Noodler's Ink Not Drying / Smearing

[Abner C. Kemp]

So, I own 4 bottles of Noodler's ink (Black, Liberty's Elysium, Van Gogh SNB, and Apache Sunset). Two of the inks, Black and Van Gogh SNB, absolutely refuse to dry completely and smear even after being left overnight to dry and then blotted with J. Herbin blotting paper. Of course this only occurs on ink resistant paper like Clarefontaine and especially Tomoe River. I've tried the inks in different pens to no avail. I've encountered plenty of inks that smudge on Tomoe River but never an ink that smudges even after a significant effort with blotting paper. It is really a shame because I like both the inks but simply cannot use them. I actually had to rewrite the first page of a letter tonight because the Van Gogh SNB looked like oil paint and smudged with the faintest touch. Has anyone else had a similar issue, and if so, is there any solution??

Edited December 15, 2016 by Abner C. Kemp

[cattar]

Welcome to Noodler's inks. What you're describing is a known feature.

Use cheaper more absorbent paper so some of the ink will sink in, or use other inks.

I was given some FPN Van Gogh Starry Night, and liked the color. Fortunately Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite is similar.

[evyxmsj]

Does diluting it a bit work?

[JonSzanto]

Has anyone else had a similar issue, and if so, is there any solution??

 

Yep. Many of his inks have been that way for years. One of the main reasons I've given up on just about all of the Noodlers inks I ever liked, and moved on to better behaved inks. If you dilute the ink, it helps, but then it changes it to a different color, weaker, and not what you wanted. Meh.

Edited December 15, 2016 by JonSzanto

[Arkanabar]

I've had this problem with Noodler's Red-Black. I use dilution. While I don't have it so much with our other Noodler's inks (Borealis Black, Blue, Midway Blue), I do use lots of cheap salvage printer paper.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Thanks for the responses. Are any of the other Noodler's bulletproof black inks free of this issue? I like the water resistance. Perhaps I should just buy a bottle of MB Permanent Black.

[Budzynski]

I experienced the same issue with some Diamine inks and I stopped using them

[lapis]

As said above, this is a common feature of N's inks and that's one of the reasons why I don't like that brand. Another example is unfortuntely N's Blue which is one of my favourite blues of all. But it takes even days to dry decently. Again, as said above, stick to cheap and/or absorbent papers.

 

Mike

[ac12]

he he

One of the few times that the less expensive paper wins out over the expensive paper.

[dvalliere]

I have abandoned Noodler's inks, except for Heart of Darkness, for this same reason.

[Tas]

I feel your pain.

My Kiowa Pecan never, ever dries It'll smudge weeks later. I only use it in mixes now. Shame.

Like dvalliere, Heart of Darkness is my go to Noodler's Black although the Wonderpens exclusive Raven seems to be behaving of late.

Their inks like their pens are hit and miss but when they hit oh boy

[chromantic]

The only Noodler's I have is Red Black. I just tested it and it does exhibit just a bit of smearing, probably nothing I'd notice in the normal course of things as it seems smear free after it dries (a couple minutes).

 

I had Majestic purple smear after sitting overnight and smearing is one of the reasons I gave up on Herbin inks.

Edited December 15, 2016 by chromantic

[Shaggy]

Inks behaving badly... One of the reasons I stick with ink made by boring brands like Pilot, Sailor, and Waterman. With a little De Atramentis thrown in.

[justaninker]

Use finer nibs may help too. Never had smudging issues with Noodler's inks on regular paper. Why do you have to write extensively on blotting paper?

[JonSzanto]

Thanks for the responses. Are any of the other Noodler's bulletproof black inks free of this issue? I like the water resistance. Perhaps I should just buy a bottle of MB Permanent Black.

 

You should give Sailor Kiwa-Guro a try. It's the ink that allowed me to stop using Noodlers Black as my waterproof black (addressing envelopes and writing postcards). It is a really, really nice ink. Ultra-black and pretty much bombproof.

[cattar]

I use Sailor and Platinum pigment inks for permanence - signatures, business papers.

Try Sailor Kiwa-Guro.

Go for ink samples to see what you like with your pens and paper.

[matteob]

This problem is only on smooth coated paper with no tooth right?

[JonSzanto]

This problem is only on smooth coated paper with no tooth right?

 

No. I had drying problems on virtually any decent, usable paper. It didn't need to be glossy or slick to exhibit the problem.

[matteob]

That is very strange as I have his (UK only) Britannia Blue and it absorbs well on your everyday writing pad or copier paper for me. That is papers with some tooth and most probably some recycled content. If anything it feathered and bled through a bit too much with a broad nib so I have just ordered his no feather ink. In Nathan's defence I would say that he is making workaday, permanent inks in a wide range of colours to be used with everyday paper. He says himself that his no feather ink is not suitable for high end coated paper.

Edited December 16, 2016 by matteob

[JonSzanto]

Matteob, it is not a situation where EVERY Noodlers inks exhibit this issue (non-drying, smearing), but many of them do. If the inks that I originally liked become misbehaved, and I find inks that do the job better and that I like better, that is just how it goes. I'm not going to keep using a particular ink just on principle, if there are other inks that can replace it. You can't judge this situation on the use of just one or two inks, because you may have found those that are ok. I still have a couple that I use occasionally that don't have a problem.