Noodler's Asian Inks

[HeathnKara]

Pendemonium carries the English, Russian and Indian inks, but are any of the Asian inks available in the US? Or the Swedish, German, Middle Eastern, etc. for that matter. Or can we set up a network of FPN members around the globe to ship ink from their home countries to people who can afford the ink but not the trip?

 

Heath

[Margana]

Asian inks? Do tell! Where can we see the colors?

[Phthalo]

What are these Indian and Asian inks of which you speak?!

[BillTheEditor]

What are these Indian and Asian inks of which you speak?!

Indian example is "Ganges Blue" -- others are on Pendemonium's site.

 

For information about other Asian inks, see this message by Nathan and the one following it in the topic "Complete List of Noodler's Inks" . Some of these are apparently part of a "Golden Pig" series that is Nathan's bit to poke the mainland Communist regime in the eye. There seems to be a set of inks for Taiwan, to which he refers without giving any details, and at least one ink special to Singapore. Nathan mentions in the same messages a proposed series of Canadian inks.

 

Who knows, Laura, maybe Australia is next! Kangaroo Khaki, Croc Hunter Green, Kukuburra (sp?) Sunrise (who knows what color that would be, but I bet it would be LOUD!), Ayres Rock Red, Barrier Reef Blue, the possibilities are endless.

Edited May 8, 2007 by BillTheEditor

[Latro21]

i think itd be great if we [in the states] were able to buy the foreign country exclusives since they are made here and then shipped out.

Edited May 9, 2007 by Latro21

[Phthalo]

Ahh... I didn't connect Ganges Blue to the reference - I was thinking I had somehow missed a whole series of new inks, like the Russians!

 

I like your Australian ink series concept!

 

I just wish so many of these pretty new Noodler's colors weren't Eternal... I'm perfectly happy with the generally waterproof inks - many are great all-round performers - but the Russians / FPN Eternal inks I have just feather so terribly on papers all my other inks love. The smell is also dreadful. :/

[lefty928]

I've noticed that Greg Clark's ink sampler has a swatch of a Noodler's ink called Kanazawa Wave (Japan) which looks interesting.

[Margana]

I've noticed that Greg Clark's ink sampler has a swatch of a Noodler's ink called Kanazawa Wave (Japan) which looks interesting.

Would you be willing to post a scan of it? TIA

[HeathnKara]

See, having the Kanagawa Wave ink would be neat, since the logo on the bezel of my Seiko is a stylized Great Wave of Kanagawa.

 

The inks that I'm referring to are the inks that I see numerous allusions to, but precious little information on how to obtain them. In an FPN post Nathan posted pics of ink labels, one a proposed Canadian ink, one Singaporean. He also mentions Taiwanese inks, Swedish inks and he makes reference to numerous Japanese inks. I would like to know what website we can go to see/order them, or if there is an American distributor of the inks like Pendemonium is to the Russian/English/Indian lines.

 

I know there are posters on here from Malaysia and Japan, and I would hazard a guess that there are representatives from some of the other countries or people with contacts in those countries. Can those people come forward and provide some information on these inks, or point us in the right direction?

 

Heath

[Melnicki]

i know we are all ink-lovers,

but I feel like we (Americans) are greedy bastards when we say things like "Noodler's inks are made in the US, so does anyone know how I can acquire one of the foreign inks?" These inks are being made (often in small batches) for people in other countries that are unable to (easily) acquire ANY noodler's inks. Don't you think there is something very special about having an ink be exclusively for a foreign country with less access, especially to bulletproof inks?

 

Now, as for the colors of the inks, I think we all would love to simply see what they look like, but that might just fuel our fire, making us covet them.

 

Phthalo - it seems that Nathan is focusing on bulletproofs lately because it is the thing that sets his inks apart from all others (and probably enables him to tap into poorer foreign markets, like India). Personally, I'd love to see more near-bulletproofs rather than the full-on eternal ones -- Green Marine and Walnut are so vibrant yet are not completely erased when I spill tea on them. But you see, that's where mixing comes in!!

 

[HeathnKara]

I think that what Latro21 meant was that it's ironic that Americans have so much trouble obtaining something made in America.

 

I do not feel like a greedy (bleep) for wanting to see and maybe purchase ink produced for foreign markets. I am not trying to intercept ink shipments to the needy FP users in these foreign lands. I am asking if there is a way to buy them either for an authorized US outlet or from a dealer in those countries. I am not trying to get a bottle of the original Year of the Golden Pig that was specially made for a noble purpose. But if I can find a dealer in Singapore willing to ship me a bottle of Noodler's ink made for the Singaporean market, then I should damn well be able to buy it.

