Archival Inks Catalogue

[sitnstew]

I have been looking for a good archival ink so I figured I'd share what I found. I linked them to a review of the ink in question. I am only aware of Noodler's archival inks, so if you know of others, please feel free to add to the list. I also only included the ones that are fully archival, not the ones listed as "partial" on their list.

Noodler's Archival Inks:

#41 Brown

54th Massachusetts

Bad Belted Kingfisher

Bad Black Moccasin

Bad Blue Heron

Bad Green Gator

Black

Black Eel

Blackerase

Blue Ghost

Dostoyevsky

El Lawrence

Empire Red

Esenin

Fox

Heart of Darkness

Hunter

Kung Te-Cheng

Kuprin

La Reine Mauve

Lexington Gray

Luxury Blue

Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia

Mata Hari's Cordial

Pasternak

Periwinkle

Polar Black

Polar Blue

Polar Brown

Polar Green

Rachmaninoff

Rome Burning

Socrates

Tchaikovsky

Upper Ganges Blue

Whiteness of the Whale

X-Feather

Year of the Golden Pig

 

[dcwaites]

What do you mean by archival?

 

I used to work for a museum, so for me, archival means that it will look unchanged after 200+ years in storage.

 

There are only two types of inks that are known, from experience, to last that long -- properly made Iron-Gall inks and Carbon Pigment inks.

 

Other inks have been tested in laboratories for accelerated aging, but that is usually done by large companies like HP and Epson for their inkjet inks.

 

I believe only one company (D'Atramentis?) has had one of their pen inks so certified, but I can't find that any more.

 

If I want to write a label that I KNOW will last 200 years, I will use a Rotring pen with their Carbon ink on cotton rag card.

 

Just because a company says an ink is archival, I won't accept that without independent, standards based testing.

However, you can get a good idea of how an ink will last in storage from the "Ink in a Window" testing that some of the FPN members have been doing.

 

As a group, we do know that some inks, particularly Parker Quink Blue-Black on acidic papers do fade very quickly.

Black inks, as a group, do seem to last longer in storage than other inks.

 

I would also not class a bulletproof or fraud-resistant ink as necessarily archival. Those terms mean that it is hard to remove the ink in the short term with chemicals. They do not imply how long the ink will last on paper without fading.

 

This is not meant to be any sort of criticism of Nathan Tardiff with his bulletproof inks. I own, use, and like several of those inks. But he has not paid for any of those inks to be tested independently for archival properties. Neither would I, it costs tens of thousands of dollars for each ink. I prefer for him to spend his spare money on developing new and more interesting inks.

 

So, to reiterate my first question, what do YOU mean by archival? Then we can help you answer your question.

[sitnstew]

Since all we can really rely on is a manufacturers claims, I'm referring to inks that are claimed to last long enough for my posterity to enjoy them. I'm only concerned with fountain pen inks. Whether it is fair to trust a manufacturer at their word or not, I can only base my purchase on what is claimed and available to me for my pens. I have doubts that anyone will want to keep anything I write for 200 years so my concern is the next 50-100.

[balson]

What do you mean by archival?

 

I used to work for a museum, so for me, archival means that it will look unchanged after 200+ years in storage.

 

There are only two types of inks that are known, from experience, to last that long -- properly made Iron-Gall inks and Carbon Pigment inks.

 

Other inks have been tested in laboratories for accelerated aging, but that is usually done by large companies like HP and Epson for their inkjet inks.

 

I believe only one company (D'Atramentis?) has had one of their pen inks so certified, but I can't find that any more.

 

If I want to write a label that I KNOW will last 200 years, I will use a Rotring pen with their Carbon ink on cotton rag card.

 

Just because a company says an ink is archival, I won't accept that without independent, standards based testing.

However, you can get a good idea of how an ink will last in storage from the "Ink in a Window" testing that some of the FPN members have been doing.

 

As a group, we do know that some inks, particularly Parker Quink Blue-Black on acidic papers do fade very quickly.

