Everflo™ Orchid

[Sandy1]

Please take a moment to adjust the brightness & contrast of your monitor to accurately depict the Gray Scale linked below.

As the patches are neutral gray, their colour on your monitor should also be neutral gray.

Mac

My link

Wintel PC

My link

Gray Scale.

My link

- = + = -

 

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/495d3191.jpg

Figure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_4f40a7fd.jpg

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness. To enlarge, please click the thumbnail.

 

Pens: L → R:

A. Conklin

B. Defender

C. Slimfold

D. PPP

E. NPS

F. M200 stub

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES: Moby Dick

Row Width is 8mm

Figure 3.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/9b23e5ca.jpg

 

Figure 4.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/c3a2c0a2.jpg

 

Figure 5.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/1b587bf9.jpg

 

Figure 6.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/2c0834d4.jpg

 

Figure 7.

Paper: Staples Pastels Creme 20 lb.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/37a18925.jpg

 

Figure 8.

Paper: Basildon airmail.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/14c7818b.jpg

Pardon me, I did not label the bottom sample - it is from the M200.

 

Figure 9.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/34461367.jpg

 

OTHER SAMPLES:

 

Figure 10.

Other Stuff:

• 'HAPPY!' on Glossy Card.
• Smear/Dry Time on Glossy Paper.
• Smear/Dry Time on HPJ1124.
• Wet Tests on HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/d72a91aa.jpg

 

Smear/Dry Time - extended sampling.

A '4' was made every ten seconds up to eighty seconds, then a finger was dragged across the row with enough force to emulate making a fold - not a sharp [origami] crease.

Two sets

were executed

per paper.

Figure 10-A. HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/f5a43653.jpg

Figure 10-B. Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/2c0253a1.jpg

Figure 10-C. Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/671152a7.jpg

Figure 10-D. Staples general purpose 20 lb. (Not used for Written Samples.)

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/c4da6f80.jpg

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

 

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Daily writer?

• For me, Ms Blue-Black, it would be a considerable stretch.

A go-to ink?

• Yes - when a warm but firm ink is desired, and one controls the pen and paper to be used.

USE

 

Business:

• An excellent choice for mark-up and editing, error correction, and grading of assignments.
• I cannot envisage GCEO for internal or external correspondence; but for one's personal work product, go for it!

Illustrations / Graphics:

• Rather tricky.
• An astute choice for counterbalancing animated Blues. e.g. PR American Blue.
• If GCEO is used as a gradient or transitory colour, please be mindful to address the vibrancy of other colours.
• Line quality is very paper-dependent, so unless one is using smooth hard papers, e.g. Rhodia, I would look elsewhere when narrow tight lines are required.

Students:

• Perhaps.
• If one carries pens inked with different colours, GCEO could be a viable second colour to use in combination with one's daily writer.
• Not the best choice for hand-written assignments.
• Show- bleed-through on 'lowest bidder' papers and lack of water resistance may be show-stoppers.

Personal:

• Of course.
• I feel very comfortable with this colour - more so than anticipated.
• At fairly high density it appears lustrous.
• I think that any sort of nib could be used; but with an elegant ink, an elegant hand is a considerable advantage. (Ah me.)
• Perhaps the recipient of items written in GCEO may believe that the ink was chosen - not that it just happened to be in a pen which was to hand. i.e. This is an 'on purpose' ink.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• Slightly dry.

Nib Dry-out:

• The tips became dry quite quickly, but not the ink in the feed.

Start-up:

• Reasonable.

Lubrication:

• On the lean side, but certainly acceptable.
• Nibs were not slippery on Rhodia.

Nib Creepies:

• Not noticed.

Staining:

• Yes.
• The BCHR Conklin was stained. :mad:
  

⊕

[rude_word.mp3]

⊕

[fancy_cussing.avi]

⊕

I wrote to Santa about this, using GCEO; he wrote back, using Scarab Beetle, to say that certain people are to join me on The Naughty List.

