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Ink Log


Charles Skinner

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I believe I have read that some of you have in "ink log," that you use, I assume, to record the use of certain inks and your opinion of these inks so that you will have a record to use in the future. My question, is ---- If you have an "ink log," what kind of "book" do you use for this purpose? I have tried to record my thoughts about certain inks, but it has been a haphazard exercise with little or no "lasting power." If you have a good "ink log," tell me about it. I really need to find a good one. C. S.

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Hi,

 

My inky samples are kept in loose leaf folios as described in this Topic : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/248422-creating-an-ink-sample-book/

 

They are curated by a multitude of Ink Putti, and secured by a great beast that never sleeps and is always hungry.

 

Bye,

S1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

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I have several inexpensive Piccadilly sketchbooks from Barnes and Noble. I like them because they're cheap and because they have unlined pages, but dislike them because the paper is not so good (very absorbent), so I get get a fair amount of bleedthrough and feathering with some inks. Additionally, for some reason the paper morphs the ink color on the page -- inks that sheen on good paper like Rhodia will be more matte, and the color doesn't seem as true sometimes.

I'm now on the third one, and recently had to start files on my laptop with what inks are in which book....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Matt Armstrong of the Pen Habit has his Currently Ink logbook for sale.

 

http://penhabit.com/2016/02/24/introducing-the-pen-habit-currently-inked-log/

 

i use this, too, and like it alot. this i use to keep track of what is in my pens and how well an ink works in a specific pen.

 

i also use Rhodia loose blank sheets to record a sample of each new color that I try (sheets are then grouped by color group). i keep these in a box in a drawer.

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When I try out a new ink, I use my Rhodia #16 dotpad, then remove it, hole-punch it and file it in an A5 filofax binder that I picked up used off ebay. It works for me! :)

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I just use an FP friendly composition notebook. I don't use elite paper daily, so I don't keep my ink log and notes on that either.

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Mine is simple.

- 3 ring binder

- index tabs to divide sections

- Staples made in BRAZIL filler paper

- Samples of other papers

The use of the ring binder lets me reorganize the binder, which I have done a few times, as I've used the binder and refined what I want. And when the binder is full, like it is now, I can split the binder into a 2nd binder. Can't do that with a bound notebook.

 

Section 1

- when I ink a pen, I write the date, pen/nib and ink on one line

- This is simply to track when I ink a pen and with what ink. Yeah I've forgotten what black or blue I had in a pen, and had to go look it up.

 

Section 2

- each pen has 1 page (or more if I use many different inks)

- When I ink the pen with a different ink, I will write a line on that pens page

- This allows me to see how different inks look, out of the same pen.

The more pens you have, the thicker this section will be.

 

Section 3

- This is the biggie.

- Each ink will have several pages

- page 1, using a standard pen (Morriset dip pen with F and M nibs) I write on 4 different papers. To see how the ink will write on different papers. Using the same pen and papers makes the results comparable between the different inks.

page 2, free form thoughts about the ink, written with the ink in any pen.

page 3+, Similar to section 2, but in reverse, I write with different pens with the same ink, so that I can see how the ink looks out of different pens.

For a new ink, at the very least, I will do page 3, then go back and do pages 1 and 2 later.

The more inks you have, the thicker this section will be.

 

So when inking a pen with an ink that I have not used in that pen, I will make an entry in all 3 sections.

 

I have now filled a 2-1/2 inch ring binder, and will be splitting this into a 2nd binder.

 

So This is what works for ME.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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I make the last page of every journal notebook an "Inking Records" page. There, I list what inks are filled in what pens, using what nibs. Stroke samples & my reflections are included. The date of course is always recorded so that I'll know how long an ink has been inside a certain pen.

 

To add: my journals are short, 28 pages (APICA CD11) long & take about a month & a half to fill. By that time my inking page is usually filled.

