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I am very happy with the qualities of my De Atramentis Document Black, which I keep loaded for writing checks and addressing envelopes and the like. It only has one flaw, which is that it is black, the world's most boring color of ink (medium blue being right behind it). What are some permanent inks which are well-behaved, safe to keep in a pen for a month, and are interesting colors?

In seeking out archival inks... and scouring various web sites and reading about all sorts of things I'm still left feeling a bit befuddled - as googling can often do to a person. I think the three main issues are: Waterproofness, light fastness (UV resistant), and ph neutrality. What I've realized is that a lot of fountain pen people seem really worried about these things as they relate to their pens. As in ruining their pens with the pigments in waterproof inks, worried about a highly basic or acidic ink ruining their pens. I'm not so concerned about that. I like my pens but more importantly I am concerned about the paper and how long the image will last on the paper. As an artist, I have always been taught to try and make everything archival, and I like the idea that generations from now our creations as a society are still around for others to learn about us etc. Also I think it would be cool if my family had drawings or art work that my great great great grandfather did or something, I would want to check them out. And so I would want my great great great grand kids to be able to see things that I did if they wanted to (which they may not lol). I was originally determined to only buy inks that fit this bill to make sure they were around as long as possible and so that I could paint and use mixed media / ink washes etc.. if I wanted to. So I have some waterproof inks that I'm happy with and can use for this but really I was thinking about it. They don't all need to be waterproof if I'm just drawing. What are the chances my sketchbooks and papers etc.. are going to be submerged in water? I guess my basement could flood - that's a slight concern. The UV resistance is definitely an issue as an image hung on the wall in a house is exposed to light. If in a shop window trying to sell your work, it is exposed to a serious amount of light. So that leaves the 'ph'. It seems that it is pretty important to know the ph of the ink because ink that is say below a ph of 6 and higher than 8, is going to be problematic long term (not for the pen - I don't care so much about the pen). But for the integrity of the image/ drawing/ words/ text etc... on the paper. Is this true ? Also regarding ph. Noodlers and J. Herbin advertise their inks as ph neutral (with some exceptions) but looking at individual ph testing done on this site by members, and on various other websites... It seems the results are inconsistent with the advertising and even with each other sometimes. Sometimes radically different from each other. Ex. Herbin's Bleu Myosotis is reported as ph neutral on their website. But other (well respected in the fountain pen world) independent testers report it at 2.31. There's lots of other differences between other independent testing as well. So, almost done, I figured I could be a bit lengthy in my question on a site dedicated to people who like to write - I assume they don't mind reading a bit either... So what's the deal! What's someone to do ? Who do you believe ? How important is the ph of an ink if you're writing, drawing etc.. on an 'acid free' paper already ? Any thoughts on the ph issue specifically, but feel free to respond to anything else I've mentioned I guess.

I have recently acquired a Karas Kustoms Ink with a fine palladium nib. The pen writes great and the fine line is excellent, but it is very very wet. Since I bought this pen to use as a versatile everyday pen in the physics lab, school, for journaling and every other writing need you can imagine, I don't really have much control over the paper I will be using it on. Therefore I need to find a black ink that is both dry and adaptable. I have already tried Pelikan Brilliant Black in it, but it still bleeds through on a lot of different kinds of paper. NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT PART AND THE HEART OF THE QUESTION: I have considered using Noodler's Bulletproof Black but it seems very polarising. Lots of people praise it as their most used ink but I have also seen many say that it leaves a residue that is very hard to wash out and over the long run, ends up clogging their pens. So I want to know once and for all is Noodler's Bulletproof Black safe enough that if I use it in my pen and practice good pen hygiene (say wash it every three fill or every three weeks or something like that) will it leave any residue? If so, are there other alternatives that still fit the bill but are safer? Thank you all in advance

Is it safe to carry a fountain pen in your pants pocket? I wear cargo pants and like to carry a pen and notebook in my cargo pocket, but I'm worried that the pen will leak. The pen's that I'd carry would either be the Platinum Preppy, or the Pilot 78G. I'm not using an eye dropper conversion, just using cartridges and converters. They seem pretty secure, but I'd hate to ruin a pair of pants.

Hello everyone! I'm new to the FP network (about 5 minutes ago) and am still learning the ropes of both the network and the fountain pen itself. I am a student in high school and just started using fountain pens this semester and am loving it. I own two Noodler's Ahabs and am looking to get something that will work better with cheap paper, as I cannot shell out money for Rodia, Clairefontaine and the like due to the fact that I take about 2-3 pages of notes a school day.I have been drawn to the TWSBI mini because of the modern design and because it seems to work well with cheap paper. Is this a good choice? If not what else? At the same time, I am looking for cheap paper that will bring out the best in my inks without feathering and such. Is Staplers Bagasse any good? And finally, if I do get the TWSBI mini, would Noodler's "Bad Blue Heron" be safe to use in it?

So i was curious which noodlers inks can be mixed with other brands. Just got a bottle of kon-peki (expensive!!!) And wanted to play with the color a bit. I tried mixing diamine poppy red with noodlers black. Worked well for a day then the next day it write just red... went to my vial i mixed them in and the inks had separated.... :-/ So anyone who knows.... can only non-bulletproof, non-baystate colors be mixed with other brands?!? Is it because of the chemical properties of those inks?! I have a whole lot of noodlers and it would be sad if i couldbt mix any of them and have them stay mixed. Is precipitate the right word for them separated?? I dont know all the words and abbreviations and acronyms for the inks like BBK for bad belted kingfisher everyone uses... Someone should have a thread of all the abbreviations for people that dont know.... Hint hint admins and moderators.... :-) Thabks in advance for the info!!

Hi folks, I've been looking at importing some of the organics studio inks. Small company, seems rather well regarded. Does anyone have any idea of the safety of this company's inks in vintage pens or with Pilot/Namiki feeds? Cheers, Badger

I presume that some of you have purchased from the Omas Society. I wondered if the method of using credit card but having to send a copy of both sides, is considered to be secure or safe. Please let me know your thoughts and/or experiences. (Note to Moderators: please move this to a more appropriate forum if necessary.)