Baystate Blue Stains

[overlander]

My ink samples for my first pen arrived yesterday, and I am still waiting for my first pen to arrive in the mail, a Lamy Vista. When I looked at the ink samples, I noticed immediately that the sample vial of bsb was totally stained with blue, and none of the other samples had any staining at all. With all my research online, I knew that bsb has a reputation, but the color is just so breathtaking! I am now having second thoughts about putting this ink into my pen. If (when) staining occurs in my Vista, will an ammonia solution be able to get it out? I have heard of some issues with using bleach with steel nibs and some rubbers, so I am a bit off put about using bleach.

Also, I don't know how many of you are aquarium people, but I have a bottle of Dr. Tim's brand ammonium chloride solution for "fishless cycling" of a tank; would this work to clean a pen, or should I avoid it?

Sorry for my ramblings here, but hopefully some of you can help me.

Thanks!

[JefferyS]

Staining and BSB go hand in hand, so if staining is a concern, you might want to forego the brightness. By the way, the electrifying brightness does not last terribly long, so it is good for temporary writings and notes.

[wallylynn]

Yes, it will stain. Personal experience.

 

I had some success using rubbing alcohol to flush, but it is generally a worse idea than leaving it. The alcohol will soften the plastic. This means your crystal clear vista will become a frosted vista as you touch it. Ironically, the inside will stay clear because you don't touch the inside.

 

This was before I learned about ammonia flushes. The ammonia definitely helps but I don't know if it will flush completely. I had lost my Lamy by that time.

 

Personally, if you have any reservation, any at all, just don't do it. Get a preppy and use that instead. If you don't mind not seeing the fins of the feed, go ahead.

 

 

Meanwhile, this week I'll try bleaching my Ahab piston.

[Scrawler]

Keep one pen that only gets BSB in it. It does not play well with other inks. Alcohol in the form of hand sanitizer will remove it, because the gel holds the alcohol to the surface. A stained converter is the price you pay for the joys of inks like BSB, BSCG and Private Reseve Bubblegum.

[SallyLyn]

+1 on use only in one pen. Do not use another ink in that pen. Other people may say they can switch inks with BSB but I'm too lazy to take that much effort. Pick an inexpensive pen with a nice writing nib in the size you like and put BSB in it and enjoy. I like the nib on a Pilot 78G or Hero 616. usually find them for $12 or less. isellpens.com ebay

 

I enjoy BSB but like other things in life, I have rules about it.

[zombywoof]

I used a Platinum Preppy to play with my BSB samples, it only costs $3-$4.

[Biff]

I've also just acquired a bottle. I filled the converter of a cheap Kaigelu and it will be my only pen that uses it.

[PAHarris]

Sounds like a good idea. I bought a bottle a few months back ago without knowing about its history for staining pens. I will now look for a good writer and dedicate it for use with Bay State.

[amberleadavis]

Well, another FPNer just posted a great review about cleaners with BSB.

[overlander]

So is a bleach solution or an ammonium chloride solution safe for a Lamy Vista?

[Lou Erickson]

Bleach will be safe with the Lamy Vista; I've done it. Use a mild solution, and BSB should come out pretty well.

 

I've been using a Vista for ink testing - I can see when it's really clean, and I have all the nib sizes - and haven't had staining problems that I couldn't cure. BSB took a little bleach.

 

I've decided BSB lives in the Preppy that came with the big bottle, and in a Jinhao 159, because it writes like a fire hose and I have lots of BSB. (And the look from the medium/very wet nib is quite different than the look from the fine Preppy.) So another +1 for "dedicated BSB pen."

 

I think you can clean it out, but is it worth it?

[overlander]

Thanks for all the advice. I think i'm gonna get the big bottle w/ the preppy and dedicate that to BSB, and use other inks in the vista. Just for future reference though, what bleach dilution ratio would you recommend?

[Lou Erickson]

IIRC, Mr. Tardiff suggestsd 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.

[chris.hale]

I have a Vista with a permanently blue section thanks to BSB. It doesn't really show when it's inked, but I can't shift it.