Noodler's Pasternak

[Sandy1]

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Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/8c1f9159.jpg

 

Figure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

IMG-thumb:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_475c0d09.jpg

Pens: L ➠ R: PCP, Prera, Moore, Carene, 45, M200.

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

Ruling: 8mm.

Pen use by cell:

A | B

C | D

E | F

Figure 3.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/a4c40db3.jpg

 

Figure 4.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/c40790c0.jpg

 

Figure 5.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/876133ae.jpg

 

Figure 6.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/91cac929.jpg

 

Figure 7.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi-use

Pen: Carene

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/d1fd8e20.jpg

 

Figure 8.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/a4454c30.jpg

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 9.

Smear/Dry Times.

Wet Tests. ☂

Pen: Carene.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/5ed2b199.jpg

 

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• Cellulose-reactive fountain pen ink.

Presentation:

• Bottle.

Availability:

• Available when Topic posted.

Daily writer?

• Rather unlikely.

A go-to ink?

• When a robust Medium Purple ink is mandated.

USE

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• The colour is such that I would not use this ink for general correspondence.
• For personal work product, Pasternak can be a bit too vibrant for extensive page-upon-page writing / reading.
• Perhaps best used as an alternative / auxiliary ink for annotation, especially if colours are coded / assigned to function, activity, person, process, etc.
• Use as a daily writer ink seems to require matching to a wet pen, and limited by one's ability to overlook iffy line quality.
• A contender for mark-up or editing dark-toned text, and graphics done-up in primary colours.
• Not enough zap for error correction / grading of assignments.

Illustrations / Graphics:

• Certainly invites all manner of pen and brush, but can stumble badly.
• Useful for smallish secondary figures; and could do well as a space-defining ground especially if well diluted.
• May also see service as a transitional colour.
• Line quality is extremely dependent on pen+paper, and can be *BLEEP* unpredictable. Consequently, Pasternak should be carefully sampled before committing to its use, especially for anything requiring narrow lines - even crosshatching.

Students:

• As for Business use, Pasternak may be a suitable alt/aux ink.
• Use for mark-up of dark-printed text seems OK.
  
• Being robust, it may be useful in environments where there is risk exposure to aggressive fluids.
• Bleed- show-through may prevent using both sides of 'lowest-bidder' copy paper.
• Not suited to stop-start note taking, unless one doesn't mind un/capping the pen.
• Give it a by for hand-written assignments.

Personal:

• This ink came to me as a generous fresh well shaken sample from a friend who purchased it for use in her painting & drawing. It is not one that I chose for my own use or out of curiosity. (My bottle of PR Tanzanite lounges in the Mixing Corral.)
• My initial impression from the swabs was one of languid interest - how to best use this stuff?
• As ever, my sooo predictable first choice was to run it at rather high density from a narrow nib, which tends to suppress the colour.
• That initial foray revealed the unpredictable line quality, which I find ever so irritating. Also, its unreliable flow did nothing to win me over. So here we are again: quite wet pens delivered an appealing result, but at the cost of unacceptable line quality. The envelope for acceptable performance is quite small. Bah!
• Sampling before use is highly recommended, so make a date to run this ink through a few pens onto papers likely to be used.
• This is an 'on purpose' ink - not one that I would choose on a whim. As such, Pasternak is not suited for casual carry, nor as a default ink, where paper cannot be predetermined.
• For pro forma personal business writing, I would use-up the Diamine Indigo instead. (60ml to go.)
• If I were to receive personal correspondence written with this ink, I would set aside some quiet time to read the letter.
• At this point, I prefer Pasternak from rather narrow nibs of at least 'normal' wetness. I think this is one that will see a bit of time in my few pens with narrow Italics, and the older pens whose nibs have a bit more character than a firm mono-line. *adds the Waterman 72 to the queue*
• Billets doux? Seems awkward.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• Dry.
• Unpredictable.

Nib Dry-out: *

• Not whilst writing.
• Left uncapped for ten minutes, the M200 started after 50mm of virga.
  

