The ink is darker because some of the water is evaporating, leaving a higher concentration of dye in solution. It’s normal with every pen - even the ones that seal perfectly off gas water into the cap seal.
I don't think there is much outgassing at room temperature in properly sealed pens. The water you find in the cap is typically condensation of the air captured in the cap
@@Doodlebud I’m interested in your perspective on this. As a chemist, it seems to me that it would be impossible to prevent water from evaporating unless you’re in an environment at 100% RH. What is your reasoning for the ink being so much darker? Do you think that the light faded your previous lines? That seems unlikely to me, but not impossible. I’ve noticed this effect in all of my pens that don’t seal particularly well, so I always assumed it was water loss.
I have a couple of Jinhao pens that I've noticed this with particularly, where the ink gets more concentrated over time. They never feel like they've dried out; the ink is just darker
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect any change in weight
I'd love if you also included a Platinum Curidas in your tests next time! Capless pens are so cool! I also wonder whether the nib extraction mechanism matters, e.g. if a standard Pilot Capless dries out slower than a Capless Fermo.
Oh, I agree! I actually love the Curidas with a medium nib. I’ve gone a month without mine drying out, so I think it can hold its own. Don’t think it would have been the best result though.
Very interesting! I think you should include all the Majohn and Pilot pens in the extended test. While they weren't perfect, I think they performed so well that it would be interesting to see how the perform after two months or whatever you choose.
I have a Moonman A1 and Pilot Fermo. Never had any problems with either pen drying out over long usage. I usually keep writers blood in my maroon A1 though. That ink is one of the wettest inks I own so maybe that helps it a lot and I've also tuned the nib to be wetter and ground it a bit and smoothed. Fermo was a lovely medium right off the bat. Great test Doodlebud.
Great video! Regarding the ink appearing darker - I've experienced this before when storing inked pens. The water in the ink is evaporating, leaving a more concentrated color behind. The pens with darker ink actually have seals that aren't performing as well. I'm not sure if you started with full-fills, but I would bet the ink level is lower on the pens with darker ink. The nib's ability to write immediately is mostly determined by how well the feed maintains a supply of wet ink. It appears the ENSSO and LAMY have the darkest inks in the video.
Great testing! I also realize that the ink in the reservoir/cartridges will disappear slowly. It may relate to the material, like the rubber sack or ebonite barrel. Also, the little gaps in the complex mechanism contribute. I hope my thoughts can be helpful.
The ink can evaporate. That’s how you can get a darker blue after some time. It happens to me especially during the warmer months. It’d be interesting to weigh them and see if it evaporates enough to make a difference in the weight after some time. Yes, keep going to declare a cap less winner.
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect anything a change. But worth a try
Nice! 😎 Leaving a pen inked for an entire month without any use at all is not normal use to me, so I'm very impressed with all the pens. I've had plenty of pens, with snap and screw caps, that didn't write as well as that Dialog 3 after just two or three weeks of not being used. I even have a water brush as part of my EDC that is usually used to add a drop of water to a nib to rehydrate it. I didn't think the ink on the page faded, but that the ink in the stores pens had concentrated a bit in the feed, so they wrote darker.
Try Platinum Curidas capless pen. Forgot mine in a light jacket in September, started writing just fine in May next year. And they're interesting from engineering point of view.
I just got a Majohn A1 works great.. then I got an A2 because the A12 were sold out.. terrible could not get it to work. Did all the cleaning, changed ink, used the brass shim.. pretty bad. Thanks for testing these! Great info..I did order another A1..
Interesting! I have 2 modern Pilot VPs and they both struggle if left for more than a day or two hence I rarely use them.... might have to try them again at some point with different inks. Now to search your channel for further tests!
Very impressed, definitely keeping the A2 on my wishlist! Like someone else said, id love to see weights before and after to see if there was any noticeable evaporation. I find with my lamy vista, my blue ink gets darker over time and i suspect its just from evaporation, even though the nib stays wet and writes just fine.
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect anything
I've been watching a few pen review videos on youtube (looking at the Karas Kustom ink v2, coppper, w/ titanium nib of course)...Your video started automatically after all of those. And let me tell you, your voice just cut through all those others like nothing else. Kudos, man. You have a very good and distinctive voice. Keep up the great content. Just wanted to compliment your work. Take Care.
