25 replies to this topic

[essayfaire]

So the new Retro 51 glow-in-the-dark pen has got me thinking about glow-in-the-dark ink.  I haven't seen any.  We already have some invisible ink, but that's different.  Glow-in-the-dark items that I own (novelty clothes, watch markings) are visible in daylight but glow when it's dark; quite different from invisible except under UV light.

 

I thought if such an ink existed, it would make a fun Halloween gift.  Does anyone know of one?

Edited by essayfaire, 14 October 2019 - 23:15.

[ardene]

Check this older thread, you might find something useful. http://www.fountainp...ic/116934-glow/

[inkstainedruth]

Some of the Noodler's inks do have a UV component to them, but I don't remember which ones (I mean besides Blue Ghost, which is ONLY visible under black light).  I want to say Qui Shi Hwang is one of them, but don't quote me on that.  There's a chart on the Noodler's website showing the different characteristics of the different inks: bulletproof -- i.e., cellulose reactive (meaning it bonds with the paper); UV resistant, forgery-resistant, etc.  And I think there's a column for inks that shine under a black light.   You could check there.

I scrolled briefly through the link that ardenne provided, and the problem is that it's a decade old thread.  The last post says that Nathan Tardif did come up with such an ink, but couldn't find a market for it.  But of course that was probably before Blue Ghost came out.  And CERTAINLY before QSH came out....

Okay, I just checked their website for the link: http://noodlersink.c...erties-2019.pdf

and it turns out I was right about QSH.  But apparently El Lawrence ALSO has a UV component to it (who knew?) as well as some other inks, including some of the highlighter inks.  I'm afraid that's the best that I know of.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[essayfaire]

Thanks for the replies; from the checking I have done it seems as if the Noodlers which shine under black light is the closest there is.  Perhaps someone will read this post and start production.

[wallylynn]

Maybe the older type glow would work.  I read that the new high-output glow powders do not like water.  Even then, the glow will be faint.  I have some of the paint, and it needs a non-trivial thick layer to see the glow.  But the full jar, ooh boy that thing shines!

[Noihvo]

[Bibliophage]

They still make the stickers.   My 10 year old daughter has a glow in the dark butterfly on her wall.

[essayfaire]

They still make the stickers.   My 10 year old daughter has a glow in the dark butterfly on her wall.

They also make glow-in-the dark shirts, boxers, and pjs.

[inkstainedruth]

Glow in the dark BOXERS?  I don't think I really needed to know that....   

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Nyanzilla]

I had glowing stars on the ceiling of my room. Looks very nice in the night.

 

For fountain pen inks it will be difficult to make them as they must contain particles in a high concentration (like white inks). Or radioactive substances like Radium or Promethium which won't comply with actual legislation for product safety.

[Oldane]

Glow in the dark BOXERS?  I don't think I really needed to know that....   

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Hony sois qui mal y pense.  :-)

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, right.  That's the motto for the Order of the Garter, isn't it?  "Evil to them who evil thinks" is I believe how it translates.  [Google Translate is good for modern French; Middle French, not so much....]

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Bibliophage]

I had glowing stars on the ceiling of my room. Looks very nice in the night.

 

For fountain pen inks it will be difficult to make them as they must contain particles in a high concentration (like white inks). Or radioactive substances like Radium or Promethium which won't comply with actual legislation for product safety.

Even radium (radium dials) required a phosphor on top of them   That's the main risk with antique clocks with radium dials.  it's not that they're really more dangerous - they aren't - the radiation doesn't go very far.   it's that the phosphor degrades and then particles start floating around the air.   THAT'S dangerous.

[Charles Rice]

Glow in the dark ink is simple to make.  Just add some radium dust to the bottle and shake well.  If you can't find any at your local hardware store, you can scrape off some from old glow in the dark watches.  

 

The nice thing about glow in the dark ink is that I can write letters late at night with the lights off so as not to wake Carol.  

[ardene]

Hony sois qui mal y pense.  :-)

Yeah, right.  That's the motto for the Order of the Garter, isn't it?  "Evil to them who evil thinks" is I believe how it translates.  [Google Translate is good for modern French; Middle French, not so much....]
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Without honour (honi) will be/let be (soit) who (qui) bad (mal) thinks (pense) of it (y).

[Bibliophage]

Glow in the dark ink is simple to make.  Just add some radium dust to the bottle and shake well.  If you can't find any at your local hardware store, you can scrape off some from old glow in the dark watches.  

 

The nice thing about glow in the dark ink is that I can write letters late at night with the lights off so as not to wake Carol.  

Again, the radium particles have to be coated in phosphor.   It converts the invisible radiation to visible light.  

 

Just put in a black light, and write with UV dye ink.   Make sure it's not UV-C.  

[essayfaire]

Glow in the dark BOXERS?  I don't think I really needed to know that....   

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

There, there; J. Crew sells them for kids.

[Bibliophage]

Glow in the dark BOXERS?  I don't think I really needed to know that....   

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

They could have been tightie-whities.   (or would they be tightie-yellow-greenies, in this case?)

[thx1138]

Does plutonium glow in the dark?

There is probably plenty of excess plutonium laying around in Russian and American warehouses.

[Charles Rice]

Does plutonium glow in the dark?

There is probably plenty of excess plutonium laying around in Russian and American warehouses.

 

You might want to check eBay for some.  But be careful.  Lots of fake plutonium out there.   Best bet would be "Nukes are Us".