Polyvinyl Alcohol

[DustyR]

Has anyone tried a drop of polyvinyl alcohol in inks that tend to dry in the feed or nib, to help with flow?

[lapis]

I haven't but I wouldn't try it either. That's only an alcohol (very soluble and also harmless) but what you need is a tenside/surfactant.

 

Mike

[graystranger]

Actually, PVA is used as a water soluble binder and dries into a film. It is not like liquid alcohols, but is solid when dry. I have used it as a binder in ceramics. It is commonly used in many items, as a thickener, binder, viscosity control. I think it might help with the flow but would be harder to dissolve away than ink if the nib ever dries out, being a solid. But it is very soluble so it would not ruin a pen at all, just take a little longer to flush out..

[Runnin_Ute]

Photo - Flo - is supposed to be very good at increasing flow. (I haven't tried it yet) I have tried dish soap, and it does work, but probably not as good as photo flo.

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/28195-REG/Kodak_1464510_Photo_Flo_200_Solution.html

[Ron Z]

Before you go adding random products to inks, I suggest reading this article.

 

The author is not speculating - he knows what he's talking about.

[El Gordo]

I assume you mixed up (not literally..) between some short chain polyalcohols and polyvinylalcohol. Several grades are available for the latter, but I would expect some thickening behavior (definitely not -increasing- the flow) and the formation of a thin film on drying (likely to block fine channels in the nib, even the feed).

[estie1948]

Forgive me for being blunt. This is a no-go. The end result will be other than what you seek and you are more than likely to damage any fountain pen in which you put this new ink. It is just my opinion.

 

-David (Estie).

[Algester]

if your keen on doing experiments buy a cheap pen and make small batches make a journal and then present your findings who knows if it will be valuable information one day

 

especially if you can one day find how to make some of PR inks more stable without prone to dye degradation

Edited July 5, 2016 by Algester

[DustyR]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've used polyvinyl alcohol for years as an extender in the application of hand-coated photo chemistry, but it may indeed have adverse effects in pen ink. Thanks, Ron, for the link to Amadeus' article. That was a great read.

[Witsius]

That article was an interesting read. He states that the only reason one should ever need to clean one's pen is if the pen is going to be put away for an extended period, if it dries out, or if one is going to change colors. Other wise, a pen should run trouble free without cleaning. That's interesting given that when you ask people who grew up in the era before the ball point pen, cleaning a pen was something that almost no one ever seemed to do.

 

He also says blue is the lowest maintenance color. Well, if you don't count Bay State Blue. Funny that Pelikan's website says that a pen filled with their 4001 Royal Blue need only be cleaned once per year if the pen is in regular use. Looks like my growing affinity for blue ink is going to be beneficial.

[Ron Z]

The Pelikan 4001 royal blue is all that I use for testing pens, and in my own pens. I buy it by the liter.