Is There Anything I Can Add To Keep My Ink From Feathering?

[TheTiddlerOfWinks69]

Currently I've been using a Levenger Cobalt blue that feathers profusely. I'm not sure if it's my Pilot Metropolitan or the ink itself (I plan to fill my Vac 700 with it once it comes in the mail) but was curious if there was something i could do or add to the ink to keep it from feathering so much. Thanks for any and all advice!

[The Blue Knight]

I think it has more to do with the paper low quality paper generally is more absorbent so ink spreads further before drying so feathers. I'd first try some other paper e.g. clairefontaine, Black and red or Rhodia as these are 3 good quality brands.

[ac12]

I found feathering is influenced by the pen, the ink and the paper. Any of the 3 variables could cause feathering.

• pen, WET pens tend to feather more, because they put down so much ink
• ink, WET inks tends to feather more because it goes into the paper fibers easily and fast.
• paper, coarse paper tends to feather because it does not hold the ink, but rather blots it.

I have used the same pen and paper, just a different ink, and had the ink feather on me.

I have used the same pen, and ink, just a different paper, and also had the ink feather on me.

 

So it is a somewhat complex interaction of these 3 variables.

Like in science, just change one variable at a time to see which stops the feathering.

 

So you told us the pen and ink, but what paper are you using?

As I mentioned, the wrong paper will cause the ink to feather and maybe even bleed through.

[amberleadavis]

Also, I've found that recycled papers tend to feather more.

[Inkling13]

I found feathering is influenced by the pen, the ink and the paper. Any of the 3 variables could cause feathering.

• pen, WET pens tend to feather more, because they put down so much ink
• ink, WET inks tends to feather more because it goes into the paper fibers easily and fast.
• paper, coarse paper tends to feather because it does not hold the ink, but rather blots it.

I have used the same pen and paper, just a different ink, and had the ink feather on me.

I have used the same pen, and ink, just a different paper, and also had the ink feather on me.

 

So it is a somewhat complex interaction of these 3 variables.

Like in science, just change one variable at a time to see which stops the feathering.

 

So you told us the pen and ink, but what paper are you using?

As I mentioned, the wrong paper will cause the ink to feather and maybe even bleed through.

+1

Recycled paper tends to be softer, and more "fluffy" absorbing the ink faster and feathering more. Harder paper, like Rhodia, resists this.

[MensRea]

The recycling process is supposed to break up the paper fibers causing the soft, fluffy ink absorbing tendency. A change of paper or one of the drier ink like the Pelikans should sort you out.

 

I don't think there's any way you can reduce the wetness of an ink, apart from letting it dry for a bit. Feed and nib adjustment should help reduce the flow. Changing the ink and paper are much more simpler.

Edited February 23, 2014 by MensRea

[jsolares]

I don't believe there's anything you can add to the ink, some are just more prone to feathering than others as others have said.

 

It's the only part of using fountain pens that i hate, you have to juggle all 3 things (pens, inks, paper) to just be able to write... oh well, at least many people have gone through it already and shared about it, So you can read about what inks are wet or dry as well as how pens behave

[RudyR]

Feathering is one of the reasons i love iron gall inks. No matter what paper, no matter what pen, they show no or very little feathering. To me the main culprit in this is the ink. My bottle of Diamine Saragossa Sea a lot and Noodlers Qin Shi Huang Di feathers so much that it looks like an aerial view of the Cascades.

[carlos.q]

You can try diluting the ink with a bit of distilled water. Since this is a very saturated ink, a little dilution will make the ink dry faster and feather less.

Start out with a 10% dilution in a clean container and work your way up to a mix that works for you.

This...or buy better paper.

Edited February 23, 2014 by carlos.q

[Abner C. Kemp]

You can try diluting the ink with a bit of distilled water. Since this is a very saturated ink, a little dilution will make the ink dry faster and feather less.

Start out with a 10% dilution in a clean container and work your way up to a mix that works for you.

This...or buy better paper.

 

+1 If you dilute the ink with water it should reduce the feathering. It makes the flow drier in my experience though.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Abner C. Kemp

[WirsPlm]

I agree that the paper is probably contributing significantly to the problem, unfortunately most modern papers aren't great for inks that use water as a base (most ballpoint and gel inks use oils or other liquids and are made differently than FP inks). I've heard good things about Black 'N Red notebooks, and have used Miquelrius notebooks (didn't feather, but the paper is coated so the ink took a while to dry), my preferred paper is actually laser printer paper, which at a good weight stands up to all kinds of inks well and is cheap enough that a ream (500 pages) is less than $10. Look for 20lb or 25lb weight (I think I'm currently using the 20lb paper from Office Depot), and check out reviews in the Paper subforum here, there's lots of information on which kinds of printer paper work the best. Printer paper comes unlined but you can print lines on it and most office supply stores will bind it into notebooks for you (I just use it unlined).

[Joe in Seattle]

I just tried the ink on six papers readily available to me in an F nib Pilot M90. I couldn't get it to feather on anything except a paper towel. I don't think it's a failure of the ink.

[JakobS]

Roaring Springs Environotes Filler Paper. Found most easily at your local college bookstore, and perhaps other fine purveyors of filler paper. 170 pages for ~$6. All your worries will disappear.......

[Moshe ben David]

I agree that the paper is probably contributing significantly to the problem, unfortunately most modern papers aren't great for inks that use water as a base (most ballpoint and gel inks use oils or other liquids and are made differently than FP inks). I've heard good things about Black 'N Red notebooks, and have used Miquelrius notebooks (didn't feather, but the paper is coated so the ink took a while to dry), my preferred paper is actually laser printer paper, which at a good weight stands up to all kinds of inks well and is cheap enough that a ream (500 pages) is less than $10. Look for 20lb or 25lb weight (I think I'm currently using the 20lb paper from Office Depot), and check out reviews in the Paper subforum here, there's lots of information on which kinds of printer paper work the best. Printer paper comes unlined but you can print lines on it and most office supply stores will bind it into notebooks for you (I just use it unlined).

 

Elsewhere in FPN HP 32 lb paper seems to get good marks to the extent that it looks like some users preferred it for homemade journals and correspondence. You might want to do a search on the forums.