Diamine Ancient Copper Vs Gvfc Hazelnut

[RubenDh]

Hello there

 

I've been using fountain pens for one year now.

So I think it's time to go for a new ink!

 

Untill now I've only used a blue (Mb Midnight blue), a green (Diamine sherwood green) and a red (Pelikan edelstein ruby).

 

So as the title says, I'm going for a brown ink; either the Diamine Ancient copper or GvFC Hazelnut brown.

Anyone has experiences on how they behave or compare?

 

 

Would be for in a Montblanc 146;

 

 

Thank you anyways

Ruben

[Old_Inkyhand]

I've heard an opinion that Ancient Copper should be used in cheap pens only. There were some clogging problems, if I remember well. I haven't used it, though

[pepsiplease69]

I've heard an opinion that Ancient Copper should be used in cheap pens only. There were some clogging problems, if I remember well. I haven't used it, though

I will agree with that.

 

I have a bottle of Ancient Copper and I love the color and the gorgeous shading. It's like no other brown ink I've seen, but the ink has a very peculiar trait of crystallizing very readily.

 

Leave the ink in a pen for a day or two and you start seeing nodules growing on the nib. So this ink needs some regular maintenance when used.

 

If you're not bothered by that, its a gorgeous color. I can't say that the color is an everyday used one for me. If you're really wanting to try before buying, maybe get a vial of each ink. If you're more inclined towards the Diamine, you also have the option of the mini 15 ml bottle as well.

 

Good luck, and let us know which one you settle with and how you like it.

Edited June 7, 2016 by pepsiplease69

[Old_Inkyhand]

I'd ink the MB with GvFC Hazelnut Brown (or MB Toffee Brown) and buy a Pilot Metropolitan to use it with Ancient Copper

[amberleadavis]

I like how Old-Inkyhand thinks. I agree.

[Old_Inkyhand]

I like how Old-Inkyhand thinks. I agree.

Woo-hoo, my life is complete now!

[ggrosjean]

For awhile I used Ancient copper in several Conway Stewarts all of them with IB nibs, including a Churchill with no issues at all.

[Old_Inkyhand]

Have a look at these photos by visvamitra. It is probably not a rule, but it is better to be cautious.

 

I know that this stuff isn't usually too harmful, but there's no need to risk.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[RubenDh]

Wow thank you! I didn't knew that problem occured I'll go for the Hazelnut, and when time comes I'll buy the Ancient copper which I'll put in a cheaper pen

Thanks again

[martinbir]

My MB146 loves Ancient Copper. Nib crud does not seem to affect it all - indeed the ink stayed in all through last summer and both got along fine. I think crud build-up is connected with evaporation and I certainly have other pens which suffer.

 

Ancient Copper only shows its true glory when it shades from a fairly wet nib. The 146 shows it off wonderfully.

 

P.S. my pen is about 1987 vintage if that is relevant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

edited to add PS

Edited June 8, 2016 by martinbir

[KKay]

I've tried both. I love the Hazelnut. It is high on my wish list.

[arrScott]

I've heard an opinion that Ancient Copper should be used in cheap pens only. There were some clogging problems, if I remember well. I haven't used it, though

Granting that I have only used Ancient Copper in cheap pens, I have not had clogging problems with it. Nib creep like nothing I've ever seen - like sci-fi horror levels of dark coppery crud growing on the nib, visibly increasing in extent from morning to evening in a single day. Possibly the lack of clogging is because my cheaper pens (Jinhao, Retro 51, Safari) tend to have wet feeds, and a high-end pen would be more likely to clog. Or possibly the wet feeds of the cheaper pens is what enables the massive nib creep, and the effect would be much milder on a high-end pen. Either way, it's possible that my experience (no clogging, nib creep like crazy) is not representative of use in a non-cheap pen.

 

BTW, my avatar is a page of wine tasting notes taken in Ancient Copper with a Jinhao x750 on Field Notes paper, after the briefest possible exposure to a tiny bit of water. Ancient Copper is a beautiful ink, but while it may stick to your nib, it will not stick to your paper.

[edebill]

-1 on the Ancient Copper nib creep.

