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I just thought I'd follow up on my order from Fountainfeder of two 80ml bottles of ink. One each, Skull and Roses, and November rain. Since these are both a bit hard to get, and hard to find (not at all in the US, as far as I know, and tried), I thought I'd briefly detail my experience:

 

Ordered: October 19th

 

9,20 Euro each

 

2,94 Euro tax (I'm assuming VAT)

 

4 Euro shipping. From Germany, to Portland, Oregon, USA. I didn't pay for tracking(a couple of Euro more), but maybe should have. I sort of forgot to add it at checkout, which is an option.

 

Shipped:October 20th, Standard Post, I believe. Can't remember if you can pay for faster post. Packed well, in bubble wrap and packing peanuts. Package did not go through a customs check, which always seems to add a week travel time.

 

German hazelnut chocolate treat included at no additional charge. :D

 

Arrived today at my PO box, in Oregon. To me, acceptable travel time, considering how hard it seems to get this ink, at least right now. Both of these are German-market exclusives.

 

Overall, a great transaction. Steffi was great with communication on Facebook, especially as I impatiently awaited the ink to arrive in Germany from the UK. She posted on her website, and on Facebook, when the ink had finally arrived and was available to buy.

 

FYI, as of this moment, both inks are available to buy. https://www.fountainfeder.eu/

 

For a first time buying experience, it was great. No a single negative thing, except me impatiently waiting for the ink to arrive!!

 

Hope this helps.

.....the Heart has it's reasons, which Reason knows nothing of.....

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I have had Skull & Roses in a Nakaya. That nib never dried out till this ink was used. I wrote a little with it last night. Today it wrote immediately. Previously, it had dried frequently during a writing session after only a few minutes. Last night I filled a Pilot 823 after a disappointing and brief fill with Noodlers Alamo Twilight. It wrote beautifully with Skull & Roses. But, in that pen, it showed no red sheen. Beside the 823, the Nakaya showed ample sheen. Love the ink, but the drying nib is puzzling.

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8 minutes ago, I said Skull & Roses did not sheen in my 823. I must correct that. It did not on cheaper more absorbent paper. I just now looked at my ink journal entries on Tomoe River and the 823 showed excellent sheen.

Edited by biancitwo
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My 8-year-old daughter is just starting her fountain pen education in school (they're required to bring in a fountain pen with blue ink in order to learn how to write with fountain pens). She of course knows of and observes my habits, and immediately demanded that the pen be filled with "that nice blue ink you got." (I show her a bottle.) "Not Asa blue! The other one that shines red, Skull and Roses!"

 

LOL. My 8 year old already knows the name of her favourite ink!

sig2.jpgsig1.jpg



Events may be horrible or inescapable. Men always have a choice - if not whether, then how they endure.


- Lois McMaster Bujold

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  • 8 months later...

I stumbled across this ink and been thinking of getting one for my collection (80ml preferably). My question though is if the sheen will be noticeable when writing with a fine or medium nibs? And if it is still available?

Edited by Al-Nasser
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I stumbled across this ink and been thinking of getting one for my collection (80ml preferably). My question though is if the sheen will be noticeable when writing with a fine or medium nibs? And if it is still available?

 

The width of the nib is not as important as the wetness. If your nib is quite wet you can even see the sheen in finer nibs.

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The width of the nib is not as important as the wetness. If your nib is quite wet you can even see the sheen in finer nibs.

Thanks Julie, this only makes me more excited about buying this ink.

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The width of the nib is not as important as the wetness. If your nib is quite wet you can even see the sheen in finer nibs.

 

 

Just to endorse Julie's post: I use S&R in a Platinum 3776 Fine nib (which is extra fine by most standards).

 

The sheen and flow are excellent.

Less is More - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Less is a Bore - Robert Venturi

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For the #50shadesofbluechallenge (link to the hashtag on Instagram), a challenge over at the German PenExchange forum for July & August 2020, I inked up all my pens with all the 50+ blue inks I have. The snapshots might also be of interest to some here.

fpn_1598785545__2020_07_31_50sob_diamine

Skull & Roses is one of the less problematic sheeners.

fpn_1598785571__2020_07_31_50sob_diamine

I had this ink in a Montblanc 114 Hommage à Mozart with an italic medium nib. Even after weeks in the pen, in summer, there were no hard starts, it cleaned out relatively well, does not smear once dry and looks pretty amazing on paper.

fpn_1598785597__2020_07_31_50sob_diamine

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On 10/30/2018 at 11:23 PM, djmaher said:

The first ting that now comes to mind is, "Will it ever dry, and if so, how long will it take"? Maybe a big deal if you are journalling for the future.

I thought I'd touch on this because, even though you've already probably learned the answer, the question isn't answered in this thread and there may be prospective first-time sheen buyers reading this.

 

TL;DR — The ink is dry but sheen dust will always be easily be reactivated. This is true of all sheening inks but some behave better than others. Skull and Roses is behaved enough and beautiful enough, IMHO, that I'd rather switch papers than switch inks.

