In Praise Of Dish Soap

[mhosea]

Since you won't get to 1 million bottles, consider a bit of photo flo in the ultrasonic tank and a bit of photo flo in your pen flushing solution. No need to be precise in these applications.

[Tasmith]

While I love Noodler's Fox and Hunter, they do tend to be a bit dry. I'm going to give Photoflo a try using Oldane's method (lower concentration of Photoflo than Sandy1's method for the small 1oz bottles of Fox & Hunter) as it's precise and repeatable.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Tasmith

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Many thanks for sharing the findings of your exploration!

 

Of particular interest were your observations of the different ways washing-up liquid and KP-F react with iron-gall inks. I thought that washing-up liquids might degrade the stability / lifespan of aniline dyes (in any ink), but I'd certainly not expected that to be the case in the short term - even before the ink is on the paper.

 

...

As said, Photoflo works better for me than dish washing soap, and so far (after 1½ month) no sediments have set in the botlles or pens holding the flow improved ink. But time will show. That said, I actually used dishwashing soap with the old and now discontinued Montblanc Blueblack (before the MB Midnight Blue in its iron gall incarnation). It worked OK with that ink with no sediment setting, but the ink tended to loose color after 9-12 months (which didn't matter because I used up a bottle in that time span). But with Photoflo one doesn't get any undesired additives of unknown nature, and the fixed concentration makes it possible to get accurate and reproducable results.

 

A bottle of Photflo 200 contains 16 fl. ounces = 473ml. With the dilution mentioned above, such a bottle of Photoflo will be enough for more than 1 million 50ml bottles of ink.

...

 

As for the 1M bottles of treated ink, kindly consider switching to much much wider nibs.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited November 23, 2014 by Sandy1

[amberleadavis]

I love wide® nibs, but found this thread to be a helpful discussion about ink flow. Degradation of inks would send me over the edge so thank you!

[Tasmith]

Just ordered a bottle of Koday Photo-Flo 200 from Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, OH.

 

http://mpex.com/kodak-photo-flo-200-solution.html

 

No affiliation, just have done business with them in the past and a very happy customer.

Edited November 24, 2014 by Tasmith

[NCGibbon]

I would love to buy 5ml of Photo-Flo off someone since I know I will never need more than that in my life.

[Chrissy]

I would love to buy 5ml of Photo-Flo off someone since I know I will never need more than that in my life.

I was thinking exactly the same thing

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Please note that our friends at Organics Studio offer Cuddle's Flo-plus ink additive, which according to the product description increases ink flow and inhibits growth of mold.

 

I haven't played with Cuddles, so have no observations to share.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited November 25, 2014 by Sandy1

[Chrissy]

Hi,

 

Please note that our friends at Organics Studio offer Cuddle's Flo-plus ink additive, which according to the product description increases ink flow and inhibits growth of mold.

 

I haven't played with Cuddles, so have no observations to share.

 

Bye,

S1

I went to Organics Studio but couldn't find this product. In fact I couldn't find how to look for it.

[Sandy1]

I went to Organics Studio but couldn't find this product. In fact I couldn't find how to look for it.

 

Hi,

 

Try a Google search using "organics studio flo-plus" as the search phrase. My unfettered browser returned several promising hits.

 

Perhaps a responsible adult feels there is need for intervention, so has set a filter on your browser / search engine to block sites offering ink, pens and paper.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited November 25, 2014 by Sandy1

[Ceilidh]

Everyone seems to be out of stock of the OS Flo-Plus. I think I read here that the college student who started the company had to quit production to concentrate on his studies, so it may be discontinued.

[NCGibbon]

Everyone seems to be out of stock of the OS Flo-Plus. I think I read here that the college student who started the company had to quit production to concentrate on his studies, so it may be discontinued.

This was the same thing I found while trying to locate this product last month.

[amberleadavis]

Sorry.... I begged him to make it for me.

[takkun]

I was thinking exactly the same thing

I've got an enormous bottle of Photo-flo that's been sitting around since high school. Might have to try this.

 

If you're looking for a tiny amount, try This. Most darkroom and photo supply stores (or what few are left) sell this brand in this size.

[Sasha Royale]

Another gem for the back of my mind.

I was recently inducted to the Keepers Of Odd Knowledge Society.

I had been studying for years. Thanks for putting me over the top.

 

Go K.O.O.K.S. !

[Oldane]

I've got an enormous bottle of Photo-flo that's been sitting around since high school. Might have to try this.

 

If you're looking for a tiny amount, try This. Most darkroom and photo supply stores (or what few are left) sell this brand in this size.

 

Seems like a good idea. Like Photoflo, it's meant for B&W film, so one can assume there's no unwanted additives in it (other than the surfactant), so it should work well as an ink flow enhancer like Photoflo. However, I dont know if the concentration is the same as Photoflo 200, so one should tests to find which dilution and dose works best.

 

Whatever, Photoflo is widely available from photo accessories vendors and is not outrageously expensive for the 16 oz bottle. I have never seen the Edwal LFN wetting agent for sale in Denmark (or from European internet vendors for that matter). Photoflo and Tetenal (made in Germany) was the most used photo wetting agents in Europe. Everyone has switched to digital photgraphy som the local shop isn't like to have it anymore. But then we now have the internet vendors.

[Oldane]

Another gem for the back of my mind.

I was recently inducted to the Keepers Of Odd Knowledge Society.

I had been studying for years. Thanks for putting me over the top.

 

Go K.O.O.K.S. !

 

Yep. But by all means don't tell anyone other than pen and ink afficinados. If we do, the best we can hope for is to be regarded as ridiculous über nerds (which, frankly, isn't too far from the truth). Some may think we should be taken to a secure ward.

[thecla]

eBay seller pens_n_more has Organics Studio Cuddles' Flo-Plus (3 bottles left at the time I wrote this).

[Chrissy]

 

 

Perhaps a responsible adult feels there is need for intervention, so has set a filter on your browser / search engine to block sites offering ink, pens and paper.

 

Bye,

S1

Don't give my OH any ideas LOL. Maybe I can't find it because I'm in the UK

[vossad01]

I have Photo Flo listed on the Ink Sample Exchange. If someone is looking for a vial, I can be PMed. I might not be the fastest at replying but I am sure we can work something out.