 

I think there is something very special about having inks be made for foreign markets, and I think aquiring one would add something very special to my humble collection. While I do not believe that being an American or living in the country of Noodler's manufacture entitiles me to easy access to its enormous range of inks, I also do not believe that being an American disqualifies me from purchasing any of those inks that I come across. Should Germans be limited to Prussian Blue? Indians to Ganges Blue? It would be ridiculous to suggest so.

 

I have bought a Pilot Capless from Japan, because I liked the color and it was a Japanese exclusive. I have bought some of the Russian and English Noodler's, because I liked the colors and the label art. I am relatively new to the world of FP's, and my pockets are not as deep as some, but I intend to continue to collect Noodler's ink without limiting my choices based on a skewed view of what is morally acceptable.

 

Done rambling, stepping off soap box.

 

Heath

 

 

i know we are all ink-lovers,

but I feel like we (Americans) are greedy bastards when we say things like "Noodler's inks are made in the US, so does anyone know how I can acquire one of the foreign inks?" These inks are being made (often in small batches) for people in other countries that are unable to (easily) acquire ANY noodler's inks. Don't you think there is something very special about having an ink be exclusively for a foreign country with less access, especially to bulletproof inks?

 

[Latro21]

See, having the Kanagawa Wave ink would be neat, since the logo on the bezel of my Seiko is a stylized Great Wave of Kanagawa.

 

 

Heath

 

my favorite painting ever, without a doubt. id buy this kanagawa ink in a heartbeat.

 

 

i know we are all ink-lovers,

but I feel like we (Americans) are greedy bastards when we say things like "Noodler's inks are made in the US, so does anyone know how I can acquire one of the foreign inks?" These inks are being made (often in small batches) for people in other countries that are unable to (easily) acquire ANY noodler's inks. Don't you think there is something very special about having an ink be exclusively for a foreign country with less access, especially to bulletproof inks?

 

I think that what Latro21 meant was that it's ironic that Americans have so much trouble obtaining something made in America.

 

Heath

 

yep. we can get the russian and uk inks without ordering them from the respective countries, so it seems logical that the others would be made available for sale as well stateside. i dont mean every last bottle of every color, but ones which will most assuredly have many bottles produced and future batches, such as those we can already buy here.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Well, I don't have anything to add as to where to get them (though I am working on a possible source for the Singapore colors) but here are some of the inks Nathan mentioned:

 

"the colors specific to India are different from those with labels specific to Sweden...and have different properties."

 

"The Singapore series of 12 unique bulletproof inks is completely different from the 13 in the Russian series"

 

"Germany is different from UK, ...Taiwan from Mongolia...etc.."

 

As well as the Chinese "Year of the Golden Pig" and "Year of the Golden Ghost". He alludes to some of these being extremly limited runs - as few as 25 bottles - so access to some should be limited.

 

So we know at least 12 colors for Singapore, and colors for Taiwan, Mongolia, and India, as well as some extemely limited runs for subterfuge in China. I think I saw reference somewhere to some colors for Hong Kong. I would expect there would be some Japanese interest, and perhaps the Phillipeans and Malaysia? All he needs is an interested distributor and he will make the ink.

 

John

 

 

[maryannemoll]

I just wish so many of these pretty new Noodler's colors weren't Eternal... I'm perfectly happy with the generally waterproof inks - many are great all-round performers - but the Russians / FPN Eternal inks I have just feather so terribly on papers all my other inks love. The smell is also dreadful. :/

 

My problem with the bullet-proof inks is that they have no shading or line variation whatsoever, except for the El Lawrence. I kind of like shading.

 

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Pendemonium carries the English, Russian and Indian inks, but are any of the Asian inks available in the US? Or the Swedish, German, Middle Eastern, etc. for that matter. Or can we set up a network of FPN members around the globe to ship ink from their home countries to people who can afford the ink but not the trip?

The less limited inks would be interesting to get, I think. Unfortunately, neither my budget nor my available apartment space will allow me to collect much more ink for a while.

 

I'm wondering about all of those bulletproof inks for Singapore though!

