Bulletproof Feathering?

[robbyruby]

I am wondering if the bulletproof inks are good on notebook paper. I am a teacher and I want to use Hunter Green and Iraqi Indigo as grading colors. I currently use Waterman Violet which is great on this type of paper. I am also interested in buying Legal Lapis. Normally, I write on notebook paper since my students don't buy expensive paper. Before I spend $50 on these three inks, can someone tell me how they will work on lesser quality paper? Also, would these inks work better in an extra fine than a fine or a medium nib? Thanks in advance for the information.

[southpaw]

IME it's more a function of the nib than the ink, although the Noodlers/Swisher inks formulated to be quicker drying are more prone to feathering. The permanent inks do pretty good, as best I recall - only got two in pens right now.

 

On cheap paper, any ink can feather. The main thing is not so much nib width, although this is a factor, as nib wetness. You would want to stay away from wetter nibs. Best combination would be a fine or extra-fine nib in a fairly dry writer.

[BillTheEditor]

I have had some trouble with Hunter Green in a pen with a stub nib feathering on legal pad paper. Hunter Green has worked well for me in pens with medium nibs. No trouble at all on any paper with Iraqui Indigo, regardless of the nib size.

 

Noodler's Black, for what it may matter to you, was specifically made to work well with cheap paper. The story goes that someone wanted to be able to use a fountain pen to do the crossword puzzles in the newspaper. Noodler's Black will not feather on any paper intended for writing as far as I am aware.

 

With any ink, performance is highly variable, according to the combination of the ink, the pen, the paper, the weather, and how heavily the writer presses down. What works for one person may create a miserable blotch for others.

[Margana]

Trading for samples of those inks through the Ink Exchange would give you the opportunity to give each a test run.

[*david*]

In my experience, they don't feather much, but they do spread an certain kinds of paper. So they make a fairly neat line, but wider than you expected.

[krz]

I would say Legal Lapis feathers just a bit. I keep an Imperial III Fine nib filled with it and I use it to jot notes in those .33 cent pocket pads. Noodler's Black is as feather free as you can get.

[Goodwhiskers]

The waterproof Noodler's inks which are exclusive to Swisher Pens (two lines, "Noodler's Swishmix" and "Noodler's Ink Waterproof Ink") bleed and feather on most cheap papers. However, there is a list of good papers (some even being inexpensive) on the page for Swisher's house-brand, ultra-fast-drying, non-water-resistant inks. This list of papers also applies to the first two lines I mentioned here.

[GrantC]

I've only used four of the Noodler's "bulletproof" inks: black, Legal Lapis (Pendemonium exclusive), Luxury Blue, and Gulfstream Blue (Swisher exclusive.)

 

The black has never feathered on any paper, the Legal Lapis will feather just slightly on some very cheap papers, and the Gulfstream feathers on lots of papers. I haven't used the Luxury Blue enough to come to a conclusion.

[Mary P]

I use Legal Lapis and Premium Blue a great deal and haven't had a feathering problem with either ink on any paper. Eternal Brown hasn't given me any problems either.

 

I recently received a bottle of Hunter Green. It seems to be more particular about paper. It performs well on my Clairefontaine papers and on the G. Lalo and Wausau paper that I frequently use for snails but it did not like the tablet in my spouse folio at all.