Majestic Blue Losing The Sheen?

[ScottT]

Quick question for those wise in the ways of ink:

 

I love Diamine Majestic Blue for many reasons, one of which is that fantastic red sheen you get sometimes. I finally refilled my pen after far too long, and used a long-opened bottle. Earlier writings from that bottle (a year old minimum) showed the sheen, but the current load does not.

 

I asked Diamine and was told the following, which I find fascinating.

 

"Regarding the Majestic Blue, the sheen you can see is a property of the dyes used in the manufacture, this is a random effect and not intentional !!"

 

Thanks,

Scott

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Scott,

 

Well, that's your typical business response... it covers their butt no matter what happens with the sheen.

 

There was also a post here a while back which discussed the sheen fading away over time.

 

Personally, I love the color... it's very reminiscent of PSB, but it never seems to dry for me, so I never use it,... but I also live in a humid coastal climate.

 

Be well.

 

 

- Anthony

[The Good Captain]

I love it too and would use it a whole lot more, if it weren't for the slight drying/smudging issues. Akkerman's Shocking Blue has similar visual properties but without drying etc problems.

[chromantic]

How long has it been since you refilled it? I've noticed that some sheeners need to sit a few days before the sheening starts, usually on the first fill but sometimes on subsequent ones as well, although it starts up faster then, too. It almost like having to season a frying pan. I suspect it has something to do with exposure to air.

 

I didn't realize Yama-guri has a silvery sheen until the initial fill (in a new pen) was almost out. The sheen was pretty obvious then but when I refilled the pen there was no sheen and it came back in a day or two.

[ScottT]

Hi Anthony,

I don't know why, but I had hoped for a more informative response from Diamine.

I will have to see if I can uncover that post. I tried a search before posting, but came up dry.

Sorry, PSB? I used to live in a relatively humid climate on the East coast, but since have moved to a very himid climate in the South, where I have notice a bit more feathering with some inks, but nothing substantial.

Thanks, pal, you as well.


Hey Captain, I've noticed the smudging is more prominent on slicker papers like Triomphe, but it shows off the sheen so nicely...well, it used to I mean.

Akkerman's, hmm? I'll check it out, thanks!


Hi Chromantic, it has been several days on this fill, but I can recall seeing that awesome sheen pretty quickly before, so I shall just have to hope. I do have an unopened bottle, and have yet to figure out if I should try it, given my slow use.

Yama-guri has a silvery sheen? Nice! I do like inks with a bit of playfulness to them, though the Diamine Shimmer inks if I recall didn't hold their shimmers. (Way back I filled a pen, the first line or two had some shimmer but then nada. But using with a dip pen, it is there.)

Thanks for posting everyone,
Scott

[jmccarty3]

Ink sitting in the pen will lose water through evaporation and become more concentrated and more likely to demonstrate sheen. You can see this with many inks that aren't normally thought of as sheeners.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Anthony,

 

I don't know why, but I had hoped for a more informative response from Diamine.

 

Hi Scott,

 

I know what you mean; it would had been nice... for such a small, niche market as ours... I'm surprised how aloof some pen/ink companies can be.

 

 

 

I will have to see if I can uncover that post. I tried a search before posting, but came up dry.

 

Don't sweat it... the search function here can be occasionally hit and miss. I found it, but it doesn't pertain to Diamine Majestic Blue specifically. Here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/323762-does-sheen-fade/?fromsearch=1

 

 

 

Sorry, PSB?

 

Penman Sapphire Blue.

 

What many believe to be the most beautiful ink ever made... but was taken off of the market by Parker around the turn of the century on the premise it was clogging pens.

 

It would, but only if you practiced poor pen hygiene and let the ink sit in your pen(s) unused for weeks or months.

 

Diamine Majestic Blue and Private Reserve Electric D.C. Blue are often credited with being the best facsimiles of it.

 

 

 

I used to live in a relatively humid climate on the East coast, but since have moved to a very himid climate in the South, where I have notice a bit more feathering with some inks, but nothing substantial.

 

Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes if your outdoors... or in a low/non-air conditioned environment.

 

 

 

Thanks, pal, you as well.

 

You're quite welcome Scott and thanks for calling me "pal"... I haven't heard that in years... that's REALLY NY/NJ East Coast old-time lingo that, unfortunately, no one uses anymore, because it has taken on a sarcastic tone in the past 35 years or so, but my pal... the Late, Great Jackie Gleason used it all the time.

 

 

- Anthony

 

EDITED to finish post... hit "Submit" prematurely... and correct typos.

