In Thrall To Inks Vs Utilitarian

[senzen]

My Lamy Vista with J Herbin Rouge Hematite refused to start even though I filled it recenlty, but had not used it since; it's not a big drama this time as I've come to expect this ink clogging the pen. After cleaning it and getting stained in loud pink remains, I realized the bottle is 2/3 gone, and I haven't really used this ink, I've managed to write a paragraph here and there before moving on to another one.

 

I believe in only buying something to be used but this ink makes me a gear hoarder (the horror); but what's worse I'm already thinking of buying it again, in spite of the high maintenance, the random variations on the same page, which makes me feel this is some sort of Stockholm syndrome, with me as the hostage to this terrorist ink.

 

It even seems to have a mind of its own: here it decided "whom" should look different from every other word on the page...

 

 

How did I get here?? Anyone else being derailed by their medium of choice? No disrespect intended to ink collectors.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

For on-duty purposes I use three basic ink+pen combos. All are Blue-Black inks, though some oddball ink+pen combos join the party as needed. I do not care to be distracted by those combos, though they are enjoyable.

 

For personal writing I have lots of other ink+pen+papers to work/play/experiment with; and most often clean-up the pen after writing one document, though sometimes that ink+pen is used as a casual carry for a while.

 

So how did I get there? Curiosity (aka perceived need) seems to have been the primary factor. And as my family [enablers] gifted me with FPs over time, my horizons expanded - rather like going from swimming laps in a pool to swimming in open water, then taking up surfing, then renting sailboats so I can reach surfing spots largely inaccessable overland. (Ah me!)

 

 

Whee!

 

Bye,

S1

Edited April 7, 2017 by Sandy1

[antichresis]

Hi,

 

For on-duty purposes I use three basic ink+pen combos. All are Blue-Black inks, though some oddball ink+pen combos join the party as needed. I do not care to be distracted by those combos, though they are enjoyable.

 

For personal writing I have lots of other ink+pen+papers to work/play/experiment with; and most often clean-up the pen after writing one document, though sometimes that ink+pen is used as a casual carry for a while.

 

So how did I get there? Curiosity (aka perceived need) seems to have been the primary factor. And as my family [enablers] gifted me with FPs over time, my horizons expanded - rather like going from swimming laps in a pool to swimming in open water, then taking up surfing, then renting sailboats so I can reach surfing spots largely inaccessable overland. (Ah me!)

 

 

Whee!

 

Bye,

S1

Sandy, what are your three basic combos? I only know that you use old Quink Blue-Black..I don't even know which pen

[Sandy1]

Sandy, what are your three basic combos? I only know that you use old Quink Blue-Black..I don't even know which pen

 

 

Hi,

 

My daily writer in the office is an early version of the Parker Sonnet Flighter with an 18K M nib. It is my first ever FP, and has become somewhat of a talisman.

 

In the field I use a rotring 600 + steel F with a blend of ESSRI and Salix. (still working on ratio / dilution) As a back-up there's a Pelikan P99 Technixx + M nib with Pelikan 4001 BlBk in cartridges. Plus a Sailor DE with a fude nib loaded with R&K Sepia for my illustrations drawings doodles.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited April 8, 2017 by Sandy1

[antichresis]

 

 

Hi,

 

My daily writer in the office is an early version of the Parker Sonnet Flighter with an 18K M nib. It is my first ever FP, and has become somewhat of a talisman.

 

In the field I use a rotring 600 + steel F with a blend of ESSRI and Salix. (still working on ratio / dilution) As a back-up there's a Pelikan P99 Technixx + M nib with Pelikan 4001 BlBk in cartridges. Plus a Sailor DE with a fude nib loaded with R&K Sepia for my illustrations drawings doodles.

 

Bye,

S1

Ahhh. We use the same inks but not the same pens. Now I have something new to try, thanks!

[Sandy1]

Ahhh. We use the same inks but not the same pens. Now I have something new to try, thanks!

 

 

Hi,

 

Ah Ha!

 

There's always something new to try!

 

It is a pity that the original 600 has become somewhat of an [overpriced] collectors item, and the P99* is long discontinued ...

 

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

* https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/157990-pelikan-p99-technixx/?p=1574240

> http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/Pen_Scans/INK409.jpg

Edited April 8, 2017 by Sandy1

[T4TEXAS]

Sandy, what advantage do you find in mixing Salix and ESSRI?

[Runnin_Ute]

Since most of the things I write for work, are for my consumption only and no one else, I can use whatever I want. I make sure I have at least one pen loaded with one of the following for signing letters, addressing envelopes and other stuff for other people: Waterman Serenity Blue, Diamine Blue Black or Pelikan 4001 Blue Black, Diamine Sherwood Green. (or similarly conservative/business professional color) Right now its Sherwood Green in my True Writer and Diamine Blue Black in a Parker 45 Flighter.

 

I also have pens inked right now with Diamine Merlot, Levenger Amethyst, Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue and Daintree Green, Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot, Noodler's Apache Sunset and Lamy Pacific.

[senzen]

Hi,

 

For on-duty purposes I use three basic ink+pen combos. All are Blue-Black inks, though some oddball ink+pen combos join the party as needed. I do not care to be distracted by those combos, though they are enjoyable.

 

For personal writing I have lots of other ink+pen+papers to work/play/experiment with; and most often clean-up the pen after writing one document, though sometimes that ink+pen is used as a casual carry for a while.

 

So how did I get there? Curiosity (aka perceived need) seems to have been the primary factor. And as my family [enablers] gifted me with FPs over time, my horizons expanded - rather like going from swimming laps in a pool to swimming in open water, then taking up surfing, then renting sailboats so I can reach surfing spots largely inaccessable overland. (Ah me!)

