Pw Akkerman Ink Warning

[alexander_k]

I've just heard that PW Akkerman's inks number 8 (diep-duinwaterblauw) and 10 (ijzer-galnoten bl/zw) may cause some trouble to your pens. If I understand the problem correctly, these inks can leave residue that clogs the feed. Akkerman's advice is to flush the pen once every week. So, be warned. I have a bottle of diep-duinwaterblauw here and I'm going to use it with a couple of lesser pens first to see what happens.

 

Two related questions: does the same problem occur with other inks too? Is there a Diamine ink among them?

[Pickwick]

I use Diamine ink extensively and never had a problem. I leave Diamine ink in a 1930s Sheaffer for several weeks, and it starts up right away. I haven't had any problem with Noodler's BLue/Black or Manhattan Blue either. I only flush my pens occassionally.

 

Kind regards,

 

Pickwick

Edited April 7, 2011 by Pickwick

[Possum Hill]

I've just heard that PW Akkerman's inks number 8 (diep-duinwaterblauw) and 10 (ijzer-galnoten bl/zw) may cause some trouble to your pens. If I understand the problem correctly, these inks can leave residue that clogs the feed. Akkerman's advice is to flush the pen once every week. So, be warned. I have a bottle of diep-duinwaterblauw here and I'm going to use it with a couple of lesser pens first to see what happens.

 

Two related questions: does the same problem occur with other inks too? Is there a Diamine ink among them?

Can you post links to an authority? It's very easy for rumors to get started and then they are very difficult to stop.

 

Let us know how they work out for you.

[WOBentley]

I'd like to see a reference too as my biggest problem so far has been that they are addictive!

[rockspyder]

This is probably no different to any other dark, saturated inks and iron gall inks. I regularly flush pens in any case, never had clogging problems, not even with the wonderful Parker Penman inks of yore.

 

I'm sure if it is of any real concern, Akkerman will inform their foreign users by email. Maybe worth checking with Paul anyway.

[alexander_k]

Can you post links to an authority? It's very easy for rumors to get started and then they are very difficult to stop.

 

It's not a rumour but the official line: my wife bought the ink for me as a present and she was warned by the salespeople at Akkerman's. I called them and got the same story. Apparently the warning is based on customers' experiences. That's why I posted it here, to see if somebody else had noticed anything.

[saintsimon]

OK, iron gall inks (Akkerman #10 = Diamine Registrar's Ink, IMO) should be treated appropriately: don't let them dry in your pen, clean the pen regularly, gold nibs are safer than steel nibs regarding acidity. That's all.

I don't know what #8 is - dye based or iron gall.

[Tiuri van Rossum]

"ijzer-galnoten bl/zw" translated is "Iron-gall blue/black". So I think it is Iron gall, if it is than you should flush your pen regularly. The opinions on this subject are different, but every other fill should do the trick!

[wimg]

Yep. I can tell you quite a horror story about iron gall ink.

 

Don't use it in a pen where iron or aluminum gets into contact with it, because of the acid, and don't ever let it dry out, because of the unremovable particles. Rinse and flush your pens on a regular basis.

 

To be very honest, I would advise against using iron gall inks in fountain pens, full stop. With dip pens, or preferably quill pens, ok. Iron gall inks actually do date from the time there weren't any fountain pen inks around, and should be used with extreme caution in fountain pens.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[rockspyder]

.... It starts with "this particular ink clogs" to "All of this brand's ink clogs" and soon it's "all of this brand's inks are horrible".

 

That is exactly what I'm afraid of here...

 

It has happened so often, in so many industries - as you mentioned, medicine in particular - how many fantastic drugs were pulled off the market for the wrong reasons, sadly, irreversibly...

 

I hope everyone treads very carefully with this thread.

[SamCapote]

The easiest thing is to ask Paul Rutte from Akkermans to comment on this warning. I sent him an email linking to this and asking for his feedback directly.

[Possum Hill]

A very few people have tried to damage the reputation of one or two inks. They have succeeded in convincing some people that fountain pen ink can damage your fountain pen.

 

It's worth a little extra care in posting to avoid spreading that incorrect information.

