Ink Shelf Life

[chandelle]

I happened to accidentally - and fortuitously - discover a bottle of Mont Blanc black ink in my drawer. I guess I must've bought it some 5 years ago and haven't used it even once (since blue is what I use daily).

Would it be safe to use it in my pens? I've no idea what the shelf life of inks are, thus question.

[KenD]

As long as it does not smell or have slime, it should be fine. If the bottle was not well capped it may have lost some water to evaporation and be a bit thick, in which case slightly dilute ot with water. Ink can be fine for decades.

[chandelle]

.

As long as it does not smell or have slime, it should be fine. If the bottle was not well capped it may have lost some water to evaporation and be a bit thick, in which case slightly dilute ot with water. Ink can be fine for decades.

 

I didn't check the smell but the bottle was well capped and the liquid was sloshing around inside without any noticeable lessening of viscosity. The bottle was below a whole heap of clothes and has always been well away from the UV of the sunlight.

[KenD]

Should be fine!

[Vendome]

Try some in a pound shop pen, just to see how it behaves on the page.

[Runnin_Ute]

I have some Levenger Raven Black which I originally bought about 10 years or so ago. Still have the original box even. It works great.

[inkstainedruth]

I have some Levenger Raven Black which I originally bought about 10 years or so ago. Still have the original box even. It works great.

And I picked up a bottle of what turned out to be Quink Brown in an antiques mall last summer that may be from the 1940s (given the shape of the bottle). I liked it so much that I found a nearly full bottle on Ebay a few months ago, just so I'd have more of it).

Like KenD said, unless there's obviously mold growing in the bottle, you're probably okay (but apparently even new inks get SITB in them sometimes, from some of the threads I've read on FPN).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[beejay]

When I was given my MB149 in the early/mid 1980's I bought a bottle of MB blue ink.

I only use the pen once or twice every couple of years or so and only use the same MB ink.

 

I still have the ink now, about half full, and its as good today as it was around 30 years ago!

beejay

[amberleadavis]

I have inks that are now three decades old and work great. I also have some that are less than a year old and I wouldn't use them at all.

[ForeverStained]

what about the shelf life of highly saturated inks ? ... like the original rouge hematite ?

how long can that be expected to last provided its well capped?

 

i have hopes that i can find some. lol

 

thanks

[amberleadavis]

Well, don't really buy washed out looking inks. I like my inks to be TROUBLE - vibrant, saturated and difficult to manage which may be why they don't fade in the bottle. (haha) However, even my beloved Skrip Peacock blue, did not fade after 20+ years.