Lubricating ink

[holgalee]

Dear ink gurus, how can I tell if an ink is lubricating? Does it mean the same as wet? Must I use the driest nib that I have?

[mrphyig]

Hi, Holgalee. My impression is that "wetness" in an ink has to do with its surface tension: the lower the surface tension, the more ink will flow from the pen as you use it and you'll wind up with a more saturated, less dramatically-shaded line. Lubricity has to do with how easily the pen glides across the paper as a result of the ink---I think this is sometimes called "greasiness," particularly with reference to inks like Aurora Black. A wetter ink may result in greater lubrication because there's more ink for the nib to glide on (I think), but lubricity is also a chemical property and inks can be slippery without being especially gooshy.

 

THEN, there's Noodler's Eel line of lubricating inks which are formulated to grease the internals of piston pens and have less to do with the writing experience itself (though here my expertise ends so someone better should weigh in).

 

Hope this helps!

[Mr_Dirt]

It's kind of like the difference between rubbing a finger moisten with water over a surface and using lotion instead. Not that ink is anything like lotion.

 

Although an ink maybe "Wet" it may not necessarily be lubricated. By no means do I claim to be an "Ink Guru". I just know from what I've experienced. I have found that Private Reserve inks seem to be a bit watery. Like mrphyig says "Wet" is more saturated. Noodler's is more lubricated. An from what I've heard J.Herbin is lubricated too, I'll know more as soon as it arrives.

 

Even within the same brand different colors maybe more lubricated than others. Noodler's Bulletproof Black seems to be a nice smooth writing ink. Their USS Lexington Grey is not as lubricated.

 

Maybe some of the others would chime in on this one?

Edited May 4, 2010 by Mr_Dirt

[mrphyig]

Must I use the driest nib that I have?

 

Oops, I just saw the second part of your question. I think there aren't many "musts" about fountain pen use; if you have a nib that you find "too dry," wet ink may help it write in such a way as it pleases you more (and conversely, dry inks may be a better solution than exile for pens that gush more ink than your tastes or paper can accommodate). Lubricating inks are especially good if a nib is scratchier ("toothier") than you'd like, but there also seems to be a good number of folks here who prefer some sense of friction to a completely glassy experience. When sensible friction is viewed positively, it's talked about as "feedback."

 

My main point is that these are all variables to be explored as you figure out your optimal writing experience. Don't let them become prescriptive, oi.

[lapis]

"Wet" is more saturated. Noodler's is more lubricated. An from what I've heard J.Herbin is lubricated too...

Wet is not more saturated but more lubricated, although lubrication does have more to do with a wettening/greasing of the insides of a pen, especially the piston.

Wetness itself is the ease with which the ink oozes out of the nib due to a reduction of its capillary craft.

Saturated inks are like Noodlers, partly PRs, also Auroras, especially Viscontis. You can also say saturation = concentration of ink solutes (dyes etc) in the solvent (mostly water). The more saturated an ink is, the more likely you may see a precipitation of those solutes some day at the bottom of their unshaken bottle.

Many Noodlers, PRs and other inks as well are -- basically due to that concentratedness -- not all that wet. Many MBs and Lamys, above all their iron galls, are quite dry and neither "glide" through the pen nor over the paper. Leaving the cap off a pen filled with these but not writing with it for 5-10 minutes often ends up with a slight skipping (slow starting) on paper. Herbins are usually much wetter because they are less concentrated. Sometimes they are so unconcentrated that they almost look "watery".

 

Mike