Start-up: *

• Iffy.
• When unused for sixteen hours, pens needed to be awakened with some loops & squiggles, and encouraging words.
• In use, there was low confidence at the first stroke, hence a temptation to nudge the nib prior to writing.

Lubrication:

• Quite alright.

Nib Creep:

• Beyond the pale. *
• Pens were downright embarrassed.
  
• The Ink Putti were overwhelmed.

Staining (pen):

• Not seen after three days.

Clogging:

• Not seen.
• Seems possible.

Bleed- Show-Through:

• HPJ1124: Moore.
• Royal: Prera, Carene, M200.
• Staples: Carene.
• Pulp: PCP.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Unpredictable.
• Can be nasty.

Aroma:

• Sharp.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not evident.

Cleansing:

• A bit faster than normal with plain water from freshly-used pens.
• Pens & paraphernalia used with Noodler's cellulose-reactive inks should be subject to a rigourous cleansing both before and after use.
• Some practitioners may choose to avoid pens that are slow / tedious to clean. e.g. Vacumatics, Snorkels.
• Caps & barrels should be included; and pens disassembled to the extent of one's ability to reassemble them, and within reason. e.g. Nibs removed from feeds on Safaris, Parker 45 & 75s.
  
• Use of a bit of detergent or surfacant in a solution of 10% unscented household ammonia, or a commercial pen cleaning solution may be considered, especially if the ink has lingered unused.

Mixing:

• Possible, but supposedly restricted to other Noodler's cellulose-reactive inks.
• Mixing any cellulose-reactive ink requires enhanced vigilance.

Archival:

• Claimed.

Smear/Dry Times & Water Resistance:

• As shown in Figure 9 above.
  • HPJ1124: 10 - 15 seconds
  • Rhodia: <5 seconds
  • Staples 20 lb: 5 - 15 seconds

  [*]However, the S/DT seems unpredictable: from the Moore, wet ink lingered for at least five seconds on the unlined Rhodia. YMMV.

* Use of a pen with a hooded nib may be considered as a [partial] work-around.

 

Note:

It is my practice to give Noodler's cellulose-reactive ink an almighty shaking prior to use, then wait a tick for the bubbles & froth to dissipate before charging the pen.

 

THE LOOK

 

Nota Bene:

Some Noodler's cellulose-reactive inks have a unique appearance on the page that I cannot capture in a scan. Other practitioners described that as 'chalky' or 'paint-like'. On some papers, the surface is visually altered where the ink bonds with the cellulose - it is not simply dyed. Pasternak is not as extreme as Legal Lapis, Polar Blue or Lexington Gray in this regard. Other than using narrow nibs, I have not found a happy work-around.

Alas, Pasternak is without lustre.

 

Presence:

• Intriguing.
• Draws one in, but not too close.
• Something lost in translation.

Saturation:

• Low.

Shading:

• Possible, but seems to need wide wet nibs on smooth paper.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used: †
  • High.
  • The apparent colour may change according to density. Compare the Carene on Rhodia to the M200 on Royal; a shift from a wine-ish Purple to a near-Pink is seen. (The scanner's densitometer feature confirmed the sole difference was density.)

  [*]Papers used:

  • A bit greater than expected.

  [*]Malleability:

  • Limited.
  • Poor flow and dryness may cause one to reach for wet pens, but when run from wet pens, the line quality drops and bleed- show-through increases.

† The Noodler's site suggests pens whose nibs allow a sliver of light to pass between the tines. http://noodlersink.com/adjusting-nibs/

As ever, I do not cherry pick pens that run well with a given ink+paper combo for these Reviews. If there are unacceptable results, then those are examples of the limits of a pen+paper combo for an ink.

 

 

Hi-Res Scans:

Originals are 60x30mm.

 

As I do not wish the sobriquet 'Queen of The Bandwidth Bandits', these are IMG-thumbs.

 

PCP on HPJ1124

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_4335c39e.jpg

 

Moore on Rhodia

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_8c2c3f8f.jpg

 

Carene on G Lalo

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_136b2dde.jpg

 

M200 on Royal

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_3b52c7ec.jpg

 

 

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Not in the least.

