"expiration" Date On Montblanc Ink?

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I have some Montblanc Midnight Blue ink that I bought 4 and a half years ago. I actually know that because I remembered getting it on Amazon and just looked up the order.

 

I've never taken to it that much, because I was expecting more of a blue black, and when this dries, it just looks black, so there's plenty of it left. But I was thinking of giving it another shot the next time I fill a pen. I just noticed, though, that there is a paper tag on the bottom of the bottle which says September 2017. Is that a "best by" date? I've never run into this on an ink before, generally assuming that it's good until it evaporates or develops mold. But is Montblanc suggesting that you ought to use it before it's too old?

 

It's not that I'm really worried about it having gone bad somehow. Just curious about the logic of putting that date on there.

[ENewton]

If you search the forum for "expiration," you will find several other threads on this topic.

[lapis]

That's of course what MB might think, namely "buy now before it goes bad". But as with practically all inks, it won't go bad after 5 years. Only very rarely does any ink ever go bad with time and that can happen even shortly after you buy it, because it develops (and/or already had in the first place) some type of mold etc. Or because the lid wasn't on tight and it evaported and/or got oxidized. Or because it was left in direct sunlight or under any artificial UV light.

Sooo.... don't worry about the date. It is, OTOH IMO a nice gesture that MB even thought about the idea of supplying a date. Then you at least know how old it in fact is. MB is the only company who does that.

[aeba]

That's of course what MB might think, namely "buy now before it goes bad". But as with practically all inks, it won't go bad after 5 years. Only very rarely does any ink ever go bad with time and that can happen even shortly after you buy it, because it develops (and/or already had in the first place) some type of mold etc. Or because the lid wasn't on tight and it evaported and/or got oxidized. Or because it was left in direct sunlight or under any artificial UV light.

Sooo.... don't worry about the date. It is, OTOH IMO a nice gesture that MB even thought about the idea of supplying a date. Then you at least know how old it in fact is. MB is the only company who does that.

My Sailor Kiwa-Guro has a date too.

[lapis]

Hmm... I don't see a date on mine. Wait... is that the '08 3. 12 stamped on the inside of the lid of the box? Maybe that was when it was issued?

[lapis]

How crass of me! I've never seen that before. Of course I've never ever looked there, either. My sei-boku says 10. 4. 05 on the box side, and Jentle BBK says '09. 2. 09 on the inside of the box lid.

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[ISW_Kaputnik]

If you search the forum for "expiration," you will find several other threads on this topic.

 

Although I never worry about the fact that every likely topic here has most probably been discussed many times before, in this case you're right that there was a very recent thread on the same topic. I think I have my answers.

[tinta]

I would be somewhat concerned if it was the old formula ferrogallic blue/black. Very old IG ink may throw off sediment, but for most "best before" inks, just use them & enjoy them.

[lapis]

As re "best before" and sorting out the three common Montblanc blue-blacks, this might be of help....

[ISW_Kaputnik]

As re "best before" and sorting out the three common Montblanc blue-blacks, this might be of help....

 

 

That is quite helpful, thank you. Mine says 105194 on the box (I still keep the bottle in the box), so it is their last iron gall version. I knew it was quite water resistant.

 

Shame about the rather blah color, but I don't want it all to go to waste, and I don't see any obvious signs of problems. I do know about the usual cautions for using iron gall inks.

[tinta]

Very informative Lapis, thank you for the detailed info. Myself, I love the "dull" blue/black of these inks as I do the Pelikan blue/black.

Edited November 25, 2017 by tinta

[Quadratus]

Just adding a comment, several years after the previous one.

 

I have inks going back 20 years (including a bottle of Mont Blanc royal blue) and they are fine, (although giving the bottle a good shake before use is advisable.

Cartridges are different: I have had old cartridges drying up. But bottled inks are fine provided they are stored sensibly (e.g. out of sunlight in a draw or similar).

[Karmachanic]

My best before date was 25 years ago. Still managing to get into trouble tho'.

[lapis]

Trouble? E.g.?

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Just adding a comment, several years after the previous one.

 

I have inks going back 20 years (including a bottle of Mont Blanc royal blue) and they are fine, (although giving the bottle a good shake before use is advisable.

Cartridges are different: I have had old cartridges drying up. But bottled inks are fine provided they are stored sensibly (e.g. out of sunlight in a draw or similar).

 

I have a bunch of old cartridges with nothing liquid left in them at all. most of them are Sheaffer Type I cartridges, and a lot of those are of the Peacock Blue color. I have on occasion opened up old cartridges like that and squirted some distilled water into them and used them, not because I was hard up for ink but just to see how it would work. It always worked just fine.

 

The difference between the glass bottle and the polyethylene cartridges is sort of the difference between having a solid door on a room and having the doorway occupied by a couple of layers of beaded curtains.