Black Swan In Aussie Roses Not Shading?

[Vanrensalier]

Has anyone had issues with Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses not shading? I recently purchased my first bottle and loaded it into a pen with Goulet stub nib that worked wonderfully with other shading inks, but Black Swan looks dull and flat with very little shading. It also feels dry coming out of the pen. Yes, I fully cleaned it before filling it. And yes I've tried it on quality paper, including Rhodia, Mnemosyne, Fabriano, Midori and HP Premium Laser - no distinct shading on any of them. I also dip tested with a bold nib and had the same result. Any thoughts?

[GardenWeasel]

And you gently rotated the bottle before filling the pen?

[Ergative]

I'll be following this with interest. I've had the same experience: extremely dry flow, not too much shading. It behaves rather well in pointed dip pens, but it's been too dry to enjoy using in FPs. I'll try rotating the bottle and giving it another go.

[HalloweenHJB]

And you gently rotated the bottle before filling the pen?

 

 

Gently rotating the bottle? I must be an uncivilized brute —I enjoy vigorously shaking ink bottles before use. Is that not recommended?

[GardenWeasel]

I've found too many inky fingers result from vigorously shaking - it's those bubbles!

[HalloweenHJB]

Right, you are! But to me there's something really delightful about ink bubbles!

[ErrantSmudge]

I have a bottle of Blackstone Uluru Red I vigorously shook. There were bubbles still in the bottle two weeks later. I don't vigorously shake ink bottles anymore...

[Moonshae]

This is the first time I've ever seen it suggested to shake, gently or otherwise, ink before filling (glitter inks notwithstanding). What is separating in a non-glitter ink that needs to be mixed? Wouldn't that really indicate a problem with the ink? Consequently, that means the pen should be shaken gently to mix the ink before writing as well, which also strikes me as unnecessary.

[BillH]

This is the first time I've ever seen it suggested to shake, gently or otherwise, ink before filling (glitter inks notwithstanding). What is separating in a non-glitter ink that needs to be mixed? Wouldn't that really indicate a problem with the ink? Consequently, that means the pen should be shaken gently to mix the ink before writing as well, which also strikes me as unnecessary.

 

 

I think it's one of those things people just do, like shaking and waving Polaroid SX-70s when they pop out of the camera

[swanjun]

I don't know what it is that separates, but I have had to shake some Noodler's and Private Reserve inks before to get them back to the proper color.

[GardenWeasel]

The OP is searching for a cure to his non-shading ink. Never know until one tries! 😊

[Ergative]

 

 

I think it's one of those things people just do, like shaking and waving Polaroid SX-70s when they pop out of the camera

 

I seem to recall ads for Polaroids that had goats licking the photos while they (the photos) were developing. Maybe we should have a goat lick the BSiAR and see if that helps!

Edited June 9, 2017 by Ergative

[Vanrensalier]

Wow! I don't sign on for a few days and my post has taken a life of its own. Neither shaking, rattling, rolling, tap dancing, doing the hootchie-cootchie, bottle spinning nor using other nibs produced shading with this ink. I tried a Noodler's flex nib with it on Rhodia paper and received horrible feathering for my efforts. Plus, this ink feels drier than sand - even a Goulet stub feels scratchy! How can that be? So, I'm thinking either this ink is over-hyped or I've received a lame bottle.

 

However, I later discovered that the tines on both of the stub nibs I was using were off. They were fine before I cleaned the pens and I didn't drop them or twist them that I was aware of, so I never suspected they were misaligned, However, after I got them re-aligned, that turned out to be the real culprit: user error. Scratchiness gone; improved ink flow and now the ink shades; mystery solved!

 

I would send you all a goat-licking Polaroid but the goat ate the camera and died. Thanks for the "great" tips!

Edited June 10, 2017 by Vanrensalier