Baystate Blue is evil... Yet I can't help myself.

[txomsy]

In this case, wouldn't it be easier to leave the pen in sun light for some time? BSB should fade away.

[dftr]

The staining I could handle; it's the feathering if I use it in anything broader than a fine nib.  

 

[txomsy]

That, I fear, is highly dependent on the paper you use, and affect many more inks.

 

E.g. in a cheap Rhodia A6 notebook (plastic cover, 96 pages, 80gsm, 4mm grid) it is difficult to appreciate feathering except in a few places at high magnification (and those might be due to hand oils --and then, maybe not):

[Lithium466]

I think it's also very batch dependent. My sample of BSB spread or feathered on everything, and that was in my Pilot CH912 PO, producing lines way too wide for my liking...which is unfortunate as I really love the colour.

 

The staining wasn't that bad, after all the stories I had read about it!

[Baka1969]

4 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

I think it's also very batch dependent. My sample of BSB spread or feathered on everything, and that was in my Pilot CH912 PO, producing lines way too wide for my liking...which is unfortunate as I really love the colour.

 

The staining wasn't that bad, after all the stories I had read about it!

 

I have BSB in my Lamy Studio with a 14k EF nib. It writes more like a medium than even what a fine should be. It seems to be the only pen/nib combination that doesn't feather into a fuzzy chicken. It does, however, write much wider than it should. 

[dftr]

I used it in a Lamy fine (looks like wet fine/med).  It's not bad on copy paper but on my best paper, TR, it feathered terribly.  The staining wasn't an issue (it did stain the convertor but no big deal).  That being said it is neat to see old scans where I had written notes or signed something b/c it really does pop and is obvious.  

[txomsy]

It's been reported here on FPN that diluting BSB can go a long way to making it better behaved. You can dilute it up to 1:1 with water without the hue changing noticeably.

 

Maybe that will solve your problems. Just take a small quantity and dilute it in a separate small container (to try first, but also to identify/avoid any trouble with the water.

 

But it is true that BSB (as many other inks) tends to be "avid". It tends to penetrate far and fast in paper. On Moleskine sketching pocket notebooks with thin paper I find it tends to show through (but not in my case on Rhodia 80gsm, Oxford 90gsm or Miquelrius 80gsm). YMMV.

[Dip n Scratch]

BSB even stains a sink or a toilet, which are porcelain. That to me is a measure of how anti-social it is. It was even less light-fast than a 'normal blue. I have never bought a bottle of BSB, just sample tubes. I have a bottle of Diamine Blue Velvet & have some Sapphire Blue on the way.

[txomsy]

Staining porcelain is in no way exclusive to BSB. KIN Doc blue for instance, also stains porcelain, and is supposed to be acceptably well behaved. Many red inks are (or were) more staining than BSB.

 

I think it is the combination of properties (both good and bad) that make BSB so special. Not any one in particular.

 

[mke]

Baystate Blue accidents 

LINK to Google picture search

Enjoy!

[SLinkster]

So I pulled a cheap piston-fill school pen out of my pen roll, popped the cap off and got Smurfed for my trouble. Examined the item and realized it was leaking at the seam between the ink window and the section. THEN I realized it was the sacrifice pen injured with BSB.

 

Sooooo not only did it Smurf my hands, it ate the adhesive with which the pen was assembled.

 

THEN this happened. 🤦‍♀️

[Baka1969]

2 hours ago, mke said:

Baystate Blue accidents 

LINK to Google picture search

Enjoy!

 

lmao

 

1 hour ago, SLinkster said:

So I pulled a cheap piston-fill school pen out of my pen roll, popped the cap off and got Smurfed for my trouble. Examined the item and realized it was leaking at the seam between the ink window and the section. THEN I realized it was the sacrifice pen injured with BSB.

 

Sooooo not only did it Smurf my hands, it ate the adhesive with which the pen was assembled.

 

THEN this happened. 🤦‍♀️

 

I have used Ajax with success.

[SLinkster]

19 hours ago, Baka1969 said:

I have used Ajax with success.

 

Oh, I'm inclined to leave it. I've been trying for a couple of years to convince Mr. Inkster that we need a kitchen facelift (note I'm not calling it a "remodel"). Maybe having that blue stain in the sink will nudge him along. I really don't mind Harvest Gold counters, but I'd rather have it in quartz than the 60-year old Micarta laminate over particleboard that came with the house.

