Noodler's Ink And Corrosion

[effrafax]

LOL !

 

Imagination at play is a wonderful thing

 

You're not wrong there ...

 

From my point of view there are just too many variables, both in pens them selves and how people treat their pens.

 

 

 

Yes, I totally agree, it is a very broad space to experiment in. But I'm will to make a start! I've just removed and ultrasonically cleaned some feeds, and am getting ready to assault them with BSB ... under as strict conditions as I can manage outside a lab.

[garyMD]

Here's how this experiment will be designed...

 

Six to ten brand new uber cheap fountain pens (say about USD 2 to 5 each). It must be one brand. We will sacrifice these because we will just use the nib and feed.

Parker Quink to act as control (or distilled water?)

Several types of Noodler's Ink and make sure to include Bay State Blue in the list...

Ink sampler bottles (5ml type)

 

First measure the diameters of the nib assemblies and record them. Also take detailed macro photos of each and every one of them...

 

Fill the ink sampler bottles with the test inks and control to half full...

 

Put in the nib assemblies into the bottles. Make sure they're half dipped so you have a soaked and unsoaked part of the nib...

 

Seal the bottles and leave them standing for say............. A year or two........

 

Open, clean, measure and take photos again.......

 

Any other suggestions will be most welcome...

[FLZapped]

 

Yes, this is entirely the problem: an issue is seen with a pen that has had Noodler's ink in, and jumping on bandwagons and soap boxes, the ink is instantly to blame without considering other factors.

 

If I can mention another issue with Richard Binder's page about ink, there are two photos of feeds from Pilot Vanishing points. One clearly has some damage that is attributed to Noodler's ink in the area where the nib would sit. However, if the ink was solely the cause, surely the whole feed would exhibit the problem, since it is all soaking in the ink.

 

Some other factor, or factors, is/are at work here, but from the evidence provided, it is impossible to say what that is. Nor can the problem be directly attributed to the ink alone.

 

[Edit: fix spelling.]

 

The problem with Richard Binder is that he is solely going on what his client tells him, so there is no scientific proof that Noodler's ink was the cause - it's purely anecdotal based on what amounts to hearsay.

 

One of the members here tried to reproduce problems with Noodler's ink eating plastic feeds under controlled conditions and COULD NOT replicate said results.

[FLZapped]

With all this big fuss about Noodler's did anybody actually perform an experiment ala Mythbusters???

I don't know about Mythbusters, but yes, and the supposed damage could not be replicated.

[FLZapped]

 

Please avoid the temptation to believe that people want to damage the reputation of Noodlers.

 

(1) Several ace repair experts saw enough connection between use of Noodlers and damage that they decided to void their warranty if a customer filled a pen with Noodlers. They see more pens and more inks than we do, and one that I've met is famously honest.

 

(2) Over all, Noodlers seems to have no QA testing. Mr. Noodler boasts of being a one-man operation; therefore, it is probably hard maintain exactly the same recipe in each batch of any single Noodlers ink.

 

(3) Noodlers blue, "plain" blue, is reliable enough that I have bought a third bottle. It seems like a good saturated ink. Not my favorite blue, but not one I would throw out.

And yet, after making your opening statement, you then proceed to do exactly that.

 

Number 1 has turned out to be bull-hockey. It is all based on purely anecdotal evidence and hearsay. It relies totally on the accurate recollection(i.e. - truthfulness) of the individual wanting their pen repaired. One of our members tried to reproduce feed damage under controlled circumstances and COULD NOT. If you had been following this topic, you would know this.

 

Number 2 is just your personal opinion and not based in fact. Actually, Nathan has created inks that are deliberately different per batch and can be traceable for law enforcement purposes. If you had bothered to do a little research, you would know this.

[FLZapped]

Historical reference:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/164101-the-test-part-2-bay-state-blue-vs-the-old-feed/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/163313-bay-state-blue/?do=findComment&comment=1629566

Edited September 20, 2017 by FLZapped

[effrafax]

And yet, after making your opening statement, you then proceed to do exactly that.

 

Number 1 has turned out to be bull-hockey. It is all based on purely anecdotal evidence and hearsay. It relies totally on the accurate recollection(i.e. - truthfulness) of the individual wanting their pen repaired. One of our members tried to reproduce feed damage under controlled circumstances and COULD NOT. If you had been following this topic, you would know this.