See also Wiki Purple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple

 

OTHER INKS

 

I have but few Purple inks on my shelves, and Pasternak is the first of those that I have reviewed. If other Purple inks are reviewed, I will make an effort to use some of the same pens & papers to support on-the-level comparison.

 

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• Those that can suppress feathering, woolly lines and bleed- show-through.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• Those that cannot suppress feathering, woolly lines and bleed- show-through.

Tinted Papers:

• Pasternak should be able to handle Powder Blue, and warm tints up to Ivory.
• I would avoid Creme, and any Buff or Brown tints.

Pre-Printed Papers:

• Forms, etc.
  • If one is familiar with the performance of the paper used, has a suitable pen, and needs a robust enduring ink, then Pasternak will do nicely. e.g. Dedicated use on forms, logs, etc.
  • Good for making emphasised entries when warning colours seem inappropriate or are reserved use.

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • Unlikely - due to unpredictable performance.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Likely.
• Should be able to suppress bleed- show-through, feathering and woolly lines when running at higher densities, and when shading is desired.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• Ha!

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• The Moore on the Rhodia.
• The pen delivers a line that varies in width and density, giving some counterbalance to the vibrant colour, and allows the density range of the ink to be displayed. The nib is sufficiently narrow to allow the ink good breathing room with modest %-age coverage.
• Though I didn't quite like the warm base-tint of the Rhodia, it was able to deliver acceptable line quality in support of the nib-generated variable line and density, and suppress bleed- show-through.

Yickity Yackity:

• While I am certainly not best pleased at the ink's limitations, it will see use when a robust ink is required that is not Blue or Blue-Black. (How could I have ever been without it?)
• Ah kushbaby, would you let this one slide on by?

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

 

Pens:

IMG-thumb:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Noodlers%20Pasternak/th_d123821f.jpg

 

A. Platinum Carbon Pen + g-p steel über narrow nib. †

B. Pilot Prera + steel M nib.

C. Moore + Maniflex Life gold alloy nib.

D. Waterman Carene + 18K M nib.

E. Parker 45 + steel B nib.

F. Pelikan M200 + Binderised g-p steel 1.0 Stub. ‡

 

Lines & labels: Visconti Green from a Pilot Penmanship + EF.

 

† This pen is designed for pairing with Platinum Carbon particle inks; it has enhanced flow properties.

‡ A hand-ground stock nib from richardpens. (OoooooooooooooLaLa!!)

______

 

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Staples 20 lb. multi-use.
• Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scanner output files were not adjusted post-capture, so went straight to the file sharing thingy.

______

 

Densitometer Readings:

(HPJ1124)

• Red 166
• Grn 127
• Blu 213
• Lum 145

______

 

Fine Print

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff I used, and that you may have.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

 

-30-

Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Noodlers Pasternak Eternal Waterproof Russian Purple Violet Sandy1

Edited January 16, 2012 by Sandy1

[Uncle Red]

Thanks for the great review Sandy, this one really is outside your usual color profile.

[Korybas]

Sandy1, I extend my thanks for an excellent review!

[Ad_Astra]

An absolutely amazing review as usual; many thanks.

 

Seems like you'd put this ink into the realm of 'casual and needs the right pen'?

[Fabienne]

I can't think of anything you have not thought of. Excellent review.

[The Royal Pen]

It seems chalky to some extent. But it's still a nice shade.

[Sandy1]

Thanks for the great review Sandy, this one really is outside your usual color profile.

Hi,

 

You're welcome.

 

This ink was a gift. Perhaps a spur of the moment sort of thing. And definitely outside my usual area of interest - especially when the stuff went near-Pink! I reached for my pot of ESSRI to set things right!!

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Sandy1, I extend my thanks for an excellent review!

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Bye,

S1

[Toolattack]

Thank you for another great review.

I really like this colour, but I'm not sure what I'd use it for at the moment!

[Sandy1]

An absolutely amazing review as usual; many thanks.

 

Seems like you'd put this ink into the realm of 'casual and needs the right pen'?

