Safe Inks For Expensive Fountain Pens?

[zubzub]

I was just reading from Richard Binder's site that he only recommends Diamine and Waterman ink because they are the "safest" for pens and his website showed a ton of damage. I want to buy an expensive pen like a vanishing point or Custom 92 and I don't want to damage it. I was originally going to use Noodler's ink on them, but now I need to do more research. What Diamine inks would you recommend that is low maintenance?

 

Edited June 16, 2017 by zubzub

[ParkerDuofold]

Hello Zubzub,

 

I'm gonna keep this simple and just answer your question because I have to get to sleep.

 

Three of their easiest going inks are Midnight, Blue-black and Asa Blue.

 

However, it would be quicker to list the ones to avoid...

 

I'd stay away from Majestic... it takes forever to dry and it's a pain to flush out; I'd stay away from Sargasso Sea... it has had start-up and skipping issues in some pens and I'd stay away from the Shimmertastic Series. I'm not saying these inks aren't "safe," they're just higher-maintenance.

 

- Anthony

Edited June 16, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

To my way of thinking, inks don't kill pens - people kill pens through lack of maintenance, sloppy hygiene, iffy handling, naughty pairing, etc. In general that's a poor understanding of the tools and media involved; hence FPN.

 

Be assured that FPN Members are here to enable enjoyment and avoid disappointment.

 

Kindly consider Diamine Sapphire as a contender.

​(Every time I open the ink vault it rattles about, 'Pick me. Pick me! Over here - next to the Visconti! Oh please pick me!!)

 

And a pot of Koh-i-Noor Rapido-Eze for slackards.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited June 16, 2017 by Sandy1

[zubzub]

What about Diamine Eclipse?

Edited June 16, 2017 by zubzub

[dcwaites]

I have a couple of Pilot Custom 742s and a Sailor 1911 Large in NMF. I have used Parker Penman, various Noodler's inks (standard dye and bulletproof), Platinum Pigmented, Pelikan Edelstein, mixed assorted Diamine inks, Sailor inks (nano-pigment and dye) and others I can't remember.

I haven't had a single problem with them.

 

The only caveat I would have is with the Noodler's Baystate inks, of which Baystate Blue has been known to attack one batch (and one batch only, and this has since been fixed) of Lamy Safari feeds, and with Noodler's Kung Te-Cheng because it stains pretty well everything, and is an embuggerance to clean out if you let it dry up in a pen.

 

Now, that advice is for modern pens, with modern plastics and feeds.

 

For vintage pens, use vintage style inks like Diamine (diluted if necessary), Parker Quink, Sheaffer Skrip, Waterman and Pelikan 4001.

[KellyMcJ]

From what I've read around here, I wouldn't warn against any ink in any modern pen except for the ones that have latex sacs, like Edison's pneumatic, bulb or pump fillers. Even Pilot's converters with sacs I wouldn't worry about, they are cheap and easy to replace.

 

I especially wouldn't worry about putting Pilot ink in a Pilot pen. I can't fathom why a company like Pilot, who are known for impeccable quality in even their cheapest pens, would produce (extremely popular and well loved) ink that would destroy their own pens. That doesn't make sense. Use Pilot ink in your Pilot pen without fear. If anything corrodes under normal use, send it back- the steel would have been defective and from what I have read, Pilot's customer service is beyond top notch.

 

Modern materials and manufacturing techniques have gotten a lot better (except that a latex sac is still a latex sac and still has all the chemical properties of latex.)

[NicolausPiscator]

There are several inks which leave their traces in converters and pens and elsewhere, e. g. Noodler's Baystate Blue but also Herbin's Rouge hématite, and even the nice Japanese inks are sometimes not that easy to flush out of a pen. However, this is in my opinion, not a real problem especially when your pen is not a demonstrator. In my black pens theses issues don't matter and in regard to the converters it is alright when they are clean and when they don't pass the former colour to the new one.

 

I have never had ink problems with my pens but there is one thing that I will not do. I will not fill glimmer-shimmer-glitter ink into my better and vintage fountain pens because of guaranty in the one case and because I am not sure whether they - the lever filler - will become clean.

 

Anyhow, I have made good experiences with Pelikan, Diamine, L'Artisan Pastellier, Herbin, Montblanc, Sailor etc. And what concerns Noodler's: I use Noodler's inks in Noodler's pens because I like the Charlie pens and my Ahab.

