Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrars Ink

[sciumbasci]

Received my ink. The color and shading are wonderful. The dryness on plain lousy copy paper is not so pleasant. On better paper it's just fine.

 

There is absolutely no feathering.

 

I've seen conflicting advice as to whether a bit of detergent or glycerine would help the dryness.

 

Opinions?

I dunked a toothpick into dish washing soap, and then dunked it into a small sample vial filled with ink.

Try. What's the worse that can happen? If it is too wet, just add more ink,if it still is dry, repeat the dunking. You get a pretty amount of ink anyway.

 

Just rec'd my order from ESS and Parker Vector.

 

The Vector is a black plastic Medium, made in France. Also came with a Luxor-made slide converter. Both new in the blister packs, of course.

Haha!

Thanks for the report.

I am positively impressed the Vector is made in France.

[NumberSix]

Haha!

Thanks for the report.

I am positively impressed the Vector is made in France.

Gotta admit I like the slide converter, too. Very easy to fill and to flush. Reminds me of the Noodler's plunger converters.

[NumberSix]

Any reason not to put this ink into the converter of a Montblanc 145?

 

Probably better the converter-filler than the piston-filler ones, eh?

[silverlifter]

MB made their own, excellent, iron gall ink for many years. I'm sure ESSRI would be fine in it. I load my 14 and 34 with DRI with no complaints.

[NumberSix]

Last night, I inked up my Montblanc 145 (M) with it. Interestingly, it was too darn dry. I had periodic railroading and poor flow.

 

It's not the pen. I have had a couple of different black inks in there with no issue. And for the moment it has Quink Blue, as a test fill after I flushed out the ESSRI. No issues right now, and I might leave the Quink in there instead of something fancier, cuz I like it.

 

ESSRI worked fine in a Parker Vector and in a gold-nibbed Parker 45 (M).

[khalameet]

@silverlifter: You seem to use iron gall inks in any pen? I am reluctant filling some of my pens with iron gall because of the cleaning issues. Some iron galls collect residue rather fast and with some converters (Pilot Con-70) it is really painful to remove this, even with ascorbic acid. What are your experiences?

[inkstainedruth]

khalameet, I don't know what experiences silverlifter has had with IG inks but I use them a lot (although I have not tried ESSRI). I don't let the inks sit in the pen a long time, and I don't tend to refill, but flush after every fill is used up and the pen is written dry. And I use c/c pens for the most part for IG inks (I use a bunch of inexpensive Parker Vectors with steel nibs and have not really had a problem; I did have a Con-B converter sac on a Pilot Metropolitan go bad, but that was also some vintage IG ink that I suspect had gone bad (and I only paid a buck for the ink).

What flushing method are you using? Normally I flush a pen with distilled water, then dilute ammonia solution (roughly 1 part clear household ammonia to about 9 parts distilled water) with a little dish detergent, then flush really well with more distilled water. But for IG inks, because they are so acidic, I substitute dilute white vinegar solution for the ammonia solution. After that is flushed out with distilled water, I then do an ammonia solution flush (someone on here who was a chemist explained why the ammonia solution worked after the vinegar solution in a thread a few years ago), and then do a final rinse with more distilled water, before draining the pen, nib down, in paper toweling.

Some people go "Oh, pooh pooh -- I just use tap water!" But I *can't* -- I have very hard water where I live and I see the buildup of mineral deposits around my faucets -- and I don't want those deposits clogging up a pen feed! Where I live, I can buy distilled water for under a dollar US a gallon at the local grocery store, and spend about four bucks apiece for gallon jugs of both the white vinegar and the clear ammonia). And because of the dilution, and because I'm only making up a little of each solution as needed, it's not only cost effective but takes a long time to go through either the ammonia or the vinegar.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[silverlifter]

@silverlifter: You seem to use iron gall inks in any pen? I am reluctant filling some of my pens with iron gall because of the cleaning issues. Some iron galls collect residue rather fast and with some converters (Pilot Con-70) it is really painful to remove this, even with ascorbic acid. What are your experiences?

 

The only IG ink that I treat differently to any other ink is DRI. All the modern ones, I treat the same. With DRI, I wouldn't put it in a pen that doesn't have a good seal (note, for me, that means I couldn't leave the pen untouched for 2-3 weeks), and I wouldn't use it for any length of time (measured in months) in a pen with a cheap steel nib.

 

I have not had any issues cleaning pens, which I do infrequently because I generally find a pen/ink combination I like and then mostly stick to that. So, I will go for months at a time just refilling, not flushing.

 

Overall, I find the fear of IG inks to be baseless. Almost all of them are exceptionally well made, behave impeccably, and pose no more risk to your pen than normal wear and tear. For me, IG inks are like sharks: they are among the most amazing organisms in their environment, yet people are scared of them , even though they are much more likely to die on the road.

