Diamine Sargasso Sea. Nice Color. Terrible Feathering, Bleedthrough

[mhguda]

Lucky Amber! and I'm sorry you don't like the ink. Like you say, the color is great, and I have not noticed much bad behavior... especially not when mixed with blah ink like Quink Washable blue.

[amberleadavis]

It arrived today but it had leaked. The letter carrier (formerly known as the mailman) was not happy. I don't think it leaked very much, but I'll know more when I am back at the office.

[lgsoltek]

Maybe it flows so well that it involuntarily escaped from the bottle.

[Fermata]

There seems to be a number of similar comments with regards to Diamine products, some people think that they are ok but for others they bleed badly, or they block the feed, smell badly or for others not at all.

 

This would suggest poor or non existant quality control, or a lack of consistancy between batches.

 

For an ink bottle to leak in the mail is bad news for all the other letters in the carriers bag. It could mean that ink is a banned substance in the mail. I had some ink sent by Diamine in the north of England and they ignored their own carriers rules which are that the items are in a leak-proof liner, such as a sealed polythene bag, so that any inadvertent leakage is contained within the outer packaging, the items have to then be srrounded with absorbent material such as newspaper and sufficient cushioning material to protect each item from damage.

 

Volume per item should not exceed 150ml., they sent 480ml to me in six bottles, the maximum should be no more than four items can be sent in any one package, I had expected Diamine to send two parcels. I was lucky, sorry Amber, not so lucky.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Parkette

[AoKiu]

Sargasso Sea Blue - I poured it where it belongs: down the toilet! Had to scrub the bowl as it did the same as to my converter: badly staining. Besides that after a few days in the pen it became hard starting and skipping ... Worst ink I ever bought.

[Kenlowe]

I cannot recall using this ink but there seems to be many complaints about consistant Diamine quality control, people reporting blocking pens and staining. Last one I used was called either grape or Syrah or something and that went into a solid jelly lump in the bottom of the bottle.

[alexander_k]

Concerning staining: I've just flushed Sargasso from a Sailor 1911. I've just dismantled the pen completely and put every part under the tap. I was done in under two minutes. I could see no staining, even in the converter.

[Chrissy]

There seems to be a number of similar comments with regards to Diamine products, some people think that they are ok but for others they bleed badly, or they block the feed, smell badly or for others not at all.

 

This would suggest poor or non existant quality control, or a lack of consistancy between batches.

 

For an ink bottle to leak in the mail is bad news for all the other letters in the carriers bag. It could mean that ink is a banned substance in the mail. I had some ink sent by Diamine in the north of England and they ignored their own carriers rules which are that the items are in a leak-proof liner, such as a sealed polythene bag, so that any inadvertent leakage is contained within the outer packaging, the items have to then be srrounded with absorbent material such as newspaper and sufficient cushioning material to protect each item from damage.

 

Volume per item should not exceed 150ml., they sent 480ml to me in six bottles, the maximum should be no more than four items can be sent in any one package, I had expected Diamine to send two parcels. I was lucky, sorry Amber, not so lucky.

 

I take it that they didn't leak though, as you said you were lucky. So that's good news.

 

It's interesting that you bought six 80ml glass bottles directly from Diamine in Liverpool, and despite how expensive they would have been to ship to Florida via FedEx, you would have preferred them to send you each bottle individually in six parcels of less than 150ml, rather than one heavy parcel that they still managed to package well enough for it to not leak. Two parcels would still have broken the '150ml rule', so that wouldn't have been any improvement at all.

 

Most US users might have bought them from a US stockist instead. Perhaps you wanted colours that they didn't stock, or maybe you happened to be in England at the time?

 

In fact you complain so much about Diamine ink, in so many different threads, I'm amazed that you even bought six 80ml bottles at all.

 

I love Diamine ink and I don't have so many 80ml bottles

[Inferno2Inferno]

I have had so many hits and misses with Diamine. After having read this I will certainly veer away from the brand; unfortunately after this ink comes in the mail...

[amberleadavis]

I have some Diamine inks that I will always have in my ink collection. (Sargasso Sea and Billberry - both of which are high maintenance stainers, are some of my personal favorites). Nevertheless, the Diamine line up is HUGE and not all inks in the line will work for all pens / people / papers. So, my advice is not to write off the entire line just because of bad experience.

 

As for shipping, I helped organize a group buy and the inks shipped from England via DHL with no problem, we bought over 100 inks and had no breakage. I would suggest a follow up email to the company is in order.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Meanwhile, thanks to Z - I'm going to go add some DSS (Diamine Sargasso Sea) to some otherwise boring ink. I'll post up the comparison for you.

[ENewton]

Amber, can you recommend a Diamine purple ink that is not a "high maintenance stainer"?

[amberleadavis]

Okay, not grape, that's a stainer. What about Damson? It's not vibrant, but it is pretty and I've never heard of it staining.

[ENewton]

Thanks, Amber.

[amberleadavis]

You might want to check out the reviews on Amazing Amethyst. I don't recall if it is a stainer. It is pretty.

[Chrissy]

Amazing Amethyst is one of my regular favourites and it hasn't stained any of my piston windows

[mallymal1]

Very disappointed with this ink. The ink is a nice blue color, saturated, and thats the only good thing about it.

