PR "fast dry" inks

[MicheleB]

I was at Bertram's today and ran across some bottles of PR "Fast dry" ink: Sherwood Green a.k.a. Smearwood, Midnt Blue, Ultra Black. Burt said they were new and only had a few bottles of each. Bottles look different too. I asked what the verdict was on them and he said they were too new to tell. SO, I picked up the SG but haven't had a chance to ink or post, but plan to. Anyone experience these inks yet? I searched the forum and didn't see anything. I may give a sample to my lefty friend and have him test too. I am hopeful.

 

Here is a comparison photo. Same pen - Waterman Lady Pat flexy fine nib with regular Sherwood on right and Fast Dry on left. Also a few other green inks for reference. To my eye the color has changed a lot and it is much lighter with less black. Unfortunately this color shift is in the wrong direction for my taste. I found the ink to feather a bit more also (makes sense I guess to be absorbed quickly), which may produce a wider line and thus shift the color more. It does dry a heckuva lot faster. Although this nib is on the fine side, I was able to rub my finger over the fast dry ink seconds after writing vs. minutes.

Edited June 10, 2007 by MicheleB

[Tricia]

I haven't tried any yet, though I heard about them from Pendemonium's newsletter when they mentioned that PR was reformulating a few of their inks. Hope they didn't have to lighten the colors - I love their deep rich saturated inks.

[saintsimon]

Lightening or changing Midnight Blues would be a sacrilege.

[davidmigl]

I heard about that too and am eagerly waiting to see what the effects on the color will be. I agree with the above - don't touch the excellent Midnight Blues!

[bossy]

Seems the bottle is taller too, and 2oz. instead of 1.7

[Taki]

Michele, thanks for the comparisons. I wonder if the formulation is similar to Noodler's Swishmix.

[saintsimon]

:blink: This means: same procedure as with Penman inks! One has to buy the old stock as long as it lasts.

[MicheleB]

I am not aware that the Fast Dry are to replace or simply accompany the regular inks. If the market doesn't like ti, they won't survive.

 

I also don't have the Swishmix to compare, but interesting theory.....

[rroossinck]

I was rummaging around Barry Rubin's store tonight and saw those bottles, too. Didn't pick one up as he didn't recommend it to me for a fast drying ink, but I'd wondered about them when I saw them.

[simonrob]

I was very disappointed by the quick-dry Sherwood Green; leaving aside the colour change, the even, slight, feathering makes it look not only as though written with a felt-tip pen, which is bad enough, but also out of focus, which is even worse. Too bad.

 

Simon

[Ghost Plane]

Oh darn! That's one of my favorite colors.

[playpen]

I tried this ink at the ink table during the D.C. show and they did indeed dry quickly. The quick drying ink is lighter in color though, if that makes a difference. I happen to love the darker color but I can see the advantage in the quick drying quality. Hope this helps.

[The Legend]

Well, I have to say that I am sceptic about the "fast dry" predicate after having used different bottles of the Ultra Black.

The ink was so thin that it ran out of some of my pens spontaneously, or leaked big drops on the paper and spoiled the letter.

So I ended up by using the Ultra Black for mixing and 'diluting' purposes.

 

Also I reported Terry of Private Reserve in a mail about this problem, but he said he had experienced no problems so far in one of his Waterman pens...

 

I suggested furthermore to use volunteers at our forum here to test his new inks before marketing them, but have not heard an answer. Maybe this proposition came as a shock?

However, I think he could have a big advantage in using an 'critical user forum' with people that are the best ink-testers in the world in my opinion.

 

I do like the new bottles however....more functional...

 

The Legend

[Ghost Plane]

Beta testing for ink? :hmm1: Might be interesting...