What To Use In Ink To Reduce Its Spreading

[raiahsan]

I have an ink. It is working good. But problem is that compating to other branded inks, when I write with it, its line width is more than others. Means it is spreading on paper. What chemical I can use to reduce its spreading.

[Arkanabar]

You might try a little purified water, perhaps 5-10%.

[Randal6393]

Hi, raiahsan,

 

Welcome to FPN! Hope you enjoy your time spent here and the community.

 

Which ink? Does it bleedthrough, shadow, or feather? What fountain pen are you using it in? Is your pen a wet pen or dry? All of these factors may have something to do with why an ink writes wider than another. More information would help.

 

Best of luck,

[raiahsan]

Thanks for your kind reply.

It does not bleed through. Its feathering is negligible. I do not know what is dry or wet pen. I am using it in simple fountain pen. It is blue color ink.

[raiahsan]

 

Arkanabar

You might try a little purified water, perhaps 5-10%.

 

 

 

Dear Arkanabar,

Your suggestion sounds good. Please may you put more light that how purified water will affect the ink. Also should I purchase purified water from market or can I alos prepare it at home.

Edited October 7, 2015 by raiahsan

[New_Falcon]

Can you tell us the name of the ink? Maybe some of us have experience with that ink.

[Sandy1]

 

Hello,

 

One of the ingredients of ink is a surfactant, which makes the ink flow through the pen more easily than water.

 

Diluting ink with water reduces the percentage of surfactant, making the ink flow more slowly and might improve the line quality as the ink won't spread throughout the paper so easily. It also lowers the dye-load per unit volume, which makes the ink lighter / pale.

 

Use of distilled or reverse osmosis water is preferred, in part because it does not contain chemicals that may react poorly with the ink nor cause any deposits if left to dry-out.

> Most likely simple tap water could be used for a trial, but if you mix more than say 10ml, then demineralised water should be considered. (Perhaps you can get a small amount from a Chemist or Pharmacy.)

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

See also:

> Wiki surfactant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant

> Dilution - A Rough Guide @ Post № 23 : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/218161-need-help-selecting-my-first-japanese-pens/?p=2315439

> Private Reserve American Blue - Dilution: 100, 80, 66 & 40% https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/180919-dilution-private-reserve-americam-blue/&do=findComment&comment=1820459

Edited October 8, 2015 by Sandy1

[raiahsan]

 

Sandy 1

One of the ingredients of ink is a surfactant, which makes the ink flow through the pen more easily than water.

Which one is used as surfactant, Glycerin or Sulfuric acid?

 

Most likely simple tap water could be used for a trial, but if you mix more than say 10ml, then demineralised water should be considered

Mine ink is made of totally tap water. I think it is hard water. Is that affecting it and how?

 

Also it seems that ink go fade/lighter with the passage of time in pen, not on paper. Fresh writes dark blue, but after some days remaining in pen, it is lighter blue. Is that an effect of tap water?

 

Also ink is drying later than other branded ink. Which I think is also causing its spreading and feathering.