Pens Write from Light to Dark

[Steven]

I have two fountain pens that every morning when I start writing with them the ink starts out in a very light shade of blue. Then as I continue to write the ink gets darker until it finally darkens to its normal blue color. These pens then write the rest of the day at just fine. One pen is a Sheaffer that uses Sheaffer blue ink and the other pen is a Parker that uses Parker blue ink. Any thoughts of this phenomenon would be appreciated.

Edited February 24, 2008 by Steven

[jbn10161]

Is the line thinner when it starts out in the morning, and then widens to its normal width as the ink darkens?

[greencobra]

I'm going to guess the nibs dry out overnight, but as you start writing again the next morning, you're now getting ink into the feed and you're good to go for the day. Do you get a good seal with the cap on? It might be your ink too. I'm experiencing a similar problem right now where the ink is drying in the nib but once I get going all is well. I've no experience with the ink you're using, sorry. You don't store your pens nib up at night by any chance, do you? That certainly could do it by having the ink back out of the nib and feed overnight. Just a few thoughts

[Ernst Bitterman]

Depending on local conditions, what might be happening is this: You wear the pen through the day, and it's all nice and warm in your pocket. At day's end, you set it aside, and like a good person turn the heat down overnight. As the temperature insde the cap drops, some of the water which has evaporated out of the ink recondenses and this dew gets into the feed, diluting the ink.

 

I don't know that this is the explanation, but I had a metal-bodied Waterman in the '90s that would actually be damp all down the section when I first uncapped it in the morning, and this is the only thing I could figure.

 

edit-- I doubt the drying feed; this in my experience leads to thinner lines but darker ink, as the pigment is concentrated in less fluid.

Edited February 24, 2008 by Ernst Bitterman

[JayLo]

I think greencobra hit on the same thing I've experienced. I notice my steel nib pens are dry in the A.M. if stored nib up. Storing nib down solved the problem. For some reason I don't have the problem with gold nibs.

[PAKMAN]

I experience just the opposite, mine are usually darker when they first start up and then lighten up to the normal color after a few strokes. I usually keep an extra pad by my computer that I scratch on for a second or two when I first start using a pen so that the ink is consistent when I start to write something that I plan to keep.

[Steven]

Thanks for you thoughts. I think the truth lies somewhere it all of your posts. It is just a curiosity. I do live in a dessert climate and it does get cold at night during the winter and warm during the day. This may be part of it. I will see what happens in the summer when the day and night temperature differences are not as great and I'll keep you posted in about three to four months.

[johneffay]

Depending on local conditions, what might be happening is this: You wear the pen through the day, and it's all nice and warm in your pocket. At day's end, you set it aside, and like a good person turn the heat down overnight. As the temperature insde the cap drops, some of the water which has evaporated out of the ink recondenses and this dew gets into the feed, diluting the ink.

 

My M800 does this; in fact you can see the water droplets on the nib in the morning. It only affects the ink for the first couple of words though so it is not really a problem. I have always assumed that the reason it does this and my other pens (which all have converters) do not is that the ink is less well insulated in the Pelikan.