What to do with a too-wet ink?

[nullnull10010]

I currently have PR Blue Suede in one of my Lamy Safaris, and after test-writing with it today I noticed that this ink is exceptionally "gushy." I mean, this Safari isn't a dry pen, but the ink dries almost black from being so concentrated on one spot, it seems (because so much comes out at once, I mean). I know of products to make ink wetter, but how can you make it drier? Is it even possible? Or do I just find a dry-writing pen? Anyone have recommendations for one, preferably under $100? Thanks for the advice!

 

 

 

 

Sheesh, I'd be lost without you guys

Edited July 31, 2008 by tisfortorrey

[jbb]

I currently have PR Blue Suede in one of my Lamy Safaris, and after test-writing with it today I noticed that this ink is exceptionally "gushy." I mean, this Safari isn't a dry pen, but the ink dries almost black from being so concentrated on one spot, it seems (because so much comes out at once, I mean). I know of products to make ink wetter, but how can you make it drier? Is it even possible? Or do I just find a dry-writing pen? Anyone have recommendations for one, preferably under $100? Thanks for the advice!

Sheesh, I'd be lost without you guys

 

Adding water to the ink will make the ink dry more quickly.

 

[nullnull10010]

I currently have PR Blue Suede in one of my Lamy Safaris, and after test-writing with it today I noticed that this ink is exceptionally "gushy." I mean, this Safari isn't a dry pen, but the ink dries almost black from being so concentrated on one spot, it seems (because so much comes out at once, I mean). I know of products to make ink wetter, but how can you make it drier? Is it even possible? Or do I just find a dry-writing pen? Anyone have recommendations for one, preferably under $100? Thanks for the advice!

Sheesh, I'd be lost without you guys

 

Adding water to the ink will make the ink dry more quickly.

 

Hmm... will it also help with the flow of the ink? I know that my pen isn't a gusher, and so it's definitely this ink that's making the pen way too wet-writing. I guess I'm trying to figure out what to do about that

[jmkeuning]

It is worth a shot. Lots of people mix their PR inks with up to 50% water.

[jbb]

Try adding the water to only one convertor's worth of ink to test it of course.

[Strang]

I just had to destroy a bottle of PR Fast Drying Midnight Blues. It left puddles with every pen I tried it in (5 different pens) - different sized nibs, different normal rates of flow, nothing stopped this ink from gushing.

[nullnull10010]

Hmm, I might consider putting this ink up for trade, then...

[limesally]

Try a few different things first, though. This is an ink that kind of gives me fits, I do find it extremely wet. On the plus side, in certain pens the colour is really beautiful and the shading can be terrific. I have diluted it a bit with water upthread as others suggested and it does make it dry a bit faster, but I haven't noticed a big improvement in flow. If you really like the colour, and if you have a few different pens to try it in, it's worth experiementing with some drier pens.

[mrdavie]

How about writing on a different type of paper and see if the wetness is still a problem.

[BillTheEditor]

Try it in a fine nib, if you have one.

[petra]

Actually, not a fine/dry nib -- for PR blue suede you need to go the other direction: a juicy, broad stub nib. Like a Bexley stub. You'll be amazed at what happens to the color and shading. It will seem like a completely different ink.

[JDlugosz]

I found PR Blue Suede to be a perfectly ordinary ink, neither gushy nor dry.

 

Any chance you had some soap left in your pen before filling?

 

To make it "dryer", add water. No kidding! It dilutes the surfactant, and PR is so saturated you don't mind diluting the color.

 

--John

[satrap]

I just had to destroy a bottle of PR Fast Drying Midnight Blues. It left puddles with every pen I tried it in (5 different pens) - different sized nibs, different normal rates of flow, nothing stopped this ink from gushing.

============

 

Destroy is a bit drastic.

 

I think you could have just added water to it, or maybe added some bulletproof ink to it.