Jump to content

What The Heck Is This In My Ink Bottle?

KellyMcJ

By KellyMcJ
in Inky Thoughts

 Share

Recommended Posts

KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
Posted

I filled my Pilot Metro today and after filling, I noticed that there is some residue floating on the top of my bottle of Sheaffer Blue Black.

 

I've had this bottle less than a week, and have just filled a pen that has been used in a machine shop, so I'd like to think that despite my best efforts I've put oil into my ink from the section of my pen, NOT that it's mold.

 

What do you all think? It doesn't smell like anything nefarious or organic.

 

http://i1374.photobucket.com/albums/ag402/klmcjilton/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170623_124924_zpskd6anvli.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 36
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • KellyMcJ

    20

  • Erik Dalton

    4

  • torstar

    3

  • amberleadavis

    3

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

torstar Antique

torstar

Posted
Posted

All kinds of gunk can happen.

 

Mould can form, some brands are most likely than others.

 

As well it can sorta change to where you fill your pen and there's an inch of goo hanging from the end of the nib.

 

Others will come along with a more analytical answer for you.

 

Neither situation is much fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

All kinds of gunk can happen.

 

Mould can form, some brands are most likely than others.

 

As well it can sorta change to where you fill your pen and there's an inch of goo hanging from the end of the nib.

 

Others will come along with a more analytical answer for you.

 

Neither situation is much fun.

 

If it turns out to be relatively harmless contamination (since I've also filled an old lever filler from this bottle that possibly had some older dried ink somewhere around it, it could be that too) I'll just dedicate that bottle of ink to the pen that's going to continually have extra contamination already and get on with it (one thing about being up to your elbows in oil everyday is that it contaminates everything you own eventually). That being the case just about any ink I use is going to meet the same fate. My other bottles have been spared because I filled either the converter separately or from sample containers. I'm extra careful, usually. I'll just keep this bottle for the "shop pen" and let whatever happens happen.

 

The fun thing about sac filling pens is you pretty much have to dunk the section in the ink, which I typically avoid doing otherwise. So there's that.

 

If it's mold, though, I'll contact the seller because this really shouldn't happen less than a week in. None of my other bottles have this problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Erik Dalton Collectors Item

Erik Dalton

Posted
Posted

The bottle has to go and you need to thouroughly clean your pen before you dip it into another bottle of ink and spread this stuff. Fungus and gunk happens to the best of inks. Even though you just bought it, there is no telling how long it was on the sellers shelf or under what conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Erik Dalton Collectors Item

Erik Dalton

Posted
Posted

You know better than we do about the environment that your pens are used in and the contaminants they may be exposed to. If you're going to continue to use it, i'd do as you suggest and limit the pens you use with this ink and be careful not to contaminate other ink bottles.

Let us know what happens. I'm curious now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

You know better than we do about the environment that your pens are used in and the contaminants they may be exposed to. If you're going to continue to use it, i'd do as you suggest and limit the pens you use with this ink and be careful not to contaminate other ink bottles.

Let us know what happens. I'm curious now.

 

I may just do that and limit it to this one pen. The other pens were filled before I noticed this stuff, so I'll see what happens. There's a spectacularly good chance that there was cutting oil on the section of that pen, considering I had my oily hands all over it yesterday and filled the pen today. I wiped the section down before I did but that stuff is tenacious. Should have wiped it down with alcohol. Maybe three times.

 

I may contact the shop anyway and see what they say. I don't recall if I bought this from Goulet or Jetpens, I have to look it up. I order from both regularly.

 

In any case, I'll thoroughly clean any pens other than this one and not use them with any other ink until I do. How do you suggest disinfecting the sac of a vintage lever filler? Just in case. I don't want to damage the pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ReadyFireAim Extremely Rare

ReadyFireAim

Posted
Posted

If you're worried, buy yourself a cheap pen that uses lots of ink like a BBBB stub or a massive flex dip pen & have fun with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

If you're worried, buy yourself a cheap pen that uses lots of ink like a BBBB stub or a massive flex dip pen & have fun with it.

 

:lticaptd: Some of the inks that I don't particularly want to use in my pens because they're not the best behaved ever get relegated to dip pen use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

Posted
Posted

Before you panic, check out this thread:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/323390-surfactant-vs-mold/

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I tracked down the order and sent a message to Brian at Goulet explaining the situation just in case so he has a chance to check his stock. I may look at this stuff under a microscope later when I have more time. So far it could be:

 

1) Machine oil residue

2) Manufacturing residue from the pen itself (I'm one of those naughty people who doesn't always flush pens before use)

3) Inadvertent contamination with an ink that formed a precipitate (I flush my pens well before changing colors but I don't always succeed in getting all the ink out because it can hide pretty well! I filled a pen that had Pilot BB in it with this, and Pilot BB is known to be alkaline.

4) Mold

5) A property of that particular ink

 

Until I figure out which it is, it's only being used in one pen from now on. The one that's going to be exposed to all the fun contamination too. I think it's time I pick a pen to dedicate to everyday carry anyway, for this reason. I hadn't really thought about it before, but it seems pretty important now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Amberleadavis what I have looks a lot like your "dried out bubbles" pic!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Erik Dalton Collectors Item

Erik Dalton

Posted
Posted

A pen flush of 1:10 non-sudsing amonia to water ratio, I like to add a drop or two of dawn dish detergent for the oil too.

Run it through your pens, check the feeds for any of those floating particles. You can use a soft toothbrush to get at anything caught between the fins.

When you think you have all the gunk out, be sure to flush them well with water, Especially the pens with sacs. Let them dry overnight, and off you go.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

A pen flush of 1:10 non-sudsing amonia to water ratio, I like to add a drop or two of dawn dish detergent for the oil too.

Run it through your pens, check the feeds for any of those floating particles. You can use a soft toothbrush to get at anything caught between the fins.

When you think you have all the gunk out, be sure to flush them well with water, Especially the pens with sacs. Let them dry overnight, and off you go.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Will do! I'm going to put this stuff under a microscope before I do anything. I'm really thinking it's not organic after seeing Amber's photos. I've seen photos of this stuff in Skrip inks elsewhere on the forum too.

 

I'll try to get pics of what I find with the 'scope but no promises I'll be able to!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Goulet got back to me and told me to stop using the ink, they are sending a new bottle. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So I put it under a microscope and I'm horrified. NOW I should qualify this by saying I don't have lab conditions and so this could be contamination of the dust mite variety however...

 

EEK! I kind of wish I hadn't looked.

 

Someone who's good at biology tell me what the bleep this is...

 

http://i1374.photobucket.com/albums/ag402/klmcjilton/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170624_011710_zpsoaxplhol.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

Posted
Posted

So I put it under a microscope and I'm horrified. NOW I should qualify this by saying I don't have lab conditions and so this could be contamination of the dust mite variety however...

 

EEK! I kind of wish I hadn't looked.

 

Someone who's good at biology tell me what the bleep this is...

 

http://i1374.photobucket.com/albums/ag402/klmcjilton/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170624_011710_zpsoaxplhol.jpg

 

I think it is one of these.

 

 

xo98rz1dxhyy.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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KellyMcJ Vintage

KellyMcJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That's a good possibility.

 

Either way I'm never putting ink under a microscope again.

 

All pens that have touched that ink have been disinfected. Flushed really well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

Posted
Posted

Bleck

 

I'm still scared.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33583
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26772
    5. jar
      jar
      26105

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      Links to web pages or articles about Chinese typesetting, signwriting, etc.

      By Shanghai Knife Dude · Posted

      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...