Inky T O D - Do You Ever Try Before You Buy?

[Mezzie]

After two disappointments, I'll be doing samples first from now on.

[PAKMAN]

I've never purchased samples, just don't have the room or disposition to mess with them. I am lucky that my favorite Brick and Mortar will let me try anything I want with a dip pen before I by it.

[amberleadavis]

How can you sample an ink bottle?

-William S. Park

 

 

Several online stores including Goulet's, Anderson Pens and Isellpens offer samples of ink for sale on their websites.

[inkstainedruth]

I almost always get samples first (in fact, I chose "still working through samples" in the poll. But I have on occasion bought full bottles (generally in cases where samples weren't available).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Joane]

I need a choice in the poll that says "I have no interest in sampling ink; I just walk into a store and buy some."

[amberleadavis]

I need a choice in the poll that says "I have no interest in sampling ink; I just walk into a store and buy some."

 

I added it - lucky ducky, you can go to a store.

[Joane]

I added it - lucky ducky, you can go to a store.

Thank you. I voted. It is partially luck to be near stores that carry pens and ink and partially choice of a place to live.

[Pentulant]

Whenever possible, I sample first.

 

I have 500+ samples. I love to sample

[Fozziebear]

Except for rare exceptions, I go the online swatchs -> reviews -> samples -> purchase route. By doing this, I've kept my bottle purchases to bottles/colors that I really like. I buy the bottle if I finish the sample and can see myself going through at least 10ml in the near-ish future. So far, this has worked for me.

[The Good Captain]

Never bought a sample in my life. Also, I rarely try one out in the shop. I admit that I've one or two that I won't use very often but the majority - and there are a lot - all get an outing.

[Tas]

I've kind of sussed it now.

I'll stumble across a post with a gorgeous looking ink in it - usually dcpritch or attika89 are to blame.

 

I'll then look up reviews of the ink and if I don't feel I have the measure of it's nature, I'll order a sample.

If I "feel" the vibes, I'll go right ahead buy a bottle.

 

My last few ink purchases have all been full bottles and I've been delighted with all of them.

 

Private Reserve Gray Flannel - thank you newjelan : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/220874-dont-just-tell-us-about-the-pen-youre-using-show-us/?p=3027610

Diamine China Blue - thank you attika89 : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/220874-dont-just-tell-us-about-the-pen-youre-using-show-us/?p=3013641

Mont Blanc Midnight Blue new formula - thank you mhphoto : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/260812-montblanc-midnight-blue-old-versus-new/?p=2898822

[Joane]

Tas, thank you for reminding me about MB Midnight Blue. That was an unusual case where I referred to reviews before buying. I was so leery of ending up with yet amother "blue-black" that was really blue-green and had been looking for an actual blue-black for a long time. The reviews pointed me in the right direction.

 

I do read reviews here, because they are so beautifully done and informative, but my purchasing habits are more influenced by the lineup in the pen store.

[knarflj]

My first few bottles of ink I bought blind or after just reading reviews, but then I discovered samples and have always since then tried before buying. I know ink's not expensive, but I still have to rob the grocery budget to buy it, so I can't do it too often.

 

I still read all the reviews I can find before I buy a bottle.

[white_lotus]

I have to admit that of all the bottles of ink I've purchased, only one was based on having previously purchased a sample.

 

I also have lots of samples, that I haven't even made my way through yet.

 

My issue with samples so far has been that I can't get large nibs into the little containers, and it often seems that there's ½ ml left in the vial when I've filled a pen with it. So what am I supposed to do with the extra? I don't own an eye-dropper pen. I'm thinking I should use a little syringe to suck up the last little bit and load it into an empty cartridge.

 

I like reading the reviews and find them very helpful, especially ones where the reviewer has taken the time to explore using the ink in different pens, on different paper.

[TheModernGent]

I usually read reviews or look at comparisons before I buy. FPN is such a great resource to see various inks within the same color palette. I am an ink drop member though too so I do get samples too

[amberleadavis]

White_Lotus - I've become a huge fan of syringes. OR the pipettes like the ones that are tiny enough to use in place of a blunt syringe.

 

http://www.aralatan.com/COPAN_Transfer_Pipette(Non-Sterile).JPG

[white_lotus]

Thanks, those pipettes are very cool.

[tarheel1]

I have been into fountain pens since 2008 and just got my first samples 2 weeks ago. In the past i just bought bottles of iroshizuku and a couple years ago bought a bottle of edelstein and sailor kobe. Now that someone and samples i want to try more.

[CaptainBA]

The only ink I've bought without trying before hand is Noodler's La Couleur Royale. I'm glad I ended up liking it but I typically like to try before I buy. With everything, not just inks.

[xinglongneo]

I buy samples for the most part--except for my first few bottles of ink, where I was still new to the whole fountain pen thing. One of the things that I really like about Goulet is that you can get random samples, meaning that I've tried inks I wouldn't have other wise touched, with mixed results.