[NumberSix]

much more likely to die on the road.

I read this bit as "sharks more likely to die on the road", and I was trying to figure out what you could possibly have meant!

[khalameet]

@inkstainedruth: Where I live, the water is of very good quality. So I just tend to use tap water instead of distilled water, which works fine for a few years now. Most of the time I flush the pen with an ascorbic acid solution (just ascorbic acid in water) and let it sit for an hour or so, depending on which IG ink I used. This dissolves most of the dried iron gall content and is fine for most pens. After that I flush thoroughly with tap water and drain the pen in kitchen towel a few times.

 

I never had a problem with IG inks (and doubt that I ever will), but the Pilot Con-70 converter is very hard to clean, even with normal low maintenance inks, because a lot of colour sits behind the seal (hard to explain for me, as I am not a native speaker...). This is really hard to get out, even with repeatedly flushing or even shaking the converter. Even if you disassemble it, you can not get behind this plunger seal to remove any ink there. Most of the time this is fine, because this is only a little bit of colour and I don't mind filling it with another ink. I don't think that you can get a bad reaction there. BUT, if a little bit of dried IG ink is in there, you can imagine that it is very difficult to clean thorougly. I have 2 Con-70 which have dried IG content inside which I was not able to remove.

 

Maybe I should just use other pens or converters for this type of inks.

 

@silverlifter: I use IG inks for a few years now and never had a problem. I am not afraid of using them. I forgot a lot of pens filled with IG ink in my drawer, even for more than a year (a TWSBI Eco filled with Salix, which wrote on the first stroke after a year and cleaned out just fine). But with some pens/converters, the cleaning is not very fun, like I tried to explain further above.

 

But I really liked your post, especially the last sentence

[Eclipse157]

Have you considered using a refilled Pilot cartridge instead of a con-70 for when you use IG inks?

[khalameet]

Well...no. Seriously, thank you. This is such a simple solution that I just overlooked!

 

I have a few cartridges of Pilot Blue Black which came with the pens, I did not use them for years. Maybe I will clean them out this weekend!

[inkstainedruth]

I never had a problem with IG inks (and doubt that I ever will), but the Pilot Con-70 converter is very hard to clean, even with normal low maintenance inks, because a lot of colour sits behind the seal (hard to explain for me, as I am not a native speaker...). This is really hard to get out, even with repeatedly flushing or even shaking the converter. Even if you disassemble it, you can not get behind this plunger seal to remove any ink there. Most of the time this is fine, because this is only a little bit of colour and I don't mind filling it with another ink. I don't think that you can get a bad reaction there. BUT, if a little bit of dried IG ink is in there, you can imagine that it is very difficult to clean thorougly. I have 2 Con-70 which have dried IG content inside which I was not able to remove.

 

Hmmm. Sounds like the problem I've had with a couple of other converters (most recently the Lamy converter I had in my Lamy LX -- while I've been told I can take it apart, I bought a backup converter for it just in case). I don't have any pens with a Con-70 converter, but I dislike the Con-40 converter in my Decimo immensely, due to the difficulty getting a complete fill, on top of its small capacity in general.

I'm wondering now if there's a problem with the seal on the piston on your converter -- I know that converters don't last forever, but the ones that I had problems with shouldn't have died on me as quickly as they did (the LX converter I bought after buying the pen in 2018 (which was when Lamy's old US distributor had a closeout sale).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[aurore]

Hmmm. Sounds like the problem I've had with a couple of other converters (most recently the Lamy converter I had in my Lamy LX -- while I've been told I can take it apart, I bought a backup converter for it just in case). I don't have any pens with a Con-70 converter, but I dislike the Con-40 converter in my Decimo immensely, due to the difficulty getting a complete fill, on top of its small capacity in general.

I'm wondering now if there's a problem with the seal on the piston on your converter -- I know that converters don't last forever, but the ones that I had problems with shouldn't have died on me as quickly as they did (the LX converter I bought after buying the pen in 2018 (which was when Lamy's old US distributor had a closeout sale).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I have had several CON-70 and all worked in the manner described above from the very beginning. The overall construction of this converter is completely different from the others.

[NumberSix]

I have been trying this ink in various pens. Some worked fine (Vector, P45). Some did not work great - my MB 145, oddly, hard starts and sometimes railroads with this ink and Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black, though it works okay with other inks.

 

Today, I decided to throw caution to the wind and load ESSRI into my Vac 51. These pens were built for inks like Superchrome, after all, and pens are made to be used.

