Best Ig Ink For Poor Paper

[Abner C. Kemp]

I'm forced to work on some pretty poor quality copy paper relatively often. Though, typically an EF nib does enough to keep the feathering and bleed through minimal, I've heard some IG and pigmented inks can be quite resistant to bleed through and feathering on even the worst of papers. I'm not a big fan of pigmented inks but have had good experiences with IG inks in the past and don't mind the increased maintenance. That said, I'm wondering if there are a few certain IG inks that work particularly well. I'd also be interested to know if anyone has any experience with Akkerman 10. I've heard it is IG based and I actually really like the pastalle grey-blue hue -- but really just want to purchase the ink with the best chance of reducing feathering and bleedthrough.

 

Thanks!!

[SDM]

I've not used Akkerman 10.

 

I have used:

 

Diamine Registrar's - about the best ink I've ever found for execrable paper. Reasonable price if you buy the large bottle.

 

Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black (has an IG component) also very good on poor paper. I understand it's hard to get in the US though.

 

Hero #232 Blue-black. Darker than Pelikan BB, and more prone to bleed. Very cheap however.

 

R&K Salix

 

Lamy Blue-Black

 

(I have the latter two - they seem to perform well in test, but I've not used them in anger, so I have less to say about them).

Edited September 28, 2017 by SDM

[Checklist]

R&K Salix is a great ink for copy paper. I have used a sample (about two fills) on that kind of paper, and it dries a nice dark blue. If the paper is poor enough, it might bleed or feather, but any fountain pen will on low-quality papers. It is also a drier ink, so your EF might get even thinner than you're used to.

 

One caveat: Salix looks faded and weak on less absorbent papers. I didn't buy a full bottle for that reason. If you're only (or mostly) going to use this on copy paper, it will look great. Just be aware that fountain pen friendly paper won't look as nice.

[LizEF]

I haven't used Akkerman 10 yet, but I have it thanks to our inky enabler, so I could use it, if no one replies with experience.

 

What EF nib are we talking about? (So I can try to come close to it.)

 

What paper are we talking about? Any details will help (even if it's just "20lb copy paper"). (Again, so I can try to come close to it.)

[GardenWeasel]

I use Akkerman #10 in my pocket pen and am really quite fond of this ink. And I really enjoy the color too! I see no need to switch inks for my pocket pen.

[Abner C. Kemp]

I haven't used Akkerman 10 yet, but I have it thanks to our inky enabler, so I could use it, if no one replies with experience.

 

What EF nib are we talking about? (So I can try to come close to it.)

 

What paper are we talking about? Any details will help (even if it's just "20lb copy paper"). (Again, so I can try to come close to it.)

 

That would be great! I typically use a Lamy 2000 EF nib, which I would say writes a pretty average western extra-fine line. The paper is what is supplied by my University so I'm not sure of the details, it seems to behave very much like your typical 20 lb all purpose copy paper. Again, I really appreciate it!

[LizEF]

That would be great! I typically use a Lamy 2000 EF nib, which I would say writes a pretty average western extra-fine line. The paper is what is supplied by my University so I'm not sure of the details, it seems to behave very much like your typical 20 lb all purpose copy paper. Again, I really appreciate it!

 

I'll ink up my Lamy Al-Star EF (close as I can come) and try it out on the poorest papers I can find and let you know the results.

[LizEF]

That would be great! I typically use a Lamy 2000 EF nib, which I would say writes a pretty average western extra-fine line. The paper is what is supplied by my University so I'm not sure of the details, it seems to behave very much like your typical 20 lb all purpose copy paper. Again, I really appreciate it!

 

OK, I have inked it up - it's much lighter than I thought it would be - it's very dark in the sample vial. I wrote with it on 20lb copier paper, a WalMart composition notebook, and Rhodia. It only shows through on the WalMart notebook. It's a noticeably finer line on Rhodia. I'm posting links to the images because I left them large so you can zoom in to see details.

 

Front. Back.

 

On the reverse, the inks that are bleeding through are Akkerman #09 and Iroshizuku Kiri Same. You can see that Akkerman #10 is there, but just barely.

 

Hope that helps.

[Arkanabar]

 

That would be great! I typically use a Lamy 2000 EF nib, which I would say writes a pretty average western extra-fine line. The paper is what is supplied by my University so I'm not sure of the details, it seems to behave very much like your typical 20 lb all purpose copy paper. Again, I really appreciate it!

 

Because it's a university, and therefore at the mercy of young skulls full of mush, I'm going to bet the copy paper you're stuck with is at least 30% recycled content, which increases featherocity a great deal. Approach some secretary somewhere, and ask with a very serious mein, "Are you using recycled paper in the copiers and printers?" Odds are she'll bend over backwards to prove it to you.