 

Fountain pen ink will clog your pen if you don't clean it occasionally. That's about it.

[Paul Rutte]

Dear All,

I received some e-mails about this discussion on FPN concerning our inks number 8 and 10. In the past weeks we found out in the store that some customers had problems with these two colors. So we decided that it would be best to inform our customers that these two colors only clogs easier in the pen than others… But when you will use a pen regular and give it some extra cleaning, they are great to use.

Not every customer who enters our store is as familiar with the use of fountain pens and ink, than the people here on this forum... so that's why we decided to advise our customers when they choose one of these colors, prevention is better than cure!

We did not have any complains about any other color

[Pickwick]

Dear Paul,

 

Your posting this information is much appreciated. It is unfortunate that this issue arises and you have become an unfounded victim of it. I've been using pen and inks from various manufacturers for 65 years now and never experienced any problems, all one has to do is use common sense.

 

If you've been following critiques on ink manufacturers, your not the only victim falling foul of this, and sadly I'm afraid this will continue to come up now and again. We can only hope our moderators monitor it and put a damper on these unfounded rumours. I can't see any ink maker for fountain pens using products damaging to them.

 

May your company continue to prosper as it has done these past 100 years.

 

Best wishes,

 

Pickwick

Edited April 8, 2011 by Pickwick

[rockspyder]

Thank you Paul for replying. Hopefully the information that some inks (well then, all inks, if left to dry for long enough) may tend to clog - will serve an educational purpose to those who are still relatively new and inexperienced with fountain pens and real ink. Rather than be taken as a warning that something is out of the ordinary.

 

Starting out, I also learnt the hard way, that cleaning pens is essentialy a part of the discipline of our hobby.

 

I have these two inks included in my next shipment - I'll most certainly keep an eye on their behavior, and if they behave differently to any significant degree.

 

Can't wait for the next parcel to arrive...

[Phormula]

I appreciate the openess and sincerity of Paul Rutte. I have some pens that I keep inked but don't use on a regular basis.

It is good to know which ink is not the best for them. I have never used Akkerman inks, but I believe that a company which has such a high level of openess is a company I can trust, hence I will consider Akkerman inks for my next purchase, definitely.

[Michael R.]

Thank you Paul for your valuable input!

 

Great to see you post here on FPN and congratulations to your great ink & ink bottles.

 

Cheers

 

Michael

Edited April 8, 2011 by Michael R.

[KCat]

Thank you for your post, Paul. The overzealously protective moderator here (that would be me) got carried away in her concerns about brand portrayal on the board. We appreciate your and alexander's desire to inform.

[SamCapote]

Dear All,

I received some e-mails about this discussion on FPN concerning our inks number 8 and 10. In the past weeks we found out in the store that some customers had problems with these two colors. So we decided that it would be best to inform our customers that these two colors only clogs easier in the pen than others… But when you will use a pen regular and give it some extra cleaning, they are great to use.

Not every customer who enters our store is as familiar with the use of fountain pens and ink, than the people here on this forum... so that's why we decided to advise our customers when they choose one of these colors, prevention is better than cure!

We did not have any complains about any other color

 

This is the best way to resolve what was actually said and intended by the source, and now everyone knows that this is what all of us at FPN already know and (hopefully) follow as regular fountain pen/ink users. I can also assume the OP had an honorable intent of sharing simple information that was intended as nothing more than a heads up reminder to maintain your pens faithfully.

 

It is an honor to have Paul join us.

 

Thank you again for helping to run such a fabulous store, and come out with such a spectacular series of inks and bottles!

[Rae]

I've been following most of the Akkerman threads around here recently but I don't recall seeing any confirmation that any of the inks actually ARE iron gall inks. Does anyone know, definitively??

 

I love the look of 8 - Diep-Duinwaterblau, but would prefer to stay away from iron gall inks as I do not use dip pens, only fountain pens, and cannot say that I would be perfect at flushing as regularly as an iron gall ink would require.

 

I imagine this would be one aspect of the inks that the company would like to make explicitly clear, due to the risk to pens etc. And yes, I've obviously read that they are recommending extra care for ink numbers 8 & 10.... but surely they know what is actually IN their inks??