Choosing An Ink

[DNC]

A newbie here. Is choosing an ink only about visual appeal? I know factors such as nib size can effect how the ink appears from one pen to another, but are all inks able to be used in all pens without issue? At first I would only use ink labeled the same brand as the pen. Now I am wanting to use other brands due to how appealing the color might be. I ask this question before I acquire an expensive fountain pen. Thank you.

[Ergative]

The simple answer is, yes, all inks can be used in all pens without issue. Usually. Sometimes matching brands can forestall certain issues -- for example, Pelikan pens tend to be wet-writing, so Pelikan inks tend to be dryer than other inks -- but there's absolutely no requirement to match brands.

 

That said, there are some inks that are hard on pens for various reasons: Iron-gall inks, for example, tend to have precipitates that can clog a pen if the pen is not used daily and flushed regularly. Some colors can stain clear pens, although there are ways of mitigating or reversing that. Usually. Sometimes there's a batch of ink that just reacts badly to chemicals in a pen, and causes corrosion of plastic or rubber parts. A few years ago there was a batch of Baystate Blue that melted Lamy feeds, although now either the ink has been reformulated or Lamy has started using a different kind of plastic, because I've heard nothing since then. If you read up the ink reviews here, however, you'll learn soon enough which ones are problematic, and then -- well, you can avoid them, or make sure that you're trying them out in a really cheap pen that you can take apart and clean or replace with no tears.

 

However, especially for a newbie, these particular interactions are so infrequent that it's not worth worrying about them yet. Buy ink samples and try them out! See what you like! Maybe you will find yourself making choices based on visual appeal, or perhaps you might discover that a certain ink flows really nicely out of a pen, and then you'll buy that ink because of its behavior. Really, the absolute best way to choose an ink is to try an ink and see if you like it.

 

You might also find this thread helpful, to get a sense of how other people view the ink-choosing process: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306763-oh-the-places-youll-go-or-waypoints-on-the-inky-journey/

[inkstainedruth]

Ink choices can be about how it looks, how water resistant it is, how fast it dries (which is different from what Ergative means from wet and dry inks, BTW), or the reason you need it, or how it behaves in a pen (clogging vs. non clogging, drips, and so on). Or any combination thereof.... I have inks that I feel comfortable signing checks with or addressing envelopes; I have other inks that are just pretty (they have sheen to them, or metallic particles, or have extraordinary amounts of shading); and inks that aren't "pretty" but caught my attention for whatever reason.

Everybody has their own definition of what the "perfect" ink (or the perfect ink color) is. And changing what pen it goes in can make a world of difference: a few years ago I bought a sample of Noodler's Walnut because it was pretty water resistant and I didn't have any brown inks at that point. I put it into a pen that turned out to be a dry writer, and I hated it. It was very dark, sort of dry, and mostly boring. A couple of years later I pulled out the sample vial and tried the rest of it in a very juicy Pelikan M400 with an F nib that could almost be a B (it's that wet a nib). And it was like I'd tried a completely different ink entirely.... Absolutely changed my opinion of that ink.

I didn't think I would like blue-black inks. Now I have nearly as many blue-blacks as blues.... I didn't think I would like turquoise inks -- now I'm waffling between "do I get a bottle of X or a bottle or Y because they look really similar? And that's in addition to having inks A and B, and I really like C as well, but it looks a lot like A...." I spent an entire fall testing various red violet and burgundy inks, trying to match the color and sheen from a note written to me with a gel pen; never found a match, but did find several very nice inks in the process....

And so it goes. (My husband tells people I used to collect pens but that now I collect ink.... )

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Sasha Royale]

Generally, any fountain pen ink is safe to use in any fountain pen. Some inks are more easily washed from clothes and skin. Some ink have additional properties of waterproof, bleach-proof, lubricating, scented, minty flavor, etc.

 

As simply as I can -- You are going to buy a bottle of ink. What do you want the ink to do ? Under what conditions will you be using the ink ? What color ?

 

Sooooo, which fountain pens do you currently use ? What is this "expensive" pen you are contemplating ?

