inks How to extract ink from a completely ink-soaked and ink-saturated tissue paper?

[xylen]

This might be a stupid question, but...

So basically I just found a paper towel COMPLETELY saturated with ink. I think I someday used it to clean an entire ink bottle spill. So, just curious, can I make some ink back again from that paper by 'extracting' the ink? I tried adding some water and hand-rub alcohol. But the ink is very light, and the tissue has still not even lost 1% of its saturatedness.

[Jayebird]

I personally wouldn't make the effort. You would probably need to soak the tissue for a while to get to equal parts ink in the water vs the tissue and I would be concerned about small particles of tissue fiber in the resulting "ink" as well as general environmental contaminants. Inks usually have anti-microbials of some sort in them which are probably long evaporated/degraded from the tissue.

[xylen]

1 hour ago, Jayebird said:

I personally wouldn't make the effort. You would probably need to soak the tissue for a while to get to equal parts ink in the water vs the tissue and I would be concerned about small particles of tissue fiber in the resulting "ink" as well as general environmental contaminants. Inks usually have anti-microbials of some sort in them which are probably long evaporated/degraded from the tissue.

Actually I don't really care about mould, microbial stuff and all. I am probably just going to use the ink for my dip-pens or flushing my pens. So, I was just curious if there is any way, whether tedious or not: I just care about getting the ink. Simply soaking the tissue in water will result to equal parts in water and the tissue, and the ink in the tissue would be wasted. (this ink-tissue surprisingly removes clogs of the nib if I keep the nib 'dipped' in the tissue)

[xylen]

1 hour ago, Jayebird said:

You would probably need to soak the tissue for a while to get to equal parts ink in the water vs the tissue

Also, I just thought that I can repeat soaking in many different cups of fresh water until the tissue is almost nil. In that way I would get quite a few cups of watery ink, and I can evaporate/boil all of it until it is saturated. But is there any more efficient way?

[Jayebird]

Just wanted to make sure you had considered the contamination aspect...

 

You could perhaps try using a tiny bit of dish soap in your water. I think some people use a dab of dishsoap as a lubricant, and it would likely help separate the particles. Agitation could maybe also speed up the process. People frequently boil plants and dye sources, but heat can also set a dye. All depends on the chemistry of the dye AND the item being dyed (or undyed here)

[SamCapote]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:05 AM, xylen said:

Actually I don't really care about mould, microbial stuff and all. I am probably just going to use the ink for my dip-pens or flushing my pens. So, I was just curious if there is any way, whether tedious or not: I just care about getting the ink. Simply soaking the tissue in water will result to equal parts in water and the tissue, and the ink in the tissue would be wasted. (this ink-tissue surprisingly removes clogs of the nib if I keep the nib 'dipped' in the tissue)

 

I cannot imagine being able to retrieve enough of the ink bound to the towel fibers to make this worthwhile.

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, neither can I.  And I'm the one who lost most of a four ounce bottle of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng when I knocked it off the bathroom counter by accident and the bottle broke when it hit the floor.

Compared to the price of some pens?  Ink is cheap (unless it's some vintage ink that isn't made any more, like Skrip Peacock -- and even that is occasionally to be found).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[I-am-not-really-here]

Perhaps try straining the ink out by making the towel wet but not soaking, and using a press (garlic, lemon, coffee, ?) to squeeze the moisture out.  Repeat until the source has disintegrated. Or your hands are tired.  Or it's not working...

 

[xylen]

 

21 hours ago, Jayebird said:

Just wanted to make sure you had considered the contamination aspect...

 

You could perhaps try using a tiny bit of dish soap in your water. I think some people use a dab of dishsoap as a lubricant, and it would likely help separate the particles. Agitation could maybe also speed up the process. People frequently boil plants and dye sources, but heat can also set a dye. All depends on the chemistry of the dye AND the item being dyed (or undyed here)

Yes, Thanks a lot. The heat is not going to ruin the ink ig. I am now in the evaporation process. 50% is done, am pretty fine with the color already.

[xylen]

19 hours ago, I-am-not-really-here said:

Perhaps try straining the ink out by making the towel wet but not soaking, and using a press (garlic, lemon, coffee, ?) to squeeze the moisture out.  Repeat until the source has disintegrated. Or your hands are tired.  Or it's not working...

 

Yes, that's what I tried and it was well. Thanks.

[xylen]

20 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Yeah, neither can I.  And I'm the one who lost most of a four ounce bottle of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng when I knocked it off the bathroom counter by accident and the bottle broke when it hit the floor.

Compared to the price of some pens?  Ink is cheap (unless it's some vintage ink that isn't made any more, like Skrip Peacock -- and even that is occasionally to be found).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

That was unfortunate. Yeah, ink may be cheap, but of course there is stuff you want to mess around with. And I always do that.

[xylen]

20 hours ago, SamCapote said:

 

I cannot imagine being able to retrieve enough of the ink bound to the towel fibers to make this worthwhile.

Oh.