 

So far so good. It's writing with the same kind of lovely pencil feedback I was getting with 4001 Royal Blue. I have already written a full page + a little more, and there's no skipping or hard starting. Just the same nice clean medium lines I have always gotten from this pen with 4001 Royal Blue or Quink Washable Blue.

 

We shall see over time...

[Mannyonpil]

This is my new favorite ink. I am using it in a rather beat-up John Holland (#2 nib) and it is doing quite well. I have not tried it in anything else yet.

 

It is clearly a dry ink but it flows quite readily in comparison to Akkerman #10 or Pelikan Blue-Black. This Holland nib is admittedly rather wet so this is just the thing to tame it.

[txomsy]

I do also love ESSR,

 

As for using IG inks... I do not make a distinction between inks, juts use them (except for not mixing BSB).

 

I like to switch colors, so whenever I empty a pen I always flush it with tap water (as khalameet, water quality is very good here). Yet...

 

In ye goode olde tymes , those of (almost) one person-one pen , when I was a student, I would use one bottle of ink to the bottom and only when I switched bottles would switch colors, in those fast note-taking times, I wouldn't even clean the pen between refills from the same bottle, just refill and go on. I only cleaned it when switching colors for obvious reasons, and some times if the colors were close not even then. And of course pens would rest unused for the long summer holidays and dry out, which I would solve by straight refilling from the same (only one I had) bottle which had also rested unused.

 

I should say I never noticed clogging problems no matter what pen I used. Maybe I wasn't aware or was too tolerant (or I didn't know any better, who knows, those times are long gone).

 

Even with BSB, now I just do a (somewhat more thorough) flush with tap water and go on.

 

Maybe it was due to the pen manuals which recommended flushing the pen once a year except when using permanent inks, which required a flush twice a year. Maybe modern pens are more fragile.

 

BTW, you may find interesting reading current Montblanc user manual (go to page 14). They recommend cleaning your pen each 3 months, or if it had dried or clogged or had flow issues, using plain lukewarm water (and no flush fluid). No mention of cleaning after each emptying, using distilled water or any other such. I can see where very strong water may not be advisable, but I always understood plain tap water every (long) so was enough. And, as mentioned, it has worked for me for over almost 50 years.

 

Indeed, I do feel uneasy leaving a section on water overnight, which I have only done when cleaning a pen left unused for years that had been forgotten with a full load of ink (or a full cartridge) that -obviously- dried out, and only to make sure it washed out clean and new ink would not be horribly color contaminated (oversaturated, actually) by the redissolved load of dried old pigments.

 

Now, all that is my own, limited, barbarian experience which I produce in the hope it may dispel what I perceive as too strong (panicking?) fears, but I may as well be totally and utterly wrong. Take it with a load of salt. YMM(strongly)V.

Edited June 25, 2020 by txomsy

[Mercian]

As this ink review generated more replies than any other on FPN, herebelow I have restored all the images that I could still find to Sandy1’s fantastic review of Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrars Ink - aka ESS registrars Ink - aka ESSRI.

 

Do, please, click on the ‘Expand’ tag to see them.

 

On 10/7/2011 at 9:52 AM, Sandy1 said:

☞ For convenient viewing of the images, you may wish to scroll to the menu at the very bottom of this window, then change the FPN Theme to 'IP.Board Mobile'.

 

Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Grey Scale below.

As the patches are neutral grey, that is what you should see.

 

Mac

http://www.wikihow.c...te-Your-Monitor

 

Wintel PC

http://www.calibrize.com/

Grey Scale:

 

～ ☼ ～

 

 

Samples were scanned about four months after preparation.

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb.

 

Figure 2.

Ink Blot on paper towel.

Shows separation of iron-gall from Blue dye components.

 

LINK:

Figure 3.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

 

LINK:

 

 

Pens: L → R: Prera, 440+XF, M400, PPP, Parker Insignia?, Carene, Waterman 52V1/2.

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

Ruling: 8mm.

Relative Humidity: 60 - 70%

 

Figure 4.

Paper: HPJ1124.

 

Figure 5.

Paper: Rhodia.

 

Figure 6.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/434a457e.jpg

 

Figure 7.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/4f9bc411.jpg

 

Figure 8.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi use.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/84c23124.jpg

 

Figure 9.

Paper: G Lalo Velin de France.

 

Figure 10.

Paper: Clairefontaine Triomphe.

Includes the Waterman 52V1/2 + flexi nib.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/5aa9af1b.jpg

 

Figure 11.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/ad1a38ba.jpg

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 12.

Smear/Dry Times.

Opacity.

Wet Tests. ☂

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/afaf9137.jpg

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• FP ink containing iron-gall.

Presentation:

• Soft plastic 'tanker' bottle.
• Kindly consider decanting into non-permeable [glass] bottles for dispensing and storage.

