Lamy Feeds And Noodler's Bulletproof Inks

[randumbum]

I am looking for some current information (& opinions) on the subject of Noodler's Ink having a corrosive effect on fountain pen feeds and other plastic parts: 1. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/162268-noodlers-ink-chemical-corrosion/ 2. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/147963-noodlers-ink-being-corrosive-is-it-just-a-rumor/ & 3. http://gregminuskin.com/?p=2426. However, these are all nearly decade old rants. Has anyone recently been plagued by the destruction of a pen by ink? Was this ever more than a random incident??

[RMN]

This page from Richard Binder is recently revised.

 

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/care/inks.htm

 

 

It gives a lot of info on inks.

 

 

D.ick

[Carrau]

I have had a Lamy Safari inked with Noodler's Blue-Black continuously for the past 18 months, and have had no issues with it. I write with it on most days, but there have been a couple of intervals where it has lain fallow for a week or two, and it starts up immediately. I've been very pleased with it's performance for me.

[pajaro]

There have been many claims that certain inks destroy pens. Ruined feeds have been pictured. What I have not seen is convincing evidence of some property of an ink destroying a feed or pen in an experimentally repeatable manner. As far as I can see, the evidence is anecdodal and ink consumers are advised to avoid Private Reserve and Noodler's inks. Richard Binder wrote that with proper care and cleaning you should be able to use inks made for fountain pens. A sufficient number of repairers have claimed that red inks and purple inks will attack latex ink sacks. Enough people have claimed this that I think non-use of red ink in sac pens is advisable. If someone is going to convince me that an ink is going to harm a pen, nib or feed, then I will have to see it happen in my own pen or pens, or they will have to conduct a repeatable experiment to prove the case. I think this is logical.

 

I have more or less sidelined some inks, like purple and red. Why take a chance? On the other hand, at 69 will I live long enough to see the damage? Will anybody prove the case for real damage from the inks?

 

The repairers will see red if their claims are disputed. They claim to have seen the damage, and no doubt sincerely believe, based on their experience, that "boutique" inks cause damage. I am sure they are sincere, and might be right. I am not going to use the suspect inks in any of the pens I want to keep working as long as I am alive, but some cheaper stuff like Esterbrooks and Sheaffer school pens might provide a testing ground for sacs and feeds, respectively. Somebody who actually likes to write might pick up the challenge, but I am not really keen about doing a lot of writing.

[pajaro]

I think I want to be buried with my Midnight Blue Parker 51. Might as well use the purple inks.

[Witsius]

The offending Noodler's ink that has been reported to destroy feeds are the Baystate inks. Lamy and Pilot feeds seem to be particularly vulnerable to the Baystate inks. The rest of the inks Noodler's makes seem to be otherwise harmless.

[ErrantSmudge]

I've used Noodler's Heart of Darkness (a bulletproof ink) in my two decade-old Lamy Vista with absolutely no issues.

 

Richard Binder is very knowledgable about pen history and pen taxonomy, and he came up with a great recipe for Binder Blurple. But, I don't necessarily accept his opinions about ink and pen safety as gospel.

Edited September 15, 2017 by ErrantSmudge

[randumbum]

Thank you everyone for your input/answers. I think I will avoid Noodler's Baystate in my Lamy Safari; I am starting to grow fond of it. I know it's relatively cheap and replaceable, but I'd rather not burn through pens (and I plan on fulfilling my dreams of a Pilot Falcon SXF within a fortnight, and being not-rich I definitely don't want ink to damage this pen).

 

I am not blue (purple,pink) ink person anyway. The Noodler's Inks I've used (in my Jinhao X750) are HOD and Brown are the inks I've been using, and the Golden Brown has started to grow on me too - I burned right through my Goulet sample. I've used De Atramentis Document Black exclusively in my Lamy Safari.

 

It seems to me that the evidence which has been presented is rather piecemeal and sketchy. I saw one picture of a "ink damaged" feed that looked more like someone took a Dremel to it. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but it kind of seems someone had it out for Noodler's Ink and were consequently spreading misinformation.

Edited September 15, 2017 by randumbum

[Fuzzy_Bear]

  On 9/15/2017 at 4:56 AM, Witsius said:

The offending Noodler's ink that has been reported to destroy feeds are the Baystate inks. Lamy and Pilot feeds seem to be particularly vulnerable to the Baystate inks. The rest of the inks Noodler's makes seem to be otherwise harmless.

