J. Herbin Ink Bottle / Wax Seal

[craigs63]

I like the ink (acquired at the 2019 Chicago show), hate the "wax" seal. It seem more like vinyl that's gone bad, or some kind of caulk, than wax?

I've tried to wipe it off, peel it off, scrape it off, and an ill-advised science experiment with an open flame.

Sticky, crumbly, fingerprinty, and I suspect not too good for the guts of a fountain pen if a chunk winds up in the ink.

Rant is done!

 

[lgsoltek]

What do you mean by the "wax seal"? The "wax" like thing on the cap? But that's just pure decoration. The cap is actually metal (1670 series) or plastic (1789 series) coated with some plastic/wax material, and you just unscrew it to open. You don't need to break the wax seal since there's actually no wax seal.

Edited May 30, 2019 by Lgsoltek

[Noihvo]

[craigs63]

I may have made the mental leap from 'sealing wax' (I think Herbin makes/sells it?) to 'wax seal',

I am referring to the gummy stuff on the metal lid, captured this from a YouTube video.

 

[TennesseeTrash]

Am I correctly reading that you are able to remove the cap from the bottle, you just want to remove the wax-like part for reasons unrelated to an ability or inability to open the bottle?

 

If that's the case I'd use some tongs to hold the cap, removed from the bottle, in some boiling water. If that softens it up then use a utility knife to cut all the way through the wax part but not dent or destroy the cap. From there, try and peelthe wax part off.

 

I'm not sure how good of an idea this is, the caps seem very flimsy and I think the wax part gives them some added durability. But if you want the wax off of there, that's your decision.

Edited May 30, 2019 by TennesseeTrash

[A Smug Dill]

I'm pretty sure that stuff is not permanently fused to the metal cap for the bottle, so what is the problem there?

 

I've tried to wipe it off, peel it off, scrape it off, and an ill-advised science experiment with an open flame.

Sticky, crumbly,

 

 

If it will crumble, then it's all the more removable (with patience) because of such a trait, no?

[Intensity]

So it’s not actually a J Herbin ink but Papier Plume. I have such wax coating on my bottle of Papier Plume Sazerac, but in burgundy color, not gray. The wax doesn’t bother me, and touching the cap for refilling is such a brief experience, I never gave it a second thought. My 3 other Papier Plume inks did not come with wax over the metal caps.

[lgsoltek]

I must confess now I'm really confused what OP is really talking about.

[A Smug Dill]

I like the ink (acquired at the 2019 Chicago show), hate the "wax" seal.

...‹snip›...

Rant is done!

 

You've opened the bottle successfully at least once, so what prevents you from transferring the ink you so like to a bottle without a characteristic you so hate, if you're for some reason unable to completely separate and remove the 'wax' on the metal cap on the original bottle? It's not up to you or any of us as consumers and prospective customers to decide how the manufacturer will or 'should' package its inks, but it's certainly within your power to do some post-purchase remediation -- as you've stated you've attempted in limited, selected ways (i.e. to alter the original bottle, which has proven to not be a good or effective strategy).

[Intensity]

For anyone confused, the OP is apparently talking about the wax decoration on some colors of Papier Plume bottle caps. Some of my photographs:

 

 

The wax is decorative and does not prevent one from opening or closing the bottle. It rotates with the cap.

 

These have caps without the wax (sold that way):

 

 

 

One can probably message Papier Plume and ask for spare caps without the wax. I don't know if they will have them on hand, but since the inks are bottled at the shop, my guess is they probably do.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Intensity