[Baka1969]

6 minutes ago, SLinkster said:

 

Oh, I'm inclined to leave it. I've been trying for a couple of years to convince Mr. Inkster that we need a kitchen facelift (note I'm not calling it a "remodel"). Maybe having that blue stain in the sink will nudge him along. I really don't mind Harvest Gold counters, but I'd rather have it in quartz than the 60-year old Micarta laminate over particleboard that came with the house.

 

Mum's the word....

[grayautumnday]

On 1/30/2024 at 5:24 AM, SLinkster said:

BSB seems to fall into the "love it or hate it" category of things, along with cilantro, fajita seasoning, and exercise. My definition of "quality paper" in this context is pretty much irrelevant, as I passed on the remainder of my sample vial and have no plan to add a full bottle of the stuff to my stash. 

 

Since you shared some writing samples, here are mine. Paper info was written with a Preppy 02/EF and Noodler's Sequoia.

 

KTC just stays where it's put, no further blather from me about that.

 

To me the BSB feathering is naked-eye visible on Rhodia 80gsm (which seems to be a "quality paper"), Midori (70, 80, pick one, I'm not sure), Kokuyo 64gsm and on "old" Moleskine of unknown weight.

 

I have to take off my spectacles and put my nose nearly on the paper to see feathering on Kleid OKFools 98gsm (the feathering blends into the 2mm grid), ThinkNote 81gsm, Daiso/Croquis sketch paper (which might be Kokuyo but I haven't been able to find any definitive info), and Neenah 24# 25% cotton bond.

 

I see virtually no feathering at all on Mohawk (Neenah) SuperFine, Tomoe River 68gsm, Astrobrights 24#, HP Premium 24# & 32#, or Iroful. I also tested on Bienfang Parchment, but it's not something I generally write on so don't much care either way how the inks behave.

 

But again, I don't plan to buy a bottle of BSB. I've got plenty of feathery blue inks already. I sampled, found it lacking. Moving on now

Neenah has several uncoated 25% cotton 24lb bond weight papers that are supposed to be good with FPs - Capitol Bond, Classic Cotton, Royal Cotton, Classic Crest... do you happen to know which of those you have?

 

 I'm a fan of Neenah. Their linen, laid, and wove papers are typically AMAZING with FPs - no feathering, no ghosting, no fiber buildup on the tines/slit - and similarly great with wide dip calligraphy nibs according to a couple acquaintances, as are their 20W (75 gsm 88% opacity) bond papers (some ghosting with especially broad or especially wet M/B nibs)

[Penguincollector]

  If one is becoming more interested in trying a sample of this notorious ink, what would make a good sacrificial pen? I’m not really a Preppy user, but I have a few Baoer Sonnet clones that might work and in dark colorways, either F or EF. Are lacquer over brass pens ok?

[HalloweenHJB]

On 1/29/2024 at 12:44 PM, Baka1969 said:

I'm a fan of the neon-searing color of BSB. It's sort of its charm for me. 

 

Absolutely. I haven't found any ink color even close to BSB. But for those who are a bit adventurous, there are certain additives to diminish the negatives (feathering, bleed-through, etc.), but not the staining. One simply must accept that as part of the magic that is BSB. 😉

[Sailor Kenshin]

On 1/30/2024 at 9:24 AM, SLinkster said:

BSB seems to fall into the "love it or hate it" category of things, along with cilantro, fajita seasoning, and exercise.

 

 

 

 

😹 🤣 👏🏻

[dftr]

On 7/6/2024 at 4:50 AM, HalloweenHJB said:

 

Absolutely. I haven't found any ink color even close to BSB. But for those who are a bit adventurous, there are certain additives to diminish the negatives (feathering, bleed-through, etc.), but not the staining. One simply must accept that as part of the magic that is BSB. 😉

What is your suggestions for feathering. I saw adding water but I wonder if this then makes it an ordinary blue?

 

i saw a video where a uoutuber replaced BSB w a blue from octopus inks.  It was nearly as vibrant but much better behavior. Also permanent/ waterproof like bsb.  

[dftr]

On 7/6/2024 at 4:50 AM, HalloweenHJB said: