Ink For Extra Fine Nibs

[InkofLife]

Can someone recommend inks that will make an extra fine nib feel luxurious and soft(er)? I love fine nibs and tried a few EF but am finding them (most especially the Pilot Capless Decimo) a bit scratchy and wanting.

 

Is Montblanc known as a drier ink?

 

Pinks, purples, greens, aquamarines particularly desired.

[Bluey]

Try a wetter ink because it will provide more lubrication under the pen. Examples being most Noodlers, most Diamine, some Waterman, most iroshizuku.

 

MB ink is not really a dry ink. It's more middling.

 

You'll find that manufacturers of generally wet pens make generally dry inks, and vice versa.

 

How about Diamine Hope pink and Mediterranean Blue.

Edited October 2, 2016 by Bluey

[LizEF]

If your nib is scratchy, it may need the tines aligned, or some smoothing, or flossing. But it's easier and safer to try a wetter ink first. My only experiences with the colors you specify are:

• De Atramentis Aubergine (very wet, very dark purple - if your nib doesn't feel smooth with this, I have a hard time believing ink will make a difference)
• Waterman Harmonious Green - used it for months in a TWSBI Eco EF and was very happy with it.

For comparison, other inks which have worked well for me in EF nibs are:

• De Atramentis Adular Blue
• De Atramentis Steel Blue
• Diamine Denim
• Diamine Misty Blue
• Noodler's Apache Sunset (also very wet)
• Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo
• Waterman Inspired Blue
• Waterman Audacious Red
• Waterman Serenity Blue

An ink which works for me, but which is on the dry side, is De Atramentis Pigeon Blue.

 

An ink which has not worked well for me at all is Noodler's Bad Blue Heron.

 

The EF nibs in question are: TWSBI Eco, Lamy Al-Star, Nemosine, Knox, Pilot Metro and Kakuno (both fine but like EF), Pilot Penmanship, Pilot Falcon SEF.

 

Hope that helps.

[ENewton]

Purple inks that I have found to work well in pens with fine and extra fine nibs include Montblanc Lavender Purple, Pelikan 4001 Violet, Rohrer and Klingner Solferino, Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki Shikibu, TAG Kyoto Kyo-Iro Soft Snow of Ohara, Sailor Shigure, and J Herbin Poussiere de Lune. The only purple ink that has given me problems in a fine point is Diamine Grape, which wouldn't flow well in any of my fine or medium point pens but causes no problems in a pen with a 1.1 stub.

 

Montblanc Lavender Purple and Pelikan 4001 Violet produce a thinner line than the other inks I have listed, but they are not dry in the sense of making my pens feel scratchy.

 

Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa is a bit dry. I use it only in a pen with a medium nib.

[jonesberg]

Diamine Damson is also a nice, dusty purple and it works really great in an extra-fine nib.

[ac12]

Sorry, there is no 'magic ink' that will do that for you.

 

There are 4 variables that you have to look at and address.

 

- pen, including the nib, and feed. In your situation, the EF nib creates another problem. There is a smaller writing surface on the tip and thus a smaller surface for the lubricant (the ink) to lube.
As was metioned tip alignment is important, and even more so for an EF nib. 95% of my initially scratchy pens are fixed simply by aligning the nib.

 

- ink. ink is a lubricant, and some inks lube better than others.
The other factor is color. I found that some colors look faded and washed out when used in a Japanese EF nib (similar to a Western EEF nib). For a Japanese EF nib, I have to use a DARK ink, to have enough contrast with the paper to read clearly and easily.

 

- paper. generally, the finer the nib the more sensitive it will be to the texture of the paper, an EEF nib will scratch and snag on many papers that feel just fine with a M nib. For EF nib, you need a hard SMOOTH paper, if you want a smooth writing experience. I have paper that I will NOT use anything finer than a M nib on it, cuz it feels TOO scratchy.

 

- you the writer. The harder you press down on the pen, the more friction you create between the nib and the paper, and the scratchier the feel. The finer the nib, the lighter you have to write, even to the point that you are holding up the pen.