Black inks, as a group, do seem to last longer in storage than other inks.

 

I would also not class a bulletproof or fraud-resistant ink as necessarily archival. Those terms mean that it is hard to remove the ink in the short term with chemicals. They do not imply how long the ink will last on paper without fading.

 

This is not meant to be any sort of criticism of Nathan Tardiff with his bulletproof inks. I own, use, and like several of those inks. But he has not paid for any of those inks to be tested independently for archival properties. Neither would I, it costs tens of thousands of dollars for each ink. I prefer for him to spend his spare money on developing new and more interesting inks.

 

So, to reiterate my first question, what do YOU mean by archival? Then we can help you answer your question.

 

i do not work for a museum, i am just a humble artist, but i was under the impression that a media only had to be able to survive 100 years to be considered archival, and when the term is used for modern printing only 50 years.

 

its also worth noting that for art materials, while astm rates the lightfastness of the various colors they do so based on the pigments only, not based on the individual manufacturers actual product. and there are sometimes variations in how lightfast the same color is between different makers. lightfastness ratings are further confused because some colors when mixed are sometimes less stable than the pigments alone.

 

while you cannot get as accurate results as you could in a lab because of impractical to control conditions like humidity blue wool testing is relatively cheap and easy and would give a good gauge about whether an ink is lightfast.

 

if any fpn members are interested in performing their own blue wool tests you can find info about it here http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/pigmt9.html

[SeeksAdvice]

I would likely consider DRI to be archival. Just don't stick it in a window in the middle of the burning desert ;P

Carbon blacks would be pretty much only limited by the durability of the paper they are on. The only thing that can happen to carbon is it gets rubbed off (or somehow gets removed in another way). It simply won't fade.

I would disagree that the only thing to go on is a manufacturer's claims. We have lots, and lots of centuries old documents from Europe written in I-G inks of who knows what formulation.

[dcwaites]

Since all we can really rely on is a manufacturers claims, I'm referring to inks that are claimed to last long enough for my posterity to enjoy them. I'm only concerned with fountain pen inks. Whether it is fair to trust a manufacturer at their word or not, I can only base my purchase on what is claimed and available to me for my pens. I have doubts that anyone will want to keep anything I write for 200 years so my concern is the next 50-100.

 

So, in your case, archival means 50~100 years, in my case it means 200+, but for others it may mean 1000+ years. We may have to come up with a graded archival scale, where

Grade I = 1000+

Grade II = 500~1000

Grade III = 200~500

Grade IV = 100~200

Grade V = 50~100

Grade VI = 20~50

Grade VII = 10~20

Grade VII = 2~10

Grade VIII = < 2

 

This is not exactly a proper logarithmic scale but I think it probably matches peoples' expectations

 

 

i do not work for a museum, i am just a humble artist, but i was under the impression that a media only had to be able to survive 100 years to be considered archival, and when the term is used for modern printing only 50 years.

 

its also worth noting that for art materials, while astm rates the lightfastness of the various colors they do so based on the pigments only, not based on the individual manufacturers actual product. and there are sometimes variations in how lightfast the same color is between different makers. lightfastness ratings are further confused because some colors when mixed are sometimes less stable than the pigments alone.

 

while you cannot get as accurate results as you could in a lab because of impractical to control conditions like humidity blue wool testing is relatively cheap and easy and would give a good gauge about whether an ink is lightfast.

 

if any fpn members are interested in performing their own blue wool tests you can find info about it here http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/pigmt9.html

 

Amberleadavis has been conducting some age testing that you might want to look at --

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/248800-fade-olympics-2013-sponsored-by-tlvpp/

[wallylynn]

Since all we can really rely on is a manufacturers claims, I'm referring to inks that are claimed to last long enough for my posterity to enjoy them.

I don't recall Noodler's ever making that particular claim.

 

The only one I know of to make such a claim is De Atrimentis Document Ink, certified ISO-something. At $1/ml, it'd better be.