Edited September 27, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[ScottT]

Thanks for the additional info, Anthony.

 

I added my two cents to that thread in case it helps someone figure it out. Still, there are plenty of shimmers and sheens to play with, that's for sure.

 

Ok, PSB...figures it was taken off the market when savages like BSB roam freely. I'll check out the Private Reserve ink too.

 

I'm amazed when word meanings suffer like that. Maybe it tells us something about some of the speakers doing the changing? Too deep for me.

 

Take it easy, pal.

[dcwaites]

Quick question for those wise in the ways of ink:

 

I love Diamine Majestic Blue for many reasons, one of which is that fantastic red sheen you get sometimes. I finally refilled my pen after far too long, and used a long-opened bottle. Earlier writings from that bottle (a year old minimum) showed the sheen, but the current load does not.

 

I asked Diamine and was told the following, which I find fascinating.

 

"Regarding the Majestic Blue, the sheen you can see is a property of the dyes used in the manufacture, this is a random effect and not intentional !!"

 

Thanks,

Scott

 

The sheen you see happens when the ink is concentrated. This happens as a result of various factors --

 

• The paper. Hard, smooth, non-absorbent paper will show sheen, while soft, absorbing papers won't
• How long since the pen was last used. A fresh fill will rarely show sheen, but if you put the pen down for a couple of days, the ink will concentrate in the feed, and you will see sheen.
• The cap seal. Many pen caps don't seal 100%, and so over several days or more, the water will evaporate out of the ink, concentrating the dyes, resulting in sheen.

Because Diamine have no control over these things, their response is reasonable.

[JakobS]

The sheen you see happens when the ink is concentrated. This happens as a result of various factors --

 

 

• The paper. Hard, smooth, non-absorbent paper will show sheen, while soft, absorbing papers won't
• How long since the pen was last used. A fresh fill will rarely show sheen, but if you put the pen down for a couple of days, the ink will concentrate in the feed, and you will see sheen.
• The cap seal. Many pen caps don't seal 100%, and so over several days or more, the water will evaporate out of the ink, concentrating the dyes, resulting in sheen.

Because Diamine have no control over these things, their response is reasonable.

+1

 

Additionally, I think It's amazing how quickly sheen became a sought out quality, it was never mentioned before Majestic Blue came out, and definitely a result of the more saturated inks that appeared in the past ~15 years. As it was one of Diamine's first attempts at a highly saturated ink, I also agree that sheen wasn't a purposeful feature of the ink, but (for many) a lucky byproduct. Sometimes it's nice to appreciate that which is fleeting, by not taking it for granted, you appreciate it more!

[ScottT]

 

The sheen you see happens when the ink is concentrated. This happens as a result of various factors --

 

• The paper. Hard, smooth, non-absorbent paper will show sheen, while soft, absorbing papers won't
• How long since the pen was last used. A fresh fill will rarely show sheen, but if you put the pen down for a couple of days, the ink will concentrate in the feed, and you will see sheen.
• The cap seal. Many pen caps don't seal 100%, and so over several days or more, the water will evaporate out of the ink, concentrating the dyes, resulting in sheen.

Because Diamine have no control over these things, their response is reasonable.

 

I have indeed noticed certain papers like Triomphe and Tomoe River will show any sheen that is in the ink moreso than other papers. I've been wondering whether to splurge and get a Tomoe journal for just that reason.

 

Very good point about the cap seal, goodness knows I've pens that seal well and ones that most definitely do not. What would be nice is if someone had two pens identical in every way aside from the seal and ran a test. I'll put that on the 'someday' list.

 

Thanks!

[ScottT]

+1

 

Additionally, I think It's amazing how quickly sheen became a sought out quality, it was never mentioned before Majestic Blue came out, and definitely a result of the more saturated inks that appeared in the past ~15 years. As it was one of Diamine's first attempts at a highly saturated ink, I also agree that sheen wasn't a purposeful feature of the ink, but (for many) a lucky byproduct. Sometimes it's nice to appreciate that which is fleeting, by not taking it for granted, you appreciate it more!

 

I never really followed inks that closely after finding one or two that I loved, in my case Diamine Majestic Blue and Oxblood. I did not know it was never mentioned before MB, how interesting!

 

Excellent point, and I will indeed appreciate it. Also one must now consider the 'permanent' sheen inks like the Shimmertastic line. There is probably a better way to describe them, but I just found out there are even more that have been released. Sheen for everyone!

 

Thanks for the info and the advice!