Baystate Blue - horrible!

[succubus]

FWIW - I had BSB in a Reform 1745 for months with no problem (except for the standard bleed through, etc.) I had previously had problems with it and a Lamy. It's just a matter of finding which pen suits it. I haven't yet been able to find a paper it doesn't bleed through. It is a pretty color though.

 

[I am not a number]

I currently have it in Pelikan 400 with a stub nib, a Lamy 2K, a Lamy Al-Star with 1.1mm Italic and a Hero 616. In these it behaves well (although the nib creep on the 2K is annoying, but that happens with quite a few inks). It will however stain plastic so I advise filling with caution.

[Pen Nut]

If this ink does as this thread suggests then would it not be proper and fair to advise at point of sale?? I bought some from a UK supplier and i didnt notice any form of 'health warning'

 

Its a lovely colour as I have already said in this thread but I no longer use/risk it.

[biffybeans]

I'm always curious why Nathan doesn't come on here to discuss this feedback...

[dcwaites]

I'm always curious why Nathan doesn't come on here to discuss this feedback...

He does on occasion, but lately I suspect that Nathan has been working the back end of his anatomy off making new inks and expanding sales into new territories.

 

For example I have seen a couple of new inks (I have one, Coral Sea bulletproof) and a couple of Australian pen shops (Pen Ultimate chain and Pendamonium* in Adelaide) have taken on a large selection of the Noodler's range.

 

As well, elsewhere on the FPN, he has responded to comments on BSB.

 

 

 

*Not to be confused with Pendemonium

Edited December 3, 2008 by dcwaites

[RevAaron]

Frankly, I don't think it is worth his while to spend a lot of time responding to info here. I'm sure what is being said here is all stuff he knows, and has known for a long time. When something comes up that is newer or more accusing he often does reply. Not sure if he reads, or if folks pass him forum threads, but if he spent his time replying to all posts about Noodler's inks he wouldn't have time left for actually getting things done.

[Gehaha]

Frankly, I don't think it is worth his while to spend a lot of time responding to info here. I'm sure what is being said here is all stuff he knows, and has known for a long time. When something comes up that is newer or more accusing he often does reply. Not sure if he reads, or if folks pass him forum threads, but if he spent his time replying to all posts about Noodler's inks he wouldn't have time left for actually getting things done.

 

Hello,

 

I never wanted to "accuse" or something like that.

I had very good experiences with Noodler's Ottoman Azure.

I like Noodler's Prussian Blue, even if it's staining a little bit and makes

what you call nib creep.

But the BSB is another category. For me the smelling is unbearable and

I don't want to have fear about my pens. When I unsrew nib and feed of my

Soennecken 111 Lady I found stained BSB inside and couldn't remove it without

scratching the celluloid - I actually don't have the nervs for this ink.

 

I never wanted to say something about Noodler's ink in general.

I like saturated inks, their different colors.

BUT - A good ink should be nice with pens, that's all.

 

Greetings,

Anna

[Limerick]

While in my observations Baystate Blue works perfectly with all my Pelikan pens it has problems with all my Lamys. Poor ink flow, dry nib and skipping all the time. Seems it just doesn't work with every pen

[wrath186]

Wanted to do a follow up on this. Since I posted on Dec 2nd I have moved the BSB from the Haolilai to a Jinhao with a fine nib. I don't usually use fine nibs, but this on writes very smooth and is fast becoming a desk favorite. Anyway I flushed both pens out and switched inks.

 

The results were fantastic. Both pens already write very smoothly, but the Hanolilai lays down a thick wet line that is a medium broad type line. The BSB, while behaving well in this pen, really didn't fit as the bleed through onto notebook paper was bad. Not enought to make the paper tear, but enough to ruin the two pages beneath the one I was writing on. Switching the ink between pens seems to have tamed it. The fine point of the Jinhao manages the ink flow better which means less bleed through. Because of this ink's special composition, it actually enhances the smoothness of the Jinhao's point making writing nearly effortless. For an eight dollar pen I thought that was pretty impressive.

 

As for the Haolilai, the Fireball seems to be a better fit with it's larger nib and stroke. Also, there was some hesitation with the BSB in the Haolilai. It was a bit difficult to get started after and day of writing. I haven't had that happen in the Jinhao. I store it for the evening and it's been ready to write the next day. Same with the Haolilai with the fireball ink.

 

Hope this helps for anyone thinking about purchasing a bottle of Bay State Blue.

[Federalist Pens]

I'm not trying to open a can of worms here......

 

But if this ink is so inconsistent, and dangeous for some pens- Why use it?

 

I have not tried it, and I am not going to based on this, and the other threads I have seen on this ink.

[Possum Hill]

I'm not trying to open a can of worms here......

 

But if this ink is so inconsistent, and dangeous for some pens- Why use it?

 

I have not tried it, and I am not going to based on this, and the other threads I have seen on this ink.

The people who have found it either inconsistent or dangerous probably don't use it.

 

People, like me, who have found it neither inconsistent nor dangerous do use it, but don't feel compelled to post as much.

[OboeJuan]

I'm always curious why Nathan doesn't come on here to discuss this feedback...