 

A close second might be Pharmacist's home made IG ink since he follows some government recipe or the Registrar's Inks. I think registrars ink is (was?) a requirement for documents like wedding licenses in England.

[The Good Captain]

Let's see what the forthcoming Montblanc 'permanent' inks are like, too. From the pictures on here, the blue certainly has an ISO status.

[sitnstew]

I'm not sure I really care about the technical definition of "archival" as much as everyone else in this thread seems to. I really just want an ink that the manufacturer claims is archival or will last longer than other inks. That's why I made the list. Apparently it isn't as useful to others as it was to me but c'est la vie....

[balson]

 

So, in your case, archival means 50~100 years, in my case it means 200+, but for others it may mean 1000+ years. We may have to come up with a graded archival scale, where

Grade I = 1000+

Grade II = 500~1000

Grade III = 200~500

Grade IV = 100~200

Grade V = 50~100

Grade VI = 20~50

Grade VII = 10~20

Grade VII = 2~10

Grade VIII = < 2

 

This is not exactly a proper logarithmic scale but I think it probably matches peoples' expectations

 

 

Amberleadavis has been conducting some age testing that you might want to look at --

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/248800-fade-olympics-2013-sponsored-by-tlvpp/

 

just to clarify, i had always heard the industry standard was a minimum of 100 years and thats what i consider it to be. i do not consider 50 years to be archival quality i was pointing out as a footnote that the printing industry lobbied to have the definition lowered for their industry.

[wallylynn]

I'm not sure I really care about the technical definition of "archival"....

You're new. Give it time. Welcome to the nuthouse.

[dcwaites]

 

just to clarify, i had always heard the industry standard was a minimum of 100 years and thats what i consider it to be. i do not consider 50 years to be archival quality i was pointing out as a footnote that the printing industry lobbied to have the definition lowered for their industry.

 

That's the problem. Different industries have different meanings for 'archival'. The inkjet printing industry has chosen 80 years, and museums mean 200+. The English Parliament has records going back over 800 years, so for them, archival probably means 1000+ years.

 

That's why I put up the scale, so that we FPNers can say "I want an ink that lasts at least 300 years" or "I want an ink that is suitable for shopping lists." The answers would be a Grade III ink and a Grade VIII ink.

 

(Correction - I mucked it up at the bottom. Here are the last few grades again --

Grade VII = 10~20

Grade VIII = 2~10

Grade IX = < 2 )

 

All we have to do is assign available inks to grades...

 

So here's an intial stab --

 

Parker Washable Blue - Grade IX

Parker Blue-Black - Grade VIII

Parker Permanent Black - Grade VI

Diamine, ESSRI, Iron Gall inks - Grade III

Rotring, Platinum, Sailor Carbon black inks - Grade I

 

These are all guesses in the absence of hard evidence. However I have no plans to hang around to see if my predictions for Grade III and above inks are correct...

[Messmer]

I don't totally agree with this kind of clasification. My main concern is it does not take into account the nature of the support and it does not take into account how the document is stored (temperature, light, humidity, pollution...). I will classify as archival ink:

 

Carbon ink

Iron Gall (modern version - those not fit for fountain pen are too corosive)

Noodler's (bulletproof, Warden's)

 

I can't tell how long they will last. But they offer a good chance of long term conservation if the support used is acceptable. By acceptable, I mean paper with a neutral pH, lignine free and with a good resistance to mecanical stress or better. They will give the best chance of survival in a storage conditiion fit for human.

[raging.dragon]

I don't totally agree with this kind of clasification. My main concern is it does not take into account the nature of the support and it does not take into account how the document is stored (temperature, light, humidity, pollution...). I will classify as archival ink:

 

Carbon ink

Iron Gall (modern version - those not fit for fountain pen are too corosive)

Noodler's (bulletproof, Warden's)

 

I can't tell how long they will last. But they offer a good chance of long term conservation if the support used is acceptable. By acceptable, I mean paper with a neutral pH, lignine free and with a good resistance to mecanical stress or better. They will give the best chance of survival in a storage conditiion fit for human.

