Parker Quink Red - Bottle

[Sandy1]

Kindly adjust the brightness & contrast of your monitor to accurately depict this Gray Scale.

As the patches are neutral gray, the colour on your monitor should also be neutral.

Figure 1.

Grey Scale.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/FPN049.jpg

 

Figure 2.

Paper: HP1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

Swabs: Waterman Florida Blue. Parker Quink Red (PQR).

Swatch: Drawn with a Pelikan BB nib.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN119.jpg

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES: Moby Dick

 

Note:

Nib selection:

• As I do not envision this colour for general writing, only one Medium nib was used, and Fine nibs are absent.

Narrow Nibs:

• A decision was taken to more accurately depict how narrow nibs are used. Consequently, in Figure 3 only, a smaller row height is used for 2 rows: one written in mixed case, and the other printed in upper case. The third row is the normal 8mm height. It does look dreadful, but I hope it is useful. If not - please let me know.

Figure 3.

Paper: HP1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN122.jpg

 

Figure 4.

Paper: Clairefontaine 'Triomphe'.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN123.jpg

 

Figure 5.

Paper: G. Lalo 'Verge de France', Ivory.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN124.jpg

 

Figure 6.

Paper: G. Lalo 'Verge de France', White.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN125.jpg

 

OTHER SAMPLES:

 

Figure 7.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp - from a one-a-day cartoon calendar.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN131.jpg

 

Figure 8.

Account Transactions & Balance

Paper: 16 lb. General use?

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN155.jpg

 

Figure 9.

Tiny Freehand Diagram

Paper: HP1124

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN129.jpg

 

Figure 10.

HAPPY!

Paper: Coated Paper/Card

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN128.jpg

 

Figure 11.

Mark-up & Annotation

Paper: Glossy magazine

removed by moderator

 

Figure 12.

Mark-up/Deletion

removed by moderator

 

HI-RES SCANS:

 

Figure 13.

Boxed text from Figure 3.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN142.jpg

 

Figure 14.

Boxed text from Figure 4.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN141.jpg

 

Figure 15.

Boxed text from Figure 5.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN140.jpg

 

Figure 16.

Boxed text from Figure 6.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN138.jpg

 

Figure 17.

Boxed text from Figure 7.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN134.jpg

 

 

OTHER SAMPLES:

 

Figure 18.

Paper: HP1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

- Wet samples, Smear / Dry Time.

Paper: Glossy Card & Glossy Magazine

- Smear/Dry Times

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN133.jpg

 

Figure 19.

Paper: HP1124.

Swirlies. Intended to show potential density range.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN120.jpg

 

Figure 20.

Shingle Sample: Seven pen+nib combos on five papers; L-R: Pulp, G Lalo White, G Lalo Ivory, Clairefontaine Triomphe & HP1124.

All down-strokes on: HP1124, Clairefontaine, G Lalo Ivory, G Lalo White, Pulp.

Note: The little 'tick marks' on the lines shown mark made when the nib is used in a Left to Right cross-stroke.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN153.jpg

 

 

Figure 21.

HiRes Scan - Boxed lines from Figure 23.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN152.jpg

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

• Red.

• Red Hot.

• Hot Red.

• Red Hot Hot Red.

• Red.

• Not a cozy Red.

• An animated Red.

• Inviting when well handled.

• Not a great range of density or shading.

• Moderately wet.

• Daily writer? Only for my accountant.

 

USES:

 

Business:

• Only for mark-up / revision, forms, accounting.

Illustrations / Graphics:

• For charts, graphs, etc., it is easily The Red.
• It sits well on the page, so can be used for illustrations - not hyperactive, not screaming, not agitated.
• If using typical 'lowest bidder' office paper, this ink feathers a bit, but so little that no one is likely to notice.
• Avoid paper with optical brighteners.
• The absence of obvious shading make this a good candidate.

Personal:

• Laissez les bon temps rouler!
• It is inviting and draws attention.
• Not for taking a strip off someone - that is an Alt Use for the R&K 'Solferino'.

Billet Doux:

• Easily!!
• I could see this on incendiary frisky notes, of say no more than six pages.
• And the G Lalo Ivory works a real treat. Perhaps even a tawny parchment. (?) Let me know!
• You won't end-up on the sofa. HehHehHeh.
• N.B. For those in sparky short-term relationships, cartridges are also available.

Alt Use:

• Too nice to waste correcting / annotating work of students. (Use up the Lamy 'Green' for that, OK?)
• Pretty good for annotation/mark-up, but on glossy/coated stock, watch for dry time and smudgies .
• Excellent colour for festivities.

Well-Known User:

• Pink uses Red Quink ink.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS:

 

Flow Rate:

• Tends to be just on the wet side of normal.
• Easy flow should allow uniform density (no fading) when writing at pace with a wider nib.
• OK with all sampled nibs & feeds.

Note: SOLV-X not mentioned on bottle or box, but may be in the formula. (?)

 

Nib Dry-out:

• Ten minutes uncapped: Immediate start-up on all pens.

Start-up:

• Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Lubrication:

• Nice, but not exceptional.

Nib Creepers:

• Zero.

Staining/Stigmata:

• None noticed during a few days. Pelikan M200 ink window still mint.

Clogging:

• Very unlikely.

Bleed Through:

• Not on any of the papers - but if using wet BB nib be quick quick quick on 20 lb. or less.

Smell:

• Very faint scent of ink. Somewhat 'rubber-ish', like a Pink Pearl pencil eraser.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• A bit.

Archival:

• Likely no more or less than any dye-based FP ink.

Water Resistance: (Figure 18)

• None. Don't accidently sneeze or perspire upon the written page!

Smear Results:

• Rather OK. HP1124: 2 seconds; glossy card & magazine: 40 seconds.

Bulletproof:

• Makes no such claim.
• As mentioned above, unlikely to withstand even a sneeze.
• Likely a selling-point: billet doux can be rinsed away in moments by two-timing swine.

Clean Up:

• Quick & thorough with plain water. :-)

Mixing:

• No stated prohibitions / limitation.
• Not quite a process Red. Easily mix-able though.
• There may be a temptation to add maybe 5% Magenta to give it more weight under warm (tungsten) artificial lighting.
• Cannot see adding a straight Yellow - PR Shoreline Gold didn't do it. I'm waiting for the MB Saffron.
• For non-work / office use, I could imagine some practitioners diluting PQR with just a bit of water - especially if compelled to use white paper.

THE LOOK:

 

Saturation:

• Very high.

Shading:

• Very little.

Feathering:

• Not that anyone would notice. (Waiting to hear otherwise.)

Variance depending on pen+nib combos used:

• Really quite consistent. Makes me wonder if the Estie was darkest because the ink became a bit concentrated in the feed. (?)

PAPERS:

 

Lovely papers:

• Textured, tactile, warm-tinted 'touch me' papers.

Trip-wire papers:

• Not too bright, definitely not lined - they'll work, but totally compromises The Look.
• Oh, and if you get coated stock wet: go easy with that Italic nib - keep it aligned to minimize gouging. (See Figure 12)

Tinted Papers:

• Oh my goodness yes! By all means!! Ivory, cream, champagne, buff: quite possible.

• Stronger base-tints: Quite possible, but the ink is not opaque.

• Whitelines: The pale grey could be nice, but the lines make it a hare-brained choice.

Postcard / coated card stock:

• Very possible - just let it dry, and don't let your nib linger at the end of a stroke.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• For personal use, most definitely.

MAJIK:

 

Anything beyond special?

• Not yet; very close, just needs some judicious choices & fine tuning.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Sheaffer Prelude + stock Stub B steel nib on G Lalo 'Verge de France' Ivory.
• Would be interested to see it from a Waterman Carene stock Stub nib.

OTHER THAN INK:

 

Presentation :

• 57 ml. bottle in a box.

Country of origin:

• France.

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Container:

• An oddly shaped bottle (lopped ellipse?) - so odd I traced the base.

Figure 22.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN148.jpg

• The centred round opening is huge - a whopping 1 3/8" diameter! Will easily accommodate el grande nibs.
• Both the box & bottle label are mute as to the contents of the bottle! No where does it even say 'Ink'. My goodness, what kind of tom foolery is that?
• The 'Bakelite' screw cap has adequate grippy nodes, and the large diameter is easy to grasp.
• The cap is not child-proof.
• The cap seal is the 'better sort' of coated card stock.
• Single tank, no filling aids, no sediment collector. Tsk. (It takes so little effort to do it a lot better.)

Box:

• Nicely coated, appears durable.

Eco-Green:

• All bits easily recyclable.

• Cap likely benign.

