Kung Te-Cheng

[StephY]

After hours of the pen being stored nib-side down, the flow in the Preppy is still as anemic as ever, if not non-existent. Will give up and clean it out tonight.

 

I loaded a Reform 1745 with KTC yesterday, apart from the occasional skip when I am writing fast, it is performing fine.

[Silvermink]

The color of this really blows me away but I'm kind of scared to try it in a pen I have any attachment to, given the warning.

[StephY]

Have had the KTC in the Reform since 1/8/09. Generally performs fine, but the pen does require occasional priming or water dipping. There is nib creep, and it is almost like the nib creep dries and impedes ink flow. When it gets really stubborn and won't start after a letter or two, the problem is usually resolved from a quick dip in water or wipe with a wet paper towel.

[Breck]

You are really, really making me want to buy a half-dozen Reforms from the Marketplace. Tester pens that aren't Platinum Preppies would be invaluable. Come to think of it, maybe I should just get a bushel of cheapo Esterbrook nibs instead.

[StephY]

I enjoy writing with the Reforms much, much more than the Preppy. It does seem perfectly suited to test out ink like this. Cleaning could be an issue - I've been intermittantly soaking and flushing one that had Noodler's Samsui Red - now that is a pain to get out.

 

Then again I also enjoy my Estie with Noodler's Black. You can't go wrong either way.

[HDoug]

I just ordered a Pelikan M200 (anthracite) to be the tester for Kung Te-Cheng. I will be updating this thread with results.

 

I figured, there is only one way to see if an ink will work in a Pel, and that's to put the ink in a Pel and monitor over time.

 

Doug

[kiavonne]

I just ordered a Pelikan M200 (anthracite) to be the tester for Kung Te-Cheng. I will be updating this thread with results.

 

I figured, there is only one way to see if an ink will work in a Pel, and that's to put the ink in a Pel and monitor over time.

 

Doug

 

exactly. My Pel M200 survived a month of Baystate Blue without staining. I was quite surprised. It did take a lot of flushing to completely clean, though.

[Stephen-I-am]

I've had the ink for a few days now, and I'm a bit underwhelmed. It's close in color to la couleur royale, but not nearly as pretty to my eye -- I find it a bit flat in comparison. I may just use it for writing checks. Another thought would be to mix it into la couleur royale to make it partially bulletproof.

 

StephenB

[ncb]

I'm thinking that this ink would fit perfectly with a Raden Vanishing Point. Alternative might be some of the beautiful purple urushi pens from Nakaya.

 

 

[superbleu]

I have a platinum preppy filled with nikita, it's probably been sitting for 2 or 3 months without use, and started right up yesterday.

 

I have a pilot varsity that's been refilled with Kung Te-Cheng for about 3 weeks now, it's been sitting unused for about a week and it started up fine.

 

I love disposable pens for experimenting with questionable inks.

Edited March 4, 2009 by superbleu

[sda]

I just ordered a Pelikan M200 (anthracite) to be the tester for Kung Te-Cheng. I will be updating this thread with results.

 

I figured, there is only one way to see if an ink will work in a Pel, and that's to put the ink in a Pel and monitor over time.

 

Doug

 

I know it's been over a year but since you never updated the thread (or I missed it) wanted to find out how the M200 worked with Kung Te-Cheng.

[Truppi327]

This is my favorite go to ink. I use it daily for many different things and never have the preppy drying out problem that some have encountered. I have only used this in the preppy that came with it and have noticed some staining on the pen because the color is so strong. I don't really care though since this is my dedicated KTC pen. The color looks great on nice brilliant white Clairfontaine envelopes btw. The eternal ink makes it great for postage that may get wet etc. Surprisingly KTC has proved Moleskine safe for me, but I much prefer it on Rhodia and CF paper!

[HDoug]

I just ordered a Pelikan M200 (anthracite) to be the tester for Kung Te-Cheng. I will be updating this thread with results.

 

I figured, there is only one way to see if an ink will work in a Pel, and that's to put the ink in a Pel and monitor over time.

 

Doug

 

I know it's been over a year but since you never updated the thread (or I missed it) wanted to find out how the M200 worked with Kung Te-Cheng.