 

If your ink is sheening then the ink is dry. Sheen, similar to shimmer, is a granule. Unlike shimmer, which is a particulate that is suspended in the ink, sheen only becomes a granule after the ink dries. More specifically, it is excess dye on top of already saturated paper fibers that has dried into a crystalline structure which can break off into granules. The structure is quite weak (I think of it as somewhere between graphite and charcoal although I don't know if its true hardness is known). Mere vibration from handling a page or the friction from squeezing a journal between two other books is often enough to break sheen dust off of the crystalline structure.

 

Some of the dust are fine particles while others are more noticeable chunks. The fine particles rest quietly on top of the rest of the ink and/or are easily broken off of the crystalline structure and are easily reactivated by your fingers' oils. The bigger chunks take more pressure to break up and function more like a piece of pencil lead—if you push a piece of pencil lead around a piece of paper, it'll leave a mark, regardless of moisture. It's not uncommon for me find larger chunks around my workspace days after using a sheening ink. They love to silently gather around the threads of ink bottles or between your nib and feed and rain down every time you move those areas. I am no longer surprised if I find a sudden pinhole-sized dot of dye (or comet-like smear) on my keyboard, desk, mousepad, mouse, or palm, etc. (Just for the exercise I paused from writing this response and looked around my desk for a small dark spot that doesn't match the wood grain and sure enough! I found a fresh nugget of dye.)

 

Paper isn't unlike a very thin sponge or a thick spiderweb with many fibers for ink to surround and pockets for ink to fill. At a microscopic scale, no two square inches of paper are alike, even if they're on the same page. Paper texture, thickness, fiber material(s), flexibility, paper fabrication process, ink flow, ink age, humidity, writing pressure, nib size and "toothiness", and who knows how many other factors could all play a role in determining how the ink dried and, thus, the strength of the crystals and, thus, how much "damage" to the ink's surface is necessary to create sheen dust. There are too many temperamental factors for anyone to put much effort into expecting to re-create what others have managed to do in their reviews of sheening inks. I take all sheening reviews with a grain of dye salt. Experimenting with your pens, your specific batch of paper, the pressure you use when writing, local humidity, etc. will all come into play.

 

Hopefully the dye dust doesn't dissuade people from sheening inks, especially Skull & Roses. Most of the chunks I find around my desk are the result of using Bloody Brexit. Bloody Brexit cleans up easily on hard surfaces and has an absolutely gorgeous metallic red sheen everywhere it goes (it makes S&R's sheen look like a pale pink in comparison), but it is a guaranteed dust storm on ink-resistant papers, a potentially dusty ink on regular papers, and the bottle needs regular cleanings. I still use Bloody Brexit for doodles but only at home and I limit myself to wearing "comfortable" clothing and using it in rooms that don't have carpet. I usually throw the paper out shortly after writing/doodling on it. I wouldn't use it professionally or use it to write a letter to a friend. It's an art supply; not an every day ink. I've never used any Organics Studio sheener but from what I've read they're even worse in this regard.

 

Skull & Roses is much more behaved. It rarely gets dusty in my experience but I cannot deny that I've had it get dusty before. It behaves well enough that I wouldn't hesitate to write a letter with it. If the fact that S&R occasionally misbehaves is still too risky for you, consider the following options:

  • Use more absorbent paper. One of the best things about S&R is that it behaves well while still offering a sheen on a wide variety of papers. Yes, the sheen will be duller on more absorbent papers, but I have yet to see S&R get dusty on regular, everyday paper.
  • Treat all sheening inks like shimmering inks. Once filled, use your pen with regularity and flush it well every time between fills. Avoid letting the ink get dry in the feed and nib. If shimmering ink isn't appropriate for your intended use then neither is sheening ink.
  • Consider buying Diamine's Majestic Blue instead. It's cheaper, easier to find, and has the same base color and sheen color. It sheens less, especially on common papers, but I've never had a problem with it getting dusty on any paper.
  • Similar to household cleaners that might stain particular surfaces, it is best to test sheening inks in your local environment before using them for their intended purpose.
  • While I've never tried this: consider spraying an artist's fixative on the ink and/or adding a droplet of surfactant (such as a mild dish detergent) to each fill-up.

Regardless, I still highly recommend 80mL bottles of Skull & Roses. AFAIC, if an ink will sheen on a post-it note while behaving nicely under most conditions on nicer papers, it's a winner. It's the only ink that I always keep in at least one pen, I use it every day, and it's the only ink where I keep two bottles at all times, just in case one bottle breaks. Your mileage may vary, but I'd consider it worth at least a trial (I'd consider the entire German exclusive Diamine lineup worth a trial).

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6 hours ago, AmericanMonk said:

...While I've never tried this: consider spraying an artist's fixative on the ink and/or adding a droplet of surfactant (such as a mild dish detergent) to each fill-up...

