Good Non-Expensive Secure Ink?

[SammieNelson]

I'm a FP newbie. I need to order a non-expensive ink that is secure yet won't clog up my FP. (Secure meaning that I can sign checks with it, journal with it in a moleskine without smearing). I don't know much about ink, and I've already tried to order FP ink but ordered the wrong kind. (Don't worry...I realized this before I ever put it in my FP!) I'm hoping to find ink that is under $10 for a 2 or 3oz bottle. Thank you!

[KyleKatarn]

The price of inks varies considerably if you are in the USA or in Europe, not to mention other places. A bottle of 2oz Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black costs around 5 to 6 € here in Europe, the Goulet's sell them for 13 US$ I believe. Same goes for other great inks like Aurora or Rohrer & Klingner.

 

On the other side, it is much more expensive for us to buy Noodler's, because of the shipping costs. That said, since you are in the US I would say Noodlers Bullet Proof black is a good bet. A bottle of 3oz costs 12,5 US$ on the Goulet's site. No affiliation but a happy customer.

[carlos.q]

+1 for Noodler's Black.

 

If you are willing to spend a bit more, please look into Montblanc's line of permanent inks that are ISO-14145-2 certified.

[lapis]

You might also want to check out Rohrer and Klingner's document inks.

 

Mike

[mhguda]

Check out xfountainpen dot com for a selection of great and inexpensive inks. Careful though - they also have the more expensive ones, and once you're sucked in...

(no affiliation, just a satisfied customer. Keep coming back, too!)

[Venemo]

Not exactly sure what you mean by secure, but ESSRI is one of my favourites. It is waterproof, doesn't feather, doesn't bleed through, and they ship it worldwide. I always have at least one pen inked with it.

[ENewton]

Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa is a reasonably priced ink that won't wash away and that behaves well on all kinds of paper. It contains iron gall, so you wouldn't want to let it dry out in your pen, but if you use the pen on a daily basis, you won't have that problem.

 

You didn't mention a color preference. Scabiosa is a purplish color, although it is close to black on some paper.

[KellyMcJ]

Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa is a reasonably priced ink that won't wash away and that behaves well on all kinds of paper. It contains iron gall, so you wouldn't want to let it dry out in your pen, but if you use the pen on a daily basis, you won't have that problem.

 

You didn't mention a color preference. Scabiosa is a purplish color, although it is close to black on some paper.

Scabiosa has fading problems though doesn't it? I remember reading that here.

[cameron331]

Inks have different drying times. Most inks will smear for a few seconds on a Moleskine, and probably checks too. Using a finer nib may help with bleeding and lower drying times since you are laying down less ink on the page. I recommend trying Rhodia notebooks, since ink doesn't usually bleed through or feather. You can get staple-bound notebooks for a few bucks.

 

The Noodler's 'bulletproof' inks are considered secure, which means they should not wash off with water, ammonia, etc. A lot of their blacks and blues are bulletproof. In the U.S., Noodler's inks run around $12.50 for a 3oz bottle, which is one of the cheapest brands per ounce in the U.S. Here's a list of Noodler's ink colors and properties: http://noodlersink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Noodlers-Ink-Properties.pdf

 

Ink made for fountain pens should not clog your pen, unless you leave it inked and don't use it for a few weeks or longer, then you may get a clogging problem as the water evaporates out of the ink. Do not use any inks that say they are pigmented or for calligraphy.

 

Also, if you've not done so, I recommend watching gouletpens.com's fountain pen 101 video series as a great starting place if you need some general beginner info.

Edited February 8, 2016 by cameron331

[Arkanabar]

Your best bet is almost certainly Noodler's Black. But bear in mind that you're really asking for rock-bottom prices, and a 3oz bottle of Noodler's goes for $12.50 online, and as much as $16 in a bricks-and-mortar retail store. I would be rather surprised, in this day and age, to find a bottle of ink that cost only $10, either after shipping or in a bricks-and-mortar retail store, unless it was on sale. I would like to recommend Heart of Darkness, but it's only sold in 4.5oz bottles, for $20 and up.

 

Check washing generally depends on various solvents, which will allow you to dissolve away any dye-based ballpoint ink without affecting the check's printing. Fountain pen inks usually have to be bleached away, which always affects the printing (though there are chemical "ink erasers" that will turn royal blue inks transparent). For your prices, get a 2oz bottle of Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black (also sold as Cross Black).

