Anybody Having Problems With Sailor Jentle Ink?

[gander]

I'm wondering if anybody else is experiencing Sailor ink drying out in their pens after several days of not using the pen. By drying out, I mean that nothing comes out of the pen until I clean the nib. Once I clean the nib, the ink flows again... until the next dry out.

 

I have too many pens inked right now because I'm trying a lot of ink samples to decide which ones I would like to buy. Sometimes I don't use a particular pen for almost a week because I only carry 2-3 of my favorite pens when I go to class, which is where I do most of my writing.

 

I filled my Waterman Audace with Sailor Nioi Sumire and it was dried out when I tried to use it after two days of non-use. The same pen filled with Iroshizuku Yamabudo works fine after three days. My other Audace filled with Waterman Florida Blue works fine after a whole week.

 

I filled my Lamy Al-Star with Sailor Fuji Musume. After four days, it dried out. The same pen did not have any problems with Lamy, Noodler's and Iroshizuku inks though I often do not use the particular pen up to a week.

 

So, has anybody else had this same problem?

[dedalian]

I ve had similar problems with their black ink, it isnt a very good colour anyway. I dont think I will ever buy it again.

[gander]

I ve had similar problems with their black ink, it isnt a very good colour anyway. I dont think I will ever buy it again.

 

So it's not just me... I like some of their "limited" color inks they put out (especially yamadori) but I don't think I'll be buying Sailor inks.

[shaylenwilliams]

I haven't had problems with them, but I use all my pens daily. I usually just write a line or two, and put them back in their drawer (unless I'm using them for something). This pretty much keeps anything I have from ever drying out. (FYI- I've only used Chu-shu, Apricot, Peche, and Epinard.)

[ztfw]

I own several of their inks and intend on buying more (Red-brown, grey, chu-shu, kin-mokusei).

 

I have not experienced the problem you describe but I do own a Waterman Expert that runs on the dry side.

 

Maybe you should try using it in other pens.

[saintsimon]

Strange. I use Sailor cartridge inks in my Sailor pens but they always start reliably, even after weeks or more. The caps seal well in my Sailor FPs. Only the cartdriges dry out over time, as all plastic cartridges do.

[lapis]

Hmm....

I haven't hade that problem yet. I usually use all pens (which have been filled for days) almost every day. Most of my pens are wet writers because I need that. I use their "regulars" and also their Seasons. Blue-black is my favourite blue-black to date, one reason being that it never dries out in a pen (even if I don't use it for a month. Of course (har, har) the cap is on tight, out of the sun and light and heat, always lying down. Try out more pens.

 

Mike

[gander]

So I asked some of my friends whether they had this problem, and like the answers on this forum experiences vary. The Sailor inks have a good flow when it's working, and once I scribble for a while the ink comes out again. However, Sailor inks are not exactly cheap, and I was disappointed. So it depends on the pen... but I think the ink should fit the pen, not the other way around. And the same pens did not have problems with other inks I've had. I guess it's just not my ink.

 

PS: Now I'm starting to wonder if this problem is particular to certain Sailor inks. So far I had problems with Nioi Sumire and Fuji Musume. I'm hoping Yamadori doesn't have the same problem. Just filled my pen... and the color's beautiful!

Edited April 15, 2011 by gander

[gander]

Argh, I love this Yamadori color...

Edited April 15, 2011 by gander

[lapis]

... good flow when it's working, and once I scribble for a while the ink comes out again.

I have had exactly this problem with their KiwaGuro and Sei boka (Sei boku), and I thought that I was the only one of us to have experienced this.

 

MIke

[Trebster]

I filled my Omas Milord Paragon with Sailor Fuji Musume on the vernal equinox and never did see any flow problems. It got touch darker when there was just a drop or so remaining, but one might reasonably expect that as it was not my daily writer. I flushed the Omas last night and filled a Sheaffer Streamline Balance with Sailor Fuji Musume. As of today, the Fuji Musume is flowing without hesitation. I'll post if I am able to duplicate the issues reported here. Generally, I pick a small range of colors for the season and don't change them until the next season. (Turquoises on radar after Memorial Day.) So whatever ink it is I'm using, I use it for months.

