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How Do You Feel About Most Inks Lacking Any Reasonable Water Resistance?


Intensity

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I don't know why I'm suddenly so concerned with this issue, but I do know how it came about. I made myself a nice pretty list of things I need to do before my upcoming trip and home purchase, and I took it with me to the kitchen. There I happened to get a glass of cold water, which left my hand wet from condensation. Touching the sheet, I unintentionally made some smears on it, though it had already been dry for a couple of days. Some words were almost gone, and the general result was just basically ruined. It's not quite like regular ballpoint pen writing, where I can take such a sheet and place it under something flat and heavy for a bit to mostly restore, where the writing stays put. I then made some more tests soaking pages in more realistic scenarios, and the results from non-permanent inks were very disappointing.

 

Now, I don't intend to be soaking things left and right, but I feel like if I take the trouble to write things down that are not just lists of things to do--such as research notes or diary--I want them to be readable after a while in storage and without having to constantly check if my hands are always perfectly dry before touching the notes.

 

It seems like most inks are not only not waterproof, but many lack any reasonable water resistance. This is new to me, as I only just recently got into fountain pens. I honestly thought modern inks would focus more on water resistance and permanence ALONG with interesting hues.

 

I LOVE the colors of some inks and struggle to find water-resistant equivalents to them (such as Robert Oster's Ice and Fire base turquoise-blue, or Diamine's Asa Blue). I'm basically looking at Noodler's semi-bulletproof inks at this point as well as some iron gall options, which will require more pen care. I don't care if an ink is perfectly inoffensive to my pen if it also can't stay on the page.

 

Why is it that majority of inks are formulated to lack water resistance, and has it been a problem for you personally?

Edited by Intensity

“I admit it, I'm surprised that fountain pens are a hobby. ... it's a bit like stumbling into a fork convention - when you've used a fork all your life.” 

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Personally, in many decades of fountain pen use, water resistance has never really been a concern to me. I consider the things I write with a fountain pen ephemera. That said, I do make a reasonable effort to keep things dry around the writing scene.

Happiness is a real Montblanc...

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Hasn't been a problem, except when writing in the rain or on a boat and then I switch to a pencil, spacepen, sharpie.
I've been using fountain pen for decades.
The surprise for me was a gift of gel pens with ink that washed away in the rain - not all gel pen inks are waterproof.

Like Joane, I'm usually not concerned about water on the page from hands or spills.
I often use Waterman and J Herbin. The blacks have limited water resistance, as do a few of the colors like Waterman green.

When addressing envelopes, I often use the Sailor nano ink Sei Boku, waterproof.

When collaborating on a project and a page might get coffee stained, I use one a Japanese dye ink that's strongly water resistant, legible if it gets wet. Consider trying Pilot Blue, Sailor Souten, Jentle Blue.

I found the typical Noodler's smearing/feathering a bother. It can be reduced by adding water to each fill.
I haven't tried iron gall inks, not all are waterproof. KWZ & Platinum are tempting.
I like the Japanese nano inks.

Consider ink samples from goulet, andersons, vanness, jetpens. Try a few inks and see if they work for you.

Edited by cattar
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One day I sat under a tree with a journal, and apparently it rained earlier that day, and one big drop that formed on a branch fell on the page and wiped out about 3 lines of writing. Ever since, I've desired inks with some water resistance. Even if it's enough to leave a shadow on the paper after water washes it away so I can recover what I wrote. Montblanc Midnight Blue is not bad (non iron gall, but leaves a very legible shadow after a soaking).

Edited by max dog
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I use waterproof inks a lot - both Noodlers and pigmented inks by a variety of makers - but also like watersoluble ones because careful use of a waterbrush is great for shadows and other effects on a drawing.

Will work for pens... :unsure:

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I have no problem at all with inks that aren't water resistant. Some are better than others. Purples are usually more water resistant than some blues or reds.

 

I prefer my inks to clean out of my pens and to wash off of my hands and other surfaces easily. :)

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I have not gone out of my way to seek out more water resistant inks but if I had more money to invest in it I would so. I have been concerned with havibg my journals hold up and last long after I am gone. I developed a strong appreciation for the minimal paper ephemera and notes from my forebears. I would like my notes to be more durable and that would include being water resistant.

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It's all a matter of chemistry.

The chemistry that allows an ink to attach itself to the paper fibres means that you have a limited range of colours.

The chemistry that gives you a wide range of brilliant, intense colours gives you limited water resistance.

There are very few inks (Koh-i-noor Document Blue, Noodler's Baystate range) that have intense, brilliant, attractive colours, and water resistance.

 

There is one blue colour, that shown by Parker Penman Sapphire and Monteverde Horizon Blue, that, in spite of many attempts, nobody has been able to duplicate in a water resistant version. Nathan Tardif tried with Liberty's Elysium Blue, and ended up with an ink that wasn't quite PPS Blue, but was rather water resistant.

 

Don't forget, also, that an ink has to dry before any water resistance shows. The Pilot Blue and Black inks need to dry for at least half an hour before they are fully water resistant.

 

There are some inks, like Waterman Serenity Blue, which are specifically designed to be washable so they can be used in French schools, which mandate washable inks.

 

You choose your ink for your purpose. I specifically use Pilot Blue-Black in my shopping list pen. As I go around the shop, getting things, I can cross them off my list and know that finger smudges won't happen. For me, it is not the most attractive ink, but in this case function overrules form. For other instances, where attractiveness is important, I will chose one of the PPS Blues.

fpn_1412827311__pg_d_104def64.gif




“Them as can do has to do for them as can’t.


And someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.”


Granny Aching

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Though I am a big fan of iron gall inks, their waterproofness is not the main factor in enjoying them for me, more so it is their oxidation process.

 

I am not really concerned with water resistance, even as a lefty that can often smear writing with my palm moving over it, as I usually use blotting paper to avoid it from happening.

 

I never drink and write, so spills, drips, etc. from being next to, or in proximity to my writing has never been a concern. Five semesters of chemistry in college teaches one well to separate writing and liquids as best possible!

 

I do love to write outside, but have yet to have my writing be introduced to rain, ponds, lakes, or water balloons so have been little concerned, though honestly with my luck it should have experienced one of these already!

 

All my letters have reached their intended addressees, no matter the ink type, and I don't cover it in wax or tape, so have hade no pressure to have water resistance for letter writing either.

 

I think the need for water resistant inks is dependent upon one's lifestyle, but I also think a lot of need for it can be overblown. Most established postal systems aren't keen to dunk letters as a past time, nor have them exposed easily to harsh weather for example.

FP Ink Orphanage-Is an ink not working with your pens, not the color you're looking for, is never to see the light of day again?!! If this is you, and the ink is in fine condition otherwise, don't dump it down the sink, or throw it into the trash, send it to me (payment can be negotiated), and I will provide it a nice safe home with love, and a decent meal of paper! Please PM me!<span style='color: #000080'>For Sale:</span> TBA

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I have 1 ink that I purchased because it was waterproof & that was to write checks & address envelopes. Otherwise, nothing I write has to last & I am more interested in color & behavior.

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I prefer water-resistant inks to not-at-all-water-resistant inks, although I will still use the later (cos colors).

 

For black ink, I prefer waterproof inks, my favorite's being Noodler's Black. I also like Platinum Carbon Black, but am wary about using it in pens that I can't remove the nib and feed for a gentle scrubbing. Since I use black ink for drawing also, it helps that it's waterproof so that other inks won't erase it or make it run.

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etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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You're not alone in the quest for waterproof, or at least water resistant inks. We have been using Hero 234 Carbon Black for years in keeping our logbook which remains aboard our boat in a coastal marine environment. Hero 234 is 100% waterproof. It is also a problematic ink, as are most nano-partical inks as they are prone to clog if not under constant use. It is not unusual to find myself rinsing the nib if the pen has been idle even just a day or so capped. For that reason we find a hooded nib (not an expensive Parker! This is a job for a Hero 616) to be a better choice with that ink. So, after 15 years of coastal cruising our first logbook is now full and retired. In rain storms and heavy weather it never got so much as a drop on it! We just started a new log this year with Hero 234 but I am giving serious thought to going with a water resistant ink that might not be quite as impervious to water but less of a hassle. Then again,it would be my luck that with that change, the log would get a ducking somehow.

“The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.”  John Adams

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Jup! The isssue of water resistance of inks can be disturbing and disquieting - I know it from personal experiences. But my favourite are all not too much waterproof, however I use them and I love them. But sometimes I read about wet disasters and ink properties and than I become uncomfortable with my inks but just until thinking and remembering that nothing disastrous happened so far to my notes... So I just can fall into the line of those who say wholeheartedly: No problem at all.

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Hi,

 

Please pick and choose according to the basket of risk exposure of what's written, the significance and future value of the document.

 

I will not stop using Private Reserve American Blue or the exquisite Visconti Blue because they are not 100% water resistant.

 

I will continue to use ESS Registrars Ink, Pilot BlBk and Pelikan 4001 BlBk and Magic Colors ink as they have excellent water resistance (and perhaps archival qualities).

 

And then we have the ingenious Mr Tardif's wonderful, but out of stock, Benevolent Badger Blue. :)

 

Kindly refer to this prior Topic : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/202066-waterproof-water-resistant-whats-going-on/?p=2069789

 

The plethora of inks in the market make things a bit tricky, so please avail yourself of the contributions in the Ink Review Forum.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

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Indeed, there are different degrees of resistance, though at this point I'm happy if the ink is at least "water-resistant" (i.e. leaves a highly legible line behind after washing, even if it's a different color). My primary concern is with inks that wash off almost clean, which seems to be most of my inks and ink samples except for iron-gall content MB Midnight Blue and Noodler's ACBB (and also Lamy Petrol, but I only know this from others' reviews, have yet to start my bottle), but those are all dark black-base inks.

Edited by Intensity

“I admit it, I'm surprised that fountain pens are a hobby. ... it's a bit like stumbling into a fork convention - when you've used a fork all your life.” 

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I feel okay, except when I'm leafing through a stack of old notes (long since dry) when my wetted thumb or forefinger smears a word or two but I'm not sure that any inks would hold up against my spit.

Life is too short to drink bad wine (Goethe)

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Every ink seems to have plusses and minuses. Some of the IG inks, for instance, are very waterproof but not at all UV resistant in my experience. Some inks dry extremely quickly -- but have other issues (OS Charles Darwin dried in about 3 seconds on some paper, but had spread and bleed through issues out the yingyang....). Noodler's Kung Te Cheng is pretty nigh well *everything* proof (and is a really unique and amazing color) -- but it often gets cloggy unless the pen it's in constant use. And some pen/ink combo just don't work well: I LOVE my M400 Brown Tortoise and absolutely adore Iroshihzuku Yama-guri... just not together....

YMMV

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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