Parker Quink Ink Fading Terribly In Just 3 Days!

[VivienR]

I abandoned Quinks for a while, there are lot better options. I didn't experienced such fading with Quink Blue, but Quink Blaack did.

[BLCL]

 

 

I use strictly Quink black in my Parker pens. I have never had a fading problem with the black or the

blue/black Quink.

 

About ten years ago I bought a bottle of Quink washable blue, and it faded in a matter of a few days. I was

told that it had to do with the kind of paper. I have not bought another Quink blue since then.

 

I have been using Quink black in my Parker pens since 1962 when I got my first Parker 61. I have never had a problem with the black. I do like the black.

[TSherbs]

I'll stay away from Quink Blue after reading this

[Olya]

I'll stay away from Quink Blue after reading this

It depends on where you are. If you can get Quink Blue from Europe, then it's a good ink. If you can't, then indeed don't risk it.

 

 

I abandoned Quinks for a while, there are lot better options. I didn't experienced such fading with Quink Blue, but Quink Blaack did.

I think that maybe you had Quink Washable Black? I remember well reading on here people saying how their QWBlack would fade, but not QBlack, at least not that I remember. I don't think that QWBlack is made anymore

[tamiya]

when & where was Washable Quink Black made?

 

Brought back a bottle of black Quink on my recent travels, has waterdrop icon on box... haven't gotten around to testing.

[Olya]

I did a quick google image search and this came up http://www.piorawieczneforum.pl/index.php?/topic/7756-parker-quink-washable-black/

 

http://inks.pencyklopedia.pl/parker-quink-washable-black/?lang=en

 

There is not much information on QWBlack, but it used to exist. I think they don't make it anymore.

 

Here is a pic of a vintage bottle of QWBlack https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/da/98/c2/da98c26374e41dadc42044f70f886aa3.jpg

 

The water test shows that QWBlack leaves a yellowish residue, and I distinctly remember members here complaining how their black had faded to a yellowish hue.

Water tests on QBlack however show a blue residue.

[ETA This suggests that some members were using QWBlack, thinking it was QBlack. They either didn't pay attention, or the bottle was mislabelled.]

 

The Quink inks would sell much better and have a decent reputation if Parker would sell their ink properly, ie QBlue in QBlue bottles and not mislabelled (as I said before I suspect is the case in Asian countries) and be clear. Who knows whether they used to mislabel QWBlack, possibly. I was on their website earlier today to take a look at their current bottled ink line up and the page would not show up, no matter how often I clicked on it and this is not the first time it happened. Parker has truly turned into a disaster, not even their homepage is well done.

 

PS: I remember a couple of days ago on another thread someone mentioning QWBlack and others not believing, but it did indeed exist. Don't know when they stopped making it, but I'm certain it was around a few years ago that it was still around.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Olya

[tamiya]

I hear you on Parker labelling disaster... worst still, my French bottle labels are peeling off lifting edges prematurely! I've since added handwritten sticky labels to my opened bottles; been grabbing the wrong box too often when I refill pens past midnight.

 

Ah you meant Washable black from preWW2 Quink? Thought you meant recent/current stock.

 

I know a simple fix... just close down French factory and restart UK production of Penman ink line. GBP now so low after Brexit, it's gotta be a competitive advantage

 

Worst irony being, was told AsiaPac distributors have raised Quink prices to par with Waterman bottles. Basically now it's 2-3X price of a same sized/large Pelikan 4001 in Asia... who would buy Quink still (present company excepted) when the Germans are a fraction of the $$?!

[Olya]

I added the pic of the vintage bottle only because the label states Quink Washable Black, so that anyone who doubts the existence sees that it used to exist. But they made the QWBlack for decades, I remember coming across it a few years ago. I am sure though that they stopped making it, so I think that your newly acquired bottle of QBlack is good!