Availability:

• Available when Topic posted.
• Soul source: LINK

Daily writer?

• Of course.

A go-to ink?

• When a high performance classic Blue-Black iron-gall ink is desired.

USE

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• With little doubt.
• A surfeit of gravitas appropriate for certificates of birth and death, and marriage licences.
• Those working in less formal operations than a Registry may prefer to have an alternate ink of a more convivial nature to hand. (I would not, but Visconti Blue has its charms.)
• ESSRI presents no issues for personal work product; and is not likely to be mimicked.
• Easily read, yet those who write extensively may prefer an ink that is a bit more fleet of foot. (I would not, but Damson has its charms.)
• Physical resistance to common hazards makes it a contender for those working in an untidy environment.
• Exceptional line quality and low potential for bleed- show though make this a likely work-around for the shortcomings of 'lowest bidder' copy papers and other FP-hostile papers; and a good pick for marginalia - especially if using hairline nibs.
• Editing, mark-up, error correction or grading of assignments would best be done using other more colourful ink/s. (NBsBl has its charms.)

Illustrations / Graphics:

• I would run this from metal nib pens, avoiding brushes, etc.
• The ink's highly malleable colour and density call for a fair bit of sampling and experimentation.
• From a pen, the line quality is exceptional, though it will not hide a nib's flaws; and if shading can be suppressed it can be called upon anywhere a taut narrow line is required.

Students:

• Easily.
• ESSRI has a very readable appearance, so is well suited to general notes.
• Study notes may well require a more animated energetic ink to keep the [under-caffeinated] reader alert.
• Water resistance is impressive, so should withstand most rigours of student life at less than 451℉.
• Performance on 20 lb. bond was outstanding, so two-sided use of 'lowest bidder' papers seems a very realistic expectation.
• A good pick for hand-written assignments. Although when/if a noteworthy paper may be generated, consider an ink with higher velocity.

Personal:

• For all its formality and gravitas, I would use ESSRI for personal writing to the extent that I use other inks considered rather formal. e.g. Montblanc Midnight Blue, Pelikan Blue-Black, PR Midnight Blues, Visconti Blue. I am quite sure that others have their own notions, so please chime-in.
• How would you respond upon receiving a letter written in this ink?
• That said, if ESSRI did not have the charisma of an i-g ink and the supple shading, I may well decline to use it for 'personal' personal writing.
• A shoo-in for pro forma personal business writing, enduring documents, signatures, etc.
• I have spent a bit of time fiddling about with this ink. My direction is to run it at somewhat modest density, and accentuate its interesting line - whether by shading or line width from flex / shaped nibs, or a combination of all. ESSRI appears to be an ink well suited to nibs that have an Italic-Stub shape and some flex, but the flexi nib used, (52V1/2), ran a bit dark for my taste.
• Historical role players and writers of olde style romantic verse may come to embrace this ink. (A good match for those using wax seals?)
• Billets doux? Impossible for yours truly.

 

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 Flow Rate:

• Dry.
• Very controlled and even.
• About the same as the Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, which is quite a pleasant surprise for an i-g ink.

Nib Dry-out:

• As with some other i-g inks, the nib tips became dry sooner than dye-based inks, but the ink in the feed was ready to go.
• No virga was encountered preparing the Written Samples.
• There is a temptation to 'nudge' the nib prior to the first stroke, but I'd rather just cap the pen when not in active use.
• If it becomes a nuisance, a pen with a slip-on cap, a very good collector in combination with a hooded nib may be just the thing. e.g. Parker 51.

Start-up:

• From all capped pens, the start-up was immediate and with confidence.

Lubrication:

• Not inviting, but not a fingernails-on-a-blackboard sort of thing either.
• I found the lubrication was spot on when doing some tiny detail using an Asian XF nib - no slipping at all.

Nib Creep:

• Not seen.

Staining:

• Not seen after three days contact.

Clogging:

• Not seen.*

Bleed- Show-Through:

• Not seen.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Not seen.

Smell:

• Mild.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not seen.

Clean Up:

• Thorough and rapid with plain water.*

Mixing:

• No stated prohibition.
• I would place this and other i-g inks on the list of 'increased diligence' for mixing.
• Definitely do not mix with Sailor nano inks! ☣

Archival:

• Claimed, "... the special Blue-Black archival quality ink. ... required for official documents ..."

Smear/Dry Times & Water Resistance:

• As depicted in Figure 12 above.

☛ That, dear reader, is a divine performance profile. :clap1:

 

* Typical of iron-gall inks, pens used with ESSRI require higher maintenance than simple dye-based inks. Consequently, one should bring their 'A' game to the clean up regimen, including internals of caps & barrels.