 

Finally, check fraud usually doesn't involve tampering with the signature, but the amount.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Arkanabar

[katerchen]

ESSRI ... 110ml costs $15 shipped. It will take forever to use up that much ink. (already linked above)

 

Re-labeled Diamine Registrar's ink:

http://www.xfountainpens.com/products/chesterfield-archival-vault-permanent-black-ink

[max dog]

You can't go wrong with Montblanc Permanent Blue. Monbtlanc wouldn't make a permanent ink unless it was safe for their expensive pens. They wouldn't want to create a warranty nightmare for themselves.

 

Montblanc Permanent Blue is waterproof and certified as an archival ink as someone mentioned above. It's well behaved and shades wonderfully as a bonus.

Edited February 9, 2016 by max dog

[Sasha Royale]

Your description fits Noodle's Heart Of Darkness.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Sasha Royale

[amberleadavis]

Sammie, call Larry Dromgoole and Dromgooles. Tell him Amber has enabled you.

 

http://dromgooles.squarespace.com/

 

If you are close enough, drive over and see him. If not have him send you Blue Steel. It's fuss free, water resistant, fade resistant and doesn't clog.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inklings/2013-Ink_748b.jpg

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I persist in choosing an iron-gall ink (and 100% cotton rag paper) for writing intended to stand the test of time. I-G ink would also be a good pairing for the unpredictable Moleskine paper, so that line quality remains high and risk exposure to bleed- show-through is reduced.

> I-G inks require vigilance in handling.

> ESSRI is widely prescribed for certain documents. (See Post № 398 https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/205705-ecclesiastical-stationery-supplies-registrars-ink/?p=3557266)

 

I am lead to believe that Hero Blue-Black ink is a low-cost I-G ink.

 

The Noodler's Black is well-regarded so is also worth a wee shufti, though I shy away from using Black ink to sign documents printed in Black.

 

There are a few simple aniline dye inks, which are low maintenance and exhibit reasonable dry times and water resistance, such as Pilot Blue and Blue-Black. They can be sourced directly from Japan in large bottles, so the cost per unit volume might be less than sourcing smaller bottles from a stateside Vendor.

 

As for smear/dry time, use of a blotter sheet will put paid to that vexing behaviour.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited February 9, 2016 by Sandy1

[hbdk]

 

Hero 232 blue/black is very cheap and waterproof. Chinese sellers on Ebay have it. With all waterproof inks it is a good idea to rinse the pen every now and then (fill and empty 5-6 times with water using the converter).

Edited February 9, 2016 by hbdk

[tonybelding]

I'm a FP newbie. I need to order a non-expensive ink that is secure yet won't clog up my FP. (Secure meaning that I can sign checks with it, journal with it in a moleskine without smearing).

 

 

I want to zero in on this bit. "journal in a moleskine without smearing". There are actually two sides of this coin.

 

When you say "smearing" it sounds like you want a fast-drying ink, so you can close your Moleskine® immediately without making an imprint on the opposite page, or you can hand someone a check without worrying about them accidentally smearing the ink before it's dry.

 

A more common problem with Moleskine® and fountain pens is that most fountain pen ink feathers and bleeds through the cheap paper they use. You will also run into this problem when filling out forms printed on cheap copy paper that you encounter just about everywhere these days. Certain inks are resistant to bleeding and feathering, and Noodler's Black is one of the best.

 

However, Noodler's Black is not a particularly fast drying ink, which takes us back to. . . smearing. Usually it's a compromise, as the inks that don't bleed or feather are also the ones that tend to dry slower. Noodler's Heart of Darkness should dry faster, but is more likely to bleed and feather in your Moleskine®.

 

BTW, "moleskine" type journals from Quo Vadis or from Rhodia have better quality paper than Moleskine®, but they also are more pricey.

 

BTW also. . . I find myself using a lot of Noodler's Texas Bluebonnet these days. It's another security ink, and it seems to strike a good balance between drying time and working on most paper, and it's a very attractive color. (And I do prefer filling out forms with something other than black.) This ink is only available through Dromgoole's store in Houston, though. And they may also still have Noodler's Texas Pecan, which is great if you prefer brown.

[tonybelding]

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inklings/2013-Ink_748b.jpg

 

 

I haven't seen that before. It does look great!

[dcwaites]

Koh-I-Noor Document inks, Black and Blue (the top two)

[katerchen]

Koh-I-Noor Document inks, Black and Blue (the top two)

 

Oooo I've been looking for those inks after someone reviewed them here. Thanks!

 

-k