 

Number 2 is just your personal opinion and not based in fact. Actually, Nathan has created inks that are deliberately different per batch and can be traceable for law enforcement purposes. If you had bothered to do a little research, you would know this.

 

Easy Tiger, let's keep this respectful.

 

People are entitled to their own opinions, however misguided you may feel they are. I know it's a strong temptation to strike out at those who are less sceptical than those of us who go with the evidence of our own eyes, but lets tone it down a bit, eh?

 

Having said that, I agree that it's frustrating that people keep trotting out the same "evidence" even when it's been long refuted, such as the Lamy feed debacle. It is somewhat inevitable that these stories will keep making the rounds as FPN gathers new members looking for information, but who are not quite seeing all the evidence.

 

As I said earlier in this, and the other current anti-Noodler's post, it's just ink: you are free to use it or not. If not, then some of us will feel that you are missing out on some great colours and properties, but it's unlikely that we're ever going to change anyone's mind that has decided BSB and other inks are 'evil'!

 

I'm still planning on doing my little experiment, and I'll post as soon as it's underway.

[garyMD]

effrafax - just like you I'd really love to perform this experiment based on the design I mentioned above...

 

I have found a vessel that would hold more than the ink sampler bottles... Glass test tubes of 5ml capacity with a rubber seal...

 

Now to look for the uber cheap fountain pens...

[effrafax]

effrafax - just like you I'd really love to perform this experiment based on the design I mentioned above...

 

I have found a vessel that would hold more than the ink sampler bottles... Glass test tubes of 5ml capacity with a rubber seal...

 

Now to look for the uber cheap fountain pens...

 

Glad you're happy to join in. Working with where the problem is most quoted, I have two Lamy feeds and a Pilot VP feed that I'm willing to test with BSB. Again, the most quoted "problem area".

 

Everything's lined up, I just need to sort out the photography angle to record everything for posterity!

[welch]

And yet, after making your opening statement, you then proceed to do exactly that.

 

Number 1 has turned out to be bull-hockey. It is all based on purely anecdotal evidence and hearsay. It relies totally on the accurate recollection(i.e. - truthfulness) of the individual wanting their pen repaired. One of our members tried to reproduce feed damage under controlled circumstances and COULD NOT. If you had been following this topic, you would know this.

 

Number 2 is just your personal opinion and not based in fact. Actually, Nathan has created inks that are deliberately different per batch and can be traceable for law enforcement purposes. If you had bothered to do a little research, you would know this.

 

 

(1) Pen repair people see many more fountain pens with many more inks that you or I or any random user might see. It "relies" on the honesty of the repair expert wanting to limit damage done to pens they have repaired. They have no business interest in harming Noodlers or Private Reserve's business. Yes, I followed this from 2009 onwards on FPN. It is a lot more than merely anecdotal evidence.

 

(1a) Several people attempted "scientific experiments" to check on Bay State Blue and other inks. The experiments all suffer from using a small sample size, often a sample size of one. Normal QA testing hits many examples. If a product is made in small batches, a defect might show once in a hundred or even once in a thousand examples. A sample size of six probably will miss the defect, but some customers will see it.

 

(2) Mr. Noodler has often boasted that he refuses to hire employees; how much QA testing can he do? I would trust companies that have an ink factory and design engineers. Further, Parker withdrew Penman Sapphire when customers began to report that nibs choked. Richard Binder withdrew Gates City Blue when customers found that the original batch failed to dry in a reasonable time. Has Noodlers ever withdrawn an ink?

 

(2a) "Law enforcement purposes"? Five or ten years ago, some fountain pen users said that a few Noodlers inks protected them against "check washing". We discussed that on FPN. Thirty years ago, banks issued corporate dividend check. Veteran bankers remember that thieves tried to steal trays of dividend checks -- big money -- but that banks switched to electronic payments, and, if they issue a check, it is on safety paper that turns colors if someone tries to erase the payee's name or the amount. Incidentally, any customer can buy safety checks that do the same.

 

(2b) If an ink varies much per batch, then it is not a reliable product, unless each batch is intended to improve the ink, to get closer to an ideal.

 

For details, re-read Richard Binder's discussion of ink, and the parallel discussion of "Lamy Feeds and Noodlers Bulletproof Inks" in the Lamy forum, https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/327398-lamy-feeds-and-noodlers-bulletproof-inks/

[max dog]

This is quite the claim, coming from Richard Binder himself!