Opinions on the time between cleanings when using i-g inks vary a great deal, and are dependent on pen usage during that time. I am not one to let any ink linger unused in a pen.

 

THE LOOK

 

N.B.

From a fresh bottle, and used from pens very recently inked-up, there is a pronounced and rapid shift from a Medium Blue to a quite dense Blue-Black. (May impress ink aficionadi, small children and fish.)

As time passes, the ink continues to gain density, and seems to top-out within ten days.

(The oxidisation effect is most obvious from i-g inks without dyes. e.g. Deatramentis 'Irongall' dip pen ink. That ink goes down nearly clear as water, then goes grey-black; its final density depending on amount of ink deposited.)

 

The linked photos below were taken about one minute apart. The first photo shows wet ink. Photos courtesy of Cathy-Next-Door ♡

 

 

1)

 

 

2)

 

Presence:

• In full regalia.
• Highly stable.
• Charismatic subtlety.

Saturation:

• Moderate.

Shading:

• Absolutely wonderful.http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t67/kcattx/woohoo.gif
• Evident from even the narrowest nib on even the most absorbent paper.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • A bit more than expected.

  [*]Papers used:

  • More than expected. (Hence the extended sampling.)

  [*]Malleability:

  • High.
  • Contrary to typical practice, the wily practitioner would choose the paper first to set the basic Look, including exact ink hue (!), then select the writer to establish density and line shape.
  • Getting the exact Look may be frustrating to some, but it is highly unlikely that ESSRI will misbehave or deliver a flawed result. That task is exacerbated by the need to wait for the ink to 'cure' while it reacts with the paper (sizing) and oxidises. I was disinclined to run samples using paper treated with gum sandarac or talc - that being more of a dip pen calligrapher's process.

   

Hi-Res Scans:

Originals are 60x30mm

 

As I do not wish to be known as 'Queen of the Bandwidth Bandits', these are Links only.

 

Prera on HPJ1124

Pelikan on Rhodia

PPP on G Lalo

Carene on Royal

 

PPP on G Lalo Velin de France.

52V1/2 on Clairefontaine Triomphe.

The odd size sample area was cherry-picked to show the tonal variation within the line where the nib flexed. Go for it Bo Bo!

 

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Clearly.

Are swatches accurate?

• None available - a matter of faith really.

OTHER INKS

 

For the Blue-Black inks that I have recently reviewed, an effort was made to use several of the same papers, one or more of the same pen/s, and Written Sample format to support side-by-side comparison through manipulation of web browser windows. I hope this is sufficient to meet most ad hoc comparison requirements; if not, I welcome your request via PM.

 

Swab Comparisons:

 

N.B. This is quite a bit more flakey than usual for i-g inks.

 

 

 

• Rows 1, 3 & 5 show ESSRI from 3, 2 & 1 passes respectively.
• Rows 2, 4 & 6; Columns Left ➠ Right show Montblanc Midnight Blue c/w i-g, Lamy Blue-Black c/w i-g and Pilot Blue-Black from 3, 2 & 1 passes respectively.
• The wee ⟙ shapes are included to provide simultaneous contrast to a Black [sumi-e] ink.

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• All.
• An exceptional range of density is possible.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• None seen.
• It seems that if it is writing paper, ESSRI will do the necessary.

Tinted Papers:

• Absolutely.
• Due to the ink changing colour and density over time, it would seem wise to run samples well in advance of committing to a specific pen+paper combo.

Pre-Printed Papers:

 

• Forms, etc.
  • Born to it, but I would choose a dry narrow Stub or CI to ensure differentiation between the printed form and what's written. (Then again, with my handwriting, that's moot.)

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • May be used as an alternative to Black, so should not be used in conjunction with Black.
  • As mentioned above, suppression of shading seems required for narrow lines.

   

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Very much the preference of the author.
• Smooth hard-surfaced papers may be called upon to generate more shading, and to show-off the high line quality with shading - especially for those using narrow nibs.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• So very likely - certainly more than the usual routine marvels.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Carene on the G Lalo Velin de France.
• The base-tint of the paper is just into the grey, which establishes a very subtle contrast to the Blue aspect of the ink. The paper also has a very slight texture which sets off the ink's high line quality.
• The nib generates a quite high density, but I would cast about for a pen that is a bit less wet to accentuate the shading every so slightly, and maybe a nib an iota more narrow - more like the Sheaffer Prelude Stub. (Fussy enough?)

Yickity Yackity:

• Zombies beware!
• When the big show comes to town, Papa Legba will have an all areas pass waiting for you.
• Ah kushbaby, so we do not have the snazzy blotter paper roll, nor the adorable dimpled-bottom bottle. Can you manage without such trifles?