[Abner C. Kemp]

 

OK, I have inked it up - it's much lighter than I thought it would be - it's very dark in the sample vial. I wrote with it on 20lb copier paper, a WalMart composition notebook, and Rhodia. It only shows through on the WalMart notebook. It's a noticeably finer line on Rhodia. I'm posting links to the images because I left them large so you can zoom in to see details.

 

Front. Back.

 

On the reverse, the inks that are bleeding through are Akkerman #09 and Iroshizuku Kiri Same. You can see that Akkerman #10 is there, but just barely.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks! Given that it is an IG ink, it should darken over time.

[Abner C. Kemp]

 

Because it's a university, and therefore at the mercy of young skulls full of mush, I'm going to bet the copy paper you're stuck with is at least 30% recycled content, which increases featherocity a great deal. Approach some secretary somewhere, and ask with a very serious mein, "Are you using recycled paper in the copiers and printers?" Odds are she'll bend over backwards to prove it to you.

 

Probably true. Though I will say, this is my first year at this university (grad school) and the paper quality is far superior to what was offered at my undergraduate university. The latter was equivalent to writing on a paper towel and a completely worthless endeavor, even with a roller ball! This stuff is pretty decent with an EF nib and I'm thinking the Akkerman 10 should almost completely eradicate the wooliness based on Liz's samples.

[LizEF]

Thanks! Given that it is an IG ink, it should darken over time.

 

I've saved the paper so I can check - and hung one in a south-facing window just for fun. It looks considerably lighter than other reviews show this ink to be - no idea why. Since it was a gift, I don't know how old it is or if I was supposed to shake it up, or what. Anywho, if it changes noticeably, I'll let you know.

[LizEF]

OK, out of curiosity, I shook it up for long enough that I'm confident anything that settled was unsettled. Then used a dip pen (with a Jinhao medium nib in it) and the color is no darker. It's bluer when wet and greener when dry. Then I wiped the nib on the page to get the remainder off, and that's quite dark, so I'm thinking it's so light because my EF nib is dry, or just because it's an EF. The swatch barely feathered a tiny bit and really only tried to bleed, so I'd say this ink is good in that regard.

 

Anywho, in its darker state, it may well show through, so you should probably get a sample to try with your nib to see how it does.

[EMQG]

People have already covered the IG and pigmented options, but have you considered Noodler's X-Feather? There's no better ink for bad paper

[Grafeus]

I use I-G/pigment inks on shoddy paper (copier, moleskin, the lot) daily. Of these inks, the one with the least bleed is ESSRI. It's basically bleedproof. I think I 've read somewhere it's the same ink as Diamine Registrar's but I could be wrong. Then comes R&K Salix and Scabiosa. Then Platinum Blue Black, Sailor Sei Boku and Pelikan 4001 BlBl. Last is Hero No 62. I 've had variable results with Noodler's BB, mostly depending on nib width. I tend to use all of these inks with cheap/poor paper, save for the last two.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Grafeus

[Padawan]

I would suggest to try regular Montblanc inks like

Royal Blue, Midnight Blue...

They behave well on various papers, are well combined with Lamy 2K, are not overpriced and available almost everywhere.

 

PS. They are neither IG, nor permanent.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Padawan

[Arkanabar]

I use I-G/pigment inks on shoddy paper (copier, moleskin, the lot) daily. Of these inks, the one with the least bleed is ESSRI. It's basically bleedproof. I think I 've read somewhere it's the same ink as Diamine Registrar's but I could be wrong.

 

You probably did read that somewhere, and the information is wrong. ESSRI and Diamine Registrar's are both manufactured to England's legal specification for registrar's ink, but they are different inks.

[Grafeus]

 

You probably did read that somewhere, and the information is wrong. ESSRI and Diamine Registrar's are both manufactured to England's legal specification for registrar's ink, but they are different inks.

Thanks, good to know. I 'll probably buy some Diamine Registrar's eventually, out of curiosity. That said, ESSRI works like a charm for the kind of use I have for it.

[Masque]

I've used R&K Scabiosa on terrible paper in a firehose needlepoint and it's just a wonderful match. Doesn't feather, and it's a great color which just gets better when there's a mL per hour flowing through it.

 

Sailor's nano-pigmented inks are famously well-behaved on crapaper too.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Masque

[LizEF]

Strange things afoot - after 4 days in the south-facing window, my text is now green. A Jonathan Swift Seaweed Green sort of green (I should have compared it to my swatch of that color, will try to remember when I get home). It's no darker than it was when it was first put down as a greyish blue. I begin to think maybe the sample is mislabeled and that it may not be Akkerman #10 after all.