Inks Grouped By Brand?

[Brier]

I've noticed that a lot of people and stores seem to group the fountain pen inks that they own by the company that makes them rather than by color. I'm curious as to why people do this, is it because people get attached to a specific company's ink, something to do with the properties of that company's ink, or something else? From my beginner's vantage to the fountain pen world, it seems like color is the more logical way to sort inks.

[SeeksAdvice]

It all depends. You probably haven't seen the massive array of ink options. Many ink manufacturers make dozens, or more, ink options. Only Aurora, that I know of, has two. Noodler's is over 150 I think, Diamine is well over 100 too if I recall, Pilot's Iroshizuku line has 27(?), DeA has dozens, J. Herbin has dozens, Sailor (and it's rebrands) has dozens, Platinum has a few, and so on.

Some inks are easy to classify as one particular color. Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku and Noodler's Hunter would be pretty obvious greens.

Other inks defy classification in one particular color set. Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo could be called a blue/black, but it is more of a dark teal or blue/black/green. Where do you put Black-Green, with the "blacks" or with the "greens"?

And, yes, there are certain characteristics that one associates with ink, and there are certain preferences. I am not a fan of DeA inks, having tried a few. While I have never tried Visconti inks, I know myself, and that bottle is just asking for trouble. Perhaps it's just personal preference, but I don't want to waste time rummaging through products that I'd never consider buying.

If I want a particular property, and know that only a handful of ink manufacturers have products that have that property, why would I want to spend time searching through inks by color, when I can start with the manufacturer?

[Brier]

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the thorough explanation, SeeksAdvice! All of these details and nuances that I'm learning regarding inks in fountain pens is really exciting to me.

[lapis]

The answer is easy (for me)... almost all inks from each company come in the same size (preferably their boxes). Yes, some companies' inks don't come in boxes (like De A, R&K) but they are still easier to line up all aside and/or behind each other. Boxes also on top of each other... Most of my Noodlers are 3 oz, only a few are 1 oz, and then there's HOD...

[migo984]

While I have never tried Visconti inks, I know myself, and that bottle is just asking for trouble.

 

I agree with your explanation but I don't understand your comment about Visconti?

[lapis]

While I have never tried Visconti inks, I know myself, and that bottle is just asking for trouble.

Well, if you have an old Visco glass bottle in the beautiful and efficient, coloured, embossed cardboard box, all you have to do is take off the bottle's cap, insert the bottle back into the box and fillerup. No trouble!

Of course, if you unfortunately have only the newest, stupidest plastic bottles lying in the black plastic coffins clouded over with the cheap cellophane-like veils, then, yes, big trouble.

[migo984]

Oh I see - SeeksAdvice meant instability. My Visconti bottles are the top-heavy style, but they came in a solid, rigid, faceted/shaped clear plastic container with fitted top. I invert the clear plastic container and reinsert the bottle. The faceted/sided case holds the bottle so it doesn't move and this provides a very steady base. Alternatively the fitted plastic top has a recess for the bottle and can be inverted and used as a stand too.

Errrr not sure if I've explained that properly! Here's a pic that shows the plastic case and top.

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Visconti-Ink.jpg

[SeeksAdvice]

Those would be the ones. Little inverted plastic pyramids of doom.

[ClaytonLittle]

I would assume because brands often use similar materials in their inks, thereby giving them similar properties. So if a red diamine works well in your pen, a blue diamine likely will as well. However, switching to another brand you haven't used before gives the risk that the ink may not flow as well, or flow too much, or dry up, etc., in some of your pens. I know gouletpens.com lets you sort by color their wares.

Edited January 5, 2014 by ClaytonLittle

[Bo Bo Olson]

I tend to group ink manufactures instead of colors. ...when I have space. I need to sell some real nice pewter topped beer mugs.

 

My Edelstine bottles are mostly together, like my MB or C'dA. They look good and together I can grab an MB Irish with out much thought. or R&K

If I had my Greens together, I'd pick R&K Verdrua that by me finished by a nose in front of MB Irish or and a neck over Pelikan 4001 Green.

Now that is most unfair to Pelikan Green...a most under rated ink, that beat Edelstein Aventurine rather easily.

I tend to group inks according to bottle shape and maker, when and where I have space.

 

Space. My Herbin inks are just scattered all over three shelves like my DA inks.

