Waterman Blue Black - a written review

[davidmigl]

QUOTE (Armchop @ Mar 3 2007, 05:27 PM)

Some recent incidents have got me thinking. I've recently opened newer bottles of WBB for obvious reasons. In my post above the sample was written in a Sonnet with a Medium but very wet nib. However I got similar saturation results in a Laban Mento. I some other pens I have been getting much pretty much washed out results. Anyway, I am now finding that my most recent batches of WBB are: 1) coming out much less saturated even in the Sonnets. 2) fading very quickly over time - days and weeks and in grade books that are closed to light. 3) have a very definate green hue (see Lisa's post above). Indeed when wiping nibs after filling with ink the tissue paper is stained GREEN! A kind of sea green rather than grass or leaf green but absolutlely green. Like this almost - So A) Is this a new but disastrous formula / dye used? A quality control problem? C) Anyone else noticed? I've been using this ink for probably ten years. First in catridges then I wised up to bottles. There is a change. Armchop

I'm ditto on having my Waterman BBK dry an ugly teal

[MicheleB]

Yep teal here too. I just purchased within last month. Wanted a vintage looking and not what I wanted. Used Clairfontaine paper and OMAS F nib with moderate flow.

[hatherton_wood]

Waterman and now Quink Blue Blacks are very strange inks. I've gone over to Pelikan for a Blue Black - much more like what I expect.

[Bradley]

Hatherton Wood: I've heard good things about the Pelikan BB, but is this an "iron gall" ink? What exactly is "iron gall", by the way, and why do some seem frightened of it? And please excuse my ignorance.

[HDoug]

QUOTE (Bradley @ Apr 7 2007, 01:18 PM)

Hatherton Wood: I've heard good things about the Pelikan BB, but is this an "iron gall" ink? What exactly is "iron gall", by the way, and why do some seem frightened of it? And please excuse my ignorance.

Bradley, here's a link to Ink Corrosion Web Site which will tell you something about iron gall inks. But the name of the website should be a tipoff.

 

Doug

[hatherton_wood]

I'm certain that Pelikan Blue Black is not an iron gall ink (this I believe contained iron sulphate and hence corrosive to fountain pens). Pelikan Blue Black is a true blue black that looks like it should and flows well.

[lisa]

QUOTE (hatherton_wood @ Apr 7 2007, 10:38 PM)

Waterman and now Quink Blue Blacks are very strange inks. I've gone over to Pelikan for a Blue Black - much more like what I expect.

What do you mean by Quink BB is now strange? Same as waterman BB?

[Arkanabar]

In my copy of the Ink Sampler, the Waterman Blue-Black is decidedly a dark blue-green or teal color. (Remember, it's painted with a cotton swab, which is going to be very wet indeed.) The Quink blue-black sample is much more what I'd expect. Unfortunately, I have no wayof knowing how often Dr. Clark acquired new samples.

[ProfMike]

Hi All,

 

Just to add my $0.02 - I just opened my first bottle of WBB and tried it out this morning. To be honest, and to agree with earlier posters, it doesn't seem much like what I would expect from something called "blue-black." At least the bottle I have leans toward a medium blue with a significant green tint. It's not really teal or turquoise, but it definitely leans in that general direction.

 

Then again, in my eyes at least, it looks very much like the ink in my dad's school notebooks from the 1950s. I asked him if he ever used this ink as a kid and he looked at me like I had three heads and eight eyes Guess he wasn't as in to inks as I am...

 

Either way, I find myself liking the color the longer I look at it. It isn't an typical blue or blue-black, but it's also not too bold or bright for everyday writing. This could be a welcome addition to the "work" ink rotation - for those days when I want something a little different but Arabian Rose or Eel Green might be a bit over the top

 

All the best,

Mike

[wimg]

QUOTE (johnr55 @ Oct 21 2006, 03:27 AM)

Regardless of the ink, I found the handwriting fascinating!  So nice to see someone write in an everyday hand, not trying to imitate monks from a bygone age.  Most unusual strokes for some of the letters, and I wonder whether that has to do with English as a 2nd language?

Thanks, John!

 

Sorry I only reply now, haven't been around as much as I really wanted to, the last 6 months or so. Some 6 months more, and everything will be back to normal again, I think, as far as things can be normal when it concerns me of course .

 

Anyway, the handwriting is a mix, really, plus my own development for writing relatively fast, and hopefully readable. It is a mix of Dutch and English forms, roundhand mostly, I guess, having been brought up in the Netherlands, and having lived in SA and the UK for a total of 15 years. People over here consider it quite strange . Oh, and I learnt to write with a dip pen, of course, many years ago. I guess that has an influence, too .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

QUOTE (HDoug @ Mar 4 2007, 11:13 PM)

QUOTE (johnr55 @ Oct 20 2006, 03:27 PM) Regardless of the ink, I found the handwriting fascinating!  So nice to see someone write in an everyday hand, not trying to imitate monks from a bygone age.  Most unusual strokes for some of the letters, and I wonder whether that has to do with English as a 2nd language? Ditto on the handwriting! Lots of personality, yet very readable and "friendly." (My own handwriting imitates "monks from a bygone era" -- who have broken into the wine cellar!)   Doug Hi Doug,   Thank you for your kind words!   Warm regards, Wim

[lefty928]

QUOTE (wimg @ Apr 8 2007, 08:06 PM)

Sorry I only reply now, haven't been around as much as I really wanted to, the last 6 months or so. Some 6 months more, and everything will be back to normal again, I think, as far as things can be normal when it concerns me of course  .

