Is Water Resistance Of Any Importance For You?

[ErrantSmudge]

I have a bottle of Heart of Darkness that I use when water resistance/permanancy is desired -- mostly for writing checks or addressing envelopes. The rest of the time, I couldn't care less.

Edited November 9, 2018 by ErrantSmudge

[Mongoosey]

I cared more about waterproofness at first when I began using fountain pens because of Noodler's, I was more mobile, outdoors, and a science student, and lived in a state that had significant potential rainfall that did sneak up on me one time.

 

But out of that interest, an excessive accommodation to that fear of not having waterproofness, and too many ink bottles later, I honestly only keep 3 waterproof/high-water-resistant inks in my Daily Rotation/consideration:

1. Noodler's HOD: I simply love HOD, period. Its color/hue/richness/vibrancy , smooth flow, and that fact that it works well in any pen I put it in.
2. Kiwa-Guro: Rich hue like HOD, smooth and lubricated especially in a pen with good flow, works better on any paper than any ink out there (Best EDC ink)
3. Pilot Blue Black: It is an all around great ink: Water resistance, good smooth flow, easy maintenance, and lovely color, especially out of a wet pen that provides that beautiful sheen!, and it's inexpensive without being cheap, and works decently on cheaper paper I believe (please correct me if I'm wrong).

 

I do still possibly consider using....:

1. Noodler's ACBB: Beautiful deep, vibrant, and it does work well in finer/drier nibs
2. Noodler's Walnut: Beautiful, Deep color, easy maintenance.

....But this is where my preference shifts towards a better writing experience as long as the ink has enough water resistance to survive an accidental spill and quick paper towel, which is why I now use:

 

1. Iroshizuku's (Take-Sumi, Yama-Guri),
2. Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite,
3. Sailor Gentles (Shigure, Miruai, Doyou),
4. Bungubox Silent Night,
5. Kobe #3 Sepia, (even #51)
6. De Atramentis Aubergine,

These are simply lovely to write with, smooth, lubricating, silky, dreamy, and what writing with fountain pens is all about IMO, HOD and Kiwa-Guro included, and even Pilot BB in a wet pen.

 

I won't purchase inks like Diamine (I have a couple) or others that wash away easily with water. I rather write with a Blackwing Pencil than those inks (and I do).

[A Smug Dill]

I won't purchase inks like Diamine (I have a couple) or others that wash away easily with water. I rather write with a Blackwing Pencil than those inks (and I do).

 

 

Whereas I would – and have, among my collection of (now) 172 commercial inks – but I wouldn't normally use them for journalling. I even have close to 20 shimmer inks, but again they aren't for journalling. It's about the use case or application, and definitely not just about the shading, sheen or even vibrancy.

[Honeybadgers]

when I'm in the field and my patient chart is getting rained on? yes.

 

When I'm in class? no.

 

When I'm signing a check, addressing an envelope or box? yes.

 

Usually, I don't care a ton that an ink be super water-fast, as long as it remains legible.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[katerchen]

For work : absolutely. I got super annoyed once when just a couple of drops of water ruined a large swath of notes made with Montblanc black. Ever since I use Sailor Kiwa Guro at work.

 

For home it doesn't matter - except for the occasional check and envelope return address (which is pretty much only my alarm company every quarter, they were the only ones where I couldn't set up direct billing). I just make sure to use Pilot Black for those. I like that ink a lot, but didn't pick for its water resistance - it was just a nice added feature.

 

-k

[UDog]

As a writer, I want at least water-resistance. All my notes are written with Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher, which has a waterproof component. For manuscripts I use mostly Noodler's Dark Matter, a very water-resistant ink that grows more so over time.

 

But for correspondence or journals, I live dangerously.

[eharriett]

Depends. I have two water resistant inks in regular service, but for specific reasons.

 

I have Diamine Registrars Blue Black I use to address envelopes and maybe write the one physical check every couple months I may write. Basically, if I write something that’s going to be in the elements and must survive them, I use that ink.

 

And in the summer my journal ink is Platinum Carbon Black. I’ll sweat in the summer and as a lefty, that means I’ll smear even dried ink when I’m journaling if it is a long writing session. That doesn’t happen with Platinum Carbon Black. Winter months like these when sweating isn’t an issue I will usually use whatever strikes my fancy.

 

Any other use of water resistant inks is secondary to whatever I’m doing at the time. I have a pen that has Kung Te Chang living in it, but it is a pen I pick up for reasons other than its resistance to water

[Brandywine]

As a writer, I want at least water-resistance. All my notes are written with Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher, which has a waterproof component. For manuscripts I use mostly Noodler's Dark Matter, a very water-resistant ink that grows more so over time.

 

But for correspondence or journals, I live dangerously.

 

A propos correspondence:

I think your avatar is from Casablanca and I remember a scene in that movie

where the handwiting of a letter gets washed away in heavy rain ......

But of course, we'll always have Paris .....

[Mongoosey]

 

 

Whereas I would – and have, among my collection of (now) 172 commercial inks – but I wouldn't normally use them for journalling. I even have close to 20 shimmer inks, but again they aren't for journalling. It's about the use case or application, and definitely not just about the shading, sheen or even vibrancy.

