Is It Safe To Use Old Ink?

[Tanzanite]

When you read on some ink producers webbpages they say that you should throw away ink that is more than one year old. Many of us buy a lot of ink so that is not realistic. Is there an age limit for use or is it just a way to make us buy new ink?

A few days ago I found a forgotten 15 year old half full bottle of Parker Quink Blue. Could it be safe to use?

[JefferyS]

While "1 year" seemed like an eternity when I was 20, it seems like a flash today. I wouldn't consider throwing out an ink unless (like my Shaeffer bottles) the lid is rusty or there is gunk in the bottle.

[Nibwitz]

The oldest ink I used is Parker Penman Ebony form about the year 1997 or so. It is a very good ink that still can be used like a new ink.

So, from that experience, I think you can use old inks without much problems, as long as the ink bottle has been stored properly; with the lid closed/screwed on tightly and the bottle stored in a dark place without to much temperature differences. Closing the lid is very important; just a little bit unscrewed, and slowly, ink, or more precisely water, will evaporate, and the ink will get more concentrated.

[inkstainedruth]

A year and a half ago I picked up a mostly full bottle of what turned out to be vintage Quink Brown. I'm guessing from the style of the bottle it's from the 1940s or 50s. It was fine, other than a bit of precipitate. Liked it so much I bought a smaller (but full) bottle on Ebay.

As long as there's no SITB, you should be alright. I've read that some people have been able to reconstitute dried in in old bottles by adding distilled water, but I have not tried that (I want to be buying ink -- not bottles!)

Remember -- shampoo bottles say "lather, rinse, repeat" on them!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[framebaer]

Blues, greens, seem to fare better than Reds/oranges in Vintage ink. That said, my full bottle of Persian Rose is perfect and many of my Carter/ sheaffer/parker inks from the 50's appear fine and I occasionally use them.

 

Aside from the excellent caution above (SITB), it is important to note that the Biocides and stabilizers they were allowed to use back then were much more powerful and effective than modern equivalents. A lot of good, but nasty chemicals, have been banned in our (over?) protected modern age.

[Ron Z]

 

 

When you read on some ink producers webb pages they say that you should throw away ink that is more than one year old.

 

Nonsense. Maybe with some of the boutique inks, but not with inks from pen manufacturers. I have, and have used ink from the 40s on a regular basis. I used Parker permanent Royal Blue that I bought by the case for quite a while, as well as blue/black. Sheaffer washable blue is about the safest ink to use if you want to keep a clear pen barrel clear, or want to protect a vintage Pelikan barrel from decay.

[amberleadavis]

Throwing out perfectly good ink is just bad advice. I have inks that are decades old. My daughter says I must no longer wear clothes that are older than she is (but then she swipes my cool stuff), but I am still "allowed" to use my old pens, paper and inks.

 

Always watch out for slimy icky stuff and don't use anything that you think looks disgusting.

[DRWWE]

I recently tried out some >15 year-old Waterman Blue ink that I found in a drawer. Looked good in the bottle. It flowed beautifully from the pen. No clogs. Felt just fine. Unfortunately on the paper is was no longer blue. Rather it was a metallic green. I guess inks can change with time. I threw that bottle away.