Availability:

• Obtained from a UK-based retailer. At the time of writing this colour seems uncommon.
• Ah kushbaby, I still pack my own chute.

FIDELITY:

 

Is colour name appropriate / accurate?

• Yes. (Hard to go wrong, no?)

• The litho-ed label on the bottle and the box are very close to the ink colour. Hooray!

Figure 23.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN112.jpg

 

SIMILAR COLOURS:

Hmm. I don't have any! Yippie - PQR is not a clone!

Viewers: Please chime-in.

 

Figure 24.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/InkReview_ParkerQuinkRed/FPN150.jpg

 

Yickity Yackity:

• I didn't see all that much shading potential in PQR. Consequently, for personalized use, I strongly suggest adding character to one's writing by using a Cursive Italic or Stub nib - regardless the nib width. I do not have a Crisp Italic nib, but if competently handled, it may well be most impressive.
• Does well with dry-ish narrow nibs.
• Somehow I can't see using a flex-ish nib with this ink.

 

=.=.=.=.=.=.=

 

MATERIEL USED:

 

These pen+nib combos:

• Pilot Human Engineering + XF steel nib - mostly for lines & labels; loaded with R&K Salix, a Blue i-g ink.

• Esterbrook J + 9550 XF steel nib.

• Pilot 78G + F g-p steel nib.

• Lamy Safari + M steel nib.

• Parker Realto + CI plump M g-p steel nib. *Dealer's Choice*

• Sheaffer Prelude + stock Stub B steel nib.

• Pelikan M200 + M200 series BB gold-plated steel nib.

 

On these papers:

• HP 1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Clairefontaine 'Triomphe'.
• G Lalo 'Verge de France' white.
• G Lalo 'Verge de France' ivory.
• Pulp: one-a-day cartoon calendar page.
• Banking Transaction paper.
• Various glossy/coated stock.

Note:

After stating that I'd use only papers, pens & nibs that were readily available, fairly inexpensive and 'stock' - not customised, I was taken to task for using the Pelikan M600 series nibs on the basis of cost, and the Conway Stewart 388 (used to show vintage flex) on the basis of rarity & cost. So OK, fair enough. You won't see those again - except maybe as a *Dealer's Choice*. The most expensive pen used is the Pelikan M200 + stock M200 series BB nib; then down to the $10 Pilot 78G + F nib.

 

=.=.=.=.=.=.=

 

Figures were produced on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted. Originals scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour to produce .jpg files.The image was not adjusted other than cropping and straightening using iPhoto on a MacBook.

 

Scanner Densitometer Readings: Generated from the Drawn Swatch on Figure 2.

Red 219; Green 60; Blue 74; Luminosity 94.

 

-30-

Edited April 28, 2010 by Ann Finley
To remove what appeared to be magazine photos, as opposed to photos taken by reviewer. --Ann Finley

[majorworks]

Your ink reviews have to be the most exhaustive treatments on the site. Thanks for taking all the time to dig into them so deeply!

 

As the the ink, I don't actually own a "red red" myself; the closest thing I have on hand to a red is Noodler's Cayenne. I'm having a hard time imagining a consistent need for a red ink (I'm not an accountant or teacher; I am an editor, though, but so little actual editing is done on paper anymore...).

 

If I were to look into a red, Parker Quink would be on my list. The only holdup for me is the absence of any water resistance whatsoever.

[FooWriter]

Oh my.

 

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/4489/jawdropra4.gif

[Journaleur]

I am so impressed by this review. I did not realize that one could provide such exhaustive coverage of an ink. Congratulations. I have been thinking about getting a red ink and wondering which might be the one I want. I am not an ink maven -- I have only five inks and use only three on a regular basis: Aurora Black, Aurora Blue, and Waterman Havana Brown. Your extensive review has me now wanting the Parker Quink Red. Thanks for the information and the guidance.

[spotted and speckled]

This is my all-time favorite red. Discontinued in the US, but still available across the pond.

 

Fabulous review!!!

[mollzo]

Well.... This is just.... mind-blowingly thorough!

 

- Your review has got to stand a chance at winning some kind of thoroughness-competition!

 

It's really great!!! Thanks a lot!

[Ed Ronax]

Great review, tested to the edge, I like it.

[mateo44]

I don't care about the ink -- that's the best review I've ever seen!

[Sandy1]

Your ink reviews have to be the most exhaustive treatments on the site. Thanks for taking all the time to dig into them so deeply!