Edited by tinta

*Sailor 1911S, Black/gold, 14k. 0.8 mm. stub(JM) *1911S blue "Colours", 14k. H-B "M" BLS (PB)

*2 Sailor 1911S Burgundy/gold: 14k. 0.6 mm. "round-nosed" CI (MM) & 14k. 1.1 mm. CI (JM)

*Sailor Pro-Gear Slim Spec. Ed. "Fire",14k. (factory) "H-B"

*Kaweco SPECIAL FP: 14k. "B",-0.6 mm BLS & 14k."M" 0.4 mm. BLS (PB)

*Kaweco Stainless Steel Lilliput, 14k. "M" -0.7 mm.BLS, (PB)

 

 

 

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I have several inexpensive Piccadilly sketchbooks from Barnes and Noble. I like them because they're cheap and because they have unlined pages, but dislike them because the paper is not so good (very absorbent), so I get get a fair amount of bleedthrough and feathering with some inks. Additionally, for some reason the paper morphs the ink color on the page -- inks that sheen on good paper like Rhodia will be more matte, and the color doesn't seem as true sometimes.

I'm now on the third one, and recently had to start files on my laptop with what inks are in which book....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Next time you are at Barnes and Noble, pick up the Miquel Ruis notebooks. I think you will really like them. I've been using them for some of my inky thoughts.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mine is simple.

- 3 ring binder

- index tabs to divide sections

- Staples made in BRAZIL filler paper

- Samples of other papers

The use of the ring binder lets me reorganize the binder, which I have done a few times, as I've used the binder and refined what I want. And when the binder is full, like it is now, I can split the binder into a 2nd binder. Can't do that with a bound notebook.

 

Section 1

- when I ink a pen, I write the date, pen/nib and ink on one line

- This is simply to track when I ink a pen and with what ink. Yeah I've forgotten what black or blue I had in a pen, and had to go look it up.

 

Section 2

- each pen has 1 page (or more if I use many different inks)

- When I ink the pen with a different ink, I will write a line on that pens page

- This allows me to see how different inks look, out of the same pen.

The more pens you have, the thicker this section will be.

 

Section 3

- This is the biggie.

- Each ink will have several pages

- page 1, using a standard pen (Morriset dip pen with F and M nibs) I write on 4 different papers. To see how the ink will write on different papers. Using the same pen and papers makes the results comparable between the different inks.

page 2, free form thoughts about the ink, written with the ink in any pen.

page 3+, Similar to section 2, but in reverse, I write with different pens with the same ink, so that I can see how the ink looks out of different pens.

For a new ink, at the very least, I will do page 3, then go back and do pages 1 and 2 later.

The more inks you have, the thicker this section will be.

 

So when inking a pen with an ink that I have not used in that pen, I will make an entry in all 3 sections.

 

I have now filled a 2-1/2 inch ring binder, and will be splitting this into a 2nd binder.

 

So This is what works for ME.

We would love to see pictures.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I use one of these. The cover material is something called kivar. "Lizard" is also available. Semi-A4, smooth bright-white paper, no feathering, no show-through or bleed-through. I use both sides of every sheet. The cover has no markings at all, so I keep the peel-off sticker on the front to find the front easily.

 

fpn_1471718887__1318-01a.jpg

 

I start a fresh page whenever there's any change in the pen-ink lineup. The red arrows indicate ink changes in those pens. This was the first time I had written down all the inks in my collection, all in one drawer, which is now crammed full. I have two bottles of vintage ink, which, to make room for more ink, will move back to my desk when I've cleared it off. I have two bottles of R&K Salix because I never want to run out. I have two bottles of Monteverde Brown because they were pen-show giveaways. There's no room in the drawer for these last two.

 

fpn_1471718938__1318-02.jpg

 

fpn_1471719059__1318-03a.jpg

Edited by Bookman

I love the smell of fountain pen ink in the morning.

 

 

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I use a Quo Vadis-Habana to write about inks. I use a Apica Premium for the time being, as an ink tester notebook. Then I have another notebook which is a Seven Seas, to mark what pen, ink, and date inked/cleaned info in. I also have a Red N Black spiral that I put an ink smear of on, per color category, and write with a pen the brand, and name of ink. So this is how I do my ink entries for several months up to a year. It works for me.

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Next time you are at Barnes and Noble, pick up the Miquel Ruis notebooks. I think you will really like them. I've been using them for some of my inky thoughts.

