Shimmering Inks And Clogging

[dashreeve]

I've been buying way too many shimmering inks lately, and I can't get enough of them. I have a few of the very inexpensive Jinhao 992s that I convert to eyedropper and swap the nib with Goulet stub nibs. I'm using the inks in a Moonman C1, and several PanBBS pens as well. A bit hesitant t use in my nicer pens.

 

It seems that some clog more / faster than others. Any tips on shimmering inks that clog less, or tips for cleaning / maintenance?

[corniche]

Hi Dashreeve,

 

Shimmering inks contain solids; i.e., plastic or metallic bits of glitter, so clogging is an inherent risk- it's the nature of the beast.

 

My recommendation would be NOT to eyedropper your pens with the stuff- that's TOO MUCH glitter ink. It's better to use it in small, controlled portions; use the pen regularly and flush the pen frequently; e.g., once a week.

 

 

Sean

[A Smug Dill]

The more effective the cap is at preventing ink evaporation when the pen is unused, the less likely clogging is going to occur. Some $5 pens are pretty good at that, as are some $50 and $500 pens. Nineteen of my (your pens, so it's up to you to know them well.

 

I have a twentieth shimmer ink in an FPR Himalaya v1 pen right now, and that's proving to be a bad idea, but I don't think there is enough of that ink in the converter worth salvaging, and a pen that doesn't have an effective cap is fairly worthless to me personally to bother cleaning it out in a hurry or redeploying it with some other ink (that's still going to dry out in the pen).

[dashreeve]

Good points about the eyedroppers / good sealing caps. Mainly seems to catch in two of the 5 with the shimmering inks, and I think it might have a lot to do with the caps. I don’t mod frequent cleaning for the two cloggers. I also just diluted my magenta shimmering ink with some lubricated cactus fruit with great results. No more clogging in that one and seems to have just as much shimmer even when diluted.

 

Thanks a lot to the help!

[loug]

Shake the pen periodically while writing. Keeps the solids suspended

[kestrel]

I've been buying way too many shimmering inks lately, and I can't get enough of them. I have a few of the very inexpensive Jinhao 992s that I convert to eyedropper and swap the nib with Goulet stub nibs. I'm using the inks in a Moonman C1, and several PanBBS pens as well. A bit hesitant t use in my nicer pens.

 

It seems that some clog more / faster than others. Any tips on shimmering inks that clog less, or tips for cleaning / maintenance?

My shimmer ink supply is limited to a few colors. They only go in pens that can be easily and thoroughly cleaned. For me that is converter fillers and the venerable Esterbrook J. Following use the nib unit is cleaned in an ultrasonic bath and flushed with an ear syringe. The converter/Estie sac gets flushed with a syringe and a blunt needle.

[Charles Rice]

I have two shimmers. I've pretty much restrict them to nibs that are broad and wet. Also, seems like if I'm writing a letter, the shimmer fades out half way down the page, even if I do keep shaking my pen.

[corniche]

My shimmer ink supply is limited to a few colors. They only go in pens that can be easily and thoroughly cleaned. For me that is converter fillers and the venerable Esterbrook J. Following use the nib unit is cleaned in an ultrasonic bath and flushed with an ear syringe. The converter/Estie sac gets flushed with a syringe and a blunt needle.

Hi Kestrel,

 

I never would have thought of a lever filler sac pen as something that's easy to clean: more power to you. 👍

 

For pens, I would recommend something from Noodlers or TWSBI; something that can be completely disassembled and thoroughly flushed clean.

 

I use a TWSBI 580 with the Bulletproof black and a Noodlers Konrad with Diamine Shimmer Gold, (I forget its actual name).

 

 

Sean

[Beechwood]

I have discussed the clogging issue of shimmer inks with Diamine. Their response was that if the pen becomes cogged with shimmer particles to flush the pen and refill.

 

You may take the view that only having part use of a fill of ink suggests that the ink is not fit for purpose.

[dashreeve]

Good points. I am definitely using it in pens that have easy nib / feed removal and broad or stub nibs. Might experiment more with the diluting thing, I have some colors that are pretty close to all my shimmer inks.

