Iron Gall Ink: Shake Or Not Before Filling

[Big Cheese]

.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience to share concerning iron gall inks, specifically R&K Salix.

 

Before filling my Safaris, is it better to

A. shake the bottle , to mix all ingredients / components up in case they had separated.

Or,

B. keep the bottle still, and leave anything that may have separated on the bottom of the bottle

 

I am using Salix in Lamy Safaris, so there is no huge financial risk, I just want to use the ink to its full potential.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Laurens

[graystranger]

I cannot imagine an ink that is intended to settle out before using. Really, picking up the bottle and moving it around stirs it up. I shake all my inks well before filling my pen. I some some of my inks in the wonderful TWSBI Diamond 50 glass ink wells, and to make sure the "filling cone" in the bottle is full, you have to tilt the bottle over. My philosophy: unless the manufacturer specifically states not to, I shake the bottle well. This applies to everything else. If not stated otherwise, it cannot hurt and may be needed.

[Runnin_Ute]

I don't personally. Although to take advantage of the inkwells in my Levenger bottles (one a Levenger ink, one not) I do tip them over before filling, but that is only to fill the inkwell.

[inkstainedruth]

Not sure about Salix in particular, but I would say in general it's probably better to not shake bottles of iron gall inks. I think you have to worry about particles coming out of solution (part of the reason that IG inks are higher maintenance).

Certainly I got warned not to do that with KWZI IG Violet #3.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Big Cheese]

Thank you, Graystranger, Runnin_Ute and InkstainedRuth for sharing your views.

 

I will go with not shaking.

 

If somewhere down the road I find that the properties have changed, I may give the bottle a good shake and see what happens.

 

All the best,

 

Laurens

[Sakura FP Gallery]

I checked with Rohrer & Klingner and none of their fountain pen inks must be shaken as they use dyes to color the inks. Dyes disolve in water. Even the iron gallic inks are not to be shaken.

 

On the other hand pigmented inks should be shaken before use.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

R&K Salix appears to have a very low concentration of iron-gall, so even though one might shake it and suffer no ill effects, there is no upside to shaking, and just in case there happens to be any sediment from the I-G component, that will not go back into solution, so may cause problems with flow from clogging.

 

For the large bore I-G inks, such as the document and registrars inks, quite often they throw a sediment, so should certainly not be shaken or agitated. At least one Member has described the ill effects of sediment being drawn into a pen. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/280919-line-and-flow-variation-in-time-with-diamine-registrars-ink/?p=3215941 I have suggested that such inks be decanted off the sediment into separate glass bottles for storage and dispensing.

 

Bye,

S1

[Big Cheese]

Catherine,

 

Thank you for checking with R&K; if anyone would know it would be them. Now I do not have to wonder the same thing about R&K alt goldgrun.

 

S1,

 

thank you for pointing out that any sediment would not be dissolved back into the ink, rendering shaking pointless at best (and possibly harmfull).

 

Take care,

 

Laurens