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An Open Letter To Noodlers


Bklyn

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I think that filling the bottle to the brim is not practical. I'd much rather have a cleverly designed bottle that lets you ink up pens easily even with little ink remaining in the bottle. Here, at FPN, a lot of people are experienced pen users and know, beforehand, how to handle Noodler's bottles. However, the non-hobbiests are likely to spill some ink upon opening their brand-new bottle.

 

How much money is the consumer saving by having no "breathing room?" in the bottle? I'd be more concerned with potentially losing market share precisely because of those extreme cost-saving and value-maximizing measures of the company.

 

Nick

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I thought that you had been banned or at least suspended from Bay State Ink for a while. At least, I am glad to see that you are willing to get back up on the horse that bucked you.

 

Despite the name, don't drink it!

I would think that they would have banned me long ago but I managed to fly under the radar at Goulet Pan and they let me in! I will be oh so careful.

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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I think that filling the bottle to the brim is not practical. I'd much rather have a cleverly designed bottle that lets you ink up pens easily even with little ink remaining in the bottle. Here, at FPN, a lot of people are experienced pen users and know, beforehand, how to handle Noodler's bottles. However, the non-hobbiests are likely to spill some ink upon opening their brand-new bottle.

 

How much money is the consumer saving by having no "breathing room?" in the bottle? I'd be more concerned with potentially losing market share precisely because of those extreme cost-saving and value-maximizing measures of the company.

 

Nick

Agreed. There is NO product I know of that is filled to the brim. It is a cute way to demonstrate value.

Edited by Bklyn

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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I would think that they would have banned me long ago but I managed to fly under the radar at Goulet Pan and they let me in! I will be oh so careful.

 

I forgot to mention, please have your camera ready this time. We really like photos!

"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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It is a really interesting discussion. On one hand, I can agree with his goal to give the most value possible, but is it splitting hairs at this point?

 

I think if someone is concerned about the extra 5 cents worth of ink at the very top, there are bigger issues at stake.

 

In reality, I look at this as a hobby, and often times I would buy ink just because I love the bottle. Whether it has one or two less converter fills is relatively irrelevant. In any case, a bottle of ink will last someone months on average, and if it is a wacky color it will likely last years.

 

The only two inks I am nearly done going through are Aurora Black, and Waterman Florida Blue. I have 15 or so other bottles of ink that I may use once a year for a special thank you card, or holiday card.

 

The only inks that I think come close are super fancy expensive inks like 1670 J Herbin inks... and even still, it is a good value and I do not worry about the amount in the bottles.

 

For the lowest cost per volume, someone would be buying the largest sizes. For me personally, part of the reason to buy inks besides the color is the bottle itself. Huge fan of the Faber Castell and Visconti bottles, and have bought a few just to have them. I have also purchased a few older Mont Blanc bottles because they were the older ones and I wanted to have one.

 

For one... I would gladly pay a $1 or $2 more per bottle, to have something different.

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Wear rubber gloves and apron, put the bottle on a disposable plate, wind a rag around the bottle and you can open it safely :)

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Very well told story. I had a less traumatic inkcident with Noodler's Schreibtinte Braun, which was very, very similar to Noodler's Walnut, but just different enough to be my favorite brown ink. Also, it was an exclusive to a Swiss stationers and had been given to me by someone who had travelled there (Zurich, I think). (Thanks, Loren!)

 

While filling a pen, my hand jerked just enough to knock the bottle over. In the split-second it took to understand what had happened, more than half the bottle had spilled onto the counter. I quickly grabbed a roll of paper towels and was able to stop the puddle's path to the beige carpet (renter's beige). But I found ink splashes and drops everywhere else in the vicinity. How? How does liquid disperse like that? And I'm still amazed that none of the ink reached the carpet. (Of course, by the time I moved out, other colors spotted the carpet under my desk.)

 

I was never able to acquire another bottle of that ink. I checked the stationer's website, and one day it was there, and one day all signs of it were gone (the other Noodler's inks remained). I still have a sample vial with maybe two or three converter fills left and have convinced myself that Noodler's Walnut is my favorite brown.

 

As for the Noodler's bottle fill - I like it. I'd buy Noodler's if the bottles weren't filled to the tippy-top, but I don't complain about it, either. By the time I open a new bottle, I've forgotten about the full fill, and I get the "oh yeah" moment after I've removed the cap, having taken no precautions. During the filling is when I tend to spill or leak or squirt too much (if I'm re-filling a cartridge), and, no, I'll never learn, apparently.

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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Wear rubber gloves and apron, put the bottle on a disposable plate, wind a rag around the bottle and you can open it safely :)

Just did! I am getting the hang of this.

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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  • 9 months later...

Wear rubber gloves and apron, put the bottle on a disposable plate, wind a rag around the bottle and you can open it safely :)

You completely forgot the galoshes, the disposable half sleeves (you can avoid these is your gloves are of the veterinary obstetrics shoulder length kind) and surgical splash mask. Proper prior planning and all...

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Wear rubber gloves and apron, put the bottle on a disposable plate, wind a rag around the bottle and you can open it safely :)

... or ...

 

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My first purchases of Noodler's inks were from Wonder pens in Toronto. The website specifically warns that Noodler's fills their bottles completely and that you need to be careful when first opening them.