 

I've tried many sealers and fixatives. None work without darkening the sheen and ruining its appearance. Nick Stewart uses a fixative called VarnishH2O to keep his artwork from fading. I asked him on his site if it would also work to keep sheening inks from smearing. Here is his reply:

 

nickstewartreply.png.8cc01621072e66b3a57c6d0896f9bb1a.png

 

@AmericanMonk I did not know that it was actually sheen dust that was causing the smearing. Thank you for the very well written post. I know there is a solution to this problem and I'm going to keep exploring other options and some day find the answer. :)

 

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 118:29

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I enjoyed american monk writeup. I am just getting into sheening inks.  Previously i have used iroshizuku inks which allegedly sheen, but i was never convinced with what I wrote. 

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On 3/16/2022 at 10:34 PM, axialix said:

I know there is a solution to this problem and I'm going to keep exploring other options and some day find the answer. :)

I hope you find the answer and that you don't forget to share it with us!

 

I appreciate how you reached out to Nick. I love his work and seems like a good person to ask. It's a bummer that he doesn't have a solution, but thanks for reaching out to him, thanks for your experiments, and thanks for sharing your results!

 

If you're looking for a breadcrumb and you ever have an opportunity, consider reaching out to Tyler Thompson, the founder of Organics Studio. He has an obvious passion for sheen and an impressive background in biochemistry. Much of my understanding of sheen comes from ink communities which reference Tyler's contributions but I've never talked to him directly. I imagine that if anyone could shed better light on the issues it would be him.

Edited by AmericanMonk
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4 minutes ago, AmericanMonk said:

I hope you find the answer and that you don't forget to share it with us!

 

I appreciate how you reached out to Nick. I love his work and seems like a good person to ask. If you ever have an opportunity, consider reaching out to Tyler Thompson, the founder of Organics Studio. He has an obvious passion for sheen and an impressive background in biochemistry. Much of my understanding of sheen comes from ink communities which reference Tyler's contributions but I've never talked to him directly. I imagine that if anyone could shed better light on the issues it would be him.

 

That is an excellent idea and one that I had not considered. Not owning any OS inks myself, I've had no dealings with anyone at his company. I will find the time this weekend to compose a message to Tyler. If and when he answers, I'll report back here.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 118:29

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2 hours ago, dftr said:

I am just getting into sheening inks.

Welcome to Pandora's box! ;)

 

2 hours ago, dftr said:

Previously i have used iroshizuku inks which allegedly sheen, but i was never convinced with what I wrote.

I don't own any iroshizuku inks... yet! but I've gathered from the internet that it can be tough to tease sheen out of them. From my understanding you have to use a wet pen on Tomoe River paper. Luckily they don't need sheen to be gorgeous!

 

If you wind up purchasing some Skull & Roses I hope you post your results on here!

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Take-sumi has some nice reddish sheen for a black ink.

 

Tomoe RIver:

iroshizuku_takesumi_sheen.thumb.jpg.4af50646eed10f4fc9562358a1955f20.jpg

 

Midori MD Notebook:

iroshizuku_takesumi_text.thumb.jpg.7678f5225f81c3490214096bdd5ecf78.jpg

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 118:29

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@axialix that's very impressive sheen and even more impressive camera work to capture all that!  

 

@AmericanMonk 

I don't live in Germany and it looks like it's not available through the usual sources.  I will most likely try Diamine Ruby Blues if it gets released this spring as my sheening ink.  

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Thanks @dftr.

 

I sent an email to Organics Studio describing the problem and including the reply from Nick. With the high popularity of sheening inks these days and lots of ink companies getting on the sheen bandwagon, I'm amazed no one has developed a solution. It's not like they don't know about it. That dust gets everywhere and I've decided against buying many inks just for this reason. Sales sure would improve if a solution is found and whoever discovers it is gonna make bank. 💰

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 118:29

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@axialix Very nice handwriting you've got there! Am I gathering correctly that art is more than just a hobby for you?

 

On 3/20/2022 at 10:39 PM, axialix said:

I'm amazed no one has developed a solution.

 

I imagine that they've tried but haven't found an economic solution. I'm right there with you—I'm not interested in ill-behaved sheeners. But according to Goulet Pens, OS Nitrogen has been on their top 5 selling inks for years, despite its reputation for staining carpets. I suspect it isn't high on Tyler's list of things to do, sadly. But I hope you hear back from OS soon so that they can confirm or deny any efforts, headway, sympathy, or breadcrumbs to follow.

 

On 3/19/2022 at 11:31 PM, dftr said:

I don't live in Germany and it looks like it's not available through the usual sources.  I will most likely try Diamine Ruby Blues if it gets released this spring as my sheening ink.

 

For what it's worth, I've not had any troubles getting inks from Germany to the US, other than the annoyance of having to wait a bit. FountainFeder.de have been pros the two times that I've ordered. I even skipped tracking the most recent time.

 

I saw your Ruby Blues review. Looks like a nice ink! I noticed that it's available in the UK so I put it on my wishlist for now. Thanks for the review!

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