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

 

Pens:

Written Samples:

 

 

 

• Pilot Prera + steel M nib.
• Sheaffer 440 + steel XF nib.
• Pelikan M400 + 14C M nib.
• Platinum President Purist + 22K B nib.
• Parker - unknown; perhaps a UK 51 Insignia. Please chime-in if you recognise this wee rascal.
• Waterman Carene + 18K factory Stub nib.
• Cameo appearance from the Waterman 52V1/2.

 

• Lines & labels: Waterman Havana from a Pilot Penmanship + EF nib.

______

 

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. laser copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Staples 20 lb. multi use.
• G Lalo, Velin de France.
• Clairefontaine Triomphe.
• Pulp. One-a-Day Calendar page.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted post-capture, other than dumb-down by Photobucket and IP.Board s/w.

______

 

Densitometer Readings (FWIW)

On HPJ1124:

• Red 109
• Grn 120
• Blu 147
• Lum 123

______

 

Fine Print:

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff I used, and that you may have.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

______

 

-30-

 

 

Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies ESS Registrars Blue Black Blue-Black iron-gall Sandy1

 

You will see that I only had access to a few of the images of the sample text reviews of ESSRI on different papers; the ones that I happened to save for myself a few years ago.

 

If you, dear reader, happen to have saved copies of any of the others that are still shown only as links above, please contact me by PM so that we can arrange their restoration too.

 

Slàinte,
M.

[Mercian]

This post to test the viability of edited links:

 

 

SUCCESS!

BWAhahahahahahahahah!
😊

[Mercian]

This post is just to test an alternative method for restoring photos to reviews.

If this works, the whole initial post in this review thread (including its pictures) will be viewable without anyone needing to ‘Expand’ a quote box.

So, here goes:

————-

 

☞ For convenient viewing of the images, you may wish to scroll to the menu at the very bottom of this window, then change the FPN Theme to 'IP.Board Mobile'.

 

Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Grey Scale below.

As the patches are neutral grey, that is what you should see.

 

Mac 

https://www.wikihow.c...te-Your-Monitor

 

Wintel PC 

https://www.calibrize.com/

Grey Scale: 

 

～ ☼ ～

Samples were scanned about four months after preparation.

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch 

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. 

 

Figure 2.

Ink Blot on paper towel. 

Shows separation of iron-gall from Blue dye components.

 

LINK:

Figure 3.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

 

LINK:

 

 

Pens: L → R: Prera, 440+XF, M400, PPP, Parker Insignia?, Carene, Waterman 52V1/2.

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

Ruling: 8mm.

Relative Humidity: 60 - 70%

 

Figure 4.

Paper: HPJ1124.

Figure 5.

Paper: Rhodia.

Figure 6.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white. 

Figure 7.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

Figure 8.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi use.

Figure 9.

Paper: G Lalo Velin de France.

Figure 10.

Paper: Clairefontaine Triomphe.

Includes the Waterman 52V1/2 + flexi nib. 

Figure 11.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page. 

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 12.

Smear/Dry Times.

Opacity. 

Wet Tests. ☂

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• FP ink containing iron-gall.

Presentation: 

• Soft plastic 'tanker' bottle. 
• Kindly consider decanting into non-permeable [glass] bottles for dispensing and storage.

Availability:

• Available when Topic posted.
• Soul source: https://www.registrarsink.co.uk {Page url/prices correct as of 2024-03-24}

Daily writer? 

• Of course.

A go-to ink?

• When a high performance classic Blue-Black iron-gall ink is desired. 

USE

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• With little doubt. 
• A surfeit of gravitas appropriate for certificates of birth and death, and marriage licences.
• Those working in less formal operations than a Registry may prefer to have an alternate ink of a more convivial nature to hand. (I would not, but Visconti Blue has its charms.)
• ESSRI presents no issues for personal work product; and is not likely to be mimicked.
• Easily read, yet those who write extensively may prefer an ink that is a bit more fleet of foot. (I would not, but Damson has its charms.)
• Physical resistance to common hazards makes it a contender for those working in an untidy environment. 
• Exceptional line quality and low potential for bleed- show though make this a likely work-around for the shortcomings of 'lowest bidder' copy papers and other FP-hostile papers; and a good pick for marginalia - especially if using hairline nibs.
• Editing, mark-up, error correction or grading of assignments would best be done using other more colourful ink/s. (NBsBl has its charms.)

Illustrations / Graphics: 

• I would run this from metal nib pens, avoiding brushes, etc.
• The ink's highly malleable colour and density call for a fair bit of sampling and experimentation. 
• From a pen, the line quality is exceptional, though it will not hide a nib's flaws; and if shading can be suppressed it can be called upon anywhere a taut narrow line is required.

