Is Diamine's new pigmented range abrasive?

[Claes]

I just noted that some sellers have added a warning against using Diamine's "Forever Inks" in certain types of pens:

Quote: If you have an especially valuable pen, or a pen with a gold plated nib it may be better to stick to more traditional fountain pen inks and avoid any pigmented ink. 

 

Sounds as if the pigments behave like abrasives (which, actually, is not so strange). I wonder what the particle size might be and how they compare to Sailor's nano range? Something for you, @InesF ?

 

Have fun!
Claes in Lund, Sweden

[LizEF]

This Instagram post shows a gold-plated nib after using one of the Diamine pigment inks.  But there's no telling whether it's a one-off.  I would think that if pigment inks in general were a problem for plated nibs, we'd have heard about it before now.  It'll be interesting to hear more reports as time goes on.

[yazeh]

This is truly strange. For someone who has used everything from bulletproof to all types of pigment inks, this is a first. I recently  had some black spots on a gold-plated nib, courtesy of IG ink, but it all went away, with some polish

[A Smug Dill]

16 hours ago, Claes said:

Sounds as if the pigments behave like abrasives (which, actually, is not so strange).

 

I don't think that is the correct conclusion.

 

16 hours ago, Claes said:

I wonder what the particle size might be and how they compare to Sailor's nano range?

10 hours ago, LizEF said:

I would think that if pigment inks in general were a problem for plated nibs, we'd have heard about it before now.

 

I've seen Sailor Kiwaguro and Seiboku compromise black ion-plating/PVD on some of my nibs, and I don't think it has anything to do with the nano-particles being abrasive just by flowing to the nibs' tips by way of capillary action.

 

[InesF]

On 4/21/2025 at 11:31 AM, Claes said:

Something for you, @InesF ?

No, @Claes, not this time.

As long as the pigments are organics and even most mineral pigments will not grind away metal nibs or metal coatings. I guess the warning may be because of waterproof binders in the ink which you can't remove from your nib and feed when accidentally dried.

 

[TSherbs]

12 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

I don't think that is the correct conclusion.

 

 

yeah, I was thinking, "This is why I don't like gold-plated nibs." I have had them lose plating with even the most ordinary inks. Top of nib, bottom of nib, you name it....

 

I still use gold-plated nibs, but I'd call it "sparingly." 

 

I am also sparing with pigmented inks, but that is for other maintenance reasons.