[monoceros]

Hey, I'm a little late to this thread and I've been away from FPN for some time (for too long!). I thought I'd share what I just read in a local pen magazine. There's an article on the guy who's asked Nathan to come up with the series of Singapore inks. One page has the full list of 12 inks, with pictures of the labels. Unfortunately, the labels aren't illustrated; they're just photographs of famous locations/objects in Singapore. Here is the list of shades (I've made some guesses about the eventual shades and put some descriptions for the names):

 

1. Majestic Orange

2. Esplanade (maybe a gray, to match the silvery roof of the famous theater)

3. Juducial Black

4. Singapore Sling (a reddish shade after the cocktail)

5. Singapore Sepia

6. Samsui Red (named for the Chinese women construction workers/shipyard laborers of Singapore's past)

7. Honourable Blue

8. Sentosa Tranquility (a pale brown or sandy-looking shade; one of the city-state's touristy islands)

9. Vanda Miss Joaquim (dark pink maybe. After the national flower, the orchid)

10. Lotus Grace (a pale pink)

11. Peranakan Brown (named for the culture of Straits Chinese and Malays who married and blended colonial English style with the Malay language and Chinese customs)

12. Spirit of Bamboo (green)

 

The labels for all inks show the following - pH Neutral, Eternal, Bulletproof, and UV Light Proof.

[inkdesigner]

Hey, I'm a little late to this thread and I've been away from FPN for some time (for too long!). I thought I'd share what I just read in a local pen magazine. There's an article on the guy who's asked Nathan to come up with the series of Singapore inks. One page has the full list of 12 inks, with pictures of the labels. Unfortunately, the labels aren't illustrated; they're just photographs of famous locations/objects in Singapore. Here is the list of shades (I've made some guesses about the eventual shades and put some descriptions for the names):

 

1. Majestic Orange

2. Esplanade (maybe a gray, to match the silvery roof of the famous theater)

3. Juducial Black

4. Singapore Sling (a reddish shade after the cocktail)

5. Singapore Sepia

6. Samsui Red (named for the Chinese women construction workers/shipyard laborers of Singapore's past)

7. Honourable Blue

8. Sentosa Tranquility (a pale brown or sandy-looking shade; one of the city-state's touristy islands)

9. Vanda Miss Joaquim (dark pink maybe. After the national flower, the orchid)

10. Lotus Grace (a pale pink)

11. Peranakan Brown (named for the culture of Straits Chinese and Malays who married and blended colonial English style with the Malay language and Chinese customs)

12. Spirit of Bamboo (green)

 

The labels for all inks show the following - pH Neutral, Eternal, Bulletproof, and UV Light Proof.

 

Sounds good. Are you local over there in Singapore? Any chance you could be our "dealer"? (Sorta makes the ink business sound illeagal like :roflmho: )

 

Inkdesigner

 

[monoceros]

Sounds good. Are you local over there in Singapore? Any chance you could be our "dealer"? (Sorta makes the ink business sound illeagal like :roflmho: )

 

Inkdesigner

 

Yes, I'm local in Singapore. Use to live in Ann Arbor, MI for a few years though. Heh, I'd have to find out first if the owner of the store wouldn't mind me buying inks in large numbers. In any case, I'll have to pay a visit soon to check when those inks are ready!

 

[Eternally Noodling]

Sounds good. Are you local over there in Singapore? Any chance you could be our "dealer"? (Sorta makes the ink business sound illeagal like :roflmho: )

 

Inkdesigner

 

Yes, I'm local in Singapore. Use to live in Ann Arbor, MI for a few years though. Heh, I'd have to find out first if the owner of the store wouldn't mind me buying inks in large numbers. In any case, I'll have to pay a visit soon to check when those inks are ready!

 

 

Some of those inks are downright revolutionary, especially the Majestic Orange. It did take a lot of time to develop them - and almost as much time to stock in Singapore. Jud(i/u)cial Black is also one of the deepest black inks on the planet. However, the demand and supply might be off and I fear a sell out the moment they arrive early next week. Some may not hold up to higher volume demands upon limited raw materials. Noodler's will supply as much as is possible - but we are not a 100,000 gallon per run ink company with 8 major and well stocked common colors....just a 3 to 4 ounce company with half a thousand colors. ;-)

[Lloyd]

Hi Nathan,

When you make a limited run for a specific country and you expect the batch will sell out quickly, do you prefer that non-residents not buy these so as to permit the residents full access to these limited run inks?

 

PS: I really like your packaging. It might not be the best for loading a pen after it's below halfway but I'd rather get more ink than a "slicker" bottle. I don't mind transfering the remaining half into another bottle. In fact, I prefer your deep & narrow bottles to the wide and shallow PR, Herbin, Pelikan bottles. There's may be more stable but I find big nibs a pain to load after those bottle are even 1/4 down.

Edited July 27, 2007 by Lloyd