Students:

• Easily.
• ESSRI has a very readable appearance, so is well suited to general notes.
• Study notes may well require a more animated energetic ink to keep the [under-caffeinated] reader alert. 
• Water resistance is impressive, so should withstand most rigours of student life at less than 451℉. 
• Performance on 20 lb. bond was outstanding, so two-sided use of 'lowest bidder' papers seems a very realistic expectation.
• A good pick for hand-written assignments. Although when/if a noteworthy paper may be generated, consider an ink with higher velocity.

Personal: 

• For all its formality and gravitas, I would use ESSRI for personal writing to the extent that I use other inks considered rather formal. e.g. Montblanc Midnight Blue, Pelikan Blue-Black, PR Midnight Blues, Visconti Blue. I am quite sure that others have their own notions, so please chime-in. 
• How would you respond upon receiving a letter written in this ink?
• That said, if ESSRI did not have the charisma of an i-g ink and the supple shading, I may well decline to use it for 'personal' personal writing.
• A shoo-in for pro forma personal business writing, enduring documents, signatures, etc. 
• I have spent a bit of time fiddling about with this ink. My direction is to run it at somewhat modest density, and accentuate its interesting line - whether by shading or line width from flex / shaped nibs, or a combination of all. ESSRI appears to be an ink well suited to nibs that have an Italic-Stub shape and some flex, but the flexi nib used, (52V1/2), ran a bit dark for my taste.
• Historical role players and writers of olde style romantic verse may come to embrace this ink. (A good match for those using wax seals?)
• Billets doux? Impossible for yours truly.

 

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate: 

• Dry.
• Very controlled and even.
• About the same as the Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, which is quite a pleasant surprise for an i-g ink.

Nib Dry-out: 

• As with some other i-g inks, the nib tips became dry sooner than dye-based inks, but the ink in the feed was ready to go. 
• No virga was encountered preparing the Written Samples.
• There is a temptation to 'nudge' the nib prior to the first stroke, but I'd rather just cap the pen when not in active use. 
• If it becomes a nuisance, a pen with a slip-on cap, a very good collector in combination with a hooded nib may be just the thing. e.g. Parker 51.

Start-up: 

• From all capped pens, the start-up was immediate and with confidence. 

Lubrication: 

• Not inviting, but not a fingernails-on-a-blackboard sort of thing either.
• I found the lubrication was spot on when doing some tiny detail using an Asian XF nib - no slipping at all.

Nib Creep: 

• Not seen.

Staining: 

• Not seen after three days contact.

Clogging: 

• Not seen.*

Bleed- Show-Through: 

• Not seen. 

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Not seen.

Smell: 

• Mild.

Hand oil sensitivity: 

• Not seen.

Clean Up: 

• Thorough and rapid with plain water.* 

Mixing:

• No stated prohibition.
• I would place this and other i-g inks on the list of 'increased diligence' for mixing.
• Definitely do not mix with Sailor nano inks! ☣

Archival:

• Claimed, "... the special Blue-Black archival quality ink. ... required for official documents ..."

Smear/Dry Times & Water Resistance: 

• As depicted in Figure 12 above.

☛ That, dear reader, is a divine performance profile. :clap1:

 

* Typical of iron-gall inks, pens used with ESSRI require higher maintenance than simple dye-based inks. Consequently, one should bring their 'A' game to the clean up regimen, including internals of caps & barrels. 

Opinions on the time between cleanings when using i-g inks vary a great deal, and are dependent on pen usage during that time. I am not one to let any ink linger unused in a pen.

 

THE LOOK

 

N.B.

From a fresh bottle, and used from pens very recently inked-up, there is a pronounced and rapid shift from a Medium Blue to a quite dense Blue-Black. (May impress ink aficionadi, small children and fish.)

As time passes, the ink continues to gain density, and seems to top-out within ten days. 

(The oxidisation effect is most obvious from i-g inks without dyes. e.g. Deatramentis 'Irongall' dip pen ink. That ink goes down nearly clear as water, then goes grey-black; its final density depending on amount of ink deposited.)

 

The linked photos below were taken about one minute apart. The first photo shows wet ink. Photos courtesy of Cathy-Next-Door ♡

 

 

1) 

 

2) 

Presence:

• In full regalia.
• Highly stable.
• Charismatic subtlety. 

Saturation: 

• Moderate.

Shading: 

• Absolutely wonderful.
• Evident from even the narrowest nib on even the most absorbent paper.

Variability: 

• Pen+nib combos used: 
  • A bit more than expected. 

  [*]Papers used:

  • More than expected. (Hence the extended sampling.)

