Is Modern Parker Quink Black Ink Safe?

[dhanks]

I have a number of Parker Vacumatic fountain pens from the 1930s, which of course use the rubber diaphragm in the filling system.  I have used Pelikan 4001 inks and Waterman inks in them, with no issues, but I've never used Parker Quink ink.   Is modern Parker Quink black ink safe for use in those vintage pens?  Or will it eat/dissolve the diaphragms?  Thanks for any personal experience anyone can share on this.

 

Rumpole  

[Penguincollector]

  I answered your question over in Inky Thoughts, but I will add it here as well.

   I tend to use Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noire in vintage Parkers because the black, while safe is a bit cloggy. I thought it was my own issue but it has been documented. Richard Binder wrote about it: “Toward the middle of the scale fall the vast majority of inks, including Aurora, Pelikan, Parker Quink (except the black, which scores surprisingly low because it exhibits serious flow issues in Parker pens), J. Herbin, Lamy, Omas, Namiki, and many more.” I don’t think it eats sacs, but it might clog the feed.

[dhanks]

23 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

  I answered your question over in Inky Thoughts, but I will add it here as well.

   I tend to use Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noire in vintage Parkers because the black, while safe is a bit cloggy. I thought it was my own issue but it has been documented. Richard Binder wrote about it: “Toward the middle of the scale fall the vast majority of inks, including Aurora, Pelikan, Parker Quink (except the black, which scores surprisingly low because it exhibits serious flow issues in Parker pens), J. Herbin, Lamy, Omas, Namiki, and many more.” I don’t think it eats sacs, but it might clog the feed.

Thank you very much for this information.  I may just avoid Quink black based on your and Richard Binder's experiences.  Waterman works very well and if I venture out, I'll try Aurora.  

 

Rumpole

[Ron Z]

I will agree with the comments on black Quink.  When someone writes about a pen with flow issues I usually start by asking what ink they use.  If they replay "Black Parker Quink" I tell them to empty and rinse the pen, then fill with any other ink, and see what happens.  They usually reply that it took care of the problem.  For a really good, dense black ink, I recommend Aurora. 

[dhanks]

42 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

  I answered your question over in Inky Thoughts, but I will add it here as well.

   I tend to use Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noire in vintage Parkers because the black, while safe is a bit cloggy. I thought it was my own issue but it has been documented. Richard Binder wrote about it: “Toward the middle of the scale fall the vast majority of inks, including Aurora, Pelikan, Parker Quink (except the black, which scores surprisingly low because it exhibits serious flow issues in Parker pens), J. Herbin, Lamy, Omas, Namiki, and many more.” I don’t think it eats sacs, but it might clog the feed.

And by the way, how does that Herbin Perle Noire perform in your vintage Parkers, particularly those with XF or F nibs?  I've never tried Perle Noire in any pens, vintage or modern, so I'm curious.  Thanks.

 

Rumpole

[dhanks]

1 minute ago, Ron Z said:

I will agree with the comments on black Quink.  When someone writes about a pen with flow issues I usually start by asking what ink they use.  If they replay "Black Parker Quink" I tell them to empty and rinse the pen, then fill with any other ink, and see what happens.  They usually reply that it took care of the problem.  For a really good, dense black ink, I recommend Aurora. 

Thanks, Ron.  That seems to be a recurring problem with Parker Quink Black, and I'm sorry to hear it.  I enjoy using Parker Vacumatics (the pre-WWII ones are especially good writers!) and I wish I could use Parker black ink in them with the same enjoyment.  Well, at least I have several other good options, including the Aurora.  I appreciate your response.

 

Rumpole

[Sailor Kenshin]

1 hour ago, Ron Z said:

I will agree with the comments on black Quink.  When someone writes about a pen with flow issues I usually start by asking what ink they use.  If they replay "Black Parker Quink" I tell them to empty and rinse the pen, then fill with any other ink, and see what happens.  They usually reply that it took care of the problem.  For a really good, dense black ink, I recommend Aurora. 

Been there, done that.  Most recently, I had to clean it out of a Jinhao 51A (its hood and nib look vaguely Parker51-ish).

 

Is there ANY pen Quink Black doesn't clog?

[Mark from Yorkshire]

Nope, only any good for calligraphy dip nibs and even then a little suspect, my last bottle or the remains there of went down the drain.

[Penguincollector]

2 hours ago, dhanks said:

And by the way, how does that Herbin Perle Noire perform in your vintage Parkers, particularly those with XF or F nibs?  I've never tried Perle Noire in any pens, vintage or modern, so I'm curious.  Thanks.

 

Rumpole

  I have it in an old style thick converter in my vermeil Parker 75 F currently. Works a treat. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in a button filler or vacumatic. Same with Aurora.

[Penguincollector]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Is there ANY pen Quink Black doesn't clog?

It seems ok in my Vector/88 pens. Maybe the feed is less prone to clogs. 

[MidSouthern-Dad]

Parker Quink black doesn't clog.  It just refuses to flow.  There is a difference.  A clog implies precipitated sediment that blocks the ink channels.  It doesn't do that.  It just refuses to flow easily.  It can be improved by adding wetting agents such as glycerine, and / or Liquitex flow aid.

 

Vintage Parker Quink black (my recollection is from the 1990s to about 2000) worked just fine in my Parker 75 and Parker 51.  It doesn't wreck the sac on the Parker 75's converter (squeeze type, not the piston type).  Then there came the period when Quink black was reformulated so that it turned into the viscosity of molasses on a winter's day.  I've read that Parker has been reformulating their inks (again), so maybe the newest ones on the market will be better? 