 

So I can encourage you - as all our FPN-frieds have done before and will do, too - to use your pens with different inks because this is fun! And to use your pens, inks and nibs prudently, viz. clean your pens regularly.

[ErrantSmudge]

Richard Binder may know a lot about vintage pens, but modern pens are different beasts. They are made to work with today's inks, and by and large they are way, way easier to clean than vintage pens. I have pens as or more expensive than the ones you're considering, and I have no problems using any of the dozens of inks in my collection in them. That includes brands such as Noodler's, Diamine, De Atrementis, Rohrer & Klingner, Sailor, Monteverde, Lamy, Waterman, Sheaffer, Aurora, Parker, Montblanc, Levenger, Blackstone, Herbin, Caran d'Ache, and KWZ.

 

(That said, I have no glimmer/shimmer inks, scented inks, pigmented inks, or iron-galls, none of which I have an interest in using.)

Edited June 16, 2017 by ErrantSmudge

[ac12]

You have a Pilot pen, use Pilot ink ink it.

 

Diamine may be "safe" but some of the inks are so saturated that they tend to clog (such as Sherwood Green).

The shimmering inks can also clog pens, if the pen is not stored nib UP, and cleaned periodically.

[Oranges and Apples]

Use anything that is made for fountain pens and follow the instructions given by the pen manufacture.

[inkstainedruth]

Reds, browns, and purples are supposed to be harder to flush, due to the dye components. That being said, I've used red inks in some of my vintage pens, and didn't think twice about putting Noodler's Purple Heart into a Parker 51. I've used scented ink (that was red/pink too boot) in a Parker Vacumatic, and purple (vintage Quink Violet) into a Laidtone Duofold with a semi flex OF nib. The only inks that absolutely gets limited to a (single) modern pen? Bay State Blue (because I don't want bad interactions with other inks -- I'm OCD about flushing but I can't guarantee I've gotten all of it out of a feed); and Kung Te Cheng (because it's so thick -- that gets limited to a specific Noodler's Konrad that it works well in and can be completely disassembled if necessary). I've even put "glitter" inks into a 1980s era M100 because of the 1 mm nib shows off those inks to good advantage, and I can remove the nib unit for thorough soaking if needed.

But remember a couple of things:

1) A lot of the companies (especially ones which make a lot of different ink lines, like Diamine and Noodler's) do NOT make uniform inks. Some will be drier, some will have nib creep or buildup, some will be just fine in most pens.

2) Even with the so-called "safe" brands? I had Sailor Jentle Sky High stain the brand spanking new pliglass sac in a Parter 51 (I know it was new -- I watched it being installed).

3) I personally haven't used IG inks in vintage pens, simply due to the slightly higher maintenance and flushing regimen, but there's no reason otherwise not to.

The only inks to absolutely NOT use -- in any fountain pen? India ink and inks for dip pens only (because of the shellac) -- and that includes supposedly safe acrylic inks. Inks which have developed SITB (i.e., mold). Vintage Quink Superchrome (it DOES eat stuff like sacs and feeds). Beyond that. YMMV

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[zubzub]

Thanks for the response guys. I guess my fear was irrational. Just bought some Diamine Oxblood and Eclipse which I know is harder to flush, but I went with it anyways. I wanted to buy the Asa Blue, but I really wanted the Noodler's Elysium first and I already had other blue inks. Also picked up some Pilot ink too.

Edited June 16, 2017 by zubzub

[eharriett]

Reds, browns, and purples are supposed to be harder to flush, due to the dye components. That being said, I've used red inks in some of my vintage pens, and didn't think twice about putting Noodler's Purple Heart into a Parker 51. I've used scented ink (that was red/pink too boot) in a Parker Vacumatic, and purple (vintage Quink Violet) into a Laidtone Duofold with a semi flex OF nib. The only inks that absolutely gets limited to a (single) modern pen? Bay State Blue (because I don't want bad interactions with other inks -- I'm OCD about flushing but I can't guarantee I've gotten all of it out of a feed); and Kung Te Cheng (because it's so thick -- that gets limited to a specific Noodler's Konrad that it works well in and can be completely disassembled if necessary). I've even put "glitter" inks into a 1980s era M100 because of the 1 mm nib shows off those inks to good advantage, and I can remove the nib unit for thorough soaking if needed.

But remember a couple of things:

1) A lot of the companies (especially ones which make a lot of different ink lines, like Diamine and Noodler's) do NOT make uniform inks. Some will be drier, some will have nib creep or buildup, some will be just fine in most pens.