Excuse me sir...its a "hypothesis" not a prediction 😁😁. But i am exclusively into retractables and none of my copies write after 2 weeks. I have had a pilot vanishing point, pilot decimo, majohn a2 etc. But i think its because I put dry inks (I like the permanent ones). Even though they don't write after 2 weeks, I still love them because the convenience is unmatched.
Thanks for doing this! I'm not surprised -- if a bit jealous -- of your Dialog 3. The "door" on mine was (is) a perpetual challenge at getting a good seal/close. Lamy actually replaced the pen for me but the replacement was as challenging so I've pretty much given up on it. The Pilots were no surprise at all! Part 2 please!!
Based on your reviews, I ordered a couple of Majohn A1's earlier this week and was wondering about how well they would work if not used daily. Great video and I hope you keep the test going. Given the price point, I expected the Lamy to perform better, but I think they all did well after a month of sitting.
Hi DB! I think you should do a 3 month test. I had my first A-2 dry out on me after a couple of months, was a BEAR to get writing again, but it could have been the ink I had in it. Can't wait to see more of your Pelikan 1000! I just recently bought a new Pelikan 800 in the Green/Black and it has just BLOWN ME AWAY! Like writing on a cloud!
Yes please, continue the test! While often mentioned in reviews fountain pens drying after a few days is generally not paid enough attention. I'm very happy you did the test. I've a Dialog CC, it's excellent but it behaves like your Dialog here… Thanks for all your efforts and maybe do the test with other fountain pens.
Impressive test, they all work! Watch this video, all doubters! I had an A1 but it leaked like a sieve all over the place, so it got binned. Love the design of the Dialog, none of the rest, but happily it is too pricy for me to justify.
Great video, I’d love to see a more extended test! Oh man, I am sad to see I missed out on the kickstarter for that ensso, i’ll have to keep an eye out for when they start selling them regularly!
I have a Pelikan M205 with a medium nib, inked it once since I got it 14 months ago - I uncap it about to use about every six weeks or so and it still writes perfectly the second I uncap it. Amazing pen!.
I wonder if the roll protected them at all since there was no air exchange around them. I also wonder if nib up would change it compared to storing horizontal.
Pretty much my thoughts. I am not shure about the air exchange, but the humidity is definetely effected. Maybe the test whould be better if they weren't storred in a roll or with their grip/nib sections uncovered. Interesting results nonetheless!
@@vasilis_k_97 what I kind of meant with the air exchange would be the air in the roll might equalize to a humidity or at least be a bit more consistent where the room would always be about the same humidity drawing out more water from the pen. Does that make sense? I’m guessing light and depending on the room sunlight also are a big factor as well.
I'm not thinking the pen roll would make much of an impact. Its very breathable fabric. If I for example put that pen roll in my vacuum chamber and lowered the air pressure it wouldn't protect the pens for the pressure change. I don't think its able to create its own unique environment. The roll was in an open bin on a shelf, away from sun or much light in a room which sees very little change in air temp.
@@Doodlebud might be an interesting test to get a couple of the same majohns and leave them in different places to see how/where you store it matters. On desk, in drawer, in case, nib up, nib down, etc.
Another interesting video DB. Yes, I have a Lamy Dialog cc the all black edition. As circumstances so happened, I preordered it with a fine nib, and ended up with the extra fine nib. I'm really glad I did. Size wise, it's about the same diameter as the Atelier F2 but about 2.5 cm longer. Maybe you could do a round of testing with the Dialog cc, Majohn A3, and the Curidas.
Nice experiment , My A2 dries out after 2-3 weeks. There seems to be a slight crust around the nib, like dried out ink. Maybe its the ink, Diamine green. Thanks. KB
I think its better to simulate real world scenarios since virtually nobody is only using their pens in an perfectly controlled environment. We all used are pens everyday of the year no matter the weather. The pens stated in the same pen roll, in the same open bin, on the same shelf, in the same room of a house where the there aren't wild swings in environmental conditions.
Great test! I’d love to see it continue and similar tests with capped pens too. BTW, I keep a sheet of blotting paper in each notebook. I usually don’t actively blot (unless using a very wet pen & ink combination) but just toss it on the page I just wrote before closing to notebook.
