Pigment Inks For Inkjet Printers: The Source For Mixing Any Color Waterproof Ink?

[fjf]

There are pigment inks sold for refilling inkjet printer cartridges that are quite cheap compared with FP inks (about 25 euro per liter) and are water resistant once dried on paper. If they are safe for printers, they should be quite safe for fountain pens, and they are sold in 4 colors sets: yellow, magenta, cyan and black. As an example, you can go to http://www.octopus-office.de/shop/produktsuche/ and search for: E0013-01L

 

You'll get the 4 inktek inks I got (compatible with durabrite ultra epson ink), a good quality ink that sells for about 100 euro for 4 liters (one of each color).

 

If we could get the proportions of mixing them we should be able to get ANY ink color. Obviously the printer companies have it, to be able to achieve photo printing in all colors.

 

ANyone has any info on this?.

[Miz Black Crow]

I'm only just beginning to look into how to make FP inks for my own inksperimentation, but a lot ofy research has involved looking into ink patents, most of which are for ball points... Or inkjet inks. While I would be extremely excited to see your results, I would definitely proceed with caution.

 

The problems I see here are as follows:

 

1) The consistency of inkjet ink is very different from fountain pens. You may end up way too much viscosity, or too much surface tension, or some ungodly cross breed of the two. You could get dry dry ink or something that will never ever stop gushing from a pen. You would need to be prepared for much flow managemt.

 

2) Since you're looking at the inks, not the dyes, you have no idea what the components are. Many are solvent based, if I'm not mistaken. Many solvents attack pens, particularly celluloid ones.

 

3) You won't know particle size for the pigments. This is a problem if you want consistent flow (or not to gum up a feed).

 

4) You also don't know how the inks

would behave if they dry out in a pen.

 

Without knowing the specific formula (and more about ink chemistry) I can't really guide you, but I DO have an interesting solution for you.

 

If you look around the Internet you can buy inkjet PIGMENTS (as opposed to formulated inks). If theyre anything like the inkjet dyes I came across, they'll be extremely well processed. Then you could, perhaps, build your own pigmented inks from the ground up. A good basic formula is found in the Open Ink thread from a few years ago (at least I hope it's good).

 

Before diving in head first, may I suggest you buy a single ink refill and use a syringe to draw a few ml from the cartridge? You may find the ink perfect for FPs, or atrocious, but start small--unless you feel ankle to go through 100 of printer ink!

 

If you do decide to go this route, please post your results!!

[fjf]

Ok. I loaded a Pilot custom 98 with cyan. As you can see in the scans below, it works, but the ink is very dry, to the point that the pen skips. Maybe it is too viscous, or lacks surfactant. The good is that it is waterproof:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/1_zps8lqb7oss.jpg

 

After soaking-drying:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/2_zpsgcgh3j9l.jpg

 

You can see that the color is chalky. Similar to all the waterproof inks I've used. It seems that this technology of pigments has this limitation. If we want brighter colors, we have to go to dyes, and loose water resistance. That's why professional photo printers use dyes.

Edited February 6, 2016 by fjf

[rafapa]

If getting your own colour is more important than waterproofness you could try

http://www.octopus-office.de/en/shop/details/c/fuellhaltertinte-schreibtinte/p/rimikTM-rainbow-ink-mixing-kit-fuer-fuellhalter/

[migo984]

If getting your own colour is more important than waterproofness you could try

http://www.octopus-office.de/en/shop/details/c/fuellhaltertinte-schreibtinte/p/rimikTM-rainbow-ink-mixing-kit-fuer-fuellhalter/

I have the Octopus RIMIK & have used it to mix pretty decent inks. It's a lot of fun too.

[Miz Black Crow]

Ok. I loaded a Pilot custom 98 with cyan. As you can see in the scans below, it works, but the ink is very dry, to the point that the pen skips. Maybe it is too viscous, or lacks surfactant. The good is that it is waterproof:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/1_zps8lqb7oss.jpg

 

After soaking-drying:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/2_zpsgcgh3j9l.jpg

 

You can see that the color is chalky. Similar to all the waterproof inks I've used. It seems that this technology of pigments has this limitation. If we want brighter colors, we have to go to dyes, and loose water resistance. That's why professional photo printers use dyes.

Thats so cool! If dryness is the issue, try adding the tiniest amount of dish soap / washing-up liquid to the converter (dip a toothpick in the smallestest drop and sworl the toothpick in the converter; a little foes a LONG way). Surfactant FTW!

[franstuff]

I don't know WHY I am so obsessed with making my own inks. I did just order a bottle of Noodlers bulletproof black ink, as one just must have a permanent black ink. I also ordered a bottle of Parker permanent red quink permanent pen ink, and a bottle of Windsor Newton Lemon Yellow water-resistant ink, just to play with.

 

I also own something like ALL of the Dr. Ph Martin's concentrated watercolors, which are not lightfast or water resistant, but very, very pretty.

 

Years ago, I used to use them to hand color B&W photos, back in the day I used film and an old black and white enlarger. Now I have found something else to use these lovely colors for. They have held up just fine, over the past 30 plus years. A couple of them I did add some sterilized water to.

[MoonMan]

@franstuff

Windsor & Newton drawing inks? I have some of those, tried with dip pen, very very light. I was cuiorus about fountain pens but with the shellac, I was afraid it'd ruin my pens so I've never tried.

 

What about Dr. Ph. Martins? I have most of both lines. I'll use the hydrus (pigment) with my dip nib but was always curious about Radiant (dye based) in a fp. You're saying you put Radiant into fps successfully? Of course there's no fingers crossed emoji but we have a middle finger...ok...moving right along. Curious your results with Dr Ph Martin Radiant in a fp. I may have more use for mine than dip pen

[Kenlowe]

Ok. I loaded a Pilot custom 98 with cyan. As you can see in the scans below, it works, but the ink is very dry, to the point that the pen skips. Maybe it is too viscous, or lacks surfactant. The good is that it is waterproof:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/1_zps8lqb7oss.jpg

 

After soaking-drying:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c112/fj1121/2_zpsgcgh3j9l.jpg

 

You can see that the color is chalky. Similar to all the waterproof inks I've used. It seems that this technology of pigments has this limitation. If we want brighter colors, we have to go to dyes, and loose water resistance. That's why professional photo printers use dyes.

 

As a general rule printer inks have too much wetting agent and cause a lot of feathering, in addition many pens end up behaving like paint brushes and only the finest nibs can be used. This means that heavy dilution is needed, at least 10 parts water to one part ink.

 

Your experience and examples seem to be the opposite.