Sheaffer Skrip Blue - Slovenia Production

[Sandy1]

COMPARISONS_COMPARISONS_COMPARISONS

Diamine Imperial Blue : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/180309-comparison-sheaffer-skrip-blue-diamine-imperial-blue/page__gopid__1814112#entry1814112

[Sandy1]

COMPARISONS_COMPARISONS_COMPARISONS

Comparison to Waterman Florida Blue (OOTT)

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/191824-comparison-sheaffer-skrip-blue-waterman-florida-blue/page__view__findpost__p__1938063

[wastelanded]

I like SSB because it behaves so well in any pen and on bad paper.

 

When/if I encounter a fussy writer, I now know to ink-up with SSB!

 

The very reason I use Skrip Black to test a new pen. If something's amiss, I know it's not the ink.

 

I don't know, does Skrip get short shrift because it's too "ordinary", too mainstream, seen as boring compared to the myriad other inks out there now? That may well be, but they are consistent, fairly wet, dependable inks that you can't go wrong with in a pinch. They are also, in comparison to some inks out there, a fairly good deal. I drool over Herbin inks, but feel insulted when I see the size of the bottle and the price attached to it.

 

The modern Skrip blue isn't the same as the old Washable Blue, but close enough for when I feel nostalgic for my early days.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

The Waterman Florida Blue was one of the inks I used for sampling new pens. But as Waterman seems to have fiddled with that ink, I am thinking of switching to SSB for that task.

 

Bye,

S1

 

EDIT - to add: LINK

Comparison - Sheaffer Skrip Blue :: Waterman Florida Blue

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/191824-comparison-sheaffer-skrip-blue-waterman-florida-blue/

Edited February 1, 2012 by Sandy1

[SUNIL GARG]

Most Welcome!! OOTT. What a noble idea!!

 

Why pay more than 3 times for 40% lesser ink? Only-if you

are possessive of the ink's container. Then, why not.

 

Just 2 months ago I purchased one bottle each of Sheaffer

Blue, Waterman Florida Blue & Sailor Ultramarine. Quite easily in the same group of blues. Sailor Ultramarine

Blue beats the venerated Waterman Florida Blue handsomely.

Now, for me, the other two are no more than colored dilution

waters, if ever needed. Moved out of sight.

 

The POINT now is-will I ever like to spend more that three

times on a bottle of Pilot's Murasaki Shikibu. I don't think

I ever will.

 

You tell me. OOTT.

[Sandy1]

Most Welcome!! OOTT. What a noble idea!!

 

Why pay more than 3 times for 40% lesser ink? Only-if you

are possessive of the ink's container. Then, why not.

 

Just 2 months ago I purchased one bottle each of Sheaffer

Blue, Waterman Florida Blue & Sailor Ultramarine. Quite easily in the same group of blues. Sailor Ultramarine

Blue beats the venerated Waterman Florida Blue handsomely.

Now, for me, the other two are no more than colored dilution

waters, if ever needed. Moved out of sight.

 

The POINT now is-will I ever like to spend more that three

times on a bottle of Pilot's Murasaki Shikibu. I don't think

I ever will.

 

You tell me. OOTT.

 

Hi,

 

I'm glad you like the idea of the One Of The Ten series, and hope that you find it useful.

 

As a lot of 'Basic Blue' inks appear to be much the same, I wanted to show the little and not so little differences between them under use from a range of pens & papers. Especially as I'm not much interested in the bottle itself, and purposely avoid cost-related aspects.

 

I'm glad you were able to find a Blue that you really like. I also use Ultramarine from time to time, and find it has many admirable qualities.

 

I've since summarised the OOTT series, and a subsequent group of ten Blue inks '11 2 20'; and continue to review other Blue inks.

 

We have so many inks from which to choose! I hope my contributions help make rewarding choices.

 

Bye,

S1

 

___ ___

 

LINKS:

• OOTT Summary: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/196998-one-of-the-ten-blue-inks/
• 11 2 20 Summary: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/212759-11-2-20-blue-inks/

[Vpen]

This is the most detailed Ink review I have ever seen . Kudos.

[bob_hayden]

Elsewhere I posted a scan comparing the Made in USA Sheaffer inks to their Slovenian replacements. The blue there looks like the scans in this review. One of my points there was that people were referring to Sheaffer Blue as though that were a single ink, and the inks from the two sources generally differed. Then I heard that the Slovenian inks were revised toward more intense colors. I do not know the date for that, nor whether the inks in my comparison are "before" or "after". However, the Slovenian Blue in my comparison matches the blue in the scans at the top of this thread, while the bottle of Sheaffer Blue I received yesterday is much darker with no tinge of purple. So it seems as though we have three flavors of "Sheaffer" ink to keep straight;-( In addition to concens about clear communication and consumers getting what they expect, I also wonder if the reputation of Sheaffer inks as "safe" depends on which Sheaffer inks you are talking about.

Edited September 17, 2016 by bob_hayden

[danamark]

Have they changed the formula?

 

I have a bottle from the late 60s, still in the box, on cheap notebook paper it bleeds through, ghosting, etc. It seems darker. Maybe it has just changed character sitting in the bottle.

 

At some point I need to pour it out, want to reuse the bottle, has that glass inner well lip built into the bottle.

 

I just used Pilot Standard Blue, the cheap stuff, or Private Reserve Chocolat if I need a dark ink.

[bob_hayden]

I have not seen anything official on the history of inks carrying the Sheaffer brand but my impression is that the folks in Fort Madison decided to stop making ink and sell ink made by others. They long ago switched to a manufacturer in Slovenia that makes all kinds of inks under various brands including Thornton and 5280. It certainly does not appear to me that the new inks used the same recipes. I've posted comparisons and they look like a selection of mostly similar colors from two different manufacturers. Sure, the two blues are similar, but they are similar to many other blues as well. In addition, colors were dropped or renamed in the process. I think of the Chevy Nova my mother had which was a Toyota with a Chevy badge on it.

 

The 1960s Made in USA Sheaffer blue was pretty pale. I did not care for it but had a supply of the cartridges because they came with the Dollar and No Nonsense pens. I never had a problem with feathering or bleed through with Sheaffer inks in those days, but I think that may not reflect on the inks. Back then many people still used fountain pens and children in school used dip pens so loose leaf notebook paper had to be fountain pen ink compatible. Not so today!

 

I also have posted many tests of various loose leaf filler papers and Slovenian Sheaffer Blue and Red inks were among the best in freedom from feathering and bleed-through on the papers available today. Generally these inks have earned a very good reputation for safety and reliability comparable to the Made in USA inks.

 

Unfortunately that does not extend to other inks from the factory in Slovenia. The Thornton inks were a very mixed bag and have mostly ended up on eBay at fire sale prices. There is a whole thread on those inks.

 

There have been rumors that the Slovenian factory made their line of Sheaffer inks more saturated some years ago. I cannot comment on that.