Interesting experiment. Out of these pens, I only have the modern VP and haven't experienced any dry-outs, and have left the pen unused for approx. 6 weeks. So would be interesting to see how long they can last before they give up. Congrats with the Pelikan ;-)
I was very curious when I saw the video. I have to say: I'm impressed! Drying out is one of the reasons I don't buy a capless pen. The one I like the most (Lamy), performed the worst 😕
I wouldn't say it performed the worst at all. The A1 took a whole sentence to get writing properly, the Lamy took 2 characters. Its the most expensive, but wasn't the worst
Interesting! even though I dont have a capless of any brand. I did have an A1 at one point in time, but it dried out so quickly...within a day. I've been content with screw caps ever since.
I find that the position you store the pen in matters. I have several Pilot capless pens, my daily writer has an EF in it. Storing them nib up even overnight can cause some hard starts for me, but storing it sideways is usually fine.
I have a vintage Pilot Vanishing Point broad nib and this pen doesn't dry out on me, also have the Vanishing Point matte black and also doesn't skip when starting to write. I really love the way the vintage feels in the hand and how smooth it writes and it's really light in the hand, the matte black feels more heavy on the hand because is brass, but it feels secure and sturdy. Love the both and no problem from them when unused for weeks. Hope Pilot makes a special edition or brings back the one piece clip like on the vintage vanishing points. Thank you for this test 💪🙏
It might be interesting to try it with a different ink too. I find that in my EF A2 Sailor Shikori Souten takes a bit to get started after a few hours, while Manyo Kuzu is fine for days. Both pens work with no issues in my Kaweco Lilliput
They all did rather well. I've a Platinum Curidas, though I've not let it set for a month. I've got the Mahjohn ones and the Endless Pens Creator. The only one I've inked up so far is the Curidas, and I used one of the Mahjohn some time ago. Certainly would like to see a continuation.
First: I have at least three Pilot VPs, the favorite of which is the Decimo. All of them write when I want to use them, despite the passage of time, but I don't think I've waited a month since last usage. Congratulations on the M100 "green-stripe!" I think the green-striped Pelikans are the most definitive of the brand, and the best-looking.
I have had trouble with hard starting (drying) with two of my retractable pens. Pilot Decimo and the Mahjohn A2. Both of them have feed trouble. I have to spend some time to separate the tines a tiny bit. No light comes through the very ends of the nib. DB showed how to do this in an earlier video. Scared to do the Decimo. Can't only get a nib for that pen. Have to buy the entire unit. The Mahjohn was 1/4 of the price. Will start with that one. It dries out after one day not being used.
@@Doodlebud I wonder why these pen companies let a nib go out to customers that closed or touching at the tip. Seems like bad business. I am going to have to take the nibs off the two pens and shimmy a brass shim in the slit to widen the gap. Very scared.
Doodlebud…you've become the “ Project Farm” of fountain pens..lol😊. Keep them coming! Great test. Cheers from Nova Scotia, MikeR.( if you haven’t seen Project Farm on TH-cam I highly recommend it…and YES this requires further testing…to the failure point!)
I've seen some of his videos. The test will continue on as another pen has arrived to be added into the mix. I've also come up with what I think is a better test to check for dry out
On my decimo, it tends to have a dry nib, lint tends to get into the apparatus and cause the ink to attach to the lint it also gunks up the closing mechanism that causes the exit of the nib to be inhibited.
I have a Curidas that dries out overnight. Even PR's Infinity Ink can't help. It's a shame because the nib writes smoothly and the retraction action works well. Oh well. On the other hand, I have an Ensso Bolt Action pen on order from their Kickstarter and I am eager for it to arrive in June! Thanks for the vid, by the way!
Only have an A2 of the shown pens. It dries up (not badly) in a couple days. Maybe it is the R&K Scabiosa ink, that is finicky. I am sorely tempted by the Lamy Dialog
I had a Pilot VP in EF that could barely go a week before it would dry out completely and refuse to write again. Was my one and only VP and the experience made me write off the entire retractable family of pens. Seeing this makes me wonder if I just had a dud.
@@PinkKