Organics Studio Ernest Hemingway Santiago's Sea Blue Master Of Writing Series No 18

[jandrese]

Does not seem like this ink, Organics Studio Master of Writing Series volume No. 18 Ernest Hemingway Santiago's Sea Blue ink, has been reviewed in these pages. Perhaps that is because of the bottle it's all but unusable in a fountain pen. The ink is super saturated with dye that sheens like crazy, CRAZY SHEEN. Others have described the ink as pink sheen with teal undertone. Yeah, that's about right if you can get it out of a nib before it dries. I tried it in a Platinum 3776 Century and still had problems. It dries shut the nib just lifting the pen off the paper to move a line. Too bad, 'cause it seemed like a cool ink.

 

Well, finally I diluted the ink 1:1 (50%) with ddH2O. Some inks won't survive this level of dilution, it would thin out the color too much or diluted additives cause a dry feeling, or maybe cause undesirable behavior on the paper. Not this ink, 1:1 dilution turned it into a usable, interesting, and beautiful ink. Not only is the dark teal color attractive, it still sheens a lot, and there is also some shading potential. Use in a broad, or even better a stub/italic nib for best effect. Very good ink now even for this lefty but I seriously doubt it will survive at water bath. Not much water resistance if that matters to you.

 

 

 

[mulrich]

I've had similar dryness issues with Organic Studios Walden Pond but never thought to dilute the ink. Fingers crossed that trick works to salvage an otherwise nice looking ink.

[jandrese]

I don't have Walden Pond but I do have Nitrogen. For Nitrogen 1:1 dilution was too much, it robbed the ink of color and whatever pixie dust makes it special. I can use Nitrogen undiluted in a pen like the Platinum 3776 Century that has a sealed cap mechanism, but I'm experimenting with lesser dilutions to make it a less finicky ink.

I've had similar dryness issues with Organic Studios Walden Pond but never thought to dilute the ink. Fingers crossed that trick works to salvage an otherwise nice looking ink.

[inkstainedruth]

I've tried samples of a few of the OS inks in the past and wasn't that overwhelmed with most of them. I liked the color of Emily Dickinson, but it was awfully bright (and really an ironic color to use to represent someone who was basically a recluse most of her life). Charles Darwin was super fast drying and super black, but the spread and bleedthrough was terrible -- even in a fine hooded nibbed pen. Potassium was very light -- too light to be legible -- unless it was in a broad stub or italic (then it was okay but still not stellar). Aristotle, Jane Austen and Mark Twain were "meh" colors, IMO. Didn't care for Red Rubber Ball or Purplilusion. And L Frank Baum was a hideous color.

The only one I really liked was Blue Merle -- but then apparently they changed it.

Haven't tried any of their recent offerings, although I was looking at their swabs at the Baltimore/Washington pen show last spring. But I was kinda on a budget for that show, and part of my budget got eaten up by parking fees for my hotel (and then after I checked out by *really* exorbitant fees at a garage a few blocks away from the site hotel.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[djmaher]

I have both Walden and Hemingway, and really like them for what they are. I have also used both of them in an assortment of pens I have, with an assortment of nib sizes and have not had any instability or drying issues.

 

Both inks were purchased in the last 6 months. Not sure if that makes any difference at all. The sheening has made me experiment alot, especially with wider nib sizes I don't normally use. But, even with smaller nibs, on assorted pens (EF>M), I haven't had any trouble to speak of.

 

Right now anyway, I don't write every day, and I've had more trouble with other inks than these two. For whatever reason, they seem to be behaving.

 

I kind of wonder if I'm doing something wrong, or maybe I've just been really lucky. LOL

 

Anyway, just my two cents worth.

[Cyber6]

You have been extremely lucky. In fact, if I were you... I would go and buy a lottery ticket. NO KIDDING.

 

 

I have not heard anything but bad experiences unless you dilute. I personally will not use it in my pens, but with dip pens only. The sheen is spectacular, but that is the main reason it is unusable in regular fountain pens.

 

 

If I was OS, I would label this ink "For Dip Pens ONLY".. then everyone would be happy with it.

 

 

 

 

C.

 

 

I have both Walden and Hemingway, and really like them for what they are. I have also used both of them in an assortment of pens I have, with an assortment of nib sizes and have not had any instability or drying issues. Both inks were purchased in the last 6 months. Not sure if that makes any difference at all. The sheening has made me experiment alot, especially with wider nib sizes I don't normally use. But, even with smaller nibs, on assorted pens (EF>M), I haven't had any trouble to speak of. Right now anyway, I don't write every day, and I've had more trouble with other inks than these two. For whatever reason, they seem to be behaving. I kind of wonder if I'm doing something wrong, or maybe I've just been really lucky. LOL Anyway, just my two cents worth.

[mulrich]

I have a couple pens (eg, M1000) that are too wet for most inks but work great with Organic studios and iron gall inks.

[djmaher]

To be clear, and specific, I use this ink in a Lamy Vista with a B nib. I do not write with it every day. Probably every other day. When not writing, the pen sits flat on my desk I guess I'm saying that I dont fuss too much about that part, either.

 

Occasionally, I WILL have a hard start. I'd say, 1 in 5 to 10. My hard start is usually a partial 1st letter. If I gently lean on this nib, it always starts with this ink. Non-scientific, I know, but, no more than other pen/ink combos I use.

 

I know some have had trouble with this ink, but, other than mentioned above, I've never had a pen stop writing or skip mid sentence with it.

 

I love the stuff. And the Hemingway as well. It has the same writing tendencies for me, as the other...

Edited October 1, 2018 by djmaher

[jandrese]

That is an idea. I'll try with one of my M1000s, thanks.

I have a couple pens (eg, M1000) that are too wet for most inks but work great with Organic studios and iron gall inks.