Faux 54Th Massachusetts Mix

[jean]

Hello,

When the 54th massachusetts came out, I buy an inkwell in 2013 at Goulet. This ink had a gray color with a little blue, pulling a little on a kind of green-gray or blue-gray more or less dark depending on the trio pen/paper/light. A very dark ink despite everything. It had a perfect behaviour, the flow was good, neither too much nor too little, airlines possible, the ink did not dry on the nib, no nib creep, no particular smell and others. Moreover it was easy to remove from the fingers like the black of the brand, very easily and 100% water-bulletproof. I was convinced that it would replace Noodler’s blue-black I had been using for 8 years.

In 2014 I bought a second bottle. There it was not the same ink. A lighter turquoise-blue-grey color (shaked bottle), an abundant flow to the point of widening the line by at least one size, a strong smell, a propensity to dry very quickly on the nib and difficult to restart, feathers - bleeds through and nib creep. I mixed (~10%) a little black ink from the brand to find the color of the first bottle. But alas the mixture did not take, the ink dissociated in the pen. So I dropped it. In 2015 I took another bottle. But again nothing to do with the first one. I returned to the Noodlers blue-black that had always behaved well.

54th massachusetts is the one with the most color -shades variation I've seen (photos, videos, scans). From a dark medium blue to turquoise-grey and a black grey-teal… .

 

With the Noodler’s inks that I had left, I started to make some mixtures to find the color of the 1st bottle of 54th acquired in 2013.
So we've got :
- 60% Lexington Gray,
- 32% Air-corp Blue-black,
- 8% La Couleur Royale.

The mix is a very dark blue-greyish blue, the flow is controlled, the ink dries faster than Noodler's blue-black. The resulting mixture is less tealish gray and a little bluer than the first bottle of ink from 2013.

Left 54th 2013, right faux 54th mix.



It can appear more or less grey or blue depending on the paper. For four months, I haven't noticed any precipitation, dissociation, suspicious odor.

A.Colour comparisons recycled paper 70gr/m2

1. Mix noodler’s faux 54th, or « Dark bellicose blue ».
2. Montblanc midnight blue (not iron gall).
3. Pelikan blue-black.
4. 54th massachusetts 2015.
5. Noodler’s blue-black.
6. Sailor Souboku.






On rhodia bloc n018



B.From top to bottom: lamy vista 1,5 mm italic nib / Pelikan m400 B / Pelikan 100n / Lamy safari EF. Recycled paper 70gr/m2.




C.Pelikan 100n



D.Water and bleach test. The water washes out the blue, but it's still very legible, same for bleach.
For my use, its water resistance is satisfying. To get a 100% waterproof ink, you'd have to try to mix legal blue, polar purple, la reine mauve, instead ACBB and LCR ?

[Eclipse157]

Wow! Congrats on your mixture, it's very pretty! My 54th behaves exactly like your recent ones (mine was bought in '18) and sits mostly unused...

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Thanks for sharing, this is cool

 

My bottle 2017 or 18... also bleeds. and feathers... it does it LESS if i shake the bottle like i'm training for a job is as a paint shaker...

 

Cutting it with water also improves behaviour. But having to do all that means it gets used far less than other inks. Which sucks, because i LOVE the colour of our bottle

[jean]

Hello,

 

I have decided to keep this ink mixture, modifying it a little, making more of it.

 

 

 

The colour reminds me of the iron gall inks I used until 14 years ago. To be more accurate, the colour of the ink when it was still fresh, a little blue, before it oxidizes to grey or black. That's why I use the name Faux Iron Gall for this mix, previously named Faux 54th mix.

 

 

At that time (22 years ago) it was mainly the blue-black from Montblanc and Omas (for Omas the inkwell with the green label). Anyway, this subject is very futile… .

 

[jean]

What motivated this search for one of the colors of this 54th massachusetts is the much too abundant flow that made it unusable (2 bottles out of 3) and the dissociation of the ink and the quick drying at the tip of the nib.

