Parker Superchrome Jade Green

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

In keeping with my theme of doing things because I was told I can't...

Parker Superchrome Jade Green!

Yes, the slightly LESS deadly ink invented to replace Parker "51" ink!

If you are not familiar with Parker "51" ink and the story behind it, please feel free to see my reviews

Tunis Blue: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/354212-parker-51-tunis-blue/?hl=%2Btunis+%2Bblue

Pan American Green: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/353661-parker-51-pan-american-green/?hl=%2Btunis+%2Bblue

So, now that everyone knows why "51" ink had to go the way of the dinosaurs, let's take a look at its replacement!

Launched around the same time as the new Aero-Metric (1948ish) version of the Parker "51" pen, the advertising for Superchrome was VERY bright and vibrant

It even went as far as to explain how this magical ink would soak into the paper and dry nearly instantly, instead of by evaporation!

Here's the patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2528390

NEAT!

Ok, so what happened then? Why is this called the "slightly less deadly" ink? and why can't i find it in stores!?

Because it was discontinued in 1956

ok, but WHY!?

Well, Parker started getting warrantee claims on their new Aero-metric "51"s... a lot of them... seems the alkalinity of Superchrome was actually eating up breather tubes!

And they were made of STERLING SILVER... eventually, replacing them starts to get expensive ya know!

you can read more about "51" and Superchrome here:http://www.richardspens.com/ref/care/51_ink.htm

My Bottle is a slightly later bottle, the first ones came in a cool metal tin!

According to the Parker "51" book, my box was designed around 1949

And was awarded an honourable mention by the Folding Box Association of America!

Wow... really!? the FBAoA!? no way!

Yes way! it says so on page 145 of the Parker "51" book!

here is my box and bottle pictured with my green Parker "51" Special Demi

There was some sedimentation in the bottle, much like the Tunis Blue bottle, but much less of it, and not stuck to the bottom of the bottle.

As with the Pan American Green, don't worry, I shook the bottle excessively in order to try and get those precious dyes back into suspension (not solution)!

ok, but what does it look like on paper you ask?

well I'm glad you asked, cause that's the whole point of this shindig!

(Typed Text follows for search-ability, and because my handwriting is atrocious!)

Rhodia Webnotebook, paper is slightly off white in real life

15 Jul 20

Parker Superchrome Jade

Green. Bought 3oz bottle

on eBay Jun-ish 2020. This

is the second deadliest ink

in history. Only the ink

it replaced (Parker "51") is

worse! Meant to "dry" nearly

instantly it was designed

to soak into the paper. Too

bad it also ate sterling

silver breather tubes...

More teal than Green, bu

that may be due to the

age of the bottle. Some dryout

when left over night in a pen

(Dry times in a Wing Sung 601 and a TWSBI Eco 1.1)

Would buy Again?

N/A

Parker Superchrome

Jade Green

Eco 1.1mm

Wing Sung 601

Shading: Good/Very Good

Saturation: Good

Feathering: Nil

Spread: Nil

Bleed: Nil

Cleaning: Easy/Medium

(Water tests, dripped and dabbed vs rubbed with a wet Q-tip)

Notes: Colour is very close to Diamine Marine. Flows

OK. Pan American Green

is much greener.

*Leaves a white crust/residue! (On the feed and nib, Seen well after cleaning and drying the Eco. So that white residue on "51" Feeds? yeah... probably from this ink!)

Clairefontaine Notebook paper, paper is VERY white

Parker Superchrome

Jade Green

Twsbi Eco 1.1 mm stub

The quick brown fox jumps

over the lazy dog.

1234567890

Clairefontaine Paper

Dry Times 30 25 20 15 10 5 1

Wing Sung 601

Drytimes: 30 25 20 15 10 5 1

The quick brown fox jumps

over the lazy dog

1234567890

Parker Superchrome

Jade Green

Diamine Marine

Jade Green Marine

So that's it. That's Parker Superchrome Jade Green.

It's a lot like Diamine Marine, except you know, super expensive, hard to find, and will kill your pen!

While also leaving a weird white residue on your nib and feed... yay!

[jean]

Hello,

 

Great presentation (as usual) and instructive.

 

Can we see one day the blue-black of the series?

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Hi!

 

Thanks, glad you liked it!

 

You're in luck, I have a bottle of BB Superchrome purchased. But it will be at least a month, probably more before it gets here

[yazeh]

Great review... I'm glad you're having fun with your vintage inks....Funny how the green has turned into blue.....

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Great review... I'm glad you're having fun with your vintage inks....Funny how the green has turned into blue.....

Thanks!

 

The 51 and Superchrome inks is because i have this weird NEED to know what they liked like. I dont know how green this ever was. Its VERY saturated, even now! As soon as i saw it i also thought it was bluish, but my wife thinks that jade green is an appropriate name for this colour. But frankly sometimes i doubt her colour sense!

 

Edit: i noticed that the patent listed above has the formulas and one of them has as a base ingredient listed as: (ink greenish blue). So maybe this IS the original colour!

Edited July 23, 2020 by IThinkIHaveAProblem

[LizEF]

Fun! I suddenly want to design a folding box!

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Fun! I suddenly want to design a folding box!

Do it! Maybe you’ll win an award and get even more famous!

[XYZZY]

I enjoyed reading through the magazine ad, so thanks for that and the other background information.

 

Any idea if the metal container was just a marketing gimick? Or was it prompted by something in the unusual chemistry of the ink?

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

I enjoyed reading through the magazine ad, so thanks for that and the other background information.

 

Any idea if the metal container was just a marketing gimick? Or was it prompted by something in the unusual chemistry of the ink?

Glad you liked it

 

AFAIK the metal tin was just because it was cool. The ink was still in a glass bottle, and the bottle was inside the metal tin.