 

I've seen nano-pigment inks in blue and other colours which must be using pigments other than Carbon. And companies other than Noodler's have made inks with cellulose reactive dyes, so I'd rephrase that a bit:

• Nano-pigment inks (including Carbon inks)
• Cellulose reactive inks (including Noodler's eternal, bulletproof, and warden inks)
• Iron Gall inks (if formulated to prevent residual acid from damaging paper)

[dcwaites]

I don't totally agree with this kind of clasification. My main concern is it does not take into account the nature of the support and it does not take into account how the document is stored (temperature, light, humidity, pollution...). I will classify as archival ink:

 

Carbon ink

Iron Gall (modern version - those not fit for fountain pen are too corosive)

Noodler's (bulletproof, Warden's)

 

I can't tell how long they will last. But they offer a good chance of long term conservation if the support used is acceptable. By acceptable, I mean paper with a neutral pH, lignine free and with a good resistance to mecanical stress or better. They will give the best chance of survival in a storage conditiion fit for human.

 

What you put the ink on is absolutely vital for its longevity. If you write on tissue paper it won't last long at all. I rather assumed in my original post that the medium was an essential part of the equation. For example, carbon ink lasts better on cellulose-based substrate (papyrus, bamboo, cotton-rag paper, etc ) but won't stick properly to vellum/parchment. Iron-gall inks, OTOH, last better on vellum/parchment due to its habit of eating cellulose.

 

I am not ready, at this stage, to call cellulose-reactive inks (Noodler's Bulletproof, Private Reserve Invincible) archival until I see some proper aging tests. The colours in these inks come from dyes. Dyes are not known to be long-term age-stable (i.e. more than 100 years).

[Messmer]

 

What you put the ink on is absolutely vital for its longevity. If you write on tissue paper it won't last long at all. I rather assumed in my original post that the medium was an essential part of the equation. For example, carbon ink lasts better on cellulose-based substrate (papyrus, bamboo, cotton-rag paper, etc ) but won't stick properly to vellum/parchment. Iron-gall inks, OTOH, last better on vellum/parchment due to its habit of eating cellulose.

 

I am not ready, at this stage, to call cellulose-reactive inks (Noodler's Bulletproof, Private Reserve Invincible) archival until I see some proper aging tests. The colours in these inks come from dyes. Dyes are not known to be long-term age-stable (i.e. more than 100 years).

 

Some UV test give good result for noodler's bulletproof black. But your right for time it is not totally proven. But my main nemesis is water.

[flatline]

Out of curiosity, what kinds of inks are used for signing historic documents like treaties and such?

 

--flatline

[raging.dragon]

Out of curiosity, what kinds of inks are used for signing historic documents like treaties and such?

 

--flatline

 

Historically it would've been mostly Iron Gall inks. Today, the best option would probably be a pH neutral nano-pigment ink. There's an ISO standard for archival inks, so I'd hope the inks used (whether fountain, ballpoint, or rollerball pen) meet that standard; however, it wouldn't surprise me if standard ballpoint inks were used.

[cybaea]

What do you mean by archival?

 

I used to work for a museum, so for me, archival means that it will look unchanged after 200+ years in storage.

 

There are only two types of inks that are known, from experience, to last that long -- properly made Iron-Gall inks and Carbon Pigment inks.

 

And MnO2 inks: we have used manganese dioxide for drawing and writing for about 20,000 years and it is still looking good (when stored in dry, dark caves), and Black Actinic Ink #230 is the favourite ink in the museums and libraries that I have spoken with. Alas, it is not fountain pen friendly, but if you are ever after a matt black this is the one to go for.

[cybaea]

Out of curiosity, what kinds of inks are used for signing historic documents like treaties and such?

 

Depends on the times. These days the signing is mostly for show and any ink goes; the 2010 nuclear arms treaty was signed by Presidents Obama and Medvedev using Diamine Royal Blue (source).