Jump to content

Inky T O D - Oh, The Places You'll Go, Or, Waypoints On The Inky Journey


Arkanabar

Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, This name was free. said:

I can warmly recommend the Sailor blue-black inks. Well, one of them yet. :D 

 

As it turns out in your new thread, my tongue-in-cheek suggestion was not as good as I hoped.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the Platinum cartridge is not black at all - only blue. Maybe they have different blues.

 

Platinum Blue Black is a "blue" IG ink, which Platinum calls Blue Black to signify its IG-ness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 173
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Arkanabar

    21

  • amberleadavis

    10

  • inkstainedruth

    10

  • This name was free.

    7

21 hours ago, This name was free. said:

I started my fountain pen journey just this week with the arrival of the Platinum #3776 (medium nib). The first thing I noticed was that the cartridge that came with it made the nib produce ugly light blue (and too broad) lines on whatever paper I tried. Today, my Sailor Sou-boku arrived, I instantly trashed the cartridge and filled the converter: Thin dark lines - perfect!

 

Fascinating for me - but boring for most of you, I guess.

 

Tip:  fish that cartridge back out if it's still in your trash.  Empty it, clean it, dry it, and stash it with your box of pen parts (or use it to start your box of pen parts).  You may someday want to syringe-fill a cartridge with whatever ink you  choose, and you'll be glad to have that cartridge.  Of course you could also just syringe-fill a converter, but a cartridge will hold more, and takes little space in your parts box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good tip - but I actually plan to keep a few converters filled instead. :) Open cartridges are not really secure - once accidentally pressed, they’re empty...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You *can* seal them.  Some people use a hot glue gun.  I used to use 100% silicone caulk (the stuff you use around bathtubs).  But honestly, I prefer using converters in my c/c pens.  Flushing out cartridges is a major PITA, even with a syringe.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

17 hours ago, XYZZY said:

 

Tip:  fish that cartridge back out if it's still in your trash.  Empty it, clean it, dry it, and stash it with your box of pen parts (or use it to start your box of pen parts).  You may someday want to syringe-fill a cartridge with whatever ink you  choose, and you'll be glad to have that cartridge.  Of course you could also just syringe-fill a converter, but a cartridge will hold more, and takes little space in your parts box.

 

+1.

 

I think the Platinum cartridge is probably one of the best around.  It has both internal ribs and a sizable ball bearing to encourage flow, and it holds more than a converter would.  Further, its wide throat makes it easy to refill with just a disposable bulb pipette.  Now, I wouldn't carry a refilled cartridge, but I am still using the original cartridges on all three Plaisirs in my house, which I refill at need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Arkanabar said:

 

 

+1.

 

I think the Platinum cartridge is probably one of the best around.  It has both internal ribs and a sizable ball bearing to encourage flow, and it holds more than a converter would.  Further, its wide throat makes it easy to refill with just a disposable bulb pipette.  Now, I wouldn't carry a refilled cartridge, but I am still using the original cartridges on all three Plaisirs in my house, which I refill at need.

 

I feel silly for not having thought of this option.  I have had such terrible luck with Platinum converters  that a cartridge would probably last me longer.  I don't seem to have kept either of my original Platinum cartridges but might buy a box of ink in cartridges instead of another converter to replace the one that most recently failed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And, if you ever need to problem solve a pen, having a cartridge to fill and pop in will prove/rule out the converter as the problem. (I just went through that with a Pilot Falcon - so this use is fresh in my mind - thankfully it wasn't the pen!)

 

I keep a few empty cartridges for each brand of pen in my collection.

 

 

Will work for pens... :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, AmandaW said:

And, if you ever need to problem solve a pen, having a cartridge to fill and pop in will prove/rule out the converter as the problem. (I just went through that with a Pilot Falcon - so this use is fresh in my mind - thankfully it wasn't the pen!)

 

I keep a few empty cartridges for each brand of pen in my collection.

 

 

 

Moreover, most of the cartridges (Platinum, Lamy, international long and Parker) hold more ink than a converter. They're useful in EDC pens with run of the mill (Serenity, Lamy Blue, 4001, etc.) inks. You fill and forget it and write for a long time.

