Baystate Blue, These Days

[Charles Skinner]

I have a bottle of Baystate Blue ink and really like its great color, and I use it for writing letters, etc. but not in my journal because of the "show through." I have not "heard" much about it lately. Is it still a "hot seller?" Is it still in production? Just wondering. I am not being critical of the ink in any way. Just wondering if it will "be around forever," or if it is fading into the background."

 

C. S.

[amberleadavis]

It is still around. I use it periodically and still have managed to go through 2 4.5 oz bottles. I use it as my control ink for fade experiments because I know that it fades.

[carlos.q]

My bottle is still around... somewhere...

[Pravda]

Always been interested to read about this beast. Wouldn't dare to order a bottle because I know it'll never see inside any of my pens, but the color is mesmerizing

[PAKMAN]

Haven't used mine an a long time!

[inkstainedruth]

Just used it some today. I have it in a Charlie pen, so I can dilute it slightly if/when it needs to be refilled.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mikeal]

I'm curious about this too. I've wanted to try this one, but I'm scared of it now, and Noodler's ink generally.

[Fuzzy_Bear]

I've got it. Still use it.

[Bookman]

I'm curious about this too. I've wanted to try this one, but I'm scared of it now, and Noodler's ink generally.

 

 

If you can afford to buy a low-end pen and dedicate it to Baystate Blue, I think this ink is worth the trouble. As Pravda put it, the color is mesmerizing. When I have it installed in a pen, that pen is always a Pilot Metropolitan or a Nemosine Singularity. If BSB ever damaged one of them, it could easily and cheaply be replaced. It hasn't happened yet, I've seen no signs of it in the offing, and I don't worry about it. I've been using mine for about two years now, maybe three. With an F or EF nib, it's surprisingly well-behaved.

[glorfindel]

I still have a bottle of it which I bought back in '10.

I used it in a Cross Apogee several times without any problems. The converter was stained a bit after I left it for about 3-4 weeks, but now, the stain seems to have come off.

For some reason my Lamy Safari had difficulties writing with it...

It behaved pretty nicely in an Ahab.

I'm not using it as much any more since I've noticed that it changes color over time without even the light exposure. Plus the staining issue may be a pain if you spill it (spilled it on the floor once...)

But the color *is* extraordinary vivid.

[The Good Captain]

I've been using it in a Kaweco Dia2 with no problems whatsoever. A great colour.

[dan in montreal]

I'm curious about this too. I've wanted to try this one, but I'm scared of it now, and Noodler's ink generally.

I don't use it myself, mainly because I'm not a fan of blue inks. I'm surprised by the end of the statement, though. Really, you should not be scared of Noodler's inks. BSB is perhaps problematic, but I don't think it represents all of Noodler's lineup.

[WaskiSquirrel]

I love this ink. I'm actually considering a pen just so I can have this ink in a stub nib.

[inkstainedruth]

I love this ink. I'm actually considering a pen just so I can have this ink in a stub nib.

 

You may want to consider diluting it a tiny bit with distilled water. I had tried putting it in what was supposed to have been a Noodler's FPC dedicated to it, and had very bad issues with feathering (the previous "BSB only" pen was a cheap Chinese demonstrator with a hooded nib). Now I have it in a Noodler's Charlie, so I can easily control how much it's diluted -- one of the upsides to a demonstrator, and also one of the upsides to an eyedropper pen. But yeah, putting it in a pen with a stub nib should be really spectacular otherwise. It's not my favorite bright blue (it's got too much of a purple cast to it). But *nothing* else out there on the ink market is that vibrant a blue.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Dickkooty2]

A great blue .. I have it in two dedicated pens: .5 and 1.5 stub. I can write or shout til i am blue in the fingers.

[torstar]

I have a few bottles.

 

I don't use it for 3 months then I get a craving to bring it back.

 

And that lasts a few weeks before it goes back on the shelf for 3 months.

 

I perceive the ink "improved" over the years, more recent bottles are better behaving.

[iowa]

I just purchased a bottle of BSB. I've read the negatives, but have also talked with a colleague who is a fan. So i decided to give it a try.

 

I inked a JinHao 750 with a M nib today. I'm very impressed by the saturated, bright color. It also flows exceptionally well. In my Mnemosyne 183 notebook, the show through is minimal, and I have no feathering unless I lay down a very wide, wet line.

 

I will see if i experience any issues, but it is in an inexpensive pen, so no great loss.

[torstar]

I just purchased a bottle of BSB. I've read the negatives, but have also talked with a colleague who is a fan. So i decided to give it a try.

 

I inked a JinHao 750 with a M nib today. I'm very impressed by the saturated, bright color. It also flows exceptionally well. In my Mnemosyne 183 notebook, the show through is minimal, and I have no feathering unless I lay down a very wide, wet line.

 

I will see if i experience any issues, but it is in an inexpensive pen, so no great loss.

 

Just reasonable care of the pen, flush it out very thoroughly if you want to change inks.

[Gloucesterman]

Two comments:

#1 I have a Pilot Penmanship pen in which I refill a cartridge with BSB and like it very much. Keep in mind that because so many of the lower end Pilot nibs are interchangeable one can swap a "B" cursive italic from a 78G, a medium or "calligraphy" nib from a Prera into the Penmanship and have access to a wide range of writing styles. Just keep some pen nib cleaner easily available to flush the nib occasionally for good nib hygiene.

 

#2 I use BSB (and several other inks) with my dip pens. The nibs with some nice flexibility are really elegant.

 

BTW, if anyone wants to sell their bottle of BSB for a really reasonable price, please PM me.

Edited June 28, 2016 by brgmarketing

[Morphling27]

I rarely use it anymore. I'm so lazy the past few months on cleaning pens, I can't put such inks that require more attention (having a job that requires me to work the whole day and such - what a bore!)

 

Also, my main source of somewhat emptying my 4.5 bottle of BSB was my old office mate and unit admin. She LOVED the ink color and I had somehow convinced her to at least write with a Pilot Varsity I'd constantly refill. She wrote so many notes for the unit, I'd refill her black and blue varsity about 2x a month. Since moving away from my government job and into my real (again, work is a bore!) job, I've not found such a drainer of ink.