If you keep reading all the information, you would have found out that it was a bad batch of feeds and it was fixed.

[effrafax]

  On 9/16/2017 at 3:14 AM, Fuzzy_Bear said:

If you keep reading all the information, you would have found out that it was a bad batch of feeds and it was fixed.

 

Yes indeed, there's been an awful lot of b*ll*cks said about Noodler's in particular, and other saturated inks in general.

 

From personal experience, being almost exclusively a Noodler's user up until recently, none of my three Safaris, four AL-stars and two Vistas have ever had a problem, and that includes Baystate Blue, which has been used in a Safari solidly for at least four year with nary a hint of a problem.

 

Not to mention three Studios, which have the same feed, and one of which also has BSB loaded, with the same lack of problems.

 

Naturally, YMMV.

 

I certainly remember the photos of a damaged feed, which was claimed to have been eaten by Noodler's ink (standard black, I think). Whilst not a practising scientist of any sort, but having a strong science background, it sure as hell (appropriately) looked like heat damage, and not chemical action.

 

Sorry, gotta stop ranting now ...

[Glenn-SC]

In summary, users believe what they want to and disbelieve what they don't.

 

oh yeah, YMMV.

[effrafax]

  On 9/16/2017 at 10:49 AM, Glenn-SC said:

In summary, users believe what they want to and disbelieve what they don't.

 

oh yeah, YMMV.

 

Absolutely. And has been proven many times in recent research, presenting evidence that contradicts a strongly held belief has a tendency to cause the holder of the belief to really dig in. As the old saying goes, "None so blind as them as won't see."

 

I've pointed out a couple of flaws in Mr Binder's ink page in the other current rant against certain inks (https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/327399-noodlers-ink-and-corrosion/page-2 if curious), but I don't believe for a second that it will affect anyone's opinion.

 

And as also stated, "it's just ink people". If you don't like it, or have an aversion due to some story or other, don't use it. Those of us that like Noodler's and other saturated inks, the colours and range of properties available, will carry happily on.

[rickap]

I've used many different Noodler's inks in many pens. I've never had a problem. I've even used Baystate Blue but don't really like it because it stains.

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

I've used red inks in sac pens. I've used saturated inks in pens that are sort of a PITA to flush. I've used IG inks in pens with stainless steel nibs (I'm SUCH a daredevil! ). The only thing I won't do is use BSB in a pen that isn't dedicated to it because I've seen the photos someone posted a couple of years ago when someone tried for the "perfect" blue-black and mixed BSB with Noodler's Black: it never *really* mixed, so part of a line seemed to be written with blue, and part with black. And then the stuff came out of the pen in chunks.... Not a pretty sight. And I know that even as OCD about flushing as I am, I wouldn't ever get *all* the ink out.... So, BSB goes into cheap pens for which I don't care whether or not they get stained. Used to be a cheap Chinese Demonstrator, and now it's a Charlie pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pen2paper]

  On 9/14/2017 at 9:52 PM, randumbum said:

I am looking for some current information (& opinions) on the subject of Noodler's Ink having a corrosive effect on fountain pen feeds and other plastic parts... ... these are all nearly decade old rants. Has anyone recently been plagued by the destruction of a pen by ink? Was this ever more than a random incident??

Let me summarize this way.

Except for Terra Rot, Savannah, Matte Alpin, & the true demonstrator I have all the rainbow of Safari. None have failed.

I was here, and did observe the brief time that Lamy Safari had a bad run of feeds, unrelated to ink which they replaced under warranty.

I've used a variety of inks including Noodler's. Only sampled BSB.

 

I have one failed Vista. I wrecked it, not ink. If it would help resolve the dissolve issue once and for all, it could be donated for extended soaking in BSB as long as it's a controlled test with other feeds soaked in a variety of inks by a neutral party. I think this is a total non-issue however, a waste of time & ink.

[effrafax]

  On 9/17/2017 at 11:31 PM, pen2paper said:

.... I think this is a total non-issue however, a waste of time & ink.

 

Hear hear!

[Glenn-SC]

  On 9/17/2017 at 11:31 PM, pen2paper said:

 

I think this is a total non-issue however, a waste of time & ink.

Mine was a Model 27.

Nothing to do with a "bad run of feeds" in Safaris.

But hey, they are your pens, do what yo want with them.