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I think that one would choose this ink with a purpose in mind, and have worked-out the pen+paper combo in advance in order to achieve the desired result.

Even something like addressing an envelope would see me testing with a 'normal' pen to ensure the result would be OK.

And for things where there's only one shot - like writing within a greeting card - I would choose a more predictable ink.

 

Bye,

S1

[fiberdrunk]

Thanks for the review! I was hoping someone would. This looks a lot more purple than I was expecting... in fact, it looks (on my monitor) a lot like Noodler's Lermontov. I'm delighted at how purple it is.

[Sandy1]

It seems chalky to some extent. But it's still a nice shade.

Hi,

 

I didn't think the chalky aspect would be apparent on one's monitor!

 

Nor do I mind the colour - if it would settle down just a tad to avoid Pink.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Thank you for another great review.

I really like this colour, but I'm not sure what I'd use it for at the moment!

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

The colour is fine. But I still cannot find a likely use - rather like an answer looking for a question.

 

I think that it may be an ink that I'll use more than half on trials to find a truly acceptable pen+paper combo. (?)

 

I must check with Sophie to see how Pasternak suits her painting & drawing,

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Thanks for the review! I was hoping someone would. This looks a lot more purple than I was expecting... in fact, it looks (on my monitor) a lot like Noodler's Lermontov. I'm delighted at how purple it is.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I really didn't know what to expect from this ink, so perhaps we're both a bit wide-eyed at the results.

 

I think that at the higher densities it will give a Purple, but the Pink shift at low density was unwelcome. Its one thing to have a bit of colour shift when an ink generates shading, (e.g. rikyu-cha), but as Pasternak is without lustre, what might have been a flash is reduced to a flicker.

 

Bye,

S1

[asdf]

Sandy1,

 

Many thanks, as ever, for another very thorough and informative review.

 

Out of curiosity, do you review every ink in your collection, or is there some process or set of criteria you use to select the inks to be reviewed?

 

-- asdf

[Scriptorium Pens]

Beautiful color - it looks just like the Oxalis flowers all over our backyard. Got to have this one!

 

And thanks, Sandy, for your amazing reviews, as always.

 

-- Tortoise

[Sandy1]

Sandy1,

 

Many thanks, as ever, for another very thorough and informative review.

 

Out of curiosity, do you review every ink in your collection, or is there some process or set of criteria you use to select the inks to be reviewed?

 

-- asdf

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I have not nearly reviewed every ink in my collection.

 

There is some sense of a sequence or grouping - 'order out of chaos' and all that. So when I did the One Of The Ten series of Blue ink reviews, I chose ten fairly common well-regarded inks to represent what I called 'keystone' Blue inks. I continue to add more Reviews of Blue inks - a summary of those (11 2 20) is planned in the coming three weeks or so. Likewise the group of Blue-Black inks, and the OOTE series of Brown inks, and the Reviews of the Pilot iroshizuku inks, and the Reviews of warm Red-centric inks (3S and spin-offs); and there's the new inks that come along which catch my eye or I stumble upon, such as ESSRI. There are a few which I've acquired and reviewed on the basis of perceived need, (aka curiosity), and the ones which were gifted, like Lamy BlBk & Pasternak, and the ones I juggle in the queue to make relevant timely comparisons . . .

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Beautiful color - it looks just like the Oxalis flowers all over our backyard. Got to have this one!

 

And thanks, Sandy, for your amazing reviews, as always.

 

-- Tortoise

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I'm glad you found a compelling ink!

 

Please let us know of your experience with Pasternak, especially as it has a low presence here.

 

Bye,

S1

[Alexandra]

On my monitor it looks like Violet Vote, unlike which it sounds a bit fussy.

[Sandy1]

On my monitor it looks like Violet Vote, unlike which it sounds a bit fussy.

Hi,

 

I like your description of Pasternak as being 'a bit fussy'.

 

Though I would have used a somewhat stronger term that encompasses making a fair number of samples and cleansing a dozen pens.

 

At this time I do not have Noodler's Violet Vote - I understand that ink has a dedicated following.

 

Bye,

S1