 

It feathers terribly, bleeds through much more than my other inks, and is very prone to smearing. Flows too easily.

I cannot recommend this ink. Perhaps Diamine needs to make adjustments to it.

 

Good points: Saturated, nice blue color.

 

Bad points: Everything else!!!

 

 

 

 

Hi zahiradil. I've recently been using Diamine's Sargasso...on our works copier paper, on the thin papered Midori insert, and on the Seven seas Tomoe River paper journal, and I have not experienced any bleedthrough at all. Also, in my experience, the drying time is more than acceptable.

 

I do find this fascinating. There are so many variables at work that it is highly unlikely that we'd ever get down to why your experience was like that...and my experience is like this.

 

An 'easily flowing' ink might be a good recommendation to someone with a 'dry' nib/feed combination. If you put it in a 'wet' pen however...you might get a gusher!

 

We do agree on one thing though, and that is, that it's a nice blue color.

 

I do so hope that you find a similar colored ink, that behaves well for you.

 

Best regards,

Malcolm

[ENewton]

You might want to check out the reviews on Amazing Amethyst. I don't recall if it is a stainer. It is pretty.

 

I really like the look of Amazing Amethyst, and it's not the possibility of staining that worries me. It's flow. I'd rather not have to run the nib under water in the morning to get it started, or take the pen apart in the middle of a meeting because it won't flow and I have to twist the knob on the converter to start it up again.

[Fermata]

 

I take it that they didn't leak though, as you said you were lucky. So that's good news.

 

It's interesting that you bought six 80ml glass bottles directly from Diamine in Liverpool, and despite how expensive they would have been to ship to Florida via FedEx, you would have preferred them to send you each bottle individually in six parcels of less than 150ml, rather than one heavy parcel that they still managed to package well enough for it to not leak. Two parcels would still have broken the '150ml rule', so that wouldn't have been any improvement at all.

 

Most US users might have bought them from a US stockist instead. Perhaps you wanted colours that they didn't stock, or maybe you happened to be in England at the time?

 

In fact you complain so much about Diamine ink, in so many different threads, I'm amazed that you even bought six 80ml bottles at all.

 

I love Diamine ink and I don't have so many 80ml bottles

 

 

They didn't leak, which was a pity, it would have saved me the trouble of pouring them down the drain.

 

The ink was mailed to Edinburgh where I was studying at the time, i didnt say they were mailed to Florida.

 

Sorry if you think I have a downer on Diamine, I may have just been unlucky. My experience is that quality control is a bit hit and miss although when they get it right its a good ink, I have bought a few of their products and have only found one that I would buy again and when I read comments such as 'Diamine inks blocked my pen' I think why would I buy their ink again, despite the positive reviews.

 

I am sure you understand, I think that there is an English expression, once bitten twice shy. I wouldnt discourage anyone from buying and trying Diamine, just not for me.

 

Regards

 

pkte

[Chrissy]

 

 

They didn't leak, which was a pity, it would have saved me the trouble of pouring them down the drain.

 

The ink was mailed to Edinburgh where I was studying at the time, i didnt say they were mailed to Florida.

 

Sorry if you think I have a downer on Diamine, I may have just been unlucky. My experience is that quality control is a bit hit and miss although when they get it right its a good ink, I have bought a few of their products and have only found one that I would buy again and when I read comments such as 'Diamine inks blocked my pen' I think why would I buy their ink again, despite the positive reviews.

 

I am sure you understand, I think that there is an English expression, once bitten twice shy. I wouldnt discourage anyone from buying and trying Diamine, just not for me.

 

Regards

 

pkte

 

I can only comment that I have been advised that their quality control is one thing that they absolutely pride themselves on, and the ink maker has a personal problem with inks that feather, so that is really high on the list of potential problems to eradicate. And they have been in business making inks for over 150 years after all, so they must know what they are doing by now.

 

However, in the event that a problem might occasionally manifest itself, if no-one tells them, then they can't do anything about it.

 

I also sometimes wonder if comments like 'Sargasso Sea always feathers' isn't necessarily the ink, but can also be the paper and the pen combination it's used with. Some might get many inks to feather if they use the wrong paper and pen combination.

 

I have a bottle of Sailor ink that has completely changed colour, but I would never say that 'all Sailor inks change colour' or 'aren't for me' from now on.

 

I liken blanket comments like 'I will never use this or that brand again' to people who say things like 'all dogs attack and kill children.' So I always try my best to use the 'my glass is half full' view, as opposed to the 'my glass is half empty' view, but each to their own.

[Fermata]

If quality control really was a priority then there would not be any any problems to manifest. Perhaps QC is being confused with R and D, a common mistake.

 

Your own review of Sargasso Sea commented on the feathering, now you suggest its not the ink and may be the paper, not sure what to believe.

 

Also your simile is skewed.

 

I read of more problems with Diamine than any other brand of ink, in terms of performance and/or feed blocking and/or staining.

 

Someone else reported that Diamine had acknowledged that some of their inks caused blocking, which is enough for me.

 

Appreciate your positive reviews though, always useful to have a counterpoint.