  [*]Malleability:

  • High.
  • Contrary to typical practice, the wily practitioner would choose the paper first to set the basic Look, including exact ink hue (!), then select the writer to establish density and line shape.
  • Getting the exact Look may be frustrating to some, but it is highly unlikely that ESSRI will misbehave or deliver a flawed result. That task is exacerbated by the need to wait for the ink to 'cure' while it reacts with the paper (sizing) and oxidises. I was disinclined to run samples using paper treated with gum sandarac or talc - that being more of a dip pen calligrapher's process.

   

Hi-Res Scans:

Originals are 60x30mm

 

As I do not wish to be known as 'Queen of the Bandwidth Bandits', these are Links only.

 

Prera on HPJ1124 

Pelikan on Rhodia

PPP on G Lalo 

Carene on Royal 

PPP on G Lalo Velin de France.

52V1/2 on Clairefontaine Triomphe. 

The odd size sample area was cherry-picked to show the tonal variation within the line where the nib flexed. Go for it Bo Bo!

 

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Clearly.

Are swatches accurate? 

• None available - a matter of faith really.

OTHER INKS

 

For the Blue-Black inks that I have recently reviewed, an effort was made to use several of the same papers, one or more of the same pen/s, and Written Sample format to support side-by-side comparison through manipulation of web browser windows. I hope this is sufficient to meet most ad hoc comparison requirements; if not, I welcome your request via PM. 

 

Swab Comparisons:

 

N.B. This is quite a bit more flakey than usual for i-g inks.

 

LINK: 

 

• Rows 1, 3 & 5 show ESSRI from 3, 2 & 1 passes respectively.
• Rows 2, 4 & 6; Columns Left ➠ Right show Montblanc Midnight Blue c/w i-g, Lamy Blue-Black c/w i-g and Pilot Blue-Black from 3, 2 & 1 passes respectively.
• The wee ⟙ shapes are included to provide simultaneous contrast to a Black [sumi-e] ink.

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• All.
• An exceptional range of density is possible.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠ 

• None seen. 
• It seems that if it is writing paper, ESSRI will do the necessary.

Tinted Papers: 

• Absolutely.
• Due to the ink changing colour and density over time, it would seem wise to run samples well in advance of committing to a specific pen+paper combo.

Pre-Printed Papers:

 

• Forms, etc.
  • Born to it, but I would choose a dry narrow Stub or CI to ensure differentiation between the printed form and what's written. (Then again, with my handwriting, that's moot.)

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • May be used as an alternative to Black, so should not be used in conjunction with Black. 
  • As mentioned above, suppression of shading seems required for narrow lines. 

   

Is high-end paper 'worth it'? 

• Very much the preference of the author.
• Smooth hard-surfaced papers may be called upon to generate more shading, and to show-off the high line quality with shading - especially for those using narrow nibs.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• So very likely - certainly more than the usual routine marvels.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Carene on the G Lalo Velin de France.
• The base-tint of the paper is just into the grey, which establishes a very subtle contrast to the Blue aspect of the ink. The paper also has a very slight texture which sets off the ink's high line quality.
• The nib generates a quite high density, but I would cast about for a pen that is a bit less wet to accentuate the shading every so slightly, and maybe a nib an iota more narrow - more like the Sheaffer Prelude Stub. (Fussy enough?)

Yickity Yackity:

• Zombies beware! 
• When the big show comes to town, Papa Legba will have an all areas pass waiting for you.
• Ah kushbaby, so we do not have the snazzy blotter paper roll, nor the adorable dimpled-bottom bottle. Can you manage without such trifles?

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

 

Pens:

 

 

Written Samples:

 

LINK

 

• Pilot Prera + steel M nib.
• Sheaffer 440 + steel XF nib.
• Pelikan M400 + 14C M nib.
• Platinum President Purist + 22K B nib.
• Parker - unknown; perhaps a UK 51 Insignia. Please chime-in if you recognise this wee rascal. 
• Waterman Carene + 18K factory Stub nib.
• Cameo appearance from the Waterman 52V1/2.

 

• Lines & labels: Waterman Havana from a Pilot Penmanship + EF nib. 

______

 

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. laser copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white. 
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Staples 20 lb. multi use.
• G Lalo, Velin de France.
• Clairefontaine Triomphe.
• Pulp. One-a-Day Calendar page.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted. 
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour. 
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour. 
• Scans were not adjusted post-capture, other than dumb-down by Photobucket and IP.Boards/w.

______

 

Densitometer Readings (FWIW)

On HPJ1124:

• Red 109
• Grn 120
• Blu 147
• Lum 123

______

 

Fine Print:

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used. 

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc. 

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff I used, and that you may have. 

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

______

 

-30-

Edited October 7, 2011 by Sandy1

 

 

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

————-