Clogging:

• Not seen.

Bleed Through:

• Yes.
  • On HPJ1124: Defender, Slimfold & M200.
  • On Staples Creme: M200.
  • On Royal: Defender, PPP & M200.
  • On Basildon airmail: Defender & M200.

Show Through:

• Yes.
• As for Bleed Through above.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Outright feathering was not seen.
• Woolly and plump lines were typical.
• This sample shows a down stroke using the same pen of WFB bracketed by GCEO on HPJ1124:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/Decorated%20images/th_9822d776.jpg

Smear/Dry Time:

• YMMV.
• Kindly run samples to reflect your conditions and materials.
• To lower S/D times, dilution is a common work around. I've done some dilution samples, which showed a sweet spot around 80%; (four volumetric units of GCEO mixed into one volumetric unit of water; stirred not shaken). Those results are planned to be posted and linked as time and tides permit.

Water Resistance: ☂

• -0- on the 4S Scale:
  • Nothing left but wrinkled paper.
  • Reuse/Recycle.

Smell:

• Industrial grunge.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not noticed.

Clean Up:

• Fast & thorough with plain water.

Mixing:

• No stated limitation.
• GCEO does not appear to need fine tuning of the colour.

Archival:*

• Not claimed.

*

One ink is claimed to be permanent by being compliant with an ISO standard for BP inks. That ink is not GCEO.

THE LOOK

 

Presence:

• Warm.
• Firm.
• Attracts attention, but may not hold it for too long.
• Animated, yet sits comfortably on a plain white page.
• Reminiscent of juice, fruity juice; not too sweet.

Saturation:

• Slightly high.

Shading:

• Seems to require a smooth hard paper.
• When shading appears, it is subtle and quite attractive.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • Less than anticipated.

  [*]Papers used:

  • Less than anticipated.

  [*]Malleability:

  • Not so much.

Hi-Res Scans:

To enlarge, please click the thumbnail.

Conklin on HPJ1124

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_5833d046.jpg

Defender on Rhodia

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_50999dd5.jpg

Slimfold on G Lalo

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_9bba9c3f.jpg

PPP on Royal

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_d9f33f16.jpg

M200 on Creme

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_641e5f02.jpg

M200 on Basildon airmail Blue

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_47e8ce96.jpg

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Vague, but I can live with 'Orchid' as well as I can live with the other floral ink names.

Are swatches accurate?

• At time of writing, online only : http://www.gatecitypen.com/ink.htm ; which is a fair representation.

SIMILAR COLOURS

• Waterman Violet. (GCEO is less warm.)

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/91488e74.jpg

• Readers, please chime in.
• As these things go, I believe that GCEO is quite close to the Dark Violet depicted in Wikipedia. My link
  

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• Not so easy!
• A smooth hard-surfaced FP-friendly paper, (e.g. Rhodia), will extend the smear/dry time, but give a good line quality.
• Absorbent papers reduce the smear/dry time, but cause show- bleed-through and degrade the line quality.

Trip-wire Papers:

☠ Those which are too hard/slick surfaced / ink repellant.

☠ Those which are too absorbent.

Tinted Papers:

• Most reasonable tints; natural, creme & blue are shown.
• I would be reluctant to commit to a lavender or rose tint without running samples. (Am I picking a posey?)
• (GCEO is not opaque, so the tint of the paper upon which it is used will be added to the overall perception of the colour of what is written.)

Preprinted Papers:

• Forms:
  • Not the best choice: Against the black text of most forms, GCEO tip toes forward, and generates unwelcome contrast to the black and white of a form.

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • Quite possible.
  • Watch for discordance with the colour of the preprinted lines.
  • Should be very nice on WhiteLines. (Not sampled.)

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• If one wishes to work on both sides of the sheet and/or generate shading and good line quality, a top-tier smooth surface paper seems mandatory at the cost of smear/dry time. Phooey!