 

As the the ink, I don't actually own a "red red" myself; the closest thing I have on hand to a red is Noodler's Cayenne. I'm having a hard time imagining a consistent need for a red ink (I'm not an accountant or teacher; I am an editor, though, but so little actual editing is done on paper anymore...).

 

If I were to look into a red, Parker Quink would be on my list. The only holdup for me is the absence of any water resistance whatsoever.

Hi,

 

You're welcome.

 

I too didn't own a 'Red Red' until RQR. I'd been quite happy with the Visconti & the MB Seasons Greetings inks, and I would mix my one one-off Reds from Magenta and Yellow inks - but I could never get the heat that PQR conveys. And somehow the Scrip offering just didn't quite do it for me. So here we are.

 

Best Regards,

Sandy1

[ToasterPastry]

I must top this review...somehow. I've got my creative people working on it now.

[Sandy1]

I must top this review...somehow. I've got my creative people working on it now.

OhOh - Someone else has OCD? :-)

I try really hard to convey as much info about an ink as possible - not losing sight of my primary goal of giving the reader a strong idea of how the ink may well perform in their pen/s on their paper/s. I don't like to contribute to the volume of ink that will not be used because the colour or performance or whatever did not suit the purchaser. Those are the inks I politely corral as 'For Mixing Only'. e.g. Lamy Green.

Also, I take into account some of the general concerns arising from Inky Thoughts OPs. For example, I've added a wee heading called 'Fidelity': So when I reviewed Diamine 'Indigo' - I posted a scan of cloth dyed with the same dye-stuff source and method used in ancient times - well before aniline dyes. ... Also, a jot about Mixing, which is of interest to me, and perhaps some other practitioners.

And a sense of humor too. Healthy yakka, but I like the notion of 'do some work - have some fun'.

Bye,

S1

[encremental]

Until we know the star sign of the mother-in-law of the person who but the ink into the bottle, I don't see how you can possibly call this a proper review

 

More seriously, I've never taken any real notice of Quink, and maybe I should - the red looks a more interesting colour than I would have expected, and cheap to boot. Thanks!

 

John

[sequin]

I have just removed what looks like mucoid matter from my newish bottle of red Quink ink. Yuck!!!!

[Sandy1]

Until we know the star sign of the mother-in-law of the person who but the ink into the bottle, I don't see how you can possibly call this a proper review

 

More seriously, I've never taken any real notice of Quink, and maybe I should - the red looks a more interesting colour than I would have expected, and cheap to boot. Thanks!

 

John

Many thanks for pointing-out such a glaring error of omission.

 

I have contacted, via Thuraya, Yemeni tribesmen (twin brothers in fact), and Mr Rava (a Hindu Seer) sequestered in the upper reaches of the Hindu Kush, to determine the information required to complete this pathetically flawed so-called 'review'. The bro's will be in France on the Mon morn flight from Q8. Mr Rava has no need to transport himself to travel, so remains sequestered, but 'channelling'.

 

S1

(dumb blonde)

[Sandy1]

I have just removed what looks like mucoid matter from my newish bottle of red Quink ink. Yuck!!!!

I suggest that you contact authorities before disposing of that: it is widely known the NZ has stringent laws against import of non-native life-forms which are vigorously enforced. I don't want to dob you in, but...

[Parker Quink Turquoise]

At present the only red ink I have used is Herbin Rouge Opera.Somtime ago I purchased two bottles of Parker Quink Red ink.Lookimg forward to having a chance to try it out.This review has made me want to give it a try even more.

[Sandy1]

Hello,

 

Due to concerns over bandwidth, images were deleted.

 

ByeBye,

S1

[SamCapote]

Hello,

 

Due to concerns over bandwidth, images were deleted.

 

ByeBye,

S1

 

Oh that's a shame. At least leave them as links? So much work you put in, don't let someone ruin your contribution to all the rest of us!!!

[cybaea]

Oh that's a shame. At least leave them as links? So much work you put in, don't let someone ruin your contribution to all the rest of us!!!

 

+1 and happy to host the images so they don't drain FPN bandwidth (though I suspect that is much less of an issue than back in 2010).

 

 

I got the last bottle of this now discontinued ink from my online retailer and I really like it. This one or Noodler's Fox.

[perfaddict]

My favourite red ink. Discontinued? Will have to stock up then. Its still available here.