 

 

Whee!

 

Bye,

S1

 

Very interesting reply, food for thought.

[Sandy1]

Sandy, what advantage do you find in mixing Salix and ESSRI?

 

 

Hi,

 

Its about appearance : I'm not sure to what extent what's written will shift toward Black over time, and I want the writing to remain Blue-Black.

 

Even though I've run blends of diluted ESSRI with simple aniline dye inks*, I reckon blending two iron-gall inks will have the greatest stability over time. As field notes are source documents, our Document Controller really wants them to last for quite some time, even though they are digitised asap for back-up/archiving/distribution.

 

(I've looked at some olde field notes, especially those that were microfilmed and the microfilm was digitised - some are quite low quality, esp for work done in pencil/EEF nibs as the microfilm used wasn't full-spectrum/Grey scale; and there's something special about reading the originals, and unrolling their maps and drawings - as if I was looking over their shoulder. I like to think I can follow their example.)

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

* https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/223337-essri-mixes/?p=2219295

Edited April 9, 2017 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

 

Very interesting reply, food for thought.

 

Hi,

 

While there is a certain aspect of enabling that encourages consumption, I like to think more in terms of promoting enjoyment.

 

Recently a fellow Member assembled a sweet array of five pens, and I suggested trying some ink+paper combos to learn about those pens before even considering another pen. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/319352-sheaffer-balance-vs-esterbrook-j/?p=3817125

 

When I did my OOTT series of Ink Reviews, my intention was to enable choosing a suitable Blue ink, and avoid unrewarding purchases. I am quite happy when a person says, 'Not for me.'

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

* OOTT Summary. Includes links to Reviews and 1:1 comparisons : https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/196998-one-of-the-ten-blue-inks/?p=1997029

Edited April 9, 2017 by Sandy1

[HalloweenHJB]

Interesting commentary in this thread. I have known for a very long time, that my eyes eat up color hungrily, and color creates a reaction in my brain that is rewarding, satisfying. So when I discovered that there were more than a few colors of inks available to fountain pen users —e.g., basic black, blue-black, blue, turquoise, red, burgundy, etc.—, I have become "enslaved" to keeping multiple pens inked with as many colors as pens.

 

I bought a nice leather case that holds 48 pens, and I put an additional two in the crease, so I walk around every day with 50 inked pens. They are arranged by my idea of a color order, from yellow to gold, to tan, to brown, to orange, to red, to violet, and so forth.

 

 

 

 

I appreciate my status as "hoarder" (sounds unpleasant) or "collector" (sounds better), but in my profession, I can indulge my hobby, and get away with it. Students (and colleagues!) actually have become enthralled by my pen collection, and comment —sometimes delightedly, sometimes disappointedly— at my choice of ink color for my corrections and grading of their papers.

 

I think (hope?) I have found my limit.

Edited April 9, 2017 by HalloweenHJB

[Anne-Sophie]

Interesting commentary in this thread. I have known for a very long time, that my eyes eat up color hungrily, and color creates a reaction in my brain that is rewarding, satisfying. So when I discovered that there were more than a few colors of inks available to fountain pen users —e.g., basic black, blue-black, blue, turquoise, red, burgundy, etc.—, I have become "enslaved" to keeping multiple pens inked with as many colors as pens.

 

I bought a nice leather case that holds 48 pens, and I put an additional two in the crease, so I walk around every day with 50 inked pens. They are arranged by my idea of a color order, from yellow to gold, to tan, to brown, to orange, to red, to violet, and so forth.

 

 

 

 

I appreciate my status as "hoarder" (sounds unpleasant) or "collector" (sounds better), but in my profession, I can indulge my hobby, and get away with it. Students (and colleagues!) actually have become enthralled by my pen collection, and comment —sometimes delightedly, sometimes disappointedly— at my choice of ink color for my corrections and grading of their papers.

 

I think (hope?) I have found my limit.

Do you still have the same pens and what are they filled with?

[HalloweenHJB]

I have many of the same pens, and a couple new ones (Pelikan 140 and 400NN, for example). But the inks change until I find the perfect one for the precise pen.

 

I have to keep a cheat-sheet to make sure I refill them with the correct ink...

 

[senzen]

But the inks change until I find the perfect one for the precise pen.

 

 

I do that too, takes a long time... The second ink I realized I was hoarding even though I wasn't getting the right saturation is Myosotis. It finally looks as I thought it could but it changes dramatically depending on whether it's fresh or not, on a Lamy Vista which clearly evaporates. Not sure I want to try another pen, since all others are behaving well, but perhaps switching to a clear barrel without windows might work (from a Vista rollerball).

[chromantic]

^^ Great collection, HJB!

 

I follow a similar approach to HJB, many pens inked and specific pen/ink combos. Rather than carry them all in a case, however, mine are arrayed in two rows on my desktop - one row of Pelikans (piston-fillers) and one row of various 'others' (C/Cs, one Touchdown), from which I choose two to take to work each day (plus a Herbin roller with Noodler's Red Black).

 

If "enthralled" as in "loving obsessively", it would be Kana-cho Midnight and Lamy Petrol. If more chained to something I don't much care for, I usually get rid of those post haste. But I'll admit I'm currently experiencing that somewhat with the Sailor van Gogh Dark Blue. The Dark Green is perfectly behaved but I'm having a problem with the Blue clogging in its current pen; the color is nice enough but I'm not that​ bowled over by it. I'm willing to try it in some other pens to see if the problem is down to that pen.

Edited January 29, 2018 by chromantic