When Ink Samples Sit...

[dizzypen]

So I have nearly 200 ink samples that had been sitting in a box. Right now, I'm stuck at home so I figured why not organize my ink samples. That's when I found this:

 

http://dizzypen.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/wierd-samples.jpg

 

Periwinkle has turned into a gelatinous mass as has Dragon Cat Pink and the two Dakota Red samples have a serious case of SITB (seen best with the second dakota vial).

 

Anyone else experience this?

[Paddler]

If that SITB is alive in there, you should go outside and gently break the seals on those vials. They could be building up gas pressure. You could have little time bombs in your ink cellar. Nothing dangerous, mind you, but potentially messy.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Paddler

[Gloucesterman]

How long have they been "sitting"? Is their condition the result of age and the interaction with the vials? Or what?

[Horseknitter]

This is not good news for my collection. Did I waste the opportunity procrastinating?

 

Here I go to check out the state of my samples.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Horseknitter

[Sleepyside]

Hmmmm, this is NOT giving me a warm fuzzy. The worst I've noticed so far is Dakota Red precipitating out, but my samples are not organized.

[MrsGouletPens]

I've seen that happen with the Dragon Cat highlighter inks after 6+ months. I don't know what the heck is in those things that causes it....

Is yours from Ink Drop? That'd be about 3 years old.

SITB is a whole different beast. Yikes! I've seen some PR inks precipitate/settle out after time, including Dakota Red. I think I've seen mold in it before too, can't remember how long ago.

[bardharlock]

Just to satisfy my own morbid curiosity; was the box in which these samples were stored closed and out of the light? Also, was the box in a climate-controlled environment?

[WaskiSquirrel]

A plastic vial is not as air-tight as a glass ink bottle. Could this be part of the problem?

[pmhudepo]

I think Waski_the_Squirrel is onto something! A glass bottle with a proper seal in its cap should be much less of a problem.

 

Perhaps you can restore some of the inks in the plastic sample vials by adding water and shaking it vigorously? Small steps, repeat as needed.

[dizzypen]

I've seen that happen with the Dragon Cat highlighter inks after 6+ months. I don't know what the heck is in those things that causes it....

Is yours from Ink Drop? That'd be about 3 years old.

 

SITB is a whole different beast. Yikes! I've seen some PR inks precipitate/settle out after time, including Dakota Red. I think I've seen mold in it before too, can't remember how long ago.

Yes, many of my samples are several years old. I was actually surprised that only these 4 showed issues. One of the Dakota Red vials shows evidence of precipitation. The other has what looks like a blood clot floating in it. I've had that clotting experience with PR Plum and PR Orange crush before (although at the time I think I referred to it as snot).

 

Perhaps you can restore some of the inks in the plastic sample vials by adding water and shaking it vigorously? Small steps, repeat as needed.

 

No no. I'm not going to try to restore goo. I'll just count these as a loss.

 

 

Just to satisfy my own morbid curiosity; was the box in which these samples were stored closed and out of the light? Also, was the box in a climate-controlled environment?

Yes, the box was closed and out of direct light. It was in my desk hutch which is in my climate controlled home. It's pretty much 72 degrees year-round in my house.

 

A plastic vial is not as air-tight as a glass ink bottle. Could this be part of the problem?

I don't think so. I haven't observed any decrease in ink volume in any of the sample vials and these inks have been in these vials for years. These are medical transport vials. They hold their contents very well.

[bardharlock]

Thanks for answering the questions, Diz. You confirmed my fears. Too much ink + not enough writing = pooped out ink. I feel I need to get to writing!

[amberleadavis]

The DC Catfish Pink is not stib ... nope, it's something about the Dragon Catfish inks, they did that to me inside the noodler's pens. Nasty. I painted with them, though....WOW were they fun to paint with. They also redisolved in water. Very stranger.

[dizzypen]

The DC Catfish Pink is not stib ... nope, it's something about the Dragon Catfish inks, they did that to me inside the noodler's pens. Nasty. I painted with them, though....WOW were they fun to paint with. They also redisolved in water. Very stranger.

 

Oddly enough, the dragon cat green I have is still fluid.

[amberleadavis]

Oddly enough, the dragon cat green I have is still fluid.

 

Inks are magic.