Looking forward to seeing you back more once things settle down, Wim. I've missed your wonderful ink reviews!

[soundwarrior]

So Waterman's Blue-Black is different now? I kinda have a picture of how it may look, based on your descriptions. Perhaps someone could take a scan for everyone to see and compare... From what I have seen on various review threads about it, I would really be pleased with the previous version of this ink. I've been only able to find Waterman Black in my city, so I can't try it for myself for now.

[JohnS-MI]

My WBB is still a nice blue-black, IMMEDIATELY after it dries. However, I've noticed notes left lying around my desk look much more teal or greenish. In particular, I took some dated about two weeks and four weeks ago, and wrote something fresh on them. The blue-black color fades rather quickly over time to the teal color. I think it is exposure to light as note in a dark drawer are holding color better. What is surprising is that this is ordinary room light, not sunlight, or even terribly intense light.

[CharlieB]

My WBB is still a nice blue-black, IMMEDIATELY after it dries. However, I've noticed notes left lying around my desk look much more teal or greenish. In particular, I took some dated about two weeks and four weeks ago, and wrote something fresh on them. The blue-black color fades rather quickly over time to the teal color. I think it is exposure to light as note in a dark drawer are holding color better. What is surprising is that this is ordinary room light, not sunlight, or even terribly intense light.

 

Yep, it turns green over time. I signed a bunch of performance plans for my employees at the start of the rating period with this ink. It was nice and blue-black at the time I signed. Six months later, when we opened the files for mid-term performance reviews, all of my signatures had turned green! I've switched to Florida Blue, which fades a bit, but doesn't change color. I may use Noodlers Blue Black next year -- to take advantage of its "near bullet proof" status.

 

["Near bullet proof" is an interesting concept. If you were going into harm's way, would you buy a "near bullet proof" vest?]

[Garageboy]

Mine looks like that straight out of my pen. After a few days, it turns into a green tinge.

[JohnS-MI]

I may use Noodlers Blue Black next year -- to take advantage of its "near bullet proof" status.

 

["Near bullet proof" is an interesting concept. If you were going into harm's way, would you buy a "near bullet proof" vest?]

 

I got a sample of the Noodlers Blue Black in the Pear Tree Pen Co sampler program. It is almost impossible to tell from black, VERY dark. When it gets wet, some blue runs off and stains the paper. The black stays put. For me, it does NOT meet the criteria of making the original signature distinguishable from the original; too close to black. But it has decent water resistance. (The quest for the perfect deep, intense, saturated, waterproof blue continues.)

 

All "bullet proof" vests come with limits for a specific round, muzzle velocity, etc. There is always a bigger, denser bullet with higher velocity and better armor-piercing shape. In the 5000+ year battle of armor and projectiles, the projectile has always improved faster (at least for the sophisticated enemy).

 

[Ray-Vigo]

The thing I always liked about Waterman's Blue-Black is that I can run it in a pen that is having problems and find out if it really is the pen, and not the ink, that is causing the problem. It's a decent looking ink that I find is quite reliable and dries nice and fast. I use it and Waterman's Florida Blue (depending on the color I like at the moment) for writing everyday, but it also is nice to have around in the event you have a pen that is being problematic. You can use it as a helpful "control" ink to test the pen.

[FLZapped]

:meow:

 

Some recent incidents have got me thinking.

I've recently opened newer bottles of WBB for obvious reasons.

In my post above the sample was written in a Sonnet with a Medium but very wet nib. However I got similar saturation results in a Laban Mento.

I some other pens I have been getting much pretty much washed out results.

 

Anyway, I am now finding that my most recent batches of WBB are:

1) coming out much less saturated even in the Sonnets.

2) fading very quickly over time - days and weeks and in grade books that are closed to light.

3) have a very definate green hue (see Lisa's post above). Indeed when wiping nibs after filling with ink the tissue paper is stained GREEN! A kind of sea green rather than grass or leaf green but absolutlely green. Like this almost -

 

So

A) Is this a new but disastrous formula / dye used?

A quality control problem?

C) Anyone else noticed?

 

I've been using this ink for probably ten years. First in catridges then I wised up to bottles. There is a change.

 

Armchop

I'm ditto on having my Waterman BBK dry an ugly teal

 

I get the same results with Quink BB -Bruce

[Catsmelt]

I did a pretty quick and dirty paper chromatography comparing the Quink and Waterman blue blacks here.

 

To my untrained eye, they're pretty similar (though I wonder about older Quink BBs -- do they also have a green tinge?).

 

While reading this thread, it dawned on me regarding a thread about "Blue-Green" inks and how they all look green rather than blue -- maybe Waterman & Quink blue-black is the go-to ink for the blue-green crowd looking for more blue saturation?