Do You Use Permanent Inks In Your Ebonite Eyedroppers?

[MuddyWaters]

I've recently restarted using a superbly constructed Model 5 from Ranga. It has an excellent Kanwrite Flex nib which I finally got to write properly after I changed to another ebonite feed I had (the original didn't fit properly unfortunately). I'm currently using Waterman Serenity Blue, but was wondering about permanent options.

 

Do you dare use permanent inks, such as Sailor Kiwa Guro, Platinum Carbon Black, Noodler's HOD in your ebonite pens? I'm really fond of this pen and don't want to affect it negatively.

 

After this fill of Serenity blue, I will try Pilot Blue-black which I know to have some permanence. If the flow works then that could be a good compromise. Pelikan Black also has some permanence but the flow of the pen isn't that great as it is and that tends to be a drier ink.

[hari317]

Usually an Indian ED is a good option for tough inks simply due to the fact that the feeders used are simple. Have lesser channels to clog and afford excellent flow. The pens can be taken apart by hands or at the max using a nib knockout block. If you dont want to disturb the setting of your nib feed or you are worried you might have difficulty resetting the nib feed, then avoid using the harder inks.

[MuddyWaters]

Usually an Indian ED is a good option for tough inks simply due to the fact that the feeders used are simple. Have lesser channels to clog and afford excellent flow. The pens can be taken apart by hands or at the max using a nib knockout block. If you dont want to disturb the setting of your nib feed or you are worried you might have difficulty resetting the nib feed, then avoid using the harder inks.

Thanks Hari. And could these inks damage the ebonite barrel and section at all?

[hari317]

Thanks Hari. And could these inks damage the ebonite barrel and section at all?

No chance. Unless you spill ink on the exterior and it stains. Incidentally old lead acid car battery cases were made from hard rubber and they used to contain concentrated sulphuric acid.

Edited August 23, 2020 by hari317

[BaronWulfraed]

While I can't speak to an eye-droppered Ranga -- I paid for Bock nib units and matching converters -- I do have one loaded with Platinum Forest Black, which is an iron gall ink. Granted, I also paid for titanium nibs in most of the Ranga pens (two with gold) and feel titanium should be less susceptible to the ink than steel (the only steel nibs are 1.1 and 1.5 italics).

[MuddyWaters]

Good to know, platinum carbon black or heart or darkness would probably be good choices then given the pen could use a bit of flow.

[txomsy]

In my most humble opinion:

 

Considering...

 

That modern IG inks are a lot safer than old IG inks

 

That in remote ancient times (early XX Century) IG inks were heavily used for permanency

 

That in those old times pens were built using ebonite/hard rubber

 

And that you can still find them in good, near mint or mint status...

 

I would say there is little reason to be afraid. It just might happen (although I seriously doubt it) that the ink might affect the steel nib, but I doubt the ebonite may be affected at all (at least in your, your children's and your grandsons' life time). And, at least for now, nibs are cheap and easily replaceable. In the unlikely event your nib is affected, replacing by a new one should be a non-issue.

 

Edited to add: actually, if I'm not mistaken (which I may very well be) the Noodler's Boston safety pen is touted as being useable even with India ink, something that's unthinkable in any other pen.

Edited August 24, 2020 by txomsy

[timotheap]

I've just poured some Sumi ink in my Boston Safety Pen - will watch it closely the next few days to see how it works. The idea that the BSP is safe to use with weird stuff because the nib is "constantly bathing" it means the pen should be topped up regularly, which makes it hardly more useful than a dip pen...so that's my main concern for now.

 

I don't see why Platinum Carbon Black would be an issue - I had it for a couple of weeks in my BSP without any problem. But since it flows just as well in my Ahab, I decided to try something else in the BSP. (By the way Carbon Black is really beautiful).

 

(I've tried Heart of Darkness, and I don't know if I contaminated the 30ml bottle my brother gave me but it takes way too long before it's actually waterproof, and I want an ink I can use in sketching / watercolors).

 

And a friend of mine had Scabiosa in his BSP without problems either.

[cvk]

I use Noodlers HoD in my Ranga Ebonite Eyedropper, with no negative effects.

[Dimy]

I've recently restarted using a superbly constructed Model 5 from Ranga. It has an excellent Kanwrite Flex nib which I finally got to write properly after I changed to another ebonite feed I had (the original didn't fit properly unfortunately). I'm currently using Waterman Serenity Blue, but was wondering about permanent options.