But finally Mr. Noodlers, do you measure the surface tension of your inks before putting them in the bottle? If this value of the surface tension of the ink would appear on the labels (let's be crazy ! ), your unfortunate customers would finally know if the ink is more or less dry or wet. Colorverse indicates this value on its site for its inks... . so it is not impossible.

Here's a new mix to match the color of my second bottle of 54th massachusetts:

• 36% Air-Corp Blue -black,
• 30% Lexington gray,
• 20% X-Feather blue (purple batch),
• 10% Water,
• 4% X-Feather black.

Note,  that it is much easier to rinse than the real 54th.

In picture:

1 the original ink, 2nd bottle.

2 the original ink, 3rd bottle.

3 the mix (54th massachusetts mix no IV.

When writing the difference is very little noticeable between 1 and 3. The colors of the scan are consistent with what I see on the screen.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

wow... that is a REALLY good mix...you matched the colour pretty much perfectly!

 

[jean]

I'm still looking for the 54h colour, which is grey-green-blue, almost black. I suggest another mix which is very similar. After that, depending on the paper and pen, it could be a little more  green, or a little more blue, all more or less dark.

The mix? 6 parts Noodler's black, 4 parts Noodler's Baltimore canyon, 2 parts water.

1.      Photo cardboard placed side by side (right original 54th massachusetts, left mix)

2.      With the Q-tip (cotton swab), the ink appears bluer than when writing.

3.      Comparison with Noodler’s black.

 

The mixture is 100% water, bleach and UV proof. It dries in 5 to 40 seconds depending on the paper and the amount of ink applied.

Warning! Depending on the density of the Noodler's black in your bottle, the proportion of black may vary. To obtain the same blackness, you may need between 5 - 8 parts of black. Test with a dropper before mixing.

Now if you prefer a bluer ink there is this mix.

6 parts of the previous mix + 1 part X-Feather blue (purple).

I find the colour close to KWZ IG Blue-black when it's not completely oxidised. What reinforces the illusion with an iron gall is that the ink runs blue and blue-grey, becoming darker and greyer as it dries (up to 20 minutes depending on the paper). The fresh blue colour is more visible on pens with low flow rates and broad nibs.

1.    Photo cardboard placed side by side (right KWZ IG BB 2 years old, left the mix).

2.    With the Q-tip (cotton swab), the mix appears lighter and bluer than when writing.

3.    Comparison with Noodler’s black.

 

Note that the bottle should be shaken before filling. X-F blue seems denser and settles to the bottom. If you don't shake, the colour becomes pure dark blue (without grey).

To avoid this, replace the black with X-F black?

 

Good mixes to all !

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

@jean I remember when I tried a sample of 54th MA.  Then bought a full bottle of it not that much later on, and the difference in the two versions (in just a couple of months) was STAGGERING.  The full bottle was a MUCH brighter turquoise blue/green than the sample.  But I found I actually like it better.

Ironically, I just inked up a pen with Robert Oster Cult Blue (exclusive to Cult Pens in the UK).  The online images of the color made it look dark blue-violet, but the ink itself is a dark grayish blue/blue black -- very similar looking to  your recent photo #3 comparing your mix and black.  (I'll note that your swab of Baltimore Canyon in photo #2 has a much more blue-violet cast to it than my bottle of Baltimore Canyon does....)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jean]

Yes, the 54th Massachusetts has the particularity of being in very different shades of blue. Just look at the Goulet pictures, which range from a light (Chinese?) blue to a dark gray-green.

 

As for the Baltimore Canyon, if I understand correctly, it looks more purplish. I think the screen (and the eyes?) have something to do with this perception. As far as I'm concerned, it looks a little more turquoise than it does...on the screen.

 

For the Robert Oster, I'll order a sample to compare... although these two blends bring my ink research to a close (let's go for a burgundy!).

 

[inkstainedruth]

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if you're going to be able to order a sample of Cult Blue (I don't remember offhand if Cult Pens sells ink samples).  And as an exclusive ink to them, you're not going to be able to find it anywhere else.