 

There was a time when I used to use the Quink black a lot.  It wouldn't flow in my Indian eyedropper pens, so I started modifying the feeds by making very deep channels in them with a razor saw.  Then it would work properly, but I came to the realization that it's stupid to modify the feeds to suit a junky ink.  Stick to Waterman or Pelikan if you want a truly vintage safe ink.

[inkstainedruth]

Interesting thread.

Strangely, Modern Quink Black is my go-to ink in my first Parker 45 -- and it was like dancing on ice across the page.  I don't remember it clogging that pen at all.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA:  Is there a newer formula though?  I haven't used the ink for a while, but after reading Mid-Southern Dad's post, about "vintage" Quink Black from the 1990s (!) I'm now curious....

[kestrel]

10 hours ago, dhanks said:

And by the way, how does that Herbin Perle Noire perform in your vintage Parkers, particularly those with XF or F nibs?  I've never tried Perle Noire in any pens, vintage or modern, so I'm curious.  Thanks.

 

Rumpole

Perle Noire is an ink I trust in all of my vintage pens.  It performed very well in a Parker 33 and various early Duofolds not to mention pre-WWI Conklins, Wirts, Grieshabers, Larkins, and various unbranded dropper fillers.  I think Perle Noire is easier to clean out of a pen than Aurora black but neither is difficult.  Both are solid performing basic black inks.

[dhanks]

10 hours ago, kestrel said:

Perle Noire is an ink I trust in all of my vintage pens.  It performed very well in a Parker 33 and various early Duofolds not to mention pre-WWI Conklins, Wirts, Grieshabers, Larkins, and various unbranded dropper fillers.  I think Perle Noire is easier to clean out of a pen than Aurora black but neither is difficult.  Both are solid performing basic black inks.

Thank you.  I'll have to try a bottle of Perle Noire soon.  I happen to like black inks, a lot.

Rumpole

[dhanks]

18 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

  I have it in an old style thick converter in my vermeil Parker 75 F currently. Works a treat. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in a button filler or vacumatic. Same with Aurora.

Thank you.  I'll give one or both a try.  I really like black inks.

Rumpole

[Penguincollector]

1 hour ago, dhanks said:

Thank you.  I'll give one or both a try.  I really like black inks.

Rumpole

 Let us know how it goes! Herbin makes little 10 mL bottles if you don’t want to commit to a big one yet. There’s also a few places that do sample packs of colors if you want to explore that avenue as well, not all will be suitable for vintage sacs, but aerometric and cartridge/converter pens are rather forgiving if you have those in your collection. 

 

15 hours ago, MidSouthern-Dad said:

Parker Quink black doesn't clog.  It just refuses to flow.  There is a difference.  A clog implies precipitated sediment that blocks the ink channels.  It doesn't do that.  It just refuses to flow easily.  It can be improved by adding wetting agents such as glycerine, and / or Liquitex flow aid.

 

Vintage Parker Quink black (my recollection is from the 1990s to about 2000) worked just fine in my Parker 75 and Parker 51.  It doesn't wreck the sac on the Parker 75's converter (squeeze type, not the piston type).  Then there came the period when Quink black was reformulated so that it turned into the viscosity of molasses on a winter's day.  I've read that Parker has been reformulating their inks (again), so maybe the newest ones on the market will be better? 

 

There was a time when I used to use the Quink black a lot.  It wouldn't flow in my Indian eyedropper pens, so I started modifying the feeds by making very deep channels in them with a razor saw.  Then it would work properly, but I came to the realization that it's stupid to modify the feeds to suit a junky ink.  Stick to Waterman or Pelikan if you want a truly vintage safe ink.

  Ok, this makes sense. I used Quink black a ton in high school (mid ‘90s, where’d the time go?) and I don’t remember it giving most of my pens this difficult a time, only one, but she’s a diva. My vintage cartridges are fine.  I should probably get some White Lightning for the one bottle of modern ink I have. 

[Mark from Yorkshire]

4 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

 Let us know how it goes! Herbin makes little 10 mL bottles if you don’t want to commit to a big one yet. There’s also a few places that do sample packs of colors if you want to explore that avenue as well, not all will be suitable for vintage sacs, but aerometric and cartridge/converter pens are rather forgiving if you have those in your collection. 

 

  Ok, this makes sense. I used Quink black a ton in high school (mid ‘90s, where’d the time go?) and I don’t remember it giving most of my pens this difficult a time, only one, but she’s a diva. My vintage cartridges are fine.  I should probably get some White Lightning for the one bottle of modern ink I have. 

Isn’t white lightning a cheap rubbish alcoholic drink that kids who are too young to drink legally consume in the local recreational area I.E park?

[Mark from Yorkshire]

Production discontinued

At the end of 2009, Heineken decided to discontinue its manufacture due to its brand image problem in the United Kingdom as having become synonymous with under-age drinking, anti-social behaviour, homelessness and impoverished alcoholism, in an echo of the Gin Craze of the 18th century. Such cheap non-distilled drinks (both high-strength beer and cider) became known as "tramp juice" in the UK media. When sold on special at Off licences, 3 litre plastic bottles of 8.4% White Lightning could be purchased for less than £2.

[Sailor Kenshin]

36 minutes ago, Mark from Yorkshire said:

Isn’t white lightning a cheap rubbish alcoholic drink that kids who are too young to drink legally consume in the local recreational area I.E park?

🤣

[vicpen123]

I have used nothing but Parker Quink Black for nearly 50 years in all my fountain pens.

 

Never had flow or clogging issues.

 

Maybe the Aussie weather is kinder to the ink.