Experimenting With Gold (Powder)

[Sailor Kenshin]

I used a toothpick.

[Intellidepth]

Hi all, I've been quietly reading your thread with fascination from the sidelines.

 

I came across this patent last night (link below) regarding pearlescent ball point pen ink which may offer some answers, or at least a form of direction, to many of the questions and issues being raised here, such as:

 

- micron sizes of titanium-dioxide surfaced mica as well as iron-oxide surfaced mica and the challenges the inventors faced with size variance within a manufacturer's product

- their ideal size of pigment particles (2-15 microns) and the ideal size of gap the pearlescent ink needed to flow through (25-100 microns) a ball point pen (I mentally related this to cuts on feeds and nib/feed gap rather than gap between a ball and housing)

- lubricity agents to prevent stacking of pearlescent particles when flow is too slow or restrictive

- laydown, skipping, line thickness, line intensity

- different types of pearlescent powders (including edible)

 

https://www.google.com/patents/US6663704

Edited January 29, 2015 by Intellidepth

[klundtasaur]

Wow, intellidepth--I just briefly skimmed that patent document--there's a ton of information there. I don't know if it will be helpful to identifying products we can use to mix, but they were certainly thorough in their exploration.

[Intellidepth]

I agree that the article's pretty out-there good. I liked its use of plain language too, as well as the listings of manufacturers and the product names they used.

 

I'm running experiments in another thread here (linked below) on FPN re xanthan (E415) as a shear-thinning suspension agent and luster dust, but haven't reached a point to determine whether it may help or hinder the endeavours here. I kept the thread separate because it's chasing an isolated factor and I didn't wish to disturb the interesting developments emerging here.

 

I *really* love all the pictures posted in this thread, as well as the input of everyone involved. I just don't own a 'disposable easy clean' pen yet. Any suggestions of what I could buy multiples of on the bay that might suit?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/283167-glitteratipearlmica-and-e415/

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Jinhao X450 or 599. Platinum Preppy.

[Intellidepth]

Thanks ScubaSteve! Off to the bay I go.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I am only sorry you can't 'see' the glitter in scans, but it's obvious in person.

 

Maybe I need one of those clip-on phone lenses.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I wonder if it would show in a scan if you raised one side of the paper with a shim of some type? I don't have a scanner to try.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Thanks ScubaSteve! Off to the bay I go.

 

Both are cartridge converters with friction fit nibs and feed. The X450 is way smoother and wetter. It also takes standard #6 nibs where the 599 does not.

[Intellidepth]

The X450 ... wetter ... also takes standard #6 nibs where the 599 does not.

This was the decider, plus the fact I could get spare feeds on the bay too if I need to resurrect them. 3 on their way.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

This was the decider, plus the fact I could get spare feeds on the bay too if I need to resurrect them. 3 on their way.

 

Nice, I didn't know you could buy the feeds. Some pen manufacturers use the same feeds in some models. I belive Yafa is one of them.

[Intellidepth]

I can't remember reading about this: has anyone tried the luster in a pigmented or particulate ink? It looked awesome today in Noodler's Yellow, Shah's Rose, and Navajo Turquoise, but not in Bulletproof Black. It took nearly double the luster to show up just a little. Would this mean it isn't really effective in bulletproof-style inks, or just inks with particulate matter? It wasn't really visible in the vial either whereas the others just shiiiine.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Intellidepth

[sansa]

Hi Indellidepth, check your PMs. You might find Section 5 lines 43-05, and Section 7 lines 14-42, in that patent you showed me, of particular interest.

 

I imagine the light scattered by the luster dust is absorbed particularly well by a concentrated black ink such as Noodler's Black.

[Intellidepth]

Lol. Thanks sansa. I was focussed on suspension at the time and glossed through that part as, until I could suspend particles, interesting things like colour play and light weren't on my radar.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Intellidepth

[sansa]

One variable at a time.

[Intellidepth]

It was Noodler's Manhattan Blue.

I'm not sure of the chemical components, but it was the pearl luster dust I ordered in the 6-pack from EBay.

Interesting. I noticed Noodler's Navajo Turquoise has a different natural vial cling response (ie just ink with no xanthan, no luster) to Shah's Rose, and Yellow. The Navajo Turquoise clings for a lot longer. My inkysperiments with luster today all included xanthan; and Turquoise, Rose, and Yellow with luster washed out really easily from my Noodler's Konrad. With xanthan added, the Turquoise clung for ages to the vial's sides, so I was initially concerned about putting it in the pen, but it flushed out just as easily as the others with water, nothing fancy, and no extreme measures to flush the luster out. When the inky water ran clear, the luster was gone to the naked eye.

 

Edit: I took a 20x loupe to the feed after I'd rinsed out the last lot and there were a few (very few and very sparse) tiny sparkles not visible to the naked eye. When flat, they were about 1/10th of the width of the thinnest fin valley in the Konrad's feed. Pretty microscopic, and nothing I'm concerned about personally.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Intellidepth

[Sailor Kenshin]

I went to a dollar store hoping for silver...either eyeshadow or cake dust. I ended up with pink. Sigh.

[Miz Black Crow]

I'd think pink could have its applications: Black Swan in AU Roses, for example, or a wonderful surprise in the right blue or black ink (or purple ink, or red). Don't give up just because of the pink

[Medsen Fey]

. With xanthan added, the Turquoise clung for ages to the vial's sides, so I was initially concerned about putting it in the pen, but it flushed out just as easily as the others with water, nothing fancy, and no extreme measures to flush the luster out. When the inky water ran clear, the luster was gone to the naked eye.

 

I didn't find a problem until I let them dry out and "harden." YMMV.

[amberleadavis]

Hardened? Yucky.