Inky T O D - How Important Is Water Resistance?

[amberleadavis]

In prior Inky Topics O'Day, we have discussed what ink properties are important to you, and if you have ever had an ink fade. So I guess, we should ask ... is water resistance important to you?

[carlos.q]

Yes.

[Sasha Royale]

If you are a college student, use "bulletproof" ink. You and I both know the things that can be spilled on class notes. I use Noodler's HOD for addressing envelopes and packages. No worries.

[haruka337]

For me, it's a bonus, but not a must.

 

Work documents are archived digitally and e-signatures are on the rise, so permanent, water proof/resistant ink is not necessary at this point, at least in my work place. Even work related notes get transcribed or scanned at some point.

 

For personal use, it doesn't matter either. My letters and private musings were never meant for posterity.

 

If I like the color, I'll buy the ink, that's all it takes.

[jmccarty3]

If you are a college student, use "bulletproof" ink.

 

It only needs to be beer-proof.

[RobbW]

Necessary but not sufficient. There are so many beautiful, shading, sheening inks out there with water resistance--why not?

[amberleadavis]

I just wrote a whole missive on this comment. ... My thoughts are "it depends".

[white_lotus]

Not at all. If addressing an envelope I may well rub some wax over it to protect it some, but that's about it.

 

If I want a waterproof ink I've used nano-black ink, which is good enough for me.

[Abner C. Kemp]

"It depends" is really the answer for me. I will say that if I'm writing notes or anything that I find "important" then it is extremely important to me that I am using a water resistant ink. The only time I really don't care about water resistance is when I'm writing a letter. I've never had a pen pal accidentally spill something on my letter or read it in the rain (at least to my knowledge), and so when I am writing a letter I'm much more interested in picking out a neat looking ink rather than worrying about water resistance. Otherwise, I am quite happy to give a bit away in terms of color in order to keep my writing safe -- and I'm lucky as I tend to like the way blue-black inks look to begin with.

 

I will say that I have found the issue of water resistance rather annoying throughout my plunge into the fountain pen hobby. I've always felt like ink should be permanent, in the world of ballpoints when someone asks for something to be written in "ink" that's pretty much what they mean anyway. However, permanent inks really lack the beautiful colors that you get with a non-water resistant ink. I've never some across any permanent ink that can match the shading of Apache Sunset or offer the depth of color of Ancient Copper. So, it's a give and take, which I've accepted -- and now, I own 28 bottles of ink.

[ac12]

For me, not at all for the vast majority of my writing.

[inkstainedruth]

I'm like a lot of the other people who have already answered -- it depends.

If I'm signing checks or addressing envelopes, then yes. If I were to do some drawings that had ink or watercolor washes applied afterwards, then yes. If I'm writing in my journal or signing a credit card receipt that is going directly into someone's cash register -- um, maybe (but I've been known to sign with whatever pen and ink I have on me (and yes, that once included something like Yama-budo).

Many years ago I used Flair pens a lot. Pretty much for everything. Until I went camping and there was a rainstorm. My friends and I dropped my blue tarp sunshade, but afterwards I discovered that my purse -- with the checkbook in it -- was underneath the sunshade. One of my campmates was a CPA and he made snarky comments about my use of non-waterproof writing implements (fortunately for me the most recent entry was in ballpoint, as it happened, so I didn't lose ALL the register notations. Just a fair number of them on one page....

I used ballpoints pretty much exclusively for the next couple of decades, until I found my way into the FP world.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Barkingpig]

I have NO CLUE how any inks I own or use react with water BUT I have plenty of candles & will pass a few swipes over the address on the envelope & "call it a day." Don't care if anyone spills a drink on their letter; it is their problem to imagine what they have left to read. I did just purchase a bottle of Diamine Registrar's ink from I SELL PENS but only because it was such a good price ($5./30ml )& was a Blue/Black which I am trying to embrace of late. If I decide to take up "The Ministry" & begin marrying people & hence need to sign any official certificates I will be "good to go." I believe that would be the only time I would experience the need of a truly permanent ink & I suspect 30ml will serve my needs. Since the time I had a check returned among others in my bank statement that had been processed WITHOUT MY EVEN SIGNING IT; I don't believe the Bank cares about waterproof signatures!

[martinbir]

For general writing water resistance is does not matter and the choice of good colour, shading and flow available from some regular inks is far more important.

 

But I do like to keep a pen inked with something waterproof. And by waterproof I mean exactly that; if I go out in the rain and my shopping list gets wet, I do not want smudges and inky fingers; if I drop a letter in a puddle, I don't want a smudged address. On the other hand I am not bothered about complex anti-forgery properties. Iron gall inks are fine for my needs and for the last three weeks ESSRI has been doing a good job.

[RayJ]

No, it's not. If I like the color, I'll buy it.

I never consider water resistance. If I wanted water resistance, I'd have never moved from ballpoints.

Just keep it simple, if you like the color, take it.

[ksm]

Usually I have two pens with me, one with an ink I like (not business "safe" colour, not waterproof), the other one with bulletproof black.

[Notgatherox]

Yes.

 

As a student, it's important, I have had teachers spill stuff on my scripts before.

 

My inks for schoolwork has to be minimally water resistant - I fear a repeat of spillage on my script.

 

For other stuff like letter writing and commentary I use whatever colours I like, like Private Reserve Blue Suede and Diamine Ancient Copper.

 

 

~Epic

[whichwatch]

I keep one pen inked with water resistant ink for use when I write checks or address envelopes.

 

All other inks are chosen for their color or other properties. Water resistance is a plus but not a requirement.

[clazbill]

I like having at least some water resistance. My work notes have saved me enough times that I don't like the idea of an ink being totally washed away by an accidental spill.

 

I still have inks that will run away at the mere sight of water though - the colors are just too enjoyable to worry about them lasting.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I've used an ink with a fair degree of water resistance as my primary ink in school thru uni and now in the office, and have not suffered catastrophic loss. Working in the field I use a highly water resistant ink, which is also considered archival. So water resistance is important to me (and my employer) in such environments. Only once has anyone questioned my choice of ink, so I responded by pouring water over the page on which I was writing.

 

That said, with the wide availability and low cost of digital imaging and remote storage, I reckon back-ups can be made without a fuss, so that's a work-around for those who choose inks with no/low water resistance and mitigates risk exposure to other means of loss, such as fire, theft, brain fog, etc.

 

For personal writing I really do not consider water resistance, but missives bound for those with a rambunctious life style are written with ink that has a fair bit of water resistance. And of course envelopes sent via the post are treated to a highly water resistant ink, sometimes from a dip pen if I don't have such ink in an FP. Over the years only one recipient mentioned water damage, and that was recovered by a water rinse to remove the ink that came adrift and dried.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited October 28, 2015 by Sandy1

[AndyYNWA]

I always keep one pen inked with waterproof ink, but my other pens can contain any type of ink.

Right now I have Noodler's BBK in my Metropolitan.