Examples and evidence he sites further in his article are pretty convincing.

Is there a reason to doubt his claims, given all the other sound advice he gives that people in the fountain pen community accept?

 

A warning from Richard Binders site.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

 

CAUTION

For many years, I’ve tried not to say anything negative about particular inks, but I am now convinced that there are several problems that can be traced to the use of Private Reserve or Noodler’s inks. Among these problems are flow issues and clogging, mold, staining, and actual destruction of pens.

Along with certain other “boutique” inks, these two brands are more prone to clog than more conventional inks because of the heavy dye load they use to produce their deeply saturated colors. Also, some Private Reserve inks behave just like phthalocyanine- and quinacridone-based watercolor paints, which use pigments for their color and are more likely to produce clogs than saturated dye-based inks.

Noodler’s “bulletproof” inks contain a component that causes the dye in the ink to bond chemically with the paper. Unfortunately, this bonding agent is particulate, not in solution. It settles, and you have to shake the bottle to disperse it when filling a pen. It also settles in the pen, and it can cause clogs. To combat (but not cure) this tendency, Noodler’s adds extra surfactant (wetting agent), which can cause bleeding and feathering.

Some other Noodler’s inks, whose identities I have not yet pinned down, will reduce latex sacs to goo. This destruction occurs without the presence of metal; it is not the “gummy sac” problem that is caused by improperly formulated latex.

Private Reserve inks are known to have had mold issues on multiple occasions, and it is not clear to me that the problem has yet been solved for good.

Various Private Reserve and Noodler’s inks are known for staining pens, and at least some Noodler’s inks are known to destroy pens.

Experience has shown that Noodler’s Eel inks often do not flow properly in pens that work with virtually any other kind of ink. I see no need for an ink with the “lubricating” properties of Eel, and I do not recommend its use. (If pen makers thought this sort of ink was a good idea, they would be selling it and taking the profits to the bank.)

Edited September 22, 2017 by max dog

[effrafax]

 

 

(1) Pen repair people see many more fountain pens with many more inks that you or I or any random user might see. It "relies" on the honesty of the repair expert wanting to limit damage done to pens they have repaired. They have no business interest in harming Noodlers or Private Reserve's business. Yes, I followed this from 2009 onwards on FPN. It is a lot more than merely anecdotal evidence.

 

(1a) Several people attempted "scientific experiments" to check on Bay State Blue and other inks. The experiments all suffer from using a small sample size, often a sample size of one. Normal QA testing hits many examples. If a product is made in small batches, a defect might show once in a hundred or even once in a thousand examples. A sample size of six probably will miss the defect, but some customers will see it.

 

(2) Mr. Noodler has often boasted that he refuses to hire employees; how much QA testing can he do? I would trust companies that have an ink factory and design engineers. Further, Parker withdrew Penman Sapphire when customers began to report that nibs choked. Richard Binder withdrew Gates City Blue when customers found that the original batch failed to dry in a reasonable time. Has Noodlers ever withdrawn an ink?

 

(2a) "Law enforcement purposes"? Five or ten years ago, some fountain pen users said that a few Noodlers inks protected them against "check washing". We discussed that on FPN. Thirty years ago, banks issued corporate dividend check. Veteran bankers remember that thieves tried to steal trays of dividend checks -- big money -- but that banks switched to electronic payments, and, if they issue a check, it is on safety paper that turns colors if someone tries to erase the payee's name or the amount. Incidentally, any customer can buy safety checks that do the same.

 

(2b) If an ink varies much per batch, then it is not a reliable product, unless each batch is intended to improve the ink, to get closer to an ideal.

 

For details, re-read Richard Binder's discussion of ink, and the parallel discussion of "Lamy Feeds and Noodlers Bulletproof Inks" in the Lamy forum, https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/327398-lamy-feeds-and-noodlers-bulletproof-inks/

 

 

This is quite the claim, coming from Richard Binder himself!

Examples and evidence he sites further in his article are pretty convincing.

Is there a reason to doubt his claims, given all the other sound advice he gives that people in the fountain pen community accept?

 

A warning from Richard Binders site.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

 

CAUTION

For many years, I’ve tried not to say anything negative about particular inks, but I am now convinced that there are several problems that can be traced to the use of Private Reserve or Noodler’s inks. Among these problems are flow issues and clogging, mold, staining, and actual destruction of pens.