Not sure what shipping costs are from the UK to the EU these days.  To get free shipping to the US, I ended putting a BIG order to Cult Pens (when I ordered from them, a few months ago, free shipping meant an order of at least $135 US...; which is part of the reason why that ink got thrown into the cart (as well as the black and gold Lamy al-Star SE from a few years ago -- and which I clearly ignored when it originally came out; but in seeing it on their website, I was going, "You know, that's not a bad color combination between the barrel and clip....  And is SOOOOO Pittsburgh, as well...."  

[Being originally from the greater NYC area, I had to learn to "bleed black and gold" when I first moved here....  Because that was the colors for ALL the pro sports teams -- although the Pittsburgh Penguins seem now to be doing light blue and white.... ]

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[jean]

@inkstainedruth

I'm not going to order from Cult Pens after all. It's not so much the shipping costs (Switzerland is not part of the EU), but above all that I'm happy with the mix, the ink is easy to remove from the fingers, I'm happy with its behaviour, it's 100% resistant to all solvents and UV. I think this quest for ink is coming to an end. I'm keeping these 2 blends plus another in burgundy. That makes 3 inks in all. That's more than enough.  All I need to do now is ask myself: do I really need this ink? The honest answer is no (and I imagine the same applies to other areas of purchasing... ).

 

Ah yes, a sports team whose colors are close to the 54th Massachusetts?

 

[jean]

To sum up this discussion, I'll summarize the essential elements with scans.

 

The colour of 54th Massachusetts.

Even after shaking the bottle, the ink varies from bottle to bottle:

• from a dark grey-green-blue,
• to a blue teal tinted with a little grey,
• or a more or less dark greyish blue with no trace of teal.

Three hues, shades in one ink. The great variability of 54th massachusetts hue is puzzling, insofar as the basic buyer expects to find more or less the same hue from one bottle to the next. The photos on Goulet Pen's website make this clear, and it's the experience I've had with 4 bottles since 2012.

 

The flow of this ink.

It can vary from a balanced flow to very flowy (very low surface tension). In the latter case, the effect is to widen the line (from F to M or more), to penetrate the paper, etc. Users report that it can also dry quickly once the pen is opened, and sometimes flows erratically, from almost nothing to a lot. Some have reported ink gelling in the bottle and other oddities.

Links : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/327786-noodlers-54th-massachusetts-excessively-wet/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/352427-noodlers-54th-gelling-in-my-pen/

 

Advantages (it does have some, though).

• It dries almost instantly on paper.
• The ink is indelible, resistant to all solvents and UV rays, without losing colour or smudging.
• It rinses off easily from pens and removes easily from skin and other cellulose-free surfaces.
• For some buyers, this very high flow is an advantage (former incontinent felt-tip users? Lovers of soft, sticky, cottony cushioning, chamalow ink? In short, the opposite of a traditional, restrained, dry, iron gall pen ink).
• Price, but that depends on where you live and where you buy.
• The bottle takes up little space for a large capacity (~ 89 ml).
• Finally, its rather unique colour.

 

Its colour leads me to the next step.

Wanting to rediscover the colour and behaviour of the first bottle of 54th, I began to try various mixtures. Over time, the hues colours of successive bottles varied, with flows that were not to my liking. I then tried various mixes to get a better approximation of the current hue (colours), with what I had of Noodler's inks on hand. At the same time, I tried to achieve the correct flow and solvent resistance, UV,waterproofness, as close as possible to the original. Bear in mind that hue, colour can vary greatly depending on the paper used, the flow of the pens, the width of the line, the light, not to mention each person's eyes, the colour calibration of the screen, scanner and camera...(shall we go on anyway?).

Below are the results of these mixes (other images are on the thread above):

1. 54th massachusetts of year 2012. A matte blue-green grey or green-blue grey, go figure... .

Original ink on left, mix number V on right.

