Parker Quink Blue-Black : Old vs. New

[Ursus]

The new one does not look blue-black but rather dusty blue.

- It reminds me: A Chinese who once asked me for some black ink lectured me about how black Quink is not black at all, but blackish blue (and refused to use it on that account).

 

I am, by the way, glad to hear that I am not the only one who sniffs old Quink bottles! (That's how all ink should smell!)

[whych]

Here is a scan of the new and old Quink Blue Black. The bottom/last line was written and scanned before the ink reacted with the paper.

The new formula starts out dark blue black and then changes to the teal.

The old formula stays the same and is also more water resistant.

The unlined paper is cheap copy paper.

 

[Ursus]

Very interesting! How do they differ when placed for a longer time in the sun? (I hope that it is not too much to expect some kind of advantage with the new ink...)

[whych]

Very interesting! How do they differ when placed for a longer time in the sun? (I hope that it is not too much to expect some kind of advantage with the new ink...)

Wrong season to try and very little sun here at the moment.

I'll wait for closer to summer when we get some more sun and do this for you.

[Ursus]

Thanks. The amount of day light in Denmark is also far from impressive at the moment. At least we can write all kinds of things with no fear that they might fade away to soon...

Edited January 1, 2014 by Ursus

[dcwaites]

I can't believe I didn't respond to this review at the time. I grew up on Parker Quink Blue-Black with Solv-X. It's what my mother used in her Parker 51, and when I went to boarding school, that's what I used (in my 3 shilling Dragon 666 Parker 51 clone). In six years of high school, I never did clean out the pen, relying on the Solv-X to do what it said it would do.

 

A few years back I was able to get 5 bottles of '80s Blue-Black with Solv-X for $12. I use that ink to get troublesome pens going. I find that a few days writing with the Blue-Black soon gets most pens up and running. Those that don't usually have a physical blockage somewhere.

 

And, like whych, I have also noted that the new Blue-Black fades to teal on certain badly-made paper.

[Ursus]

It really makes you wonder why they changed their formula...

[whych]

 

 

And, like whych, I have also noted that the new Blue-Black fades to teal on certain badly-made paper

The paper doesn't seem to make that much difference. It changes to teal on all papers I have used so far.

 

 

It really makes you wonder why they changed their formula...

Seems like with most things ink, the reason they give is that 'it contains some harmful ingredient'

Strange though that all these companies made ink for years without a change and then suddenly one of the ingredients is harmful, so they have to change it.

Makes you wonder whether this is just an excuse because the original formula was more expensive to make than the old one.

[Ursus]

Seems like with most things ink, the reason they give is that 'it contains some harmful ingredient'

Strange though that all these companies made ink for years without a change and then suddenly one of the ingredients is harmful, so they have to change it.

Diets work the same way. Some of the things that were said to be healthy in my childhood were later found to be harmful... Besides, if the ink smells too good (or the food tastes good), it might be harmful

[lapis]

Diets work the same way. Some of the things that were said to be healthy in my childhood were later found to be harmful... Besides, if the ink smells too good (or the food tastes good), it might be harmful

I'll buy that! One of my credos is that if the ink smells "bad" (as other members here often say) then I'll like it for sure. Phenol in inks is IYAM a good thing. There, especially, I see no harm!

 

Mike

[Ursus]

 

I'll buy that! One of my credos is that if the ink smells "bad" (as other members here often say) then I'll like it for sure. Phenol in inks is IYAM a good thing. There, especially, I see no harm!

I have, pardon the subject, many years ago seen people kept in phenol for far more than a 100 years and they still looked superb. (You just have to love medical school, right?) They say that it is pure poison but, who knows, perhaps they are only afraid that we will last forever...

[Grafeus]

Just the other day I found an old cart of Parker Quink Blue-Black in my paternal home. It must have been languishing in the back of the drawer of my old desk for close to twenty years (maybe more?). The cart was half-full, apparently some of the content had evaporated and/or dried but in use the ink is just fine. With these caveats in place, as well as a warning that the light balance of the photo could not be tweaked to capture with exact precision the color hues (Quink new and Waterman are duskier and a smidgen less turquoise than they appear in the photo), here is a sample of the old vs new Quink Blue-Black. (I've added a line with Waterman Blue-Black, which unsurprisingly is strikingly similar (identical?) with the new Quink Blue-Black.) For what it's worth, like they say.

 

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp97/telenous/IMG_6872blueblacktest_zpstoixsnte.jpg

[Sandy1]

Just the other day I found an old cart of Parker Quink Blue-Black in my paternal home. It must have been languishing in the back of the drawer of my old desk for close to twenty years (maybe more?). The cart was half-full, apparently some of the content had evaporated and/or dried but in use the ink is just fine. With these caveats in place, as well as a warning that the light balance of the photo could not be tweaked to capture with exact precision the color hues (Quink new and Waterman are duskier and a smidgen less turquoise than they appear in the photo), here is a sample of the old vs new Quink Blue-Black. (I've added a line with Waterman Blue-Black, which unsurprisingly is strikingly similar (identical?) with the new Quink Blue-Black.) For what it's worth, like they say.

 

<snip>

 

Hi,

 

Many thanks for sharing your experience with ye olde ink in a cartridge, and the comparo with the current PQBlBk and the Waterman BlBk (now Mysterious Blue.)

 

It is good to know that the ink in the cartridge remains sound and very usable — even after 20yr.

 

Bye,

S1

[Grafeus]

 

Hi,

 

Many thanks for sharing your experience with ye olde ink in a cartridge, and the comparo with the current PQBlBk and the Waterman BlBk (now Mysterious Blue.)

 

It is good to know that the ink in the cartridge remains sound and very usable — even after 20yr.

 

Bye,

S1

 

Pleasure. This place is a treasure trove of information, it's nice to be able to add something back.

 

Addendum: Following a suggestion I found here in FPN, I got hold of a bottle of Parker Quink Red and I've added a smidgen to a couple of pens filled with Quink Blue Black and Waterman Blue Black. Sure enough the ink turned a shade or two darker, much closer to, say, older version of Parker Quink Blue Black. It's a nice trick, it's like having two inks (which of course you do anyway ), one lighter and one darker. That said, this is a no-go if you are absolutely hellbent not to have red ink, however little, in your pen.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Grafeus