Ink Separation

[djpyle]

So I hadn't used my Noodler's #41 in a long time (at least a year probably and maybe even longer—I guess that's what happens when you buy way too much ink). When I unboxed it, it looked like this:

 

 

I shook it up really well to see if it would recombine—or whatever the chemical term is—and it seemed to, but after leaving it overnight, it separated again.

 

I'm not bashing the ink at all. I loved it the few times I used it. It was in its box in a dark drawer, but I can understand how ignoring it for so long could have resulted in some funky reactions. But my question is: is it safe to assume this bottle has gone bad? Should I sit the kids down and let them know it's gone to live on a big farm upstate where it will have plenty of room to run and play?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I still use separated ink. Shake vigorously, fill, write.

[djpyle]

I still use separated ink. Shake vigorously, fill, write.

 

 

I thought about trying it in a cheap pen just to see what would happen, but as fast as it re-separated in the bottle, I figured it would do the same in the pen. I guess that doesn't matter as long as I don't mind shaking the pen a few times a day. And as long as the ingredients aren't harmful when separated.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

 

 

I thought about trying it in a cheap pen just to see what would happen, but as fast as it re-separated in the bottle, I figured it would do the same in the pen. I guess that doesn't matter as long as I don't mind shaking the pen a few times a day. And as long as the ingredients aren't harmful when separated.

 

Never had an ink separate so quickly, but it's the same ingredients so I can't imagine it'd eat your pen. Maybe an eyedropper would be best.

[effrafax]

I have Noodler's #41 too, and don't use it regularly. It does separate out, but it takes months, and certainly nothing like that shown in your picture. It certainly should not, under normal circumstances, separate out over night. Yours almost looks like oil and water.

 

I'd be very wary that something may have contaminated the ink, causing the dye/pigment to precipitate out into very fine particles, causing the quick separation.

 

Just my tuppenyworth.

 

Cheers,

E.