Free-Flowing Waterproof Ink

[BearsPaw]

What are the most free-flowing waterproof inks? I really love how Waterman Florida Blue can turn almost any pen into a smooth writer. I have a Sheaffer Snorkel that I like aesthetically, but I had been thinking it was a dry writer, probably because I had mainly been using Noodler's in it. I put it back into rotation yesterday with some Florida Blue, and it is wet and ready to go!

 

Is there anything waterproof with similar properties?

[psfred]

I have very little trouble with Noodler's Black in any pen I've used other than a Penatia (which has a bad cap, everything else dried out in it too).

 

Polar Blue has given me very little trouble in the Preppy that came with it, haven't tried it in anything else yet. Luxury blue ia also very free flowing.

 

My Admiral has had Forest Green in it for about six months now, and it writes as soon as the nib touches the page even though I hardly ever actually write with it (I'm going to flush it soon, it's not good to let ink sit in there forever!), so you may need to check your cap to make sure it's sealing well on the section when the pen is capped.

 

Peter

Edited September 8, 2008 by psfred

[limesally]

Polar Blue is a gusher! It's not as bright as Waterman Florida Blue, but it is very free flowing, and definitely waterproof.

 

Pilot/Namiki blue is quite bright, and a nice true blue, and it is quite wet in most of my pens. Although not billed as such, it has very good water resistance.

[RevAaron]

A lot of the Swisher's are partially bulletproof and are free flowing, feel a lot more like a traditional ink. They also dry really quickly. I really like Midnight Black.

 

Also, mixing a Noodler's bulletproof with a more traditional ink that flows a bit more works great. Sometimes, I end up with an ink that is even wetter than either of the inks by themselves.

 

Aaron

[Jersey Diabolo]

Noodlers Black and Pilot blue are excellent suggestions.

 

Platinum Blue Black is actually a beautiful, cobalt blue - similar in color to my bottle of WM Florida Blue. It is darker and a tad more formal-looking than Pilot Blue. Platinum Blue Black has excellent flow, it is water-resistant, and it is very well-behaved. I'm really happy with it. Look in the Ink Reviews section for more details on these inks, if you haven't already.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Jersey Diabolo

[luigiwu]

I find that the waterproof Noodlers ink that I OWN (Black, Legal Lapis, Violet Vote, Orange Majestic, Spirit of Bamboo, Singapore Sepia) work very well. The exception is Samsui Red (a singapore exclusive) which dried up in my pen after leaving it alone for a week - I have no other problems leaving the other pens untouched for a week.

 

My absolute favorites are the BP Black and Legal Lapis!

I only use Lamy Safari FPs.

Sounds like the pen might be the issue, a bit temperamental?

 

Edited September 9, 2008 by luigiwu

[RevAaron]

If you want something more watery, I'd take a really saturated Noodler's waterproof ink and water it down a bit. Or cut Florida Blue with Noodler's Polar Blue- then, you get the best of both worlds. I often mix Polar Blue in with some other blue ink (Florida Blue, PR DC Supershow Blue, etc) to give the ink some bulletproof qualities- if I bleach a page written with such a mix, I still have the Blue left over, more so than you might with an iron gall ink. Polar Blue is also a great way to add shading to saturated blues like Florida Blue without changing or watering down the original color too much.

 

Also, I love the Swisher Midnight Black! I wish more Noodler's were like it- it's partially bulletproof, and if you bleach it you have a dark grey left over, the dyes in it are probably 10% the same as Bulletproof Black, with 90% going to a more traditional- and less chalky- ink dye. It flows wonderfully in my driest pens, a Snorkel and Vac 51. I think there are other Swisher's inks that are similar, a mix of something bulletproof and something not. As a note, Swisher MB isn't the same as Swishmix- Swishmix is a mix of Midnight Black and regular Noodler's Bulletproof Black, in a 2:1 ratio. Even more waterproofing, but it's also thicker.

 

Before you use a mix of a traditional ink and a Noodler's bulletproof-type ink mix it up in a small container and let it sit for a few days. Pour it off into another small container and see if there's any stain or particulate matter left behind. If so, don't put it in your pen. I'm not sure if modern Florida Blues plays well with Polar Blue as I have been using some vintage "Waterman's Washable Blue" which is the same thing, more or less.

 

Aaron

[kiavonne]

Noodler's Legal Lapis available only from Pendemonium. Won't find a wetter, smooth flowing ink, imho.

[Iridium]

Before you use a mix of a traditional ink and a Noodler's bulletproof-type ink mix it up in a small container and let it sit for a few days. Pour it off into another small container and see if there's any stain or particulate matter left behind. If so, don't put it in your pen. I'm not sure if modern Florida Blues plays well with Polar Blue as I have been using some vintage "Waterman's Washable Blue" which is the same thing, more or less.

 

Noodler's Aquamarine (Swisher Pens exclusive) also flows freely and I love the color (it's exactly the color of a Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop ), but for God's sake don't mix it with Florida Blue--it'll turn your pen into a miniature pipe bomb! Actually, no, it won't, but it forms a precipitate that could very well permanently clog your pen's feed. However, Florida Blue does mix nicely with some other Noodler's bulletproof inks, and there's only one way to find out: the process that Aaron just described.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Iridium

[RevAaron]

Iridium: Yeah, I've had only one problem with mixing Noodler's with something else- Legal Lapis and DC Supershow Blue. Permanently stained my ink vial, and it had been mixed for less than 5 minutes! I used to mix inks in the pen before- and now I do always dropper it into a vial and shake first. It's more prudent to give it at least a few hours, if not overnight, but something is better than nothing.

 

Mmmm... Otter pops. Wish I had one.

[BearsPaw]

Hmm, so I have a bottle of Legal Lapis, and it seems as "dry" as most of the other Noodler's inks.

 

I've never mixed ink before, I'll try some of these suggestions.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Before you use a mix of a traditional ink and a Noodler's bulletproof-type ink mix it up in a small container and let it sit for a few days. Pour it off into another small container and see if there's any stain or particulate matter left behind. If so, don't put it in your pen. I'm not sure if modern Florida Blues plays well with Polar Blue as I have been using some vintage "Waterman's Washable Blue" which is the same thing, more or less.

As an advocate of mixing inks I also endorse the idea that the OP try that. But I can say that modern Waterman's Florida Blue ink will mix badly with Swisher's Gulf Stream Blue. It forms a precipitate . The entire fountain pen could need to be taken apart to clean out the results of such a mixture.

[christob]

I disagree that all Noodlers permanent inks flow easily, just try Britannias blue Waves.

 

But our own FPN Galileo Brown flows easily in my pens.