Space, I only have 50 or so fountain pen inks, and 8-9 dip pen inks.

 

What am I to do for space when I get the 12 or so inks on my short list of inks. My long list is 25 and that is just mainland Euro inks.

 

If I was to set inks up, by color-shade&tone, I'd need much more space...in I'd have too many inks sitting in the forth row not getting any use.

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

I have most of the bottled ink in these really nice boxes that are woven fiber (rattan?) covered fabric from IKEA. Like Bo Bo Olsen, I find it's easy for me to pack them up efficiently.

Sample vials are a bit more problematic. The sample vial trays are sort of a mish-mash, between inks of the same color family (most of the black ink samples are together, for example), duplicate samples (I didn't really *mean* to order 3 samples of DC Supershow Blue...), unused/empty/mostly empty vials, ones that haven't yet been tried, and inks I never ever want to see again, let alone use.... And that's not counting the vials that haven't been put away yet for one reason or another (such as ones I'm about to try, or ones that will get refilled from the bottle so I have extra ink available when I'm traveling). I tried to make a spreadsheet/chart as to where each vial is in each try (as a file on my computer), but I'm not good about keeping it updated.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[amberleadavis]

It has a whole lot to do with how well they display when grouped by brand, and you can't really see the color through the bottle as well as you might like.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Potions_Cabinet/slides/2013-08-08_ink_5.jpg

[Just I]

Inky - I am turning J. Herbin Olive green over your ink collection! How much fun you must have every time your pen(s) need inking.

 

It has a whole lot to do with how well they display when grouped by brand, and you can't really see the color through the bottle as well as you might like.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Potions_Cabinet/slides/2013-08-08_ink_5.jpg

[amberleadavis]

It's been decades in the making. That Skrip bottle is from when I was in college. The major grouping of PR came from when Paradise pen closed up in Las Vegas. Some have been gifts. I truly love color.

[PAKMAN]

Mine are grouped by manufacturer because the bottles are shaped the same and thus line up neatest and take the least shelf space.

[Brier]

It has a whole lot to do with how well they display when grouped by brand, and you can't really see the color through the bottle as well as you might like.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Potions_Cabinet/slides/2013-08-08_ink_5.jpg

 

Are all of those bottles in a cabinet! If so, it is doubly cool that you can display them all like that and still protect them from sunlight.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Brier

[amberleadavis]

 

Are all of those bottles in a cabinet! If so, it is doubly cool that you can display them all like that and still protect them from sunlight.

 

 

Welcome Aboard!!

 

 

It's my resolution this month to say welcome aboard to each member I see with less than 50 posts. I'm hoping to encourage your assimilation to the collective through cheerfulness. Is it working?

[Brier]

Why, thank you!

 

The assimilation is indeed working. You and others friendliness here has been quite excellent. I am glad for the welcome.

[SeeksAdvice]

It has a whole lot to do with how well they display when grouped by brand, and you can't really see the color through the bottle as well as you might like.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Potions_Cabinet/slides/2013-08-08_ink_5.jpg

Hmm... I see: Texas Blue Bonnet, Texas Live Oak, Alamo's Twilight, Texas Bat Black, Texas Pecan (can't miss the big nuts), Whiteness of the Whale. I can't place the armadillo, or the three between it and the Texas Pecan. The intensely blue bottle looks like Polar Blue?

Also see many of the Vmail colors with the maroon one on the end of them, along with BSiAR, Bad Belted Kingfisher, Bad Black Moccasin, and Bad Blue Heron on the end.

[amberleadavis]

Hmm... I see: Texas Blue Bonnet, Texas Live Oak, Alamo's Twilight, Texas Bat Black, Texas Pecan (can't miss the big nuts), Whiteness of the Whale. I can't place the armadillo, or the three between it and the Texas Pecan. The intensely blue bottle looks like Polar Blue?

Also see many of the Vmail colors with the maroon one on the end of them, along with BSiAR, Bad Belted Kingfisher, Bad Black Moccasin, and Bad Blue Heron on the end.

 

So on that top row of the 1 oz bottles.

 

Tanned Armadillo (another Dromgoole's exclusive.

You missed Comanche Rouge.

 

Then I have Luxury Blue (that's the pretty car), Periwinkle (finicky), Red Fox (chalky).

 

Polar Blue is on another shelf.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Potions_Cabinet/slides/2013-08-08_ink_20.jpg