A rather late reply to this would be that we here at FPN are such a small minority of the users and abusers of fountain pens worldwide that it is hardly worth popping in, really, for a manufacturer. Okay, there are a few thousand members of FPN, but there are 6 billion (and change) people on the planet, so we are a drop in the bucket. Most people that I know who use fountain pens (many of my family do and at least 7 of my friends) have no interest in FPN and they manage to get by and spend their money quite happily.

 

I'm not trying to criticize the members of FPN (I am a usually happy and active one), but I think we often take ourselves and our opinions too seriously.

 

Kathryn

[mstone]

I'm not trying to open a can of worms here......

 

But if this ink is so inconsistent, and dangeous for some pens- Why use it?

 

I have not tried it, and I am not going to based on this, and the other threads I have seen on this ink.

The people who have found it either inconsistent or dangerous probably don't use it.

 

People, like me, who have found it neither inconsistent nor dangerous do use it, but don't feel compelled to post as much.

That, and it looks really good, it dries fast, and it's waterproof. You pick the properties that you want, then choose an ink.

[Gehaha]

Okay, there are a few thousand members of FPN, but there are 6 billion (and change) people on the planet, so we are a drop in the bucket. Most people that I know who use fountain pens (many of my family do and at least 7 of my friends) have no interest in FPN and they manage to get by and spend their money quite happily.

 

I'm not trying to criticize the members of FPN (I am a usually happy and active one), but I think we often take ourselves and our opinions too seriously.

 

Kathryn

 

Come on, dear Kathryn,

 

from that point of view even the use of fountainpens and ink is anachronistic, not to mention FPN - activities... or 16k Euro pens ...

We would have to stop it immediately and take care of the 5 billion human beings, who not even know about those strange things like

we do and care about.

 

What we are doing here is pure luxuary! What we are talking about, is mere amusement, isn't it?

 

For the manufacturer it's a more serious issue: he is making a living out of this. I am sure, that he always will be interested, whether

his customers like or dislike his products. An ambitious craftsman always watches his babies...

Like ambitious pen and ink users (or collectors) care for their luxuary odds, don't you think so?

I'am spending a lot of my income on this hobby. Not easy to earn it, as you all know... .

In this special context one should say a word about, let me say, "difficult" products, which "endanger" the fruits of my moderate income.

What we are talking about here is not ment "hostile" or something like that.

 

Let's say: we are working hard for manufacturers, to allow them the improvement of their products, the better effort for their business.

Aren't we nice and selfless people? :roflmho:

 

I am still laughing about your saying "... flushing a nib 'til the cows come home..." :ltcapd:

 

Kind regards,

Anna

Edited December 19, 2008 by Gehaha

[OldGriz]

I'm always curious why Nathan doesn't come on here to discuss this feedback...

 

He did make comments about this ink in at least 3 of the links mentioned above....

How many times is he supposed to come on and talk about it....

 

[scribbler77]

I'm always curious why Nathan doesn't come on here to discuss this feedback...

 

He did make comments about this ink in at least 3 of the links mentioned above....

How many times is he supposed to come on and talk about it....

 

I would also note that he is the ONLY manufacturer who regularly discusses his creations with us. (Phil at Diamine works for the company; Nathan IS the company.) He produces a greater variety of inks than any other manufacturer on the planet, even the ones with larger staffs. (Or, should I say, with staffs.)

 

He has discussed on several occasions, and at length, BSB. A search should turn these up. I don't know what more he can say that he hasn't said already. He also regularly discusses many of his other inks, particularly the unusual ones.

 

Bay State Blue is one of my favorite inks and I use it often when I want a vibrant blue. I use it in F and VF nibs. I don't have a lot of vintage pens and actually prefer modern ones, expecially those that cost less than $25. (better yet, less than $10.) I have used BSB in a Platnum Preppy (writes and looks great), and in various Hero and Duke pens. (All write well; if I leave it in the pen for a week or so without using it, I dip the nib in water, wipe it off and proceed. Never a problem.) I don't use it on M or B nibs, but I rarely use these period.

 

Now, if you like to use light colored plastic pens (say Lamy Safaris) or expensive vintage pens, BSB is probably not for you. Also if you use a broad or wet medium nib, you will probably get a lot of bleed through on most papers. As for me, I like the ink enough to match the pen and paper with it and am quite happy.

 

And as an ink fan (I have about 80-odd at the moment), I am grateful to Nathan for his creativity and willingness to try something new and unusual. And I appreciate his willingness to discuss his creations -- and even sometimes his plans for new inks -- with us.

 

 

[PAKMAN]

BSB hasn't given me any real problems but I've only used it in a couple of pens. It worked well in my Translucent Blue Pelikan 200 (no real worry about staining as the pen is already about that color!) My wife uses it in her modern Parker 51 Special and has had no clogging or flow problems and it has washed out ok every time I fill it for her.

[SamCapote]

Nathan wrote quite a bit in my closed Yellow Lamy thread.

 

As I recently posted in another thread, I have continued to use BSB in my blue Pelikano with converter for 9-10 months. As long as you use a cheaper pen, find one that does well with the ink, there is no other color in existence to compare to BSB. I have no problem dedicating a cheaper pen for this ink. More recently, I have been using Noodler's La Raine Mauve in another pen....also an excellent ink.

[fjf]

I use BSB in my traslucent blue pelikan m600...working fine so far. In this pen stains do not worry me!.

[I am not a number]

...there is no other color in existence to compare to BSB. I have no problem dedicating a cheaper pen for this ink.

I absolutely agree!