 

Okay, I put it on a solid flat surface and slowly open the lid without moving the bottle. I ink the pen, carefully replace the lid and I'm done.

 

Which brings me to an old joke. Two elderly fellows were sitting on a park bench, chatting away. One asks the other, "What would you rather have, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's?" The other fellow thinks a moment and replies, "Parkinson's... I'd rather spill a few ounces of Scotch than forget where I put the bottle."

Ink has something in common with both money and manure. It's only useful if it's spread around.

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  • 1 month later...

 

That's assuming you are still alive :)

 

I am indeed still alive. (Barely)

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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Only safe way to handle BSB:

 

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x231/larkin31/76132a8f-b135-42b7-997c-bc60b92ddf1b.jpg

 

Ain't that the truth.

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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My first purchases of Noodler's inks were from Wonder pens in Toronto. The website specifically warns that Noodler's fills their bottles completely and that you need to be careful when first opening them.

 

Okay, I put it on a solid flat surface and slowly open the lid without moving the bottle. I ink the pen, carefully replace the lid and I'm done.

 

Which brings me to an old joke. Two elderly fellows were sitting on a park bench, chatting away. One asks the other, "What would you rather have, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's?" The other fellow thinks a moment and replies, "Parkinson's... I'd rather spill a few ounces of Scotch than forget where I put the bottle."

 

Great joke.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone like Ray Bradbury? Please read "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair" if you have about 12 minutes.

 

You will not forget this wonderful gem that is largely obscure and sadly, forgotten. http://bit.ly/1DZtL4g

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Great joke.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your sense of humor is quite different to mine. That or you have no real experience with both diseases.

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"and part of the tuna I was using to make a salad,"

 

And you didn't tell them that you had gotten the premium blue tuna that doesn't turn pink in the can? Why do you think they call it Blue-fin Tuna?

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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I want to say that I really like that Nathan fills the Noodler's bottles to the very brim :thumbup: .

 

I hold the bottle down on the flat surface, and then slowly turn the lid to screw it off. The act of consciously holding the bottle down keeps it from moving after I've gotten it opened, or as I'm opening it. No spills this way.

 

On the off-chance that I am ever able to buy more ink again ( I do not need any more ink) I hope that I will open the Noodler's bottle that way and be pleased to see it filled to the very brim again.

 

My spills have happened from not being able to see what I'm doing and pulling some Mr. Magoo stunt and droppering ink on the side of the bottle instead of back into it, or things like that :wallbash: .

On a sacred quest for the perfect blue ink mixture!

ink stained wretch filling inkwell

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Wear rubber gloves and apron, put the bottle on a disposable plate, wind a rag around the bottle and you can open it safely :)

Actually, I put ink bottles inside a plastic container (such as takeout boxes and deli containers) and then open the bottle. If the ink spills, I can just put the lid on the container and toss it in the trash.

Edited by vorpal
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As I understand, Noodlers fill the bottle to the rim to strengthen the bottle for shipping, and offer maximum value.

I wear rubber gloves when opening a new bottle, and I work over a suitable work surface.

 

To repeat the familiar FPN question, "What color are you fingers today ?"

 

Many thanks to you. Fellow members have learned from your experience.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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I think people are missing the point somewhat, or failing to properly read noodlers explanation of their filled to the brim bottles.

 

 

"We buy a glass bottle that is an industry standard bottle in all of our bottle sizes. When one glass manufacturer raises prices too much we can easily switch to another glass manufacturer that has not raised prices and thus avoid price increases such as those recently instituted by almost all of our competitors that have non-industry standard bottles. We believe the product is ink and that the glass bottle serves as the product containerand that our customers are buying it because every bit of value has been concentrated in the ink and its properties (not a flashy bottle with a limited glass form that is subject to single glass manufacturer price increases!). We believe fighting cost increases is our duty to the consumer of ink and that utilizing every bit of space the customer paid for is honorable. In seeking to offer the greatest value for the customer: 1. the bottle cost is as low as possible, 2. the bottle contents are maximized/filled by weight, 3. the cap is industry standard to avoid being trapped by dependency upon a plastic manufacturer and subject to their price increases, 4. the boxes are standardized per bottle size and made more for protection of the bottle than for show also being subject to competitive bidding by industryand always of recycled paper, 5. the labels as well communicate the properties of the ink and show its utility (All our labels are printed with our own formulas of Noodlers Inks. We wont waste your purchase value on some overpriced outside contract printer.) and thus EVERY BIT OF VALUE POSSIBLE IS CONCENTRATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INKS AND THEIR UNIQUE PROPERTIES, COLORS, AND/OR SPECIFIC UTILITIES."

 

Key points highlighted for emphasis.

 

The bottles are not filled to the brim so that noodlers can squeeze in as much ink as possible. The bottles are filled by weight, and each will contain exactly three fluid ounces. The bottles are filled to the brim because noodlers save on cost by buying an industry standard bottle which cannot accommodate three fluid ounces with a gap between the brim and the fill level.

 

You are not getting more ink for your money. You're getting exactly the amount of ink you're paying for, but there is a cost saving which noodlers would say is passed on to the customer, and which would not be possible if a larger bottle was used.

 

I hope the distinction is clear.

Edited by InkingBishop
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