Iroshizuku Ink Bottle Depth(?)/level(?) Difference

[Meethil]

Hi everyone,

 

I've recently bought two 50ml Iroshizuku Inks from my trip to Japan.

One is a Tsuki-yo and the other is a Kon-Peki

 

These are beautiful inks but I noticed a level? depth? difference in the two bottles.

The Tsuki-Yo seems ink seems to go deeper into the bottle than the Kon Peki.

 

 

I am suspecting this must be due to the refraction of the light differing slightly from the glass form of the ink bottles.

 

Which means the two bottles have a different inner shape and not an actual ink capacity difference.

 

Has anyone ever noticed this before? I'm pretty sure its just the bottles differing in shape, and that both are legitimately 50ml, but anyways...

would like to here a more experienced opinion!

 

[Chrissy]

I have never noticed such a difference in P.I. bottles side by side.

 

That Kon-peki bottle looks odd. I would have to question whether it contains 50ml of ink

[Joban]

I have noticed this difference each time I purchase one of their inks. I have never worried about this as I remember one person telling me it was just the bottle manufacturer. So I have never worried. Great inks. Enjoy.

[Algester]

it really says when they say it's hand blown... I guess this shows it?

but rumors initially spread that Pilot may transition to factory manufactured bottles... I'm not sure what that means however

Edited July 9, 2016 by Algester

[EbonitePen]

Yes, I have just yesterday received a bottle of the beautiful yama-guri. When I took it out of the box I was looking in bewilderment at the ink level. My kon-peki was full full compared to this one. I also have almost new kiri-same gray which also has a bit more ink than my yama-guri. So there indeed is some variation. Doesn't concern me very much but your starting this thread today was just too fun of a coincidence and so I though I'd share my experience.

Edited July 9, 2016 by EbonitePen

[Meethil]

I'm baffled by the fact that (based on the small number of people who have responded) this seems to be something of a 'common' phenomenon. I'm really hoping it isn't a real difference in capacity because that would be very, very surprising. Granted this is a glass blown bottle and that the ink it's supposed to contain is on the expensive side, I would be extremely disappointed if they didn't even do capacity checks on their bottles...

For now I am ruling out that possibility. It seems more plausible to me that this is because of the bulky section of glass on the bottom varying in inner shape.

 

Any more reports on your Iroshuzuku inks would be greatly appreciated!

[burf]

Is there a way to check if it was indeed 50?

[AndyYNWA]

Can you take shot of the bottles in profile? From the side I mean...

To see if the Kon-peki fills out the bottle better in that direction. It also seems like the ink level is higher up in the Kon-peki...

[Meethil]

 

 

Can you take shot of the bottles in profile? From the side I mean...

To see if the Kon-peki fills out the bottle better in that direction. It also seems like the ink level is higher up in the Kon-peki...

 

Here's the side photo of the bottles. The Kon Peki is still on the right side in this photo, and it seems even from the side it's shallower...

 

 

I would say the only sure way to find out if these bottles have the same capacity is to actually empty the two bottles, fill them with water, decant them in separate vials, and then compare the water it took.

But then again these are new bottles..(I can't really empty them just now)

I'm sure someone out there must have some used up Iroshizuku Bottles maybe up for the test.

[inkstainedruth]

Now you've got me really curious. I have two bottles of Yama-guri, and one of Yama-budo, and if I get a chance later I will try to put all three bottles together and have a look. At the price of the ink here in the States, a fancy hand-blown bottle is NOT worth a major variation in the ink capacity....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[lgsoltek]

Well the Kon-peki has a higher ink level. It's the top of the bottle so I suppose it counts for quite a large amount of ink.

Also (though it may be a question of shooting angle) it seems the Kon-peki bottle "extends" more to both side.

I guess they would have the same amount of ink. I don't think Pilot makes the bottles then just fill them to the top. I suppose they have some kind of machine that puts the same amount of ink in each bottle.

 

[bobje]

Wow, these really are unique, hand-blown glass bottles. That's amazing. Variation is a part of the charm of the product. Thank you for sharing these images.

[tamiya]

They might be "hand blown" mainly for main reason it's too hard/expensive to build a machine to do it it's blown into a mold for the exterior shape anyway, not like it's a custom flagon for each example.

[zwack]

I suspect that they dispense a set amount of ink into the bottle. This would give you a different head gap on different bottles. You will also get variations in side wall thickness as you noted. The amount of glass in a bottle is probably close to identical evey time, but the distribution in the mould will vary.

 

I just compared three bottles and noticed each one had a different thickness of glass in the base. Each one had a different angle to the inside approaching the base. Each one had a different size dimple in the base.

 

The one with the thickest base also had the thinnest, steepest side walls. The one with the thinnest base had the biggest slope to the side walls.

 

As long as they measure the ink as they fill the bottles (or the 50ml is the absolute minimum amount you could get) I don't see a problem.

[Meethil]

As I have mentioned previously,

 

I am not seriously considering the "capacity difference" hypothesis. (Until it is proven definitely with the method I proposed above)

 

This surely has to do with the bottles being blown. Plus I find it hard to actually see the thickness and level of where the ink sits.

It really depends on the angle from which you look at it.

With that said the glasses are very different in other detailed aspects too. Ironically enough, whilst scrutinizing the bottle with suspicion I just ended up contemplating the "charm of the product" like Bobje kindly mentioned.

[zwack]

Measuring the empty capacity of the bottle doesn't tell you how much ink you got. The only true way to do it is to take several brand new unopened bottles, empty the ink out and measure the quantity of ink. If that varies, but is always at least 50ml then you are still not being ripped off. If you always get the same amount of ink then you are also not getting ripped off (as long as it is the advertised 50ml).

[BobR]

I just checked my four bottles. Three of them are like your Kon-peki (including my Tsuki-yo) and the other (which is Kon-peki) is like your Tsuki-yo bottle. I see a pattern--they have two molds and seem to use them randomly (I bought my four bottles a couple of years ago, all at once). I feel fairly confident that they all contained 50ml of ink, thanks for pointing this out.

[Margana]

Not long after Iroshizuku was first released, the ink level was questioned by FPNers. Pilot responded that the ink was measured and was consistent with the stated amount. The bottles may vary, but the quantity of ink does not.

[chromantic]

If you search for "Iroshizuku ink" on Amazon, you can clearly see this depth difference in the pictures of the bottles as you scroll down the page.