Why No Gel Or Rollerball Ink For Fountain Pens?

[bluefinger]

I use a fountain pen almost exclusively and write at least several pages a day at the office on different types and qualities of paper, and have for many years. My pens and ink vary tremendously in terms of drying time, bleeding, feathering, smoothness, depending on type of ink,type of paper and which pen I'm using. Although I'm not about to defect to the "other side," I notice that disposable gel pens and rollerballs (even tho' they glob, lack character and are no fun) dry instantly and don't bleed, feather or drag no matter what the paper. Anybody know why their ink is so much less finicky than ours? And why can't we use the same stuff in our pens? Is it the viscosity?

[TWRDO]

It's my understanding that rollerball ink actually is quite similar, i.e. it's a water-based ink. Indeed, there are a few RBs available that are refillable with FP ink. Gel ink, on the other hand... good luck getting that through a FP feed.

 

Also, it's been my experience that FPs and RBs behave somewhat similarly on similar papers, especially with regard to drying time.

Edited January 6, 2011 by TWRDO

[psfred]

The reason roller balls don't feather and bleed as badly as fountain pens using similar inks is that the ink is delivered just like a ball point does -- the rolling ball transfers ink instead of ink flowing down a feed slit and being spread by the tipping. You will also get much less or no shading for the same reason.

 

Write slowly and you can get a roller ball to bleed through, as I discovered some years back. Ink will bleed around the ball slowly.

 

I still greatly prefer the feel of a fountain pen though.

 

Peter

[Parse Error]

Oh bad paper, a Platinum Preppy filled with HOD will not bleed or feather. It also dries instantly on bad paper.

 

On better paper, it's not as impressive on and effect, and I'd rather be bringing out the good pens for better paper.

 

It's just that sewage green (my color) looks really ugly when it spreads, and it must shade in order to be passed off as black.

[bluefinger]

Thanks Parse Error, but what's HOD?

[WendyNC]

Thanks Parse Error, but what's HOD?

 

HOD is Noodler's Heart of Darkness.

[bluefinger]

Ah, so. I've used Noodlers Legal Lapis, Blue Eel and Navy and like them all for different reasons. I'll give the HOD a try. Thanks.