Noodler's 54Th Mass. // Excessive Nib Creep

[heymatthew]

Hello all,

One of my favorite inks is Noodler's 54th Massachusetts. I like it as a daily ink in one of my pens because it's a dark enough blue/black that I feel it's appropriate for just about any task (not that I'm in a legal setting or anything anyway). I have noticed, though, that it tends to creep a lot. I thought at first it might be the pen I was using, but I tried it in other pens and had the same result. I recently started using it in an Edison Pearlette and it's doing it with that as well.

 

Is this just a characteristic of this ink or is it just maybe a bad batch? Anyone else noticing this issue?

 

Thanks for any information you guys can offer up.

 

Best,
Matthew

[doggonecarl]

A lot of Noodler's inks cause nib creep. I have 54th Mass, but didn't consider the nib creep excessive. Probably because I have inks that are worse.

 

54th Mass lends itself to dilution. See if adding a bit of water helps.

[..lol..]

I guess that neeb creep is made by the surfactants in the ink, for that writing experience you must accept the creep unfortunately..

[heymatthew]

I don't particularly mind the nib creep, actually. I just wanted to make sure it was normal and that it wasn't something I could prevent with basic maintenance or something. It really doesn't bother me though.

[The Good Captain]

Prime of the Commons is terrible for nib-creep. The 205 I use it in has a wonderful blue steel nib which washes off as soon as I decide enough is enough and I flush out the pen. Doesn't do any harm that I can see.

[CAG_1787]

The permanence of inks like 54th Mass is achieved only at the cost of extra surfactants in the ink, which has the unfortunate result of lots of nib creep.

 

Fantastic ink though!

[heymatthew]

Thank you guys for all the information! It's not enough to deter me from using the ink at all... I just wanted to make sure it was normal. Glad to know I didn't get a bad bottle or something.

[RLTodd]

The nib creep is not a problem.

The nib creep is an added feature.

 

Learn to love the nib creep.

 

Considering all the problems characteristics with fountain pens, I ignore that one.

 

Back in the dip pen only days, didn't writers keep a little jar of shot to clean the ink of the steel nibs?

[Runnin_Ute]

Not my favorite thing about it. I have noticed that it is not as heavy with some pens than others though, but I experience it to some degree with all of them. I don't have 54th Mass in any of my pens right now though.

[papabear16]

Both my Noodler's 54th Mass. and Black creep a bit in my Lamys, but neither causes drips or anything like that. I've learned to live with it after getting the same reassurances you have above. In an odd way, I sort of like it with the 54th Mass.

[Sandy1]

The nib creep is not a problem.

The nib creep is an added feature.

 

Learn to love the nib creep.

 

Considering all the problems characteristics with fountain pens, I ignore that one.

 

Back in the dip pen only days, didn't writers keep a little jar of shot to clean the ink of the steel nibs?

 

Hi,

 

I thought that in the days of yore scribes used cat tails to clean iron nibs; and that the Manx was a result of highly acidic I-G ink. I stand to be corrected.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 20, 2013 by Sandy1

[heymatthew]

Back in the dip pen only days, didn't writers keep a little jar of shot to clean the ink of the steel nibs?

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I thought that in the days of yore scribes used cat tails to clean iron nibs; and that the Manx was a result of highly acidic I-G ink. I stand to be corrected.

 

Bye,

S1

 

I thought everyone just wiped the ink on their undershirt... or pants. They don't?

[Sandy1]

 

 

 

I thought everyone just wiped the ink on their undershirt... or pants. They don't?

 

Hi,

 

Not to pose as an etiquette maven, but it seems unladylike to wipe ink on one's lingerie. If a cat tail was not available, I'd use the silk necktie of the closest gent.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 20, 2013 by Sandy1

[heymatthew]

 

Hi,

 

Not to pose as an etiquette maven, but it seems unladylike to wipe ink on one's lingerie. If a cat tail was not available, I'd use the silk necktie of the closest gent.

 

Bye,

S1

 

Hahaha!!! Best comment ever!!!!!

[Sandy1]

 

Hahaha!!! Best comment ever!!!!!

 

[SeeksAdvice]

The same level of durability can be obtained with IG's and without the massive nib creep / nib drool.

 

I tried a sample of 54th Mass. and ran from it.

 

Way too much of a headache for the returns.

 

And, in this day and age, forgers don't even need to resort to "washing" checks. So, that's not even that big of an issue anymore.

 

For ultimate long-term stuff, if color doesn't matter, there are the carbon inks and IG inks. Those will probably outlast the paper they are written on.

[heymatthew]

The same level of durability can be obtained with IG's and without the massive nib creep / nib drool.

 

I tried a sample of 54th Mass. and ran from it.

 

Way too much of a headache for the returns.

 

And, in this day and age, forgers don't even need to resort to "washing" checks. So, that's not even that big of an issue anymore.

 

For ultimate long-term stuff, if color doesn't matter, there are the carbon inks and IG inks. Those will probably outlast the paper they are written on.

 

I use 54th Mass for the color, not the permanence. I don't even know which of my inks are permanent and which aren't. I write about 12 checks a year because my landlord lives in the 18th century and hasn't figured out electronic payment yet. Prior to my current living situation I didn't even have checks.

 

I have been using the Van Gogh Starry Night Blue that I bought from here and I like that even more than 54th. I hadn't used 54th in quite some time and inked up my Edison Pearlette with it a few days ago and it reminded me to check into the nib creep thing. I'll probably keep using it, but only because I like the color so much...

Edited August 20, 2013 by heymatthew

[CaptainGroovy]

I am probably beating a dead catfish to death but I sort of accept a bit of nib creep from some Noodler's ink colors. I consider a small price to pay and just accept that it happens just like death and taxes. My way of dealing with it is I have a box of Kem-Wipes in my desk and give my pens a quick wipe in the morning besides it only takes a minute or two to do and more time than not I also give one or more of my pens a topping off of ink so I have to wipe the nib anyways.

[papabear16]

So long as the creep doesn't hurt the nib (and I've seen nothing here to suggest it does) or drip all over paper, desk, or writer, it doesn't seem like nib creep is anything more than an aesthetic problem. Right?