OTHER THAN INK:

 

Presentation :

• 3 ounces by weight (approx. 85 ml.) bottle in a box.
• No HazMat warnings.

Country of origin:

• USA.

Container:

• A tall 38mm square clear glass bottle, 88mm tall when capped.
• Proportions are not conducive to stacking, and are 'tippy'.
• Ink level can be easily determined.
• The centred round opening is 23mm ∅.
• Single tank, no sediment collector, no filling aid. Bah!
• The screw cap has adequate grip.
• The cap seal seems to be some sort of laminated/coated card. !(>_<)!
• The cap is not child-proof.
• OK OK, reality check: It's a tanker. Kindly use a different bottle / ink well to ink-up your parched pen/s.

Box:

• 41x89x41mm
• Lightly coated card stock.
• No swatch.
• Ink name is written on top. Tsk Tsk Tsk
  • No kidding: Useless when inks are stacked, or at/above eye level.
  • Work-arounds:
    • Use some of the ink to label the box. (Watch out for s l o w dry time.)
    • Ask the widely beloved Biffy Beans to create an amazing design. Really!

Eco-Green:

• OK.
• All should be recyclable or benign.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• I'm afraid not.
• GCEO is animated, but lacks the malleability and robust performance profile to survive attempts at conjuring.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Sheaffer Defender on the Rhodia.
• I like the %-age coverage, and the appearance from a firm narrow nib. The narrow line and higher density somewhat suppress the colour, but after some time I imagine I will gladly use GCEO from a dry-ish M-B nib. e.g. Esterbrook 9968.

Yickity Yackity:

• GCEO seems to have enough faults which, when combined, fall short of reasonable expectations.
• It is up to the practitioner to decide if the attractive appearance and satisfactory writing experience overcome performance issues with smear/dry time, line quality, show- bleed-through, nib-tip dry-out, and lack of water resistance.
• Even though I consider GCEO to be for personal use, I wish it had more work[wo]man-like core properties to yield better results from a wider range of pens & papers - I do not care to be hemmed-in to this extent.
• Yet, when I was writing a note with my narrow-nib Tuckie, I did like the ink. So, I'll enjoy what's in the bottle within its constraints, and cross fingers that Orchid will be reformulated by the time the bottle runs dry.
• Oh, maybe next year I'll be on Santa's Naughty-But-Nice List.
• Ah kushbaby, I won't awaken you for this one.
  

<=-+-v-+-=>:<=+--+=><:-.-:><=+--+=><=-+-v-+-=>

 

MATERIEL USED:

 

To be relevant to most members, I make an effort to use papers, pens & nibs that are readily available.

Pens are those for which I paid $100 or less, and are factory stock - not customised.

 

Pens:

• The Conklin remains self-conscious about the stain, so appears capped.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Gate%20City%20Everflo%20Orchid/th_2bac0b93.jpg

• Written Samples:
  • Conklin BCHR + #3 nib.
  • Sheaffer Defender + two-tone Feathertouch #5 nib.
  • Parker UK Slimfold + 14K [unmarked] nib.
  • Platinum President Purist + 22K B nib.
  • The Notorious Pink Safari + steel B nib.
  • Pelikan M200 + g-p stub 1.0mm nib.
  • (The nib is a stock item from richardpens; it is not customised.)

  [*]For lines & labels:

  • MBRG from Pilot Penmanship + XF.

On these papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal - 25% cotton rag.
• Basildon Bond, airmail, blue.
• Pulp.
• Staples 20 lb. bond.
  
• Glossy paper.
• Glossy card.

_________________________

 

IMAGES:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 150 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted, so went straight to the file sharing thingy.

-30-

Edited December 5, 2010 by Sandy1

[Lloyd]

What, if any, approaches did you try in order to de-stain Mr.Conklin?

[Sandy1]

What, if any, approaches did you try in order to de-stain Mr.Conklin?

Hi,

 

Well, I tried a rude word and some fancy cussin' - to no avail.

