Inky T O D - Do I Have Enough Ink To Last My Lifetime?

[spotted and speckled]

Got more ink in the mail yesterday, and I had to add another drawer to my ink storage space. Was trying to decide if I had enough ink to last me the rest of my life, and started doing some calculations based on how long a bottle would last.

 

How about you? How long does a bottle last you? How long would your stash last you?

[Randal6393]

Less time than my knitting yarn stash.

 

Enjoy,

[Davros]

Just writing? I calculated this just before my latest haul, with what I usually go through, and it's somewhere in the realm of 16-20 years.

That's not quite accurate, given that some inks I have are used only for grading or markup, not writing (which is the majority of my ink use). And I do way more sketching with neutral/earth tones. So if I were to cease buying, I might just have a cache of orange and bright pink inks left around year 12. Also, I tend to do a fair amount of giving inks away and am doing more art and using broader nibs these days, so the estimate is a little high, but I definitely have multiple years' worth.

Full disclosure: I have somewhere in the realm of 8-9 liters, although it's hard to track the exact amount.

[Quantum]

I have been using fountain pens since April or May of this year and have yet to finish a bottle of ink. I tend to fill up composition books pretty quickly too. The only thing I can say that might keep mine from being used to fast is that I only tend to use F or EF nibs.

[mirosc]

30-40ml per month.

 

on a side note: especially my PR supply is dwindling without being used. I was astonished to see how much a full bottle has lost while sitting in the shelf...

[SujiCorp12345]

My oldest ink that I use frequently, Kon-peki, which is about 7 months old now, doesn't even have a tenth missing yet, so I think it's safe to say that it'll last a while.

[Runnin_Ute]

I easily have something north of 700 ml, so it is going to take a while to finish off all of it. Some inks aren't daily writers in my book.Those will take longer.

[amberleadavis]

Well, here are some other answers..

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/266002-inky-t-o-d-how-much-ink-do-you-really-use/

[amberleadavis]

Since the question of how much ink you use (prior post) is tied up in the decision to know if you have enough to last, I guess you need to now both. I was contimplating this question my self today. I have more than 100 bottles and I've given away that many as well. I'm fairly young for this crowd and I plan on using my pens and inks for 5 more decades. Based on my consumption patterns, I will need to continue buying ink.

[ac12]

I don't know about "lifetime," but I have YEARS worth of ink in my stash, and I have no doubt that I will buy more to add to the stash, as I find more inks that I like.

[amberleadavis]

Some inks aren't worth finishing.

[ac12]

 

Some inks aren't worth finishing.

 

I've run into a couple of those too

[alarickc]

I have 38 years worth after a year of collecting. I think that means when you account for momentum of accumulation I have several effective lifetimes if I continue to collect ink for a least another five years.

[inkstainedruth]

My husband thinks I have enough of an ink stash to last *two* lifetimes....

Especially given that in about 3-1/2 years I still haven't finished my original bottle of Quink Black. And I've bought a LOT of inks since then.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[SeeksAdvice]

Not if mold gets it.

Even without mold, can burn through a surprising amount of ink.

[amberleadavis]

30-40ml per month.

 

on a side note: especially my PR supply is dwindling without being used. I was astonished to see how much a full bottle has lost while sitting in the shelf...

 

We need to increase your ink usage. May I recommend coloring and doodling? It's very theraputic.

[Morwen]

Very likely . It's been more than a year since I got into fountain pens and I haven't finished a bottle, but then, I change ink frequently so I have used a little bit from many bottles. Still, I am sure it does not amount to a full bottle, and I have many bottles (stopped counting after 60, I think should be around 80 by now, maybe more). So... It is possible that I am not able to use it up during my lifetime. Doesn't stop me from getting more though - who says I have to finish them? They might end up on the vintage market after I am gone, who knows .

 

ETA Just counted. 79 bottles. And I am still waiting for my Stormy grey, my bottle of Organic Studio Vanadium, and 2 iro inks. Although I am beginning to think all but the stormy grey are lost in transit, they are taking way too long... And in the past I have thrown away some ink that I really did not like (Like Namiki Blue, lovely ink but the smell, oh my, that stench!).

Edited October 28, 2014 by Morwen

[77kath]

I hope to have enough to finish using all my paper.

[Notgatherox]

I have more than enough for years to come

 

Which is why I'm giving away inks now XD

 

Out goes the old, in comes the new!

 

 

 

~Epic

[Arkanabar]

Because I lose ink to evaporation, or regard some inks as too saturated or slow-drying, and add water to them, nearly every bottle I've ever had is nearly full. That includes the 3oz bottle of Noodler's Red-Black I've used as my workhorse for years. Right now, it's only down to the bottom of the threads.