Fluorescent Ink

[Charles Skinner]

If an ink is said to be "fluorescent," what does that mean?

 

C.

[graystranger]

It means that the ink will glow under ultraviolet light. An ink that will glow in the dark without any UV light to activate it is called phosphorescent.

 

Also, some of the fluorescent inks are invisible on paper but will glow when a UV light is shown on them. For hidden messages, marking documents to prevent fraud by identifying the original document. An invisible fluorescent ink on a document is not reproduced on a copy.

 

Below is a photo of Noodler's General of the Armies. This ink fluoresces nicely though it is not an invisible ink.

 

Noodler's Blue Ghost is an invisible ink that is very reasonably priced. It is also permanent and cannot be removed from cellulose paper with any solvents, bleaches, or other chemicals. http://www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-blue-ghost-3oz-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/N19190

 

Below the General of the Armies image is a photo of Blue Ghost ink fluorescing under UV.

 

 

General of the Armies under regular light:

 

 

Noodler's Whiteness of the Whale is a non-colored ink that has fluorescence, but it is not intended to be used as an invisible ink. Its purpose is to be added to other Noodler's inks to dilute their color intensity. Add to a dark blue to make a lighter blue. it will give a little fluorescence to a non-fluorescent ink. Formulated for Noodler's inks only.

Edited November 8, 2015 by graystranger

[inkstainedruth]

Blue Ghost is bulletproof? Cool! Very good to know.

I got a sample of it and have it in one of the Charlie pens I got with the LE Noodler's inks from the Commonwealth Pen Show in September (but saw no reason to put King Philip's Requiem into a Charlie when I had a perfectly good King Philip Purple FPC lying around... )

After seeing someone's review of Blue Ghost recently, it occurred to me that it would be a good ink for some purposes. Unfortunately, now I can't find the little black light that came with some ink or other....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: I think I remember seeing that El Lawrence also fluoresces under black light, but haven't seen the need to test that, on the grounds that the ink has enough other desirable characteristics, such as permanence (and the ability to being close enough to black for business use -- while, somewhat subversively, not actually *being* black...)/

Edited November 9, 2015 by inkstainedruth

[graystranger]

Ruth,

 

I love El Lawrence too. It shows a slight green fluorescence, but white papers fluoresce too and overwhelm its effect. It needs to be on non-white paper like cream to see it. Blue Ghost is bright enough to overcome the fluorescence of white papers.

 

I looked on Goulet Pens and could not find those inexpensive UV lights they used to sell for "two for $2.50", they may not carry them any more. I bought a more expensive finger light off Amazon for $15 that seems made to last and has a switch too: This tiny light does not have the finger loop though.

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UAH7452?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

 

I also use an INOVA X5 UV flashlight that I bought on eBay. It has 5 LEDs and is a small floodlight. You can get them for $35 but some sellers try to get $50 to $80 for them. Once in a while you can get one in the $20 to $30 dollar range. Built to last a lifetime, but not small and light, more a regular hand held flashlight.

 

The fluorescent inks are most impressive on darker papers where they really stand out from the contrast. I think Blue Ghost is a lot of fun. One wife used it in the letters she sent her husband at his military base. She wrote her private messages in Blue Ghost so his mates would not see them. The rest of the letter was non-personal and he would read her special messages when he was alone with his UV light.

Edited November 9, 2015 by graystranger

[amberleadavis]

I use Ghost Blue when I want to improve the permanence of another ink without changing the color, OR I want the ink to be a little bit dryer.