end up tasting the ink being used, like someone else did in a posting a few months ago (I think).

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FPgal,

I am an apartment dweller/renter. Therefore, you know what my first thought was when I poured the concoction down the sink and it discolored the sink? Please let some bleach turn this sink back the way it was before. :lticaptd: A renter has to pay for damaging things; Imagine, even turning a formally white sink a yucky color. It was one of those spur of the moment 3:00am reckless endeavors. I am glad I had no intentions of filling any of my pens with the mixture. If it did what it did to the sample vial (still stained and never came clean of the remnants) I can not imagine what it would have done to even one of my Noodler's Ahabs. It probably would have even melted my Lamy converter. Never again. Many, many years ago, I recall a thread vaguely which people were discussing Noodler's inks. Now, I am remembering that there was some warning against putting whatever Noodler's into perhaps Pelikans or some other brand of pen. I am glad I did not have to explain to my now perfect collection of writing instruments, what happened to one of them. Although, it would have probably been good to threaten in order to keep the others in line. You skip one letter of a word and remember what happened to that....? :lticaptd:

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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Although I understand why you would think so, I disagree. I was not trying to purposely concoct anything. Simply did not have enough ink to fill a fountain pen of either sample inks and decided to mix two together. Secondly, I am not sure whether I as a card carrying Public and former School Librarian myself so much agree one should put their experiences exactly in the spot specifically designated. I did not post this in Introductions, or some obscure out of the way place, you found it as number 18. It is like seeing a busload of people smiling, sharing a conversation and encountering them when they are still nearing their destination to inform them they are not headed towards Disney Land. Perhaps it is the journey they appreciate, enjoy and not so much the high price of pleasure previously reported.

 

As a writer, I went with a headline I hoped someone would feel intrigued enough to find out what the theme, topic was all about and join in, add something to the discussion, which would garner some knowledge, smiles, maybe a laugh, camaraderie in a faux pas made merely by recklessness and by accident. Followed up in the wee hours of morning by wondering whether anyone else had done the same and could offer insight.

 

In closing, perhaps, some wandering Newbie Inkophile might come here and find something useful. The cocktails are almost gone, hors d'oeuvres are totally eaten. Yet, thanks for stopping by and adding to a topic, which was meant to be catalogued in another spot. It was still enjoyable, learned more than I knew I would about simply a mistake made, while many were no doubt somewhere sleeping. Enjoy your day, week ahead. :lol:

Edited by fountainpenlady

Ea Alis Volat Propiis, per/Repletus Fontis Calamus!
She Flies by Her Own Wings, with filled Fountain Pen

 

Delta DolceVita, F-C Intrinsic 02, Pelikan M800 red/black striation, Bexley ATB Strawberry Swirl, Red Jinhao 159, Platinum 3776 Bourgogne. :wub:

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The first cardinal rule in mixing inks... is NEVER to mix different pH. The Baystate line should never be mixed with anything but the same line, they are acidic (low pH)

 

Japanese inks in general have a higher pH. So, mix japanese inks with japanese inks. Baystate with Baystate... most other inks are neutral pH, so it should be safe.

 

A little research before mixing helps a long way.

 

 

C.

 

Actually, according to the Noodler's website, they have an alkaline pH.

 

At the end of World War II a colonial style blue ink was made in Boston, Massachusetts. Similar to a cobalt blue – though not an acid ink, it replicated blue ink from a much earlier era. There is a bottle in the Noodler’s collection of vintage inks – and the color is extremely intense. “Baystate Blue” is Noodler’s conventional (waterproof) version of the classic colonial era blue based upon how the original formulas behave upon the page and taking into account the later 1940s version color intensity….but avoiding the acidity of the earlier inks through the use of different/modern components. The label depicts two giant catfish spitting ink upon the golden dome of the Massachusetts state capitol – I leave the meaning of the art work to free interpretation (once upon a time there was a little tea party….).

This ink is unique and has a different pH than other Noodler’s Inks – being slightly more alkaline as indicated on the label. NOTE: This ink should only be mixed with other Baystate colors!! This ink was not made with mixing in mind – in fact, sometime in the future a few more inks will be introduced that are compatible with this particular family of inks for mixing purposes. The penetration rate and dry time are classic – though should not require the use of blotting paper and pounce powders unless one requires instant dry times. It is hoped that when you place the pen to the page – this color jumps out before your eyes with that vibrancy of the rebellious inks mad King George so vehemently disliked!

Baystate Blue is waterproof when dry.

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

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