 

Next was a ever-so-gentle plain water massage; then a very dilute pure soap usually reserved for my silk smalls. No joy.

 

Being that the BCHR has become brown, I am reluctant to do anything more aggressive - I don't want an uneven patchy appearance. So I've taken things as far as I'm willing; and I'll just console the Conklin that it now has a scar of authenticity that comes with being used; but being older, I reckon its been around a bit, and will be back in top form soonest.

 

(And it wasn't the Red Ripple 52, so Santa's elven élite were not tasked with an extra op on the 24th.)

 

OBTW - the ink window on the creme yellow M200 LP remained clear and unblemished, as did the converters on pens that use such, and the translucent feed on the PPP 22K nib. My usual test bed for staining, a shredded white Sheaffer No Nonsense cap, was fine.

 

Bye,

S1

[SamCapote]

So we can label this review as "The Conklin Consolation."

 

I enjoyed reading and looking at this very realistic review. You nailed it exactly as I see it in my own experience. Thanks for your work!

[Sandy1]

So we can label this review as "The Conklin Consolation."

 

I enjoyed reading and looking at this very realistic review. You nailed it exactly as I see it in my own experience. Thanks for your work!

Hi,

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the review.

 

I'd been using GCEO off and on since it was received. Orchid is interesting, yet frustrating at times.

 

As you know, I believe this ink is not so very unique in terms of colour. So - I reckon it should be an ace so far as the performance profile goes: very much like the Pelikan Edelstein Topaz viz a viz Diamine Havasu Turquoise. But what comes in the bottle in the box? A finickity ink that won't play nice with many of my core pens & papers. And for practitioners with a more narrow array, they may well be looking elsewhere.

 

I really rather anticipated that Gate City would've brought their 'A' game for their debut suite of inks. First impressions are lasting, and GCEO didn't make my little heart go pit-a-pat. Initially, I was quite interested to try a Brown ink from GC, but now ...

 

Bye,

S1

Edited December 6, 2010 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

Hello,

 

In an effort to address the longish Smear / Dry Time of GCEO, I have used GCEO as the first ink to undergo the S1 Modification by Dilution (S1MbD). At the time of writing, S1MbD is not reversible, so ...

 

Results of that bizarre foray may be seen here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/178491-dilution-everflo-orchid/page__gopid__1792695#entry1792695

 

Bye,

S1

[inkspot]

Very thorough review! I'm glad I saw it - I was thinking of trying this colour, but it looks nothing like what I expected from the description I read! Thanks!

[Sandy1]

Very thorough review! I'm glad I saw it - I was thinking of trying this colour, but it looks nothing like what I expected from the description I read! Thanks!

Hi,

 

I'm glad there was some upside to doing this Review!

 

Do tell -

• Where was the description that you mentioned?
• What impression did you have after reading the description?

Bye,

S1

[dnb]

I received a letter using this ink just this week. It is a very nice color. The person using it is an EF & DEF nibbie. It held up very nicely in such a fine line.

[Sandy1]

I received a letter using this ink just this week. It is a very nice color. The person using it is an EF & DEF nibbie. It held up very nicely in such a fine line.

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience as a recipient.

 

In the IR, I mentioned that I liked GCEO from a narrow-nibbed Sheaffer Tuckaway; and from the twenty-four core Written Samples, the narrow-nib Sheaffer Defender was the Personal Pen & Paper Pick.

 

So it seems that GCEO may well be best suited to narrow nibs. (?!?)

 

Can you tell what sort of paper was used? (Smooth or textured surface?) (High or low absorbency?)

 

Bye,

S1

[Bill Wood]

I'm really interested in Everflo inks. Thank you for the more than comprehensive review !

[JefferyS]

I agree that it's a nice choice for grading papers. Bright and contrasty.

[lovemy51]

i didn't like this ink when i first got it. it was not the color i was expecting, that's all. but the color itself is quite nice -mid true blue (slightly high saturation, as Sandy described it) with some shading. i find it behaves well too.

:embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile: i

oops, thought this was about true blue!!!

 

thx, sandy for the review!

 

 

PS

Smell:

 

•Industrial grunge.

i kinda like the smell... :embarrassed_smile:

Edited October 4, 2011 by lovemy51

[Sandy1]

I'm really interested in Everflo inks. Thank you for the more than comprehensive review !

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I continue to use this ink in pens that have narrow nibs and are a bit on the dry side. I use that sort of writer in combination with smaller (A5) sheets of neutral-white base tint.

 

IIRC there was some scuttlebutt that the Everflo inks were to be reformulated to reduce S/D Times and enhance water resistance, but I have not come across 'firm' information. Their site (http://www.gatecitypen.com/ink.htm#ink) does not indicate such, but the Co. is not obliged to do so.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

I agree that it's a nice choice for grading papers. Bright and contrasty.

Hi,

 

Thanks for chiming-in on that application!

 

I think the "bright and contrasty" is very well balanced with a bit of 'cool' stability (seen in the swab comparison with Violet) that allows brief comments / marginalia to be added.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

i didn't like this ink when i first got it. it was not the color i was expecting, that's all. but the color itself is quite nice -mid true blue (slightly high saturation, as Sandy described it) with some shading. i find it behaves well too.

:embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile: i

oops, thought this was about true blue!!!

 

thx, sandy for the review!

 

 

PS

Smell:

 

•Industrial grunge.

i kinda like the smell... :embarrassed_smile:

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Love your Post! :roflmho:

 

Yes, well. That episode with TBl is one of those things I knew about, but didn't want to experience. However, it did result in the inclusion of the 'Fine Print' points in current Topics - doubtful progress.

 

Bye,

S1

[Antoinem]

Just wondering why it shows as a purple in their web site and blue on the review..... Bought a bottle thinking it was purple.....what a let down.

[Antoinem]

Just wondering why it shows as a purple in their web site and blue on the review..... Bought a bottle thinking it was purple.....what a let down.

 

UPDATE

 

Contacted Gate City and indeed Orchid is purple. The reason it is blue is due to a labeling mistake. Sent an email and waiting to hear from them...

I will post when I have any news.

[Sandy1]

Just wondering why it shows as a purple in their web site and blue on the review..... Bought a bottle thinking it was purple.....what a let down.

 

UPDATE

 

Contacted Gate City and indeed Orchid is purple. The reason it is blue is due to a labeling mistake. Sent an email and waiting to hear from them...

I will post when I have any news.

 

Hi,

 

Many thanks for keeping us in the loop as to your adventures!

 

In order to identify batches and bottles that are 'out of bounds', I believe it is important to mention instances of ink that varies from posted samples. Although a labeling error is unwelcome, it is easily resolved - unlike defective ink!

 

I look forward to your impressions of the intended ink - perhaps your ink will be 'new & improved'. Fingers crossed!

 

Bye,

S1

[Antoinem]

Just wondering why it shows as a purple in their web site and blue on the review..... Bought a bottle thinking it was purple.....what a let down.

 

UPDATE

 

Contacted Gate City and indeed Orchid is purple. The reason it is blue is due to a labeling mistake. Sent an email and waiting to hear from them...

I will post when I have any news.

 

Hi,

 

Many thanks for keeping us in the loop as to your adventures!

 

In order to identify batches and bottles that are 'out of bounds', I believe it is important to mention instances of ink that varies from posted samples. Although a labeling error is unwelcome, it is easily resolved - unlike defective ink!

 

I look forward to your impressions of the intended ink - perhaps your ink will be 'new & improved'. Fingers crossed!

 

Bye,

S1

 

Well after a couple of emails, I am still waiting on responses. With the care they have to reply to their customers, I guess I won't be buying from them anytime soon. How does it go.......it takes a long time to gain a customer but just an instant to loose one....

 

Antoine

 

ps: if I hear anything new, I'll post.