[Barkingpig]

Several nib professionals offer advice to only use ink manufactured by a company that also manufacturers fountain pens. They have their reasons for advising based on their experience. Yet Diamine has been producing inks for a very long time & is a brand of choice for many users. Parker certainly sold BOTH inks & pens & yet withdrew one of their ink lines after experiencing issues of clogging in user's pens. I have used four of these inks, withdrawn from manufacture & experienced no issues with clogging, only fascination with the ink's properties. So if you flush your pen well after use of any ink you will probably be able to try ANY ink made for fountain pens until you develop your favorite ink/pen combinations.

 

Pick a color you like & try it in your pen. I admit to being "conservative" in which inks I use in my "more" expensive pens, which often happen to be piston filling pens but usually it is the additional flushing of the pen, due to it's filling mechanism that cases my caution. But I am also quite happy to use inks that are @ least 16 years old & were withdrawn from the market by their manufacturer in cartridge convertor filled pens.

[DNC]

Hi friends! Again, I am very new to fountain pens and having read each of your great replies it seems I have discovered a sub group made up of ink enthusiasts. I am a newbie on the subject of fountain pens, so I guess I am an infant on the subject of ink having received my first and only bottle of ink in the mail today (Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite). It was purchased with little thought; simply to fill an empty pen. Placing that order I was exposed to different colors which only in the past two days have I revisited those websites in addition to visiting this area of the forum. In just 48 hours I have grown from a very boring blue and black guy to medium blue, darker greens and maybe a dark red?? I know that isn't much growth for others, but consider it has taken place in only 48 hours.

 

When I made my original post I was more concerned about the of the issue of clogging and was wondering if there were better ink brands than others which worked well in most fountain pens. I guess being a car enthusiast I naturally gravitate to the more mechanical aspects when it comes to ink.

 

You might also find this thread helpful, to get a sense of how other people view the ink-choosing process: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306763-oh-the-places-youll-go-or-waypoints-on-the-inky-journey/

 

Ergative, Thank you for your detailed response and the useful link you included.

 

 

Generally, any fountain pen ink is safe to use in any fountain pen. Some inks are more easily washed from clothes and skin. Some ink have additional properties of waterproof, bleach-proof, lubricating, scented, minty flavor, etc.

 

As simply as I can -- You are going to buy a bottle of ink. What do you want the ink to do ? Under what conditions will you be using the ink ? What color ?

 

Sooooo, which fountain pens do you currently use ? What is this "expensive" pen you are contemplating ?

 

Sasha, Thank you too for your post. I guess I should have given a little more detail with my post. Most of the ink I will be using for normal correspondence; business some personal. I will of course be using black and blue. I do want to venture out a little and try a darker green, dark red (maybe burgundy??), different shades of blue, maybe even a dark walnut.

 

I do not have any high end pens now. I have a Pilot Metropolitan and Lamy Safari. I really like the Pilot. I had ordered two Jinhao 159's; one medium and one broad nib. I have never written with a large pen or a broad nib. I ordered these to pens only to see what a larger pen felt like in my hand. They came in today but I have not had a chance to open them.

 

I have ordered a Pelikan M800 (Fine nib) Green/Black and thinking of ordering a Delta Dolcevita Federico Stantuffo (undecided on nib). I will probably not buy any additional pens for a while as I need to expand my knowledge. Maybe one day an MB 146 or 149, Pelikan m805 Blue/Black.

 

Again, thank you to all for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I was all about color (ooooo-shinyyyy!) until just recently, when I realized that now I'm more concerned with properties: ink has to be wet, lubricated, and dry reasonably fast so this southpaw overwriter doesn't smear every word.

 

It can't be too hard to clean out of a pen and I definitely don't want it staining ink windows. With that in mind, some inks had to go, even though the colors were prettttyyyyyyy.

 

Your mileage will certainly vary.

[DNC]

I was all about color (ooooo-shinyyyy!) until just recently, when I realized that now I'm more concerned with properties: ink has to be wet, lubricated, and dry reasonably fast so this southpaw overwriter doesn't smear every word.

 

It can't be too hard to clean out of a pen and I definitely don't want it staining ink windows. With that in mind, some inks had to go, even though the colors were prettttyyyyyyy.

 

Your mileage will certainly vary.

 

Oh how this hobby relates to automobiles in so many ways. I have given up the complicated ones for the dependable ones.

[DNC]

I think the Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite ink I ordered turned out much the shade I expected. I like it but don't know if it will be a favorite yet. Tonight I tried it in the Jinhao 159 medium nib to get a feel for a large pen.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Samples are your friend!