 

A 5th variable is a combination of pen+ink, and that is wetness. Not enough ink put on the paper and you don't have enough lube.

 

This is all very doable, cuz my dip pen nib is SHARPER than your EF nib, and I can write smoothly with it.

 

gud luk

Edited October 2, 2016 by ac12

[Erik Dalton]

There are two parts to the solution of the problem you describe.

Nib: Extra fine nibs often need a little smoothing to take the sharp edges off.

Because ink is a lubricant the nib should Facilitate this by putting a generous amount of ink on the

paper while maintaining a thin crisp ink line. There are techniques for making a nib wetter.

Ink: My preference is for a nice rich color ink that is rather free flowing. Everyone on here will have

their own favorites. Mine Is Diamine Midnight and the new Diamine Oxford Blue.

I avoid the highly saturated and quick drying inks in an XF nib to reduce chances of clogging up.

I find diamine inks to be real easy to clean up with just water. Private reserve Tanzanite,

Is a purple and known to be very wet. Also I've used American Blue.

Levenger inks work well on an extra fine nib. They are wet and have your range of colors.

They an tend to feather in a juicy medium or broad nib, but work very well with XF.

Hope this helps. Try some things out and get back to us.

[Erik Dalton]

Lol....AC12 and I must have been writing at the same time.

[ink-syringe]

Is Montblanc known as a drier ink?

 

 

 

yes, somewhat drier but still well lubricated. I find MB inks plenty slick compared to, say, Pelikan inks which are both dry and much less lubricated. Aurora Blue is another ink that is not especially wet but plenty slick in my experience.

 

A good ink for F nibs is one with punch, good flow and good lubrication. I recommend Visconti Blue which is wet, slick and saturated.

 

If your pen is still dry and scratchy with Visconti Blue your pen needs maintenance or repair.

[Erik Dalton]

+1 for Visconti Blue

[AndyYNWA]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Sailor. Their inks are the ones that I find lubricate the nibs the most.

Try Tokiwa-matsu, Yama-dori, Miruai, Nioi-sumire or Shigure, they are the colours you requested.

Edited October 2, 2016 by AndyYNWA

[estie1948]

I use only extra-fine nibs in my fountain pens and I only use fountain pens. I do not have troubles such as you describe, so I believe you are either using too much pressure when you write or your nibs need some attention.

 

When you write, only apply enough pressure to hold the nib against the paper. If your nib makes even the slightest indention in your paper, you are using too much pressure. If this is the case, ease up on the pen and two things will happen: 1) your handwriting will improve; and, (2) the scratchiness you are experiencing will vanish.

 

If it is not a matter of too much pressure, then it is one of nibs in need of attention. First, check with a loupe to make sure that the nib is properly aligned. If alignment is not the problem, then it is a matter of smoothing. Before I go any further, let me say that I believe it is a myth that all extra-fine nibs automatically need smoothing. I have had a great many that were not in need of any smoothing right out of the box. Now, to start the smoothing process, start small and with a method that will provide some positive results with the least chance for causing damage. Get a grocery sack or other brown bag and make a few, large, "figure-eight-shapes. See if that takes care of the scratchy problem. If that does not take care of the problem, then progress to the micro mesh.

 

As to inks, I use Noodler's Old Manhattan Black, Noodler's Legal Lapis (a blue-black that I use on occasion, Parker's Quink, Pelikan 4001, and Mont Blanc Black. All my inks are blacks (because I am an old cuss that is having trouble breaking the habit of a lifetime), all are sufficiently wet, and all provide sufficient lubrication.

 

I hope this is of some help. As a fellow extra fine enthusiast, I wish you all the best in finding a satisfactory solution to your problem.

 

-David (Estie).

[Erik Dalton]

You know, once you get your nib smoothed up and the tines aligned the way you want, there are just so many ink oftions out there.

AndyYNWA just brought up sailor inks. They are a great choice and have pretty much all the colors you might be looking for.

There is one thing you must do before you take a pen that has been fed European inks, and put a Sailor ink in it. Clean and soak the entire feed and nib at least overnight in penflush, preferably in an ultrasonic bath.