 

Monday I got a Karas Kustoms Ink with steel EF nib, and a bottle of Ancient Copper. I've had it inked since that night with no sign of nib creep at all. I had to pull the pen out and double-check after reading all of these comments about it. When I started writing with it earlier today it had been 2 days since I'd used it, and the first line or two were are noticeably darker, so I'm sure the ink had been evaporating from the nib during that time (i.e. this isn't a Platinum or TWSBI with such a great cap seal that nibs never dry out, which seems like the other explanation for no nib creep).

[pepsiplease69]

-1 on the Ancient Copper nib creep.

 

Monday I got a Karas Kustoms Ink with steel EF nib, and a bottle of Ancient Copper. I've had it inked since that night with no sign of nib creep at all. I had to pull the pen out and double-check after reading all of these comments about it. When I started writing with it earlier today it had been 2 days since I'd used it, and the first line or two were are noticeably darker, so I'm sure the ink had been evaporating from the nib during that time (i.e. this isn't a Platinum or TWSBI with such a great cap seal that nibs never dry out, which seems like the other explanation for no nib creep).

 

 

Maybe you need to let it sit a while longer in the pen and then compare how it does against other well behaved inks.

 

Crystallization is a real problem with this ink and also clogging. And when it happens, it's not pretty.

 

I got a whole bottle of the stuff because the color was so nice, but then I saw these issues, same as others have reported.

 

It completely plugged up the feeder tube on my TWSBI inkwell and it was blocked solid.

[amberleadavis]

Granting that I have only used Ancient Copper in cheap pens, I have not had clogging problems with it. Nib creep like nothing I've ever seen - like sci-fi horror levels of dark coppery crud growing on the nib, visibly increasing in extent from morning to evening in a single day. Possibly the lack of clogging is because my cheaper pens (Jinhao, Retro 51, Safari) tend to have wet feeds, and a high-end pen would be more likely to clog. Or possibly the wet feeds of the cheaper pens is what enables the massive nib creep, and the effect would be much milder on a high-end pen. Either way, it's possible that my experience (no clogging, nib creep like crazy) is not representative of use in a non-cheap pen.

 

BTW, my avatar is a page of wine tasting notes taken in Ancient Copper with a Jinhao x750 on Field Notes paper, after the briefest possible exposure to a tiny bit of water. Ancient Copper is a beautiful ink, but while it may stick to your nib, it will not stick to your paper.

 

As I recall, didn't I then recommend one of the De Atramentis wine inks for you? I just tried the Lemberger. OMG is was wonderful.

[Uncial]

I've had the nib crud from Ancient Copper on some pens, but not all. Where it occurred it just wiped off on a tissue. I've never had an actual clogging issue that interrupted ink flow in any way and cleaning has been fine.

[edebill]

 

 

Maybe you need to let it sit a while longer in the pen and then compare how it does against other well behaved inks.

 

Crystallization is a real problem with this ink and also clogging. And when it happens, it's not pretty.

 

I got a whole bottle of the stuff because the color was so nice, but then I saw these issues, same as others have reported.

 

It completely plugged up the feeder tube on my TWSBI inkwell and it was blocked solid.

 

I will certainly keep an eye on it. Do the crystals remain water soluble? It's not supposed to be waterproof.

 

That's a good point about the tube on the TWSBI ink wells - those hold ink a lot longer than a pen, so something like you're describing could well be more likely to show up there. I'll have to think about that when I choose what to refill mine with (currently trying to finish out a bottle of J Herbin Eclat di Saphir, which seems very safe).

[RubenDh]

I actualy meight try a conclin duragraph amber with the ancient copper

[inkeverywhere]

Have a look at these photos by visvamitra. It is probably not a rule, but it is better to be cautious.

 

I know that this stuff isn't usually too harmful, but there's no need to risk.

 

I had exactly the same problem with Ancient Copper in a Lamy Studio with a 1.1 nib, love the colour and shading but the mess it makes of a nib is a bit concerning. The pen did however clean up no problem just using water.

 

 

 

Greg

[Old_Inkyhand]

In general, yes, the nib creep seems to be easily removable. The clogging issue is much more serious, but it probably depends on the type of the feed, what a few of us have already pointed out. Just like peanuts - some people love them, some people get a nasty rash, and some are so allergic to them that they should never try them