54th no V mix: 49% Black, 32% Baltimore canyon, 16% Water 3% X-Feather blue (purple). The mix is very slightly more tealer than the original.

 

2. 54th massachusetts from 2014 and 2015. A blue-green, teal, slightly grey.

Original ink on left, mixture number IV on right.

54th no IV mix: 36% Air-Corp Blue-black, 30% Lexington gray, 20% X-Feather blue (purple), 10% Water, 4% X-Feather black. The mix is very slightly tealer than the original.

3. 54th massachusetts from 2023. A pastel dark grey blue, more or less dark depending on the papers and pens used.

Original ink on left, mix number VI on right.

54th no VI mix: 44% Baltimore canyon, 31% Black, 13% X-Feather blue (purple), 6% Gold Limonite, 6% water. The mix is darker  than the original.

Left: original ink. Right: No VI mixture.

 

 

Left: No. VI mix. Right: original 54th year 2023.

 

And finally.

To calculate the quantity of ink required for each mixture, multiply the quantity of the final volume of mixture desired by the % of the ink in question (e.g. 12ml times 44% Baltimore canyon; 12ml times multiplied by 0.44 = 5.28ml, usually rounded to the nearest unit or decimal, i.e. 5ml or 5.3ml. I use 5- and 10-ml syringes to take the required amount of ink.

 The colour changes affected by this rounding are barely perceptible to the eye. I think there are threshold effects, variations in proportions in which the colour doesn't change.  Unless the proportion of one or other ink is increased significantly, the final colour of the mixture remains unchanged. Experience has shown that these thresholds of % of inks changing the final colour in blends depend on the inks used in the composition of the blends. For some inks, the colour of the mixture varies little, with a variation of 10% of one ink in a mixture. For others, a variation of 3% changes the colour of the final mixture. Since colours and flows may vary from one bottle of the same colour to another, it's a good idea to test small quantities (drop counts) if you feel like testing one or other of the mixtures.

I have noticed  that Noodler's latest bulletproof inks (Baltimore canyon, X-F blue, Gold Limonite) no longer have the excessive flow problems that characterized their predecessors (Luxury blue, Legal blue, La reine mauve, Aquamarine, Eiserne Kanzler, among others). Except, of course, that damned 54th.

That's all there is to it. If anyone else feels like publishing their experiences, they're welcome.

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

Very interesting results.  But of course, you may end up having the same batch issues with the component inks as well as the batch issues that you had with 54th Massachusetts to begin with (Nathan Tardif calls this a "feature" -- in that you can see differences when doing paperwork as to when notes were taken, etc.).  But a lot of other people would consider it a poor quality control.  

Mind you, he's basically mixing up batches in his basement.....  And I've read that some of the De Atramentis inks have some variations between batches as well (for somewhat similar reasons).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jean]

Yes indeed, there could be variability in the inks used in the blends shown.

 

However, 54th is one of the few to have so much variability. I've used blue-black for 10 years with very little difference between the various bottles. When it comes to making these mixtures, I don't think you'll have as many differences with the starting colours (for the mixtures) as with 54th. After all, black ink has never become any other colour.

 

If my memory serves me right, the Black swan in autralian roses had changes of colour and shade. But Mr Noodler's warned potential buyers of these changes due to the lack of availability of a dye. Perhaps this is what happened to 54th Massachusetts. Noodler's may not have the financial means to acquire large quantities of dyes. Or perhaps the prices have varied so much that it has had to change suppliers and raw materials. After that, if the manufacturer deliberately changes the colour of the ink bottles from one batch to the next, for various reasons, then all that's left for the buyer to do is vote with his wallet. If these differences are significant, it would be a good idea to warn potential buyers beforehand.

 

For the history of manufacturing in the cellar, well it makes you imagine a dark cellar, without electric lighting of course, lit with tallow candles, with elves sleeping at the bottom of the cellar as aids in the manufacture of inks and handling (of course) retorts. This is certainly not true (reassure me...) but subtly adds grist to the mill of Noodlers' detractors.