 

It's not as ritualistic as other methods and of course doesn't provide exorbitant amount of ink reserve like some other options, but it's practical, hassle free & effective.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that cartridges hold more ink than a converter, but there are no Sailor cartridges for Platinum pens - and I’m really bad at things which require a steady hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget that when you use a converter and fill a pen by dipping the nib in ink, the amount of liquid held exceeds the volume the converter holds alone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I've been trying to reverse engineer some of these categories to rationale my desire to purchase a bottle of a particularly uncommon ink.

 

Hakase Dark Sepia

 

It isn't the blackiest black, it's not really a colourful colour, it isn't permanent, it's not known for shading and has no sheen, it isn't vegan, the reviews are less than glowing, it costs about $2/ml, the bottle is nice but not the reason I want it, it's appears to be finicky in that the manufacturer recommends frequent flushing...

 

Could Something Died to Make This be a new essential ink category???

bayesianprior.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 4/15/2016 at 3:57 PM, dcwaites said:

 

*Just ask an archaeologist. The sort of thing they love to find most are documents about ordinary everyday things. Your shopping lists are of far more interest in the far future than your musings about inks.

.

My mind went straight to thinking about D. Daniel Jackson from Stargate. I do wish we got to see more of that in the show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

  •  I just want it to work!

This is when fussiness becomes the bane of your existence. You can't abide by inks that feather, inks that dry up, inks that make your pens sputter, inks that gush, or otherwise misbehave.

 

This would be my main criterion. I use my pens at work; they must be functional. Having said that, I love all the various colors, brands, and characteristics of fountain pen ink. I do lean toward inks sold by pen companies. As a rule, they work better in more pens than those made by specialty ink companies. 

 

Reading this topic has been interesting; I guess that's why there are 1000+ fountain pen inks. 

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, got most of the girlly colors but pink.....yellow is a waste.

Blue is a color I come back to every 3-4 years.

 

I was chasing Purple...6-8 bottles when I bought a half bottle of Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Green....only because it was cheaper than dirt....after all who needed a green ink.

That year 14 greenish inks, total 19. Never did get back to purple.

Still can't find sheen.

 

Got a hand full of glitter...that are supposed to shade, at least a bit.

 

Prefer shading inks.

Do have too many semi-flex nibs for most shading inks. The nib is too wet.

 

I still got half a bottle of 13 year old Pelikan Brilliant Black.

I don't live in Seattle, and write as I walk to work....permanent is not needed in on Mainland Europe bank wire transfers are done not checks. 

 

Only got 80 inks not counting some samples I got to use up.....I am down to 7-8 pens so I can use up more inks.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I'm not a fan of shimmer/glitter inks, I now have a couple of them for my kids. We're trying to work on their handwriting this summer, and this is a way to encourage them.

 

My brief interest with sheening inks lasted all of a week. I don't write enough on good quality paper to see it happen, and some of them have terrible dry times.

 

I'm branching out into newer brands, while before I had played it pretty safe. I don't think I'm going to suddenly dive into new colours though. I'm happy with black, blue, green, purple, and red.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I just want it to work. Any thing that clogs or dries up a pen, is no good for me. Same with anything super runny.

 

Beyond that, I would say I am cautious with colour. I like red, and brown, and purple, and green... but i want dark ones. Bright colours don't stand off the page as well. I only have a couple of brighter inks, and do use them occasionally. Usually i want contrast with the page, but sometimes i want contrast with the other ink on the page.

 

Recently I have started moving from the darkest of any given colour, to something a little bit lighter and brighter. That need for contrast still applies though. Pastel colours are lost on me. I don't know why people would want them for anything other than artwork.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 8 months later...

Picking up the thread... seriously into Pilot Iroshizuku inks, current favourite is Asa Gao, but taking a step sideways into Sailor Manyo Haha and Ukikusa. As well as the Sailor Yurameku inks: Seki, Kyokkou, Yoi and Kangyou. Curious about the new Sailor Manyo dual shaders, anybody tried them? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Chimera01 said:

Picking up the thread... seriously into Pilot Iroshizuku inks, current favourite is Asa Gao, but taking a step sideways into Sailor Manyo Haha and Ukikusa. As well as the Sailor Yurameku inks: Seki, Kyokkou, Yoi and Kangyou. Curious about the new Sailor Manyo dual shaders, anybody tried them? 

Prepping some reviews for all four. what would you like to know?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...