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Help Me Identify An Ink


sapient

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Hello,

I have some cartridges of a black ink that I like a lot and I am running out. I would like to find some more (either cartridges or a bottle), but I am not sure about the brand or type of ink. How can that be? you may ask; let me explain:

Years ago (1999-2000) I was living in the US. I did not use fountain pens but I was interesting in them, so I bought a cheap fountain pen at a CVS. This is the pen:

http://preview.ibb.co/iMEDua/pen.jpg

As you can see, there is a faint "Mondial E.I" stamp on the clip.

This fountain pen came with (or was sold with, I can't remember) 10 or so international short cartridges of the ink in question. I tried the fountain pen and ink once, but this was a horrible fountain pen and I was put off using them. About 15 years later I inherited some very nice fountain pens from my godfather, and my interest in them was rekindled. I discovered the old Mondial (?) cartridges in a box and started using them. The cartridges have a black "bottom" and a ball agitator.

The ink was labeled black, and looks very black when wet, but it fades a bit when dry. I actually like this, since it gets an "old-timey" look. If smeared it looks dark brownish. Here is a sample:

http://preview.ibb.co/gwurfF/ink.jpg

This ink flows very well in all fountain pens and all rollerballs I have tried it in and does not clog them. It also writes very well in all kinds of paper: it does not bleed through and does not feather even on very cheap and flimsy paper; and it produces lines of the same thickness in all types of paper, even brown kraft paper where most other inks fail miserably:

http://preview.ibb.co/bWvE0F/kraft.jpg

I would really appreciate any help identifying it or anything close to it.

 

edit: more info added

Edited by sapient
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I forgot to mention that nibs inked with this have a rather sharp smell that is difficult to describe - maybe a bit metallic-y if there is such a thing.

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I don't think you're ever going to find out exactly which black ink is in some old international sized cartridges. They could just be any generic cheap black ink. The fact that they smell metallic-y isn't good, and makes them sound like they are going off. I assume the cartridges are less than full now too, so they are more concentrated than they were originally. If you want a really black, black ink try Aurora black. Or just buy yourself some other international sized cartridges and try them out. :)

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@Chrissy

I was puzzled when I read your comment about the ink evaporating from the cartridges, as they are sealed, but I looked at my 2 remaining ones and you are right! How can this be? How does anything evaporate from a sealed, unbroken cartridge?

 

As for the smell, the ink smelled like that as long as I can remember, probably since I bought them.

 

I am not looking necessarily for the exact same ink, but for an ink with a similar color and properties. Most blacks are grey-ish when smeared, not brown-ish, and have other differences too. As you can see from my last photo, the color is more of a very dark sepia than a true black. Additionally, most inks do not write well on craft paper, or bleed through cheap paper or... The point being: this ink had a great combination of properties, and that is what I am looking for.

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The plastic used for cartridges is slightly porous. So, yes, unused cartridges can have evaporation from them.

As for your ink, all I can suggest is to try some samples of inks that you know come as International Standard cartridges. My first thought, though, since you say it's brown-toned, might be to have a look at Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. I think that one has brownish undertones. Quink and Sheaffer use propriety Cartridges, IIRC, so you can bypass them.

I think there's a chart on the Goulet Pens website of what brands use International Standard cartridges, and which brands use propriety ones, which will help you narrow down the list of inks to try.

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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I have the Pelikan black and it is a very neutral black - diluted it is just grey, like a pencil mark. Undiluted it dries darker than my mystery ink. It is also drier than the mystery ink.

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Jet Pens also has a page on black inks. The one you're looking for might be in there.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The pen is very poorly made, as I mentioned, e.g. the cap is so loose, it will fall off if the pen is held cap down. Here is a picture of the pen disassembled.

http://preview.ibb.co/kTXnYk/IMG_20170923_223129.jpg

The feed is made from two halves, as you can see and has no air channel; the air channel is on the inside of the section instead. The nib is stamped: A, 4, Germany. Its underside is somewhat corroded.

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From the image you posted, it looks as if there is a heavy hint of brown/red/burgundy in that ink.

 

Seems to me I once had some old MonteBlanc cartridges that had that same color tint to them and were in the same style cartridge you describe. Couldn't begin to imagine where you would find that color these days. But good luck!

Fair winds and following seas.

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