 

I might be too timid to live that dangerously . I'm not there yet. It may take some time.

 

I've come a long way though. I use to be exclusively waterproof/high water resistant oriented, even for journaling, but after I tried Iroshizuku's and Sailor's I realized that was excessive.

As a writer, I want at least water-resistance. All my notes are written with Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher, which has a waterproof component. For manuscripts I use mostly Noodler's Dark Matter, a very water-resistant ink that grows more so over time.

 

But for correspondence or journals, I live dangerously.

 

LMFAO

 

I did just get Kobe #51 so I'm ready to risk a little and die into the deep end... semi-deep end lol

[UDog]

 

A propos correspondence:

I think your avatar is from Casablanca and I remember a scene in that movie

where the handwiting of a letter gets washed away in heavy rain ......

But of course, we'll always have Paris .....

 

Spot on. One of my favorite movies. The ending is outstanding.

 

I chose that avatar because I write neo-noir, pre- and post-WWII mysteries, with a little nonfiction thrown in to pay some of the bills.

[LizB]

I am also one who cares about water resistance at work, (and for envelopes, although I also use Microglaze for those) but not for general domestic writing. I tend to use de Atramentis Document and Rohrer and Klingner Document inks, as I want as near to complete waterproofness as possible. I have tried the R&K SketchInk too but find they clog a bit too easily for me. (And why is there little discussion on lightfastness? Is it because we keep our written work in books and folders? I know SketchInk mentions lightfastness as a property.)

[Noihvo]

[khalameet]

Thank you for your thoughts. I also don't really feel like I need to use at least water resistant (not proof) inks. When I was a child, I wrote everything with a fountain pen at school. I don't know how this is today, but back then (15 - 20 years ago) children were taught to write with a fountain pen. The only inks you could use were either Lamy Blue or Pelikan 4001 Blue (I guess they are just the most common inks in Germany - I am sure that R&K Königsblau wouldn't be a problem either). The inks even had to be washable, because you needed to use an eradicator sometimes, and even exams had to be written with these inks.

When I look at my old school notes I took in elementary, I could not tell how old they are just by the way the ink behaved over these years. Lightfastness is just no problem for notes which are stored in a dark place like a folder in a cabinet.

 

Well, on the other hand, I can not really remember that I had an accident with water anyway. Not once in the last 20 years. So maybe I am overthinking this and should just use what I want anyway.

But it is a good thing that Pilot Blue-Black is a very nice, inexpensive ink which comes with some water resistance on top. At least water resistance does not mean that an ink has to be boring.

Edited November 11, 2018 by khalameet

[NinthSphere]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If I'm writing something I care about surviving moisture, I'll use an iron gall or something I know will still be legible should it get wet. I tend to use Yama-guri for addressing, since that's always within arm's reach & sticks around. For general use, memos, etc, I reach for a color I want to use without much thought to water res. Buying new inks, it's a point of brief interest that I consider a bonus, but not necessarily a deciding factor, since I already have plenty I can use if I need it.

[A Smug Dill]

And why is there little discussion on lightfastness?

 

Is this list not enough?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/334623-list-of-fade-tests/

Edited November 11, 2018 by A Smug Dill

[TSherbs]

I never worry about permanence with inks. I don't care if my writing disappears. I don't keep it, anyway. I throw my journals out.

[LizB]

Is this list not enough?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/334623-list-of-fade-tests/

 

 

Yes :-) that is awesome.

[Karmachanic]

I never worry about permanence with inks. I don't care if my writing disappears. I don't keep it, anyway. I throw my journals out.

This.

[BaronWulfraed]

I wrote everything with a fountain pen at school. I don't know how this is today, but back then (15 - 20 years ago) children were taught to write with a fountain pen. The only inks you could use were either Lamy Blue or Pelikan 4001 Blue (I guess they are just the most common inks in Germany - I am sure that R&K Königsblau wouldn't be a problem either). The inks even had to

 

I'm envious... Even back in the late 60s I was the only one carrying a fountain pen in school (what is now commonly referred to as a Sheaffer "school pen" -- to me, it was a "cartridge pen"; "fountain pen" was reserved for something filled from a bottle). Most seemed to go from pencils to BiC sticks. I think my pocket held the Sheaffer, a PaperMate ballpoint, an Executive Flair (the fancy one using refills, not the cheap plastic one), and a Scripto mechanical pencil.

 

On HS graduation (1976) the pocket was up to a Sheaffer 440, Parker 45, Pentel mechanical pencil, and likely a disposable rollerball. Flair and other felt tips seemed to have faded away, and "gel" pens were trying to evict regular ball points.

[Antenociticus]

It's important to me. I like to play with colour, so I buy all sorts of ink. But I've also been working on a fountain pen art/writing project where I would like the writing to stick around for a while, so both water-resistance and light-fastness are a factor in choosing a palette.

 

And I've been filling up notebooks with thoughts, ideas, sketches, shopping lists, travel plans, reflections and bits of journaling since forever. In those books, especially when I'm travelling (which is when they fill up most quickly), I want an ink which won't wash away with a splash of rain or a drop of perspiration.

 

Lately I've been thinking through the ink/pen/paper combination for a month-long journey. The choice of water-resistant green and red inks available in standard cartridges is depressingly limited.