Does Ellis Island Blue actually have any blue?

[markh]

I just opened my first bottle of this, and tried it out the way I normally test out new inks - using a dip pen and high-grade white paper (Starwhite Vicksburg).

 

I write the name of the ink, and "smear" the ink, using the back of the dip nib. This gives ink with varying levels of coverage on the paper, from thick to vanishingly thin - IMO this is the best way for me to understand what colors are in the ink.

 

I would describe Ellis Island Blue as a black ink, with some limited undertones of greenish-gray. If I try hard enough, I can squint and maybe see some limited evidence of a blue tone, but if the ink name on the bottle didn't have the word "blue" I don't think I really would notice it.

 

Is this the correct ink? Did I get a bad or mislabeled bottle??

 

thnx,

Edited February 1, 2008 by markh

[islandlife]

I received a bottle of this ink two weeks ago and also expected to see some blue. My experience with this ink is just as you described. However, it is a black that does appear to have a vintage quality.

 

 

 

[savarez]

Ellis-Island is one of those ones that you have to shake like a madman and let it sit a minutes or two before filling then pen. Otherwise it just looks black.

[Titivillus]

Ellis-Island is one of those ones that you have to shake like a madman and let it sit a minutes or two before filling then pen. Otherwise it just looks black.

 

Oh for God's sake! I would have to buy another Noodler's ink that you have to shake

 

I mean why the heck do particular Noodler's colors need to be shaken? what chemicals are in there and what will they do to my pen?

 

 

Kurt

Edited February 1, 2008 by Tytyvyllus

[Shangas]

From what I've seen, the Ellis Island ink is supposed to look blue-black or a sort of dark purpley colour.

 

And perhaps someone will answer this for me - Where does the name for the ink "Ellis Island" come from? I know Ellis Island was a famous immigration checkpoint to the USA, but how does this location lend it's name to the INK?

[Titivillus]

From what I've seen, the Ellis Island ink is supposed to look blue-black or a sort of dark purpley colour.

 

And perhaps someone will answer this for me - Where does the name for the ink "Ellis Island" come from? I know Ellis Island was a famous immigration checkpoint to the USA, but how does this location lend it's name to the INK?

 

 

To quote the box "the final signature that made them Americans". As well the ink is suppose to mimic the color of the gov't issue blue-black ink used on Ellis Island.

 

Kurt

 

(And a second check in my pen shows a great blue/black- sort of like what MB eventually becomes)

 

 

 

[Eternally Noodling]

From what I've seen, the Ellis Island ink is supposed to look blue-black or a sort of dark purpley colour.

 

And perhaps someone will answer this for me - Where does the name for the ink "Ellis Island" come from? I know Ellis Island was a famous immigration checkpoint to the USA, but how does this location lend it's name to the INK?

 

 

To quote the box "the final signature that made them Americans". As well the ink is suppose to mimic the color of the gov't issue blue-black ink used on Ellis Island.

 

Kurt

 

(And a second check in my pen shows a great blue/black- sort of like what MB eventually becomes)

 

 

Exactly...right on the label - and the blue shows if one places a sample of the ink upon wet tissue or filter paper. ;-)

[captnemo]

Yeah. In doing genealogical research I've looked at a lot of stuff written in the 20's and 30's with FP and there is a certain look and certain color, and when I saw Ellis Island there it was. Yeah, Ellis is at the top of my ink list right now. Thanks Nathan!

 

And to the OP, I saw your post right away and was going to suggest shaking the bottle. I've learned now that Red Black and Fox Red definitely need shaking before loading the pen. Now I shake all of them.

[Titivillus]

Exactly...right on the label - and the blue shows if one places a sample of the ink upon wet tissue or filter paper. ;-)

 

I can vouch for that as the tissue I used to clean off the section has a blue edging to it.

 

Kurt

 

[succubus]

My Ellis Island definitely comes out as blue-black. I've written letters with Old Manhattan Black and switched to Ellis Island midway through - there is a noticeable difference. It's a lovely color.

 

I just flipped through a journal, and it's perfectly clear which items are in Ellis Island as opposed to OMB or Zhivago.

 

I don't shake unduly. I just shake the bottle 2 or three quick downstrokes before opening. But I do that will all of my inks.

[Video11]

Should get my bottle of Ellis Island tomorrow at our Pen Club meeting. Looking forward to it.

 

Rick

[PenTieRun]

I've noticed that the blue and green hues of this ink vary dramatically based on the paper one writes on. I'm usually writing on various kinds of standard 20# photocopy paper or lined notebook paper, nothing fancy. I love this ink and love the fact that I'll never quite know how it will look on the page. If you compare a sample of it next to any black ink, you should see a notable difference.

 

 

[savarez]

I mean why the heck do particular Noodler's colors need to be shaken? what chemicals are in there and what will they do to my pen?

 

Well, Kurt, I can say with some certainty that Ellis Island did not stain the barrel of my light-blue Lamy LE with the cute red clip. :-) EI is probably my favorite BB at the moment, and I'll be ordering another bottle next time I order from FPH.

 

Aside: I put a couple of drops of Tryphon Ink-Safe in my bottle of EI. I find that it significantly improved the flow properties of this ink in the pens I use it in.

 

[MikeW]

After opening my bottle of Ellis Island, I was quite surprised at the apparent lack of blue (despite shaking it a few times before filling my pen). I have also experienced the flow problems noted - I filled an Omas Ogiva demonstrator piston filler with an Italic broad ink (not many wetter writers around, imho) and it would not start after leaving it for one day, and the next, and the next... I have some of the Tryphon inksafe so I will try that and report back.

[Titivillus]

I mean why the heck do particular Noodler's colors need to be shaken? what chemicals are in there and what will they do to my pen?

 

Well, Kurt, I can say with some certainty that Ellis Island did not stain the barrel of my light-blue Lamy LE with the cute red clip. :-) EI is probably my favorite BB at the moment, and I'll be ordering another bottle next time I order from FPH.

 

 

Yes it doesn't effect what you can see :ltcapd:

 

Actually I'm doing a comparison of several not quite black Noodler inks for a snailer now. Maybe I'll scan it in as a review as well.

 

Kurt

 

[savarez]

Yes it doesn't effect what you can see :ltcapd:

 

By gods you're right! I forgot to check UV! :roflmho:

 

Actually I'm doing a comparison of several not quite black Noodler inks for a snailer now. Maybe I'll scan it in as a review as well.

 

That would be very useful, and I look forward to seeing it! I've really like many of the Noodler's "not-quite-black" blends: Zhivago, Legal Lapis, Ellis Island, El Lawrence.... I'm intrigued the subtle shadings and undertones that you get with these.

 

[MikeW]

Well, shaking the bottle helps as does the ink-safe. Still very tough to pick out the blue - I showed it to a number of people at my pen club meeting this morning and they thought it was black; surprised that it was bb.

[Garageboy]

It behaved pretty well in my tester Lamy Safari and my Pelikan 200. Looks like a very dark US Sheaffer Blue Black sample left out

[Video11]

Well, I have found that the blue in the Ellis Island can be difficult to see. I like the colour, it's not quite black but I don't see much blue. Difficult to describe so perhaps this scan of a page I wrote with several of Noodler's dark coloured inks will help.

 

Rick

[Viseguy]

...perhaps this scan of a page I wrote with several of Noodler's dark coloured inks will help.

Nice scan, Rick. Captures the subtle differences well.