 

The only Miquelrius stuff I've ever seen at B&N are the large flexible journals with graph paper; they used to carry spiral bound 8-1/2" x 11" ones that had different sections -- graph paper, blank, lined, etc. -- which my husband loved, but then stopped carrying them. They also stopped carrying the Ecosystems journals, and some of the stores around here used to carry some sizes of Rhodia pads, too. Now mostly what you find are Moleskine, Vera Bradley, Piccadilly (in the bargain section), and some really expensive Italian leather journals. I'm not even sure if you can still get Ecosystems journals from the B&N website at this point -- even though I thought I'd seen that they owned (or at least helped finance) the people that made Ecosystems.

I'm wondering, though, if it's a regional thing -- even after we stopped being able to get the spiral bound Milquelrius notebooks with the different sections around here, we could sometimes find them (especially around back to school season) in the store near where we used to live in the Boston area.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Were you able to get this journal? This is the one I was talking about - it only comes in red or black.

 

http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9780641026898_p0_v2_s550x406.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I started by recording this on the computer, as was my wont. I had views from either pen to ink or ink to pen, with the inks grouped in major colours. This also helps me to decide which ink and pen to combine next. The obvious problem is a serious lack of actual ink on paper for ready reference, so as of today I am switching to the following.

 

I bought an A6 Leuchtturm blank journal. The first three index pages will comprise the usual index (jump table in my thinking) for:

  • major colour with elements red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet;
  • inks, listed as they arise; and
  • pens, listed as they aris.

On major colour content pages I list date, actual ink brand / name, and pen, written with the relevant combination. If I am uncertain about the colour class in which I should place an ink then I simply enter it in both. That is only one more line in total.

On ink content pages I write the pen name and an opinion of the ink in that combination.

On pen content pages I write the ink name and an opinion of the pen in that combination.

 

If I need to add a non-contiguous page to any of the above then I use forward and backward linking on the old and new pages, as well as a new page entry in the table.

 

This enables me to see at a glance:

  • a range of colour variations within a major class
  • How an ink looks with different pens, and what I think of it.
  • Vice-versa, how different inks match to a pen, and what I think of the pen.

I can also see what has been in each pen or which ink has been where. All of this is done quickly with just three basic lines of entry spread across three pages (four lines if I am unsure of the right major colour class for the ink).

 

This should combine easy access to information in a record which is not onerous to keep. Given I am only now implementing it, with only three pens inked today, it will be a while before I find out whether my confidence is justified.

X

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Hmm interesting idea.

I think I will add a page to the front of my "ink" section.

The section is divided by primary color; black, red, green, blue, etc.

To the front of each section, I think I will do what praxim said, and add a page of the inks of that primary color; one line, listing the ink and pen used.

 

This is why I use a ring binder, so that I can make changes to the layout and content of the binder any time I want to.

 

I have a separate ink binder for recording ink samples from the pen show. This is because the number of inks sampled is more than 500, and will be even more after the SF Pen Show, where I expect to add 160 more inks to the binder.

This binder has 2 sections,

#1 by brand

#2 by major color, currently only 2; all the greens, all the reds. This way I can see all the greens together on a few pages.

I use this binder to plan my next ink purchases. My other binder is of the inks that I own.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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Were you able to get this journal? This is the one I was talking about - it only comes in red or black.

 

http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9780641026898_p0_v2_s550x406.jpg

 

If it's the graph paper one, those are the only ones I've ever seen recently at B&N. My husband bought one a few years ago but never really used it (I stole a page to see if it was FP friendly paper). I ordered ones the same size, but which have lined paper.

The ones my husband liked were like 5 subject spiral-bound notebooks, with different colored edgings for the different sections. We can't even find them on the Miquelrius website now, and he had to content himself with ones that had the different colored edges but all graph paper.

I'm not a big fan of graph paper except for very specific uses (such as drafting out stuff where you need relatively precise measurements, like cutting out fabric when you don't have a pattern to work from, or trying to map out cross stitch design or other counted thread needlework charts), and for that I use the 10/inch grid pads that Staples sells.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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