2) Even with the so-called "safe" brands? I had Sailor Jentle Sky High stain the brand spanking new pliglass sac in a Parter 51 (I know it was new -- I watched it being installed).

3) I personally haven't used IG inks in vintage pens, simply due to the slightly higher maintenance and flushing regimen, but there's no reason otherwise not to.

The only inks to absolutely NOT use -- in any fountain pen? India ink and inks for dip pens only (because of the shellac) -- and that includes supposedly safe acrylic inks. Inks which have developed SITB (i.e., mold). Vintage Quink Superchrome (it DOES eat stuff like sacs and feeds). Beyond that. YMMV

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Yeah. What she said.

 

My Baystate Blue is in it's own pen and Revolution Blue, which doesn't stain, but leaves a residue that needs slight scrubbing) is in its own pen, but that's it -- and Rev. Blue is in it's own pen mostly because I like the way it looks in a pen with a flexible nib; has nothing to do with what it will do to a pen.

 

But, I've kept Private Reserve Tanzanite in my Sailor 1911 without issue, and I currently have Noodler's Manhattan Blue in my Waterman Leader sac filler. No problems with either and they cleaned easily.

 

Here's what I'll recommend: do like I did. Go out to Pen chalet or Goulet or another vendor and get yourself a couple of Jinhao's. Get a pack of 2 for $15 or less, or something like that. And just fill them with some samples of inks you want to use. WATCH what your pen looks like once you've used up that converter. Is there an ink residue you can't get rid of? Is it clear through and through? How easy was it to wash out after? If it gave you no problems, then it will be fine with expensive or vintage ones. I know there's also a chance an ink will behave differently in a latex sac pen. If you're worried about that then use the advice above, and while you'll need to use ebay to do it, and replace the name "Jinhao" with "Wearever."

[senzen]

Yup, might be easier to just avoid troublesome inks; J Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite is the worst I've had, by far, gunks everything up; since I know how to clean a Lamy Safari thoroughly I might even buy it again, but wouldn't dare on a more expensive, less cleaning friendly pen... I think Diamine Ancient Copper has a similar reputation. None of my other 16 inks give me cause for concern.

[NicolausPiscator]

[...] I guess my fear was irrational. [...]

 

That is quite normal. And would say that it is good to be both courageous and careful.

[Fuzzy_Bear]

I use any of my inks in any of my pens.

[jmccarty3]

embuggerance

 

Now there is a magnificent neologism if I ever saw one.

[displacermoose]

As long as you don't mind cleaning your pens, use whatever you'd like. The only pens I'm careful about are demonstrators; stained sacs and converters don't bother me in the slightest. I do have one pen with a white section that isn't going anywhere near the Baystate Blue or the Kung Te Cheng. I've never had trouble with bulletproof, iron galls, or pigmented inks (apart from the aforementioned BSB and KTC, which are their own special category) and I've tried a huge collection of them. The glitter inks I tried were very cloggy, but they cleaned out just fine.

 

The vanishing point shouldn't present any kind of an issue. If you get the clear 92 you might want to get another, cheaper demonstrator to play with. Or get a bottle of problematic ink that comes with a free pen and experiment with that. I have an 823 and several TWSBI's and they are just fine.

[ErrantSmudge]

Diamine may be "safe" but some of the inks are so saturated that they tend to clog (such as Sherwood Green).

 

I don't really see clogging as a threat to the pen. It should clean out easily. FWIW, I don't have clogging problems with Sherwood Green.

 

The only brand of ink which threatened one of my pens is Private Reserve, which went moldy and nearly ruined my most expensive pen. Even that pen I was able to resuscitate by disassembling the nib/feed, then soaking and scrubbing all parts with a fine toothbrush. It writes fine today, but no more PR inks for me in any pen I care about.

Edited June 17, 2017 by ErrantSmudge

[FOUR X FOUR]

I was just reading from Richard Binder's site that he only recommends Diamine and Waterman ink because they are the "safest" for pens and his website showed a ton of damage. I want to buy an expensive pen like a vanishing point or Custom 92 and I don't want to damage it. I was originally going to use Noodler's ink on them, but now I need to do more research. What Diamine inks would you recommend that is low maintenance?

 

Hey Zubzub, hit the follow this topic button. Amberlea davis and visvamitra haven't chimed in yet.😀😀