Advice (Help) For Noodler's Ink

[River]

I have been using fountain pens for years and have a nice collection of pens and inks.

 

I have quite a few of Noodler's waterproof colors.

 

Some of them work great for me and I use regularly (Black, Navy, Baystate Blue).

 

I have other colors that I would love to use, but always seem to dry up (gum up? clog up?) in my pen's feed after a few days, and I have to flush it out. (Legal Lapis, Blue Heron, Brown #41 and a few others). I find it strange because some colors behave so well, while others I just can't get to work.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how I could make these keep flowing so that they behave in my pens for more than a few days? Would it help to add water or soap (as I saw someone suggest) or something else? Has anyone tried any of these remedies?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

(Also, please let me know if this is the right forum for this question, I wasn't sure.)

Edited November 18, 2018 by River

[BaronWulfraed]

I don't have any Noodlers inks, but am surprised that a pair of blues are giving trouble. It's usually reds that give me fits (though not to the point of fully needing to flush them). Reds tend to leave a particulate build-up on the edge of the feed and around the tip of the nib -- a quick dip in water and a wipe clears them. (I'm looking at you, Antique Copper... and your crony back there Quink Red).

 

So... I could believe the Brown (a muddy red?).

 

OTOH: as "waterproof" they likely have a non-water solvent, and as that evaporates, what is left could form a film.

[River]

@BaronWulfraed,

 

I am not sure exactly what it is, but I suspect that whatever makes it waterproof contributes to this. Although these inks are also very saturated in general. It is very frustrating, because after a while just dipping in water is not enough, I need to really clean it out to restore flow.

[JakobS]

Diluting the ink 10-20% with distilled water usually increases flow without diminishing the color noticeably. Pouring ink into smaller vials or jars to do this is best to figure out what works and looks best.

Edited November 18, 2018 by JakobS

[River]

Diluting the ink 10-20% with distilled water usually increases flow without diminishing the color noticeably. Pouring ink into smaller vials or jars to do this is best to figure out what works and looks best.

The flow is fine when I first ink up the pen, but it stop writing after a few days. Do you think diluting will help this problem?

[JakobS]

The flow is fine when I first ink up the pen, but it stop writing after a few days. Do you think diluting will help this problem?

Unless the caps on the pens you are using these inks with are not very airtight, increasing the flow through dilution is probably your best bet. Basically, you are adding more solvent which will take longer to evaporate and leave a solid dye component.

Edited November 18, 2018 by JakobS

[A Smug Dill]

(Legal Lapis, Blue Heron, Brown #41 and a few others). I find it strange because some colors behave so well, while others I just can't get to work.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how I could make these keep flowing so that they behave in my pens for more than a few days?

 

 

I don't have any of those with which to experiment, sorry. However, I'd suggest you simply spend $3 on a Platinum Preppy pen, which is marketed as having a superb sealing mechanism for a snap cap such that ink isn't supposed to dry out in the nib or feed even if the pen is unused and undisturbed for months on end, and use that for an experiment. If those inks still dry out in a Preppy, then it's an issue with the inks themselves; if they don't dry out in the nib/feed in the Preppy, but they do with your other pens, then perhaps the caps on your other pens aren't forming a tight enough seal as-is.

[amberleadavis]

For years, I thought I was crazy (I may be), Bad Blue Heron, Legal Lapis and #41 have ALL been fussy for me. Compare that with BSB and Noodler's Black which perform FLAWLESSLY. Oh, and Purple People Eater is truly a fantastic ink (Concord Bream should be discontinued). Whatever it is that makes some of those inks bullet proof, also makes them Amber proof. My advice is for you to try samples, learn what you like and ignore the problem inks.

[EdwardSouthgate]

Any thoughts on the Red-Black ?

[Arkanabar]

Somebody gave me a bottle of Red-Black a few years ago. Even though I'm not one for burgundy inks, it's been a workhorse ink for me. The black is original Noodler's Black, the original bulletproof ink; the red is apparently original Noodler's Red, and will wash away if you keep it wet long enough. The remaining black line will be legible. Mine dehydrated into a deep warm brown, and got smudgy. I diluted it into a purplish burgundy, and it's now a stellar ink, even if I don't much like the color.

[wallylynn]

 

then perhaps the caps on your other pens aren't forming a tight enough seal as-is.

It's also possible due to the pen material itself. Lots of plastics are air-tight, but still porus to water vapor. I have pens where the water will evaporate right through the plastic.

 

My solution to inks that get hard starts is also to dilute a bit.

[EdwardSouthgate]

Somebody gave me a bottle of Red-Black a few years ago. Even though I'm not one for burgundy inks, it's been a workhorse ink for me. The black is original Noodler's Black, the original bulletproof ink; the red is apparently original Noodler's Red, and will wash away if you keep it wet long enough. The remaining black line will be legible. Mine dehydrated into a deep warm brown, and got smudgy. I diluted it into a purplish burgundy, and it's now a stellar ink, even if I don't much like the color.

 

 

Thanks . I ordered three bottles on Sunday so it should be here any day . The sample writing they showed looked exactly like what I got when I dipped a pen that I thought was completely clean in Stephens Scarlet . I loved the color but had no idea how to replicate it so started looking at inks and Red-Black was the winner . I read that Noodlers has had a problem with consistency from batch to batch so I hope what I get is all the same color .

 

Eddie

[RudyR]

First, What pen do you have?

 

Second, Noodlers ink is notorious for having inconsistent batches since its a single man operation and even he has admitted that they can be different for economy reasons.

 

Third, Noodlers ink is not just highly but heavily saturated and was designed that way because of Nathans philosophy of giving people the most for their money which includes using bottles that will tip over easily (because the bottles are readily available and cheap). Also the ink could be diluted without noticeable loss of color saturation but also could dry out and clog your feed more readily because of the heavy dye load. That's why I only recommended Noodlers for experienced and informed FP users.

[TSherbs]

.... My advice is for you to try samples, learn what you like and ignore the problem inks.

this

[Honeybadgers]

Use the pens more, don't use heavily saturated inks in pens with flow issues, and Nathan tardiff has stated outright he intends customers to dilute his inks to their personal preference as a way to stretch them for even more value

 

Noodlers inks diluted up to 50% can really take on a whole new dimension of glorious shading. I'm guessing you just have pens that are very particular about heavily saturated inks and are prone to a little drying out. If you want to use the noodlers stuff, just dilute it with distilled water.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[Morphling27]

Blue Heron is a horrible, no good, bad ink. I'd say go throw it at your worst enemy's house, but that seems cruel.

 

Use Bad Belted Kingfisher instead - best ink ever made. And it isn't so crusty as Heron.

Edited November 30, 2018 by Morphling27