Along with certain other “boutique” inks, these two brands are more prone to clog than more conventional inks because of the heavy dye load they use to produce their deeply saturated colors. Also, some Private Reserve inks behave just like phthalocyanine- and quinacridone-based watercolor paints, which use pigments for their color and are more likely to produce clogs than saturated dye-based inks.

Noodler’s “bulletproof” inks contain a component that causes the dye in the ink to bond chemically with the paper. Unfortunately, this bonding agent is particulate, not in solution. It settles, and you have to shake the bottle to disperse it when filling a pen. It also settles in the pen, and it can cause clogs. To combat (but not cure) this tendency, Noodler’s adds extra surfactant (wetting agent), which can cause bleeding and feathering.

Some other Noodler’s inks, whose identities I have not yet pinned down, will reduce latex sacs to goo. This destruction occurs without the presence of metal; it is not the “gummy sac” problem that is caused by improperly formulated latex.

Private Reserve inks are known to have had mold issues on multiple occasions, and it is not clear to me that the problem has yet been solved for good.

Various Private Reserve and Noodler’s inks are known for staining pens, and at least some Noodler’s inks are known to destroy pens.

Experience has shown that Noodler’s Eel inks often do not flow properly in pens that work with virtually any other kind of ink. I see no need for an ink with the “lubricating” properties of Eel, and I do not recommend its use. (If pen makers thought this sort of ink was a good idea, they would be selling it and taking the profits to the bank.)

 

Look guys, we've been through all this. As stated before, if you don't like using Noodler's, Private Reserve or any other ink, don't use it. Simple as that.

 

BUT, don't try convincing those of us that have had no problems, and do like the inks, that we shouldn't be using them. This is tired old ground. There has not been any unequivocal evidence that Noodler's or any other ink destroys pens in any way. There is maybe some evidence if you choose to believe it at face value.

 

As has been hashed out in this and the other current thread, pretty much all the evidence is anecdotal. No one has been able to replicate any damage under observed conditions. Whilst Mr. Binder and other pen repairers see more pens than the rest of us, as has been pointed out many times, they can only rely on what the customer has told them. As far as I know, they have not conducted experiments themselves: everything is hear-say.

 

There are several factual errors and other problems with the web page quoted above, which have already been pointed out if you read all the messages is this and the other current thread.

 

I for one will carry on carrying on ...

[max dog]

 

 

 

Look guys, we've been through all this. As stated before, if you don't like using Noodler's, Private Reserve or any other ink, don't use it. Simple as that.

 

BUT, don't try convincing those of us that have had no problems, and do like the inks, that we shouldn't be using them. This is tired old ground. There has not been any unequivocal evidence that Noodler's or any other ink destroys pens in any way. There is maybe some evidence if you choose to believe it at face value.

 

As has been hashed out in this and the other current thread, pretty much all the evidence is anecdotal. No one has been able to replicate any damage under observed conditions. Whilst Mr. Binder and other pen repairers see more pens than the rest of us, as has been pointed out many times, they can only rely on what the customer has told them. As far as I know, they have not conducted experiments themselves: everything is hear-say.

 

There are several factual errors and other problems with the web page quoted above, which have already been pointed out if you read all the messages is this and the other current thread.

 

I for one will carry on carrying on ...

That's fair enough for me. Good to hear you and many others like these inks have had no issues with them.

 

When there is some controversy about these inks, it's important to highlight the different points of view. The positive and negative experiences. Ultimately buyer beware, and let them use their own judgement.

 

I have a lot of PR inks and a few Noodlers I accumulated early on, but don't use very much because of their aggressive behaviour (bleed through) on a lot of papers, but on occasion I like to use them because of the brilliant color and pop. I will limit them to my less expensive pens though in light of this revelation (as anecdotal as it may be) given the source.

Edited September 22, 2017 by max dog

[Honeybadgers]

Never had a problem with any of my noodlers inks. Baystate Blue stained my charlie in a way that not even bleach could clean, so it doesn't go in demonstrators, but other than that, they've all been 100% problem free.

 

Black swan in aussie roses is still hands down my favorite ink in my now 100+ collection

 

Also, the binder article was posted from back when nathan's inks weren't all 100% PH neutral. He's reformulated all of his inks in the past few years to be completely neutral in pens. Of course, permanent inks all have a particulate (de atramentis document inks do too) but it's not hard to clean out.

 

I've used one of Nathan's meanest inks, polar blue, in a scheaffer craftsman for six months straight (cleaned every other month but never without the ink) and it's still good as new.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Honeybadgers

[Sandy1]

Never had a problem with any of my noodlers inks. Baystate Blue stained my charlie in a way that not even bleach could clean, so it doesn't go in demonstrators, but other than that, they've all been 100% problem free.

 

Black swan in aussie roses is still hands down my favorite ink in my now 100+ collection

 

Also, the binder article was posted from back when nathan's inks weren't all 100% PH neutral. He's reformulated all of his inks in the past few years to be completely neutral in pens. Of course, permanent inks all have a particulate (de atramentis document inks do too) but it's not hard to clean out.

 

I've used one of Nathan's meanest inks, polar blue, in a scheaffer craftsman for six months straight (cleaned every other month but never without the ink) and it's still good as new.

 

 

+1

 

+

 

Hi,

 

Kindly note that the renowned Mr Binder has an entry on his site under the heading 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' dated 12 June 2017, which is concurrent to this Topic. Xref http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/care/inks.htm

 

I wish he had expanded Sergio Leone's outline to include the outliers : the naughty inks. But it seems to me that is a task for the FPN community (those who enable enjoyment) who can achieve that level of granularity through the use of many inks in many pens by many people.

 

As we sail upon the inky seas we learn as we go... Most of the time we arrive at a luau, rarely the sails are in the water, we're standing on the keel firing flares and then swimming for shore. Fingers crossed that the FPN equivalent of this rum lot is on watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP5omMlb0LY

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

 

Ah, I was under the impression that some cellulose-reactive inks had rather large dye molecules, rather than a particulate component. One trick of managing such inks is to give them an almighty shaking prior to use.

> Decanting them into a Nalgene vessel with a marble insert, strapping it to a retriever's collar then playing 'fetch' also works for me : smiling dog + smiling S1. (Don't tell Nathan, but I await his ink named 'Smiling Dog'...)

Edited September 22, 2017 by Sandy1

[Bo Bo Olson]

I do think 'noobies' should be aware some folks have had problems with Noodlers inks, so they take care and clean the supersaturated high maintenance inks often.

 

Any supersaturated ink is a high maintenance ink.

Also the old Pennmann inks, one of the first supersaturated inks.

 

Living in Germany Noodler's is very expensive imported inks. I only have two, Apache Sunset and my by far slowest to dry ink Golden Brown. Golden Brown needs a full second written page, before one can write on the back of the first page.

I'm not worried about either of those two inks as pen eaters....if I highly maintain them. In they are Noodlers, & supersaturated I have to clean thoroughly and I do after each use.....

 

I picked them up when I went to the states some seven or eight years ago. Goulet had them waiting at the motel when I checked in.

In we don't use checks over here, I don't have to worry about that. We in the EU use bank wire which is as cheap as checks.....in the EU.

 

I have more than enough Mainland Euro inks (60) ..... hell I don't even have the basic 100 of them.

So to me Noodlers is a US problem.

[MarkTrain]

 

Ah, I was under the impression that some cellulose-reactive inks had rather large dye molecules, rather than a particulate component. One trick of managing such inks is to give them an almighty shaking prior to use.

> Decanting them into a Nalgene vessel with a marble insert, strapping it to a retriever's collar then playing 'fetch' also works for me : smiling dog + smiling S1. (Don't tell Nathan, but I await his ink named 'Smiling Dog'...)

 

 

Inks such as Noodler's Black (bulletproof) are opaque and not transparent. This means that they cannot be solutions of water soluble dyes but are rather suspensions of particulate matter. Particulate matter will usually have a distribution of sizes, so the larger/heavier ones have a tendency to drop out (sediment) with time and the lighter ones tend to stay suspended. The shaking just resuspends the heavier particulate matter.

[FLZapped]

 

 

(1) Pen repair people see many more fountain pens with many more inks that you or I or any random user might see. It "relies" on the honesty of the repair expert wanting to limit damage done to pens they have repaired. They have no business interest in harming Noodlers or Private Reserve's business. Yes, I followed this from 2009 onwards on FPN. It is a lot more than merely anecdotal evidence.

 

(1a) Several people attempted "scientific experiments" to check on Bay State Blue and other inks. The experiments all suffer from using a small sample size, often a sample size of one. Normal QA testing hits many examples. If a product is made in small batches, a defect might show once in a hundred or even once in a thousand examples. A sample size of six probably will miss the defect, but some customers will see it.