[ac12]

I suggest you get another Pilot Metro or two, and use that as your standard test pen for new inks. That way when you evaluate a new ink, it has a common reference point, the SAME pen. Knowing that the ink may look different out of a different pen, make notation of how each pen writes different than your standard pen. This will make it easier to evaluate a new ink.

 

As Sailor Kenshin said, SAMPLES. When I was looking for a blue, I think I ordered a dozen samples from Goulet Pens, and I still missed a lot of other blue inks. But samples will let you test the actual ink, which IMHO looks different than the online image of the ink, rather than take a chance on an entire bottle.

Edited April 29, 2016 by ac12

[Buzz_130]

I'm going to agree with the samples recommendation. Buying bottles of ink can be fun, but I've bought a few too many that turned into disappointments. Had I checked a sample or two, I would have known immediately these inks would not meet my needs.

 

I also am in the phase of the writing characteristics of the ink are just as important as the color. As I write in blue or blue black 99% of the time, I can fine tune my writing with the right ink for the job. I've got a selection of ink that could easily last a lifetime, but I do enjoy exploring the different ink characteristics within my narrow range of colors for professional use.

 

Buzz

[Runnin_Ute]

Samples, samples and more samples.

 

Way back in the day, when I got my first pen or two, (a Lamy Al Star then a Waterman Phileas) I wasn't aware of places like Goulet Pens or Anderson Pen Co. So I got my ink the same place I got my pens. Levenger. A bottle of Raven Black and one of Cobalt Blue.Once it was time to get another bottle, I bought my first bottle of Pelikan 4001 Blue Black at an art supply store. When it came time to replace that, is when I found FPN. I did find a bottle.. (it is no longer officially imported into the US by Pelikan)

 

Since then I learned about samples. My most recent purchase after samples was a brown. Diamine Saddle Brown. I had been sent a sample of Parker Penman Mocha which I fell in love with. But it is difficult to find at best. I wanted something that was similar in color (among other things) so I spent some time with online swabs and the TOD color threads here to figure out what samples to get.

 

I decided to try four different samples: Monteverde Brown, Waterman Absolute Brown, Sheaffer Skrip Brown, and Diamine Saddle Brown. I decided that for my needs/wants in a brown ink the Saddle Brown filled those best. (at least for now - who knows what will happen down the road)

 

(I have about 8-10 samples right now I haven't even tried yet!)

Edited May 1, 2016 by Runnin_Ute

[ac12]

One thing to get is a reference set of inks.

In my case I have a bottle of Waterman (wet) and Pelikan (dry) inks.

When I get a pen I will usually test it with one of these inks, usually Waterman. If the ink flow is too much, I will switch to the dryer Pelikan ink, to slow down the ink flow. This usually gets me to the point the I can use either Waterman or Pelikan ink, and I know the flow characteristic of the pen. If I have another ink, Brand X, as long as I know how Brand X behaves relative to my reference inks, I can generally predict how it will behave in the new pen.

 

Every once in a while I get a pen that is so dry that Waterman ink won't flow, or so wet that with Pelikan ink I have too much ink on the paper. Then the nib has to be adjusted to flow the ink at the desired rate.

 

If I want to use a specific ink in a specific pen, then things change. I may have to adjust the nib to get the desired ink flow with that specific ink. It may be to increase or decrease the ink flow. Generally, it is easier to increase the ink flow than to decrease it.

 

Another guideline, narrow nibs (XF), need darker inks. The ink line from the XF nib seems lighter than the same ink out of a wider nib. This is an optical illusion that occurs with the XF nibs. The ink line is the same shade/darkness, but your eye sees so much less ink vs. white of the paper, that to your eye, the ink line looks lighter. So to compensate, you need to use a DARKER ink.

Edited May 2, 2016 by ac12

[senzen]

Given a pen and paper that perform well, sure, but then you get into aspects like how the colour comes out, for instance Orange Indien flows well out of a Muji with an F nib, but looks pale, while it looks much more saturated and spectacular out of a Lamy Vista with an M nib...

 

 

[amberleadavis]

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[amberleadavis]

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[amberleadavis]

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[amberleadavis]

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[amberleadavis]

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