Edited January 29, 2020 by dashreeve

[awa54]

My Sailor Profit Junior has been inked with Sailor pigment blue (problematic in some pens) since I bought it last summer, it still writes unfailingly at the first touch to the page. The LeCoule Smug mentioned has the same nib/feed/cap seal but with flat-top styling and pearlescent plastics, the cigar shaped Profit Jr. with transparent barrel colors runs $20-30, LeCoule $30-40.

 

...or you could get a Platinum Century #3776, the big brag about this updated version is that the new cap design (screw cap only) seals exceptionally well

[dashreeve]

My Sailor Profit Junior has been inked with Sailor pigment blue (problematic in some pens) since I bought it last summer, it still writes unfailingly at the first touch to the page. The LeCoule Smug mentioned has the same nib/feed/cap seal but with flat-top styling and pearlescent plastics, the cigar shaped Profit Jr. with transparent barrel colors runs $20-30, LeCoule $30-40.

 

...or you could get a Platinum Century #3776, the big brag about this updated version is that the new cap design (screw cap only) seals exceptionally well

I've been wanting a 3776 with a music nib for a long time.....so that is very tempting!

[kestrel]

Hi Kestrel,

 

I never would have thought of a lever filler sac pen as something that's easy to clean: more power to you.

 

For pens, I would recommend something from Noodlers or TWSBI; something that can be completely disassembled and thoroughly flushed clean.

 

I use a TWSBI 580 with the Bulletproof black and a Noodlers Konrad with Diamine Shimmer Gold, (I forget its actual name).

 

 

Sean

User grade Esties, only. Remove nib to flush with syringe and/or drop nib/feed in plastic film can filled with water for ultrasonic bath. Take 10 mL syringe with blunt tip needle and CAREFULLY flush out sac. It works and it's easy. I have never even thought of putting shimmer ink in any vintage pen except for the Sherman tank of the fountain pen world.

 

I did end up with one vintage Burgundy Marble Parker Challenger with shimmer ink in it but I wasn't the one who filled it with the stuff. I found the pen at a flea market and did the standard inspection and cleaning and resac. When I flushed the section with an ear syringe the water came out clear without any trace of ink or a clog so I skipped the usual dip in the ultrasonic. I inked the pen with Noodler's Red Rattler and used it for doodling and crosswords. Almost immediately I saw that my Red Rattler fill had been miraculously transformed into a burgundy shimmer ink. The pen quickly became temperamental and soon quit writing altogether. I took it apart again and did my full cleaning protocol and the amount of shimmer glitter in that nib and feed was amazing. It took eight 90 second ultrasonic treatments to remove it all and it was glitter, not precipitate. I refilled the pen with Red Rattler and it has written the way Parker intended ever since. Red Rattler has a reputation as a "cleaning ink" so it might have dissolved the dregs from the previous fill better than water did.

[Fermata]

User grade Esties, only. Remove nib to flush with syringe and/or drop nib/feed in plastic film can filled with water for ultrasonic bath. Take 10 mL syringe with blunt tip needle and CAREFULLY flush out sac. It works and it's easy. I have never even thought of putting shimmer ink in any vintage pen except for the Sherman tank of the fountain pen world.

 

I did end up with one vintage Burgundy Marble Parker Challenger with shimmer ink in it but I wasn't the one who filled it with the stuff. I found the pen at a flea market and did the standard inspection and cleaning and resac. When I flushed the section with an ear syringe the water came out clear without any trace of ink or a clog so I skipped the usual dip in the ultrasonic. I inked the pen with Noodler's Red Rattler and used it for doodling and crosswords. Almost immediately I saw that my Red Rattler fill had been miraculously transformed into a burgundy shimmer ink. The pen quickly became temperamental and soon quit writing altogether. I took it apart again and did my full cleaning protocol and the amount of shimmer glitter in that nib and feed was amazing. It took eight 90 second ultrasonic treatments to remove it all and it was glitter, not precipitate. I refilled the pen with Red Rattler and it has written the way Parker intended ever since. Red Rattler has a reputation as a "cleaning ink" so it might have dissolved the dregs from the previous fill better than water did.

 

 

I think this is a very good point, obviously a lesson learned and now shared.

[Noihvo]

[dashreeve]

Love the handwritten reply!