 

Do you dare use permanent inks, such as Sailor Kiwa Guro, Platinum Carbon Black, Noodler's HOD in your ebonite pens? I'm really fond of this pen and don't want to affect it negatively.

 

After this fill of Serenity blue, I will try Pilot Blue-black which I know to have some permanence. If the flow works then that could be a good compromise. Pelikan Black also has some permanence but the flow of the pen isn't that great as it is and that tends to be a drier ink.

I use platinum carbon black as my daily ink for about a year now. 6 months in wality, as ED, which has ebonite feed and body and 6 months in Kanwrite desire, as convertor, which has plastic feed and acrylic body.

There is no issue with using carbon or any other permanent inks in fountain pens as long as one follows basic care of frequent cleaning and not letting ink dry in pen. I still recommend to stick with pens that one can be opened and cleaned easily in case there is clogging.

Overall there will be no damage issue in feed. Be careful of stains or drying ink if you use iron gall as they may cause some damage to nib (never faced any such issue personally when using R&K Sallix but some have pointed out so I just put it as reminder).

[bugsydog55]

I have an olive mottled Wality EB 69 that has been fed a steady diet of vintage Parker Permanent Black for the last six months. Being ebonite, ink in the barrel has not been a problem and I have not noticed any staining at all. I will give it a healthy scrubbing with an appropriately sized bottle brush when I change colors but it is my main consumer of black ink. There shouldn't be any concern about ink in ebonite barrels since that is how they have been used for over a hundred years. If you are concerned, then give the pen a good cleaning every couple of refills and it will be just fine.

[MuddyWaters]

I am reassured by you all. I will simply try to choose the right permanent ink for the pen now.

[sgphototn]

I use Iron Gall inks in my ebonite pens whether eyedropper or converter. None have given any problems. As I tend to use KWZ IG Blue Black in fine nib pens for making notations in books, and KWZ IG Blue #5 and #6, IG Turquoise in other ebonite pens ranging from 1.1 to 1.9 stubs. Other iron galls inks I've use include R&G Salix and Scabiosa, and even ESSRI, considered by some to be the strongest IG ink, have not caused problems.

 

I also use IG inks in Yard-O-Led and Pelikan Souverans. Again, no problems. 

 

Since I typically use the same inks in the same pens, about every third filling I flush the pens thoroughly. On the pen with ESSRI I do a flush before every refill. Even if a few weeks goes between uses with the ESSRI pen (an eyedropper ebonite) it exhibits no problems, but this is the only pen and ink combo I really keep a close watch on.

 

I find the KWZ IG inks to be wet and permanent which are the characteristics I desire. In vintage pens with lever or bulb fillers, I only use Waterman Serenity Blue, but otherwise it's iron gall inks.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by cetn

[ParramattaPaul]

The only eyedropper I have is turn of the century (19th - 20th) family heirloom.  I hesitate using it at all for preservation's sake.

[sgphototn]

1 hour ago, ParramattaPaul said:

The only eyedropper I have is turn of the century (19th - 20th) family heirloom.  I hesitate using it at all for preservation's sake.

I understand your concern. However, if the barrel is sound (holds water without leaking), the nib still has a slight amount of spring, and the feed is intact, see if the water makes its way through the pen to paper. Unless I'm very wrong, that's the test I use.

 

I recently had my mother's 1944 Eversharp Skyline restored. The 14k nib was bent (probably by my misuse when I was 6). Now it works perfectly and it always hits home that my mom used this pen during WW2 on the homefront to write letters to her family fighting overseas in Europe. It's a feeling that no other pen has for me.

 

Perhaps you can get a pen restorer to take a look at it. It may become one of your most cherished writers.

Edited December 5, 2020 by cetn

[ParramattaPaul]

2 minutes ago, cetn said:

I understand your concern. However, if the barrel is sound (holds water without leaking), the nib still has a slight amount of spring, and the feed is intact, see if the water makes its way through the pen to paper. Unless I'm very wrong, that's the test I use.

 

I recently had my mother's 1944 Eversharp Skyline restored. The 14k nib was bent (probably by my misuse when I was 6). Now it works perfectly and it always hits home that my mom used this pen during WW2 on the homefront to write letters to her family overseas in Europe. It's a feeling that no other pen has for me.

 

Perhaps you can get a pen restorer to take a look at it. It may become one of your most cherished writers.

Thanks.

[Manofadventure]

Hi,

I have successfully used acrylic ink for a 2 week period, in a Gama Eyas, without any negative repurcussions.