I can't tell you which inks will react to the Sailor inks. I just don't remember. But I had 3-4 pens seize up on me when I introduced Sailor inks after just a quick rinse with water. Modern plastic feeds are non-reactive and non-porous. They don't absorb inks into their material like an ebony feed will. If you do it right, you'll never need another brand of ink. Sailor Ink is great stuff. And if you think of how fine a Sailor extra fine nib writes. These inks are custom made for an extra fine nib. With good pen hygiene, it's certainly worth a try. I use the stuff everyday now.

There's always a hitch though, and here it means not changing inks back and forth outside of the sailor line. If you can dedicate one pen to your Sailor ink you will never have a problem. Give it a try. I bet you like.

In fact I just got a 1977 pelikan 120 with a real needle sharp extrafine nib. These inks would be perfect for it...see sometimes talking out loud helps solve your own problems too...so I hope I helped you, and I know you just helped me. thanks for bringing 'this up.

[inotrym]

FWIW, my F nibbed Decimo seems to love Pelikan Edelstein Topaz.

Edited October 2, 2016 by inotrym

[AndyYNWA]

You know, once you get your nib smoothed up and the tines aligned the way you want, there are just so many ink oftions out there.

AndyYNWA just brought up sailor inks. They are a great choice and have pretty much all the colors you might be looking for.

There is one thing you must do before you take a pen that has been fed European inks, and put a Sailor ink in it. Clean and soak the entire feed and nib at least overnight in penflush, preferably in an ultrasonic bath.

I can't tell you which inks will react to the Sailor inks. I just don't remember. But I had 3-4 pens seize up on me when I introduced Sailor inks after just a quick rinse with water. Modern plastic feeds are non-reactive and non-porous. They don't absorb inks into their material like an ebony feed will. If you do it right, you'll never need another brand of ink. Sailor Ink is great stuff. And if you think of how fine a Sailor extra fine nib writes. These inks are custom made for an extra fine nib. With good pen hygiene, it's certainly worth a try. I use the stuff everyday now.

There's always a hitch though, and here it means not changing inks back and forth outside of the sailor line. If you can dedicate one pen to your Sailor ink you will never have a problem. Give it a try. I bet you like.

In fact I just got a 1977 pelikan 120 with a real needle sharp extrafine nib. These inks would be perfect for it...see sometimes talking out loud helps solve your own problems too...so I hope I helped you, and I know you just helped me. thanks for bringing 'this up.

I change inks in my pens all the time, different brand and different colours. However, I mostly use Sailor inks and I have never had any problem with feeds seizing up, not more than with any other brand.

[Nikaa]

I have just one pen with EF nib, and I was looking for good ink for it long time.

I needed great Flo and saturation.

My choice was Iroshizuku Yama Budo, MB Toffee Brown, MB Shakespeare's Velvet Red, also MB Winter Glow. I can recommend it!

I must try Kobe #34,because I like green inks, but most of it are too bright for XF nib-in my opinion.

[Erik Dalton]

I change inks in my pens all the time, different brand and different colours. However, I mostly use Sailor inks and I have never had any problem with feeds seizing up, not more than with any other brand.

Well you just haven't hit the right combination of feed material, or inks yet, or you practice very good pen hygiene...all good for you, you're doing something right. It's important to share all these experiences. Most thought provoking.

[Erik Dalton]

Wow, the more everyone chimes in here, the more great inks are coming to light..this is great.

[Grafeus]

I use black ink with my EF nibs, for reasons mentioned above (good contrast from an extra fine line). Of the blacks I have, the ones that seem wetter and make for suppler writing are Sheaffer Skrip black and J.Herbin Perle Noir (in that order). Truth be told, Waterman and Pilot black are not that far off either. Diamine Onyx is also quite wet but I use that sparingly in lesser pens since it has a propensity to stain. I reserve Pelikans for the opposite situation (too wet nibs than need to be restrained somewhat). So, in a nutshell, Sheaffer and Herbin black.

[GardenWeasel]

I am a fan of Noodler's Black Eel for EF and F nibs.