[gander]

As of today, the Fuji Musume is flowing without hesitation. I'll post if I am able to duplicate the issues reported here.

 

I hope you don't experience any problems! Fuji Musme is a pretty color, even though I'm not a fan of light purple. And it flows nicely! When it's working... And then after few days the ink doesn't come out. I scribble and the ink starts flowing again, and I do that because I'm less worried about damaging steel nibs like the one on my Lamy. Yamadori is working without a problem so far for me (crossing fingers).

[mongrelnomad]

I have more Sailor Jentle inks than any other brand (at least a dozen).

 

I've never had a problem with any of them: pens, after being left for weeks readily start.

[Alohamora]

I have Epinard and Grenade in a pair of Pilot Petit1 pens. They start up immediately. At most they sat unused for 2 or 3 days. Those pens have really well sealing caps, so no surprise.

 

I have Yama Dori in a Lamy AL-Star and also in a B nib Pilot 78g. Those pens sat unused all week. I just tried them now and they also started immediately.

 

I've had Kin Mokusei in a Wality eyedropper for several weeks now and that one is hard starting after a few days, but the cap seal on the pen is suspect, the last ink I had in that pen was also hard starting.

 

I really enjoy using the Sailor inks I have and I'll buy more if they come out with new colors.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Alohamora

[SamCapote]

I have been using many of the Sailor inks in various pens and have not noticed this to any degree. There are many inks that if the pen is stored nib up for 3-4 days it will require some time/priming to get the ink flowing again. Sometimes I store the pens lying on their sides and don't have that happen at all. I suspect this is less related to Sailor ink in particular, and more because of pen cap seals, and storage method.

[Margana]

Never had a problem with Sailor inks My experience is mostly with Blue-Black and Brown but a few limited editions, too. Even after weeks and weeks of no use, pens start writing with nothing more than a tiny scribble. If used regularly, no issue whatsoever.

 

Sometimes very low humidity may affect initial flow. Southern California's bone dry Santa Ana winds suck the water out of everything. Ink in a feed is no exception. Other than that situation, I usually find it is the pen rather than the ink that causes a hard-start.

[Iranna]

I've used two Sailor inks, Waka-Uguisu (spring LE) and Yama-Dori (autumn LE). Waka-Uguisu is one of the kindest inks I've ever used, while Yama-Dori is like writing with a thick, oversaturated ink. I found that it dries a little in the pen even after having paused writing for a few seconds, but it does start again after a few strokes.

 

I don't know what's wrong with my bottle of Yama-Dori, it looks so much more saturated than the scans here on FPN, so maybe its behaviour can't be generalised. It also stained my Pelikan's ink window slightly but fortunately not very visibly. And I only had the ink in the pen for a couple of weeks! This ink was a big disappointment.

[by78]

My Yama-dori dried out WHILE I was writing. The pen is Platinum 3776 Century <M>. Errrr....

[VivienR]

I think its more the pen than the ink. Parker have a hole in the cap makes easier to dry the ink in the nib and feed. Sailor inks tend to dry later than sooner. I left my Sapporo unused for around three week started immediately, filled with Jentle Black cartridge. Although the Jentle inks like "to get together" and its usually means stuck in the top of the cartridge. Can result some flow problem. My opinion is Sailor manufacturing one of the best inks around.

[by78]

I think its more the pen than the ink. Parker have a hole in the cap makes easier to dry the ink in the nib and feed. Sailor inks tend to dry later than sooner. I left my Sapporo unused for around three week started immediately, filled with Jentle Black cartridge. Although the Jentle inks like "to get together" and its usually means stuck in the top of the cartridge. Can result some flow problem. My opinion is Sailor manufacturing one of the best inks around.

 

Oh I think it's the ink.

 

None of my pens (Platinum President, 3776, Sailor 1911L, 1911S, Pilot Custom 74, 743, Justus 95, TWISBI Mini, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, etc.) have had similar problems with other inks, not even with Noodler's Liberty's Elysium.

 

It's the ink. Full stop.