 

(2) Mr. Noodler has often boasted that he refuses to hire employees; how much QA testing can he do? I would trust companies that have an ink factory and design engineers. Further, Parker withdrew Penman Sapphire when customers began to report that nibs choked. Richard Binder withdrew Gates City Blue when customers found that the original batch failed to dry in a reasonable time. Has Noodlers ever withdrawn an ink?

 

(2a) "Law enforcement purposes"? Five or ten years ago, some fountain pen users said that a few Noodlers inks protected them against "check washing". We discussed that on FPN. Thirty years ago, banks issued corporate dividend check. Veteran bankers remember that thieves tried to steal trays of dividend checks -- big money -- but that banks switched to electronic payments, and, if they issue a check, it is on safety paper that turns colors if someone tries to erase the payee's name or the amount. Incidentally, any customer can buy safety checks that do the same.

 

(2b) If an ink varies much per batch, then it is not a reliable product, unless each batch is intended to improve the ink, to get closer to an ideal.

 

 

#1 is STILL based on hearsay - unless Mr. Binder stood over the shoulder of every client 24 hours a day and recorded exactly what they did at every moment, he is relying on second hand knowledge. In 10+ years, I've run dozens of different inks through some 2 dozen different pens - I think I have plenty of experience to say that I've never had a problem where any pen was destroyed by ink.

 

#1a was a controlled experiment that tested *exactly* what it was supposed to - sample size had nothing to do with it. A broad accusation was made and the experiment showed that allegation had mo merit. No one to date has shown otherwise.

 

OK - how much do you think the bread at your local baker varies batch to batch? How about your favorite BBQ joint that makes it's own batches of BBQ sauce. Do you consider any of these to be unreliable? Surely you don't think they are *exactly* identical batch to batch, do you?

 

I can pick up any number of two-way commercial radios and test them according to EIA/TIA-603 specifications that they are manufactured to and find that none of them measure exactly the same. Does that make them unreliable?

 

I also suppose you find Organics Studio inks unreliable since they are created by an individual too.

 

 

[Sandy1]

Inks such as Noodler's Black (bulletproof) are opaque and not transparent. This means that they cannot be solutions of water soluble dyes but are rather suspensions of particulate matter. Particulate matter will usually have a distribution of sizes, so the larger/heavier ones have a tendency to drop out (sediment) with time and the lighter ones tend to stay suspended. The shaking just resuspends the heavier particulate matter.

 

 

Hi,

 

While we're clearly off-Topic, this is a prior Topic which gave me the impression that Noodler's inky bounty was dye-based : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/158098-ink-chemistry-primer-dye-v-pigment/

 

-> Search phrase :"FPN Samcapote molecule"

 

Bye,

S1

[dcwaites]

 

 

Hi,

 

While we're clearly off-Topic, this is a prior Topic which gave me the impression that Noodler's inky bounty was dye-based : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/158098-ink-chemistry-primer-dye-v-pigment/

 

-> Search phrase :"FPN Samcapote molecule"

 

Bye,

S1

 

Thank you for that link Sandy1. It is now in my Evernotes collection.

 

Inks such as Noodler's Black (bulletproof) are opaque and not transparent. This means that they cannot be solutions of water soluble dyes but are rather suspensions of particulate matter. Particulate matter will usually have a distribution of sizes, so the larger/heavier ones have a tendency to drop out (sediment) with time and the lighter ones tend to stay suspended. The shaking just resuspends the heavier particulate matter.

 

Any liquid will be transparent if you look through a thin enough sample, and will be opaque if you look through a thick enough sample. Even pristine ocean seawater blocks all light after a couple of thousand feet.

 

If you take a drop of Noodler's Black, and put it between two slips of glass, it will show as a transparent grey. It you look at that under a microscope, you will not be able to see any particles, because NB is a dye-based ink. On the other hand, if you do the same with Sailor Kiwaguro Black, or Pelikan Fount India, you will be able to see particles, because they are suspensions of (incredibly tiny) carbon particles.

 

Noodler's inks have a very high concentration of dye. Sometimes, when you leave a bottle of one of those inks undisturbed on a shelf for a long time, some of that dye settles out on the bottom of the bottle. Shaking the bottle re-dissolves that dye back in to the rest of the ink. The same applies to other high dye saturation inks.