 

Yes, it would be nice if they moved back to England and made the Penman inks again!! With all their reshuffling recently you'd think they'd re-introduce the Penman inks, esp with rising fountain pen and ink sales... But don't expect sense and reason from Parker anymore! They seem to want to be on the luxury goods level, esp in Asia. They just stumble from one disaster into the next, George Safford Parker must be spinning in his grave.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Olya

[Olya]

QWBlack can still be purchased in cartridges http://www.abnfinest.co.uk/pens-writing/247-parker-quink-ink-standard-long-cartridges-washable-black-pack-of-15-3501170881446.html

 

http://www.montgomerypens.com/parker-quink-ink-cartridges-washable-black-5-per-card

 

http://www.montgomerypens.com/content/images/thumbs/0012201_parker-quink-ink-cartridges-washable-black-5-per-card.jpeg

 

And as bottle! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parker-Quink-57ml-Bottle-Washable/dp/B000SHSFVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473569339&sr=8-2&keywords=quink+washable+black

 

One of the Q&As on Amazon's page states that when in contact with bleach, it turns yellow. So that to me (along with the water tests I mentioned above) confirms that people who had their black fade to a yellow hue, had in fact QWBlack and not QBlack.

 

A comparison here https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/301035-black-duel-parker-quink-vs-pelikan-4001/?p=3536265

The washable black shows once again a yellow undertone.

 

QWBlack is still around for purchase, but I still think its production has been discontinued. I can't check due to the shoddiness of Parker's homepage, but if anyone knows more, please share!

Edited September 11, 2016 by Olya

[TSherbs]

Forgot to add: My Quink Black (don't know which kind) has not faded (not at all) in my notebook for 3 months. (TWSBI notebook)

[inkstainedruth]

I actually contacted Parker (aka Newell-Rubbermaid) last week. I got a response a few days later from someone who said that only Black, Washable Blue, and Blue-Black are available in most markets (including the US). Blue -- I suppose he meant Permanent Blue, as opposed to Washable Blue -- is available in a few places, such as the UK, but (and I quote): "it will be back soon in the USA, too."

Oh, and something I hadn't noticed before now -- apparently besides Parker and Waterman, N-R is now *also* apparently the parent company of Rotring.... (all three were listed under the guy's signature, which says:

 

PARKER - ROTRING -WATERMAN U.S.A consumer care

NEWELL BRANDS Service After Sales

 

I don't know how this bodes for the other companies; I don't have any Waterman pens (although I like Mysterious Blue ink), but I like the Rotring ArtPen with an EF nib, which I use for doing drawings.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Olya]

Thank you for your effort Ruth!

Rotring has been under N-R for at least a couple of years. I'd say they managed to eff up Parker the most.

[wastelanded]

I keep around a bottle of Quink Washable, mainly to flush my pens with

I keep a bottle of QWB solely for this purpose: I find it useful for getting dried ink out of dirty old pens.

 

It's a shame that the ink fades so readily, as it's a nice, gentle blue when freshly laid down.

[Mike 59]

This was an excellent black, bought it at Staples, on sale, should have bought several at the same time.

[bagho]

Well, whaddya know? It was the paper! The paper wasn't compatible with Quink. I was using ITC Classmate paper. Now I switched to Paperkraft notebook and here is the result after 20 days.

 

Moral: Certain papers (mostly very white and having some kind of coating to make the paper slippery) are not compatible. The new one I used was a bit more fibrous and the ink did bleedthrough a bit.

 

 

Thanks a bunch for all the great answers!

 

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah50/baghro/P_20160911_133943_1_p_zpscaiqjsxs.jpg

[Mangrove Jack]

Well, whaddya know? It was the paper! The paper wasn't compatible with Quink. I was using ITC Classmate paper. Now I switched to Paperkraft notebook and here is the result after 20 days.

 

Moral: Certain papers (mostly very white and having some kind of coating to make the paper slippery) are not compatible. The new one I used was a bit more fibrous and the ink did bleedthrough a bit.

 

 

Thanks a bunch for all the great answers!

 

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah50/baghro/P_20160911_133943_1_p_zpscaiqjsxs.jpg

I believe you are correct. I had the same issue, of ink fading and becoming almost unreadable within a month of writing. This was with Pilot washable blue. The culprit was the paper - very white and very smooth, shiny. Switched to a less shiny white paper and the ink remains nice and readable.