 

I'm bad. I plan a full review with scans early next month (May '10). But I can report in the interim that I have filled the M200 15 times with Kung Te-Cheng, most recently yesterday. While refilling I checked the reservoir for staining and saw none at all. I do point out that the anthracite demonstrator is a bluish grey color very much the shade of Kung Te-Cheng so it may be that it is leaving some kind of color, but it blends with this color.

 

Doug

[penguina]

Thanks for the information about this ink. I have just ordered some of this ink, and am feeling that I will now be very careful with it when it arrives. Even though it appears to be beautiful colour.

 

I notice many mixed messages about the drying out of this ink, in the Preppie (and other)pens. I am just about to get one of these pens as well....

 

One thing that I did notice on the seller's site was that he said that this ink is based on old ground down Chinese Ink sticks.

 

As these Ink sticks were made traditionally out of dried Indian Ink, which is a form of ink not generally seen as being good for fountain pens, as the particles of ink are too big for fountain pen feeders. Although this is said to give the ink great & subtle colours.

 

I was wondering if the reported problems might stem from this? And....whether this use of the old Ink sticks could be a potential problem in fountain pens?

[cerberusdog]

I have been using this ink for a month or two now. I use the Preppy pen that came with it with great results. I had filled in a Hero pen and it worked reasonably well, but the pen was not all that good so I rinsed it out and stopped using the pen.

 

If I have the cap off for a minute or two while I am thinking it can take a stroke or two to get it started again. But I have experienced that in other pens with other inks so I would not call that a unique problem.

 

It is a fun ink with the air of danger and mystery (more folklore than fact).

[penguina]

I have been using this ink for a month or two now. I use the Preppy pen that came with it with great results. I had filled in a Hero pen and it worked reasonably well, but the pen was not all that good so I rinsed it out and stopped using the pen.

 

If I have the cap off for a minute or two while I am thinking it can take a stroke or two to get it started again. But I have experienced that in other pens with other inks so I would not call that a unique problem.

 

It is a fun ink with the air of danger and mystery (more folklore than fact).

 

Yes, perhaps my ideas about ground down ink sticks were more folklore than fact, when I think about it.

 

But why is it called the STRONGEST emperor/Royal ink? Anyone know?

[Truppi327]

Yes, perhaps my ideas about ground down ink sticks were more folklore than fact, when I think about it.But why is it called the STRONGEST emperor/Royal ink? Anyone know?

 

I think it is called the strongest because it is the most bulletproof. That was always my thought. Are the other "Royal inks" not bulletproof? Are there even other "royal inks" now that I think of it...

[Ed Ronax]

Nice review , thanks, a really good looking ink.

[Felix1]

Ran across this review while reading about the ink since I got a free bottle from JetPens.

 

I normally prefer to use ink in pens of my choosing versus a free Preppy that came with the bottle so I was glad to see HDoug is using it in a Pelikan w/o problems. BTW, where's that promised May '10 extended review, HDoug?

 

And TConnel has used it successfully in a variety of pens in his review.

 

So I'll probably ink up a Pelikan with it.

 

Presumably it'll work OK in the new Noodler's pens as well...didn't Nathan say the pens were usable with all his inks?

[Yoda4561]

Ran across this review while reading about the ink since I got a free bottle from JetPens.

 

I normally prefer to use ink in pens of my choosing versus a free Preppy that came with the bottle so I was glad to see HDoug is using it in a Pelikan w/o problems. BTW, where's that promised May '10 extended review, HDoug?

 

And TConnel has used it successfully in a variety of pens in his review.

 

So I'll probably ink up a Pelikan with it.

 

Presumably it'll work OK in the new Noodler's pens as well...didn't Nathan say the pens were usable with all his inks?

 

 

I'm even using it in a Lamy Safari right now. I'll tell you if my feed explodes. It is a little prone to drying out if you stop writing for a few seconds, but honestly not that bad. I'm experimenting with dilutions right now to see if I can get perfect behavior and the full intensity of the ink, difficult balance. I've also considered getting a pen with a hooded nib, I think the ink will be much more reliable during day to day writing with one.