Ink Bottles

[Charles Skinner]

Please list your favorite ink bottles and least favorite ones. (the bottles, not the ink inside of them.) C. S.

[WaskiSquirrel]

Favorites: standard Pilot 70 mL, Lamy

 

Least: J. Herbin 1670 bottles, Noodler's eyedroppers, Sailor bottles

[Uncial]

The Montblanc ice cube (although I do wish it was bigger).

Akkermaan.

The bulb type from Sailor, Kingdom Note, Bungbox et al. Sadly now gone.

[Sasha Royale]

Most liked : Parker Penman, Vintage Sheaffer Script bottle, Montblanc "shoe" bottle

 

Least liked : Private Reserve, Noodler's 3-ounce, Chesterfield bottles.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

The Montblanc shoe remains a top pick, though the Visconti, Pelikan 4001 and Waterman are just fine too. The Sheaffer 'sidecar' would be in there if it had a plastic cap.

 

Perhaps the least liked is Dupont. The ESSRI 'tanker' is considered a sabot, fit only for getting the inky goodness through the post to be decanted upon arrival.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited September 21, 2016 by Sandy1

[pajaro]

Montblanc shoe, both types. Sheaffer Skrip with well at top.

 

Least liked is Noodler's 3 oz. Usually I dump any other ink into a spare Montblanc or Sheaffer Skrip bottle and toss the empty.

[Ted F]

I cast my vote for Levenger bottles.

[chromantic]

From a functional aspect, J. Herbin, as their shape makes them least likely to tip over.

Least favorite? Iroshizuku - yes, they're beautiful (and slippery) but put the ink in a nice, plain Sailor-type bottle and charge $5 less, please.

[migo984]

I have many aesthetically beautiful bottles but I like knowing I'm paying for the ink, not the bottle. So my favourite is the Oster Signature Ink bottle. Well considered: practical, tall but not top-heavy, wide-enough neck for all pens I use, lightweight (being plastic) so good for travel & storage, lightly tinted, securely fitting cap, easy to open.

 

If I favoured looks (& weight!) I'd choose GvFC. I also like the discontinued vase-shaped Sailor-style bottles.

 

Least favourite - Diamine 30ml plastic bottles. A narrow opening that prevents direct filling by many pens, and they're somewhat wobbly in use too. A tweak to the design of the neck & they'd be fine.

[Cause]

Functional

 

Lamy - The Lamy bottle holds 50 ml, has a deep inkwell and a wide neck. It can fit near all FPs and get you near the last drop. The little attachment of absorbent paper is a nice touch. Sadly the little attachment is just plastic which ruins what could otherwise be a very aesthetic bottle but keeps the bottle cheap. If the ink ever runs out it is a worthy candidate to be refilled

 

MB Shoe - A good compromise between looks and functionality. Has a special cut in the bottle so that ink can be trapped in a smaller resevoir to help filling even as the bottle empites. The resevoir needs to be slightly higher in my opinion but still functional with most pens. Looks good enough to show enough. Would reuse the bottle once emptied

 

Iroshizuko - A perfect combination of looks and functionality. A thick glass base gives a low centre of gravity to stop it falling over and also adds beauty. The neck is decently sized and it has an ink well at the bottom to help you get every last drop (though the inkwell is a tad on the small size). Would not hesitate to reuse the bottle once emptied. Sadly as mentioned above the bottle adds significant cost to the ink.

 

MB cube - A beautiful bottle with a wide neck that looks pretty. You may have to tip the bottle when down to the last third but the wide neck and small size should make this easy.

 

J Herbin 1670 - A beautiful bottle, as good looking as the ink it stores. Sadly no functionality at all, the neck is to thin for many pens and as the ink levels drop the ability to get those last drops (or even third) is compromised by the battle. Requires decanting or syringes. When the ink runs out I will fill it with coloured water and use it as a desk ornament but wont bother to use it as an actual ink well again.

 

Beautifull

Edited September 21, 2016 by Cause

[Ergative]

I really like the R&H bottles. Something about the metal screw-cap and the non-nonsense shape really, really hits the spot for me. "Here is a bottle. It contains ink. Enough said."

[The Good Captain]

I only have one of the small Herbin ones and am not fond of using it. Any with reservoirs are OK and the R&K adaptors make their bottles really handy. I like Diamine and 4001 ones too.

[Tas]

Akkerman - the big ones

[Noihvo]

[The Good Captain]

Any with a reservoir as well and one mustn't forget Akkerman - large or small!

[whichwatch]

Favorites: Akkerman, Iroshizuku, Parker Penman

 

Least Favorites: J. Herbin, Sailor

[drv1913]

Favorite: Levenger - I like the distinctive but minimalist and elegant shape, and I like the fact that it has an inkwell, although it was many years before I figured out what that was for (I used to pull it out and throw it away).

 

Least favorite: Private Reserve - I prefer squared rounds like the Noodler's bottles over round rounds. I also don't like the PR labels.

[estie1948]

Easy to use: old Sheaffer's Skrip bottles with the ink well, Mont Blanc shoe bottle, Waterman bottles that would tip on to their side.

 

Hard to use: Noodler's - I use a lot of the Old Manhattan Black and a fair amount of Legal Lapis (blue-black), but hate the bottles.

 

-David (Estie).

[Bookman]

Favorite: Akkerman

Least: Sailor

[ink-syringe]

Iroshizuku bottles are pretty but the awesomeness of their functionality is overrated. That little dent at that bottom does almost nothing to help you fill your pen when you get to the bottom of your ink supply. I have emptied 3 bottles of iro and each time thought as I got to the bottom, "yeah, that's not really helping." Tried to fill this morning from the dregs of a bottle of Asagao and got only half a fill and could not tip the bottle enough to cover the nib. I'll likely dump the remainder into a new bottle as I did once before or syringe it out. Ain't no one got time for that.

 

And the caps crack really easily.

 

I still like that they are hard to tip over and have a nice wide opening and think they are much classier looking than Edelstein (cheesy logo) but I have busted a couple caps already and I suspect a lot of folks have not gotten down to sub 5ml of ink or so to see that little dent, while pretty doesn't help really at all unless you are filling from a diptip or snorkel.

 

​The 70ml Pilot bottles on the other hand ... they rule.

 

Love the Monty Shoe and the big ol lid you can really get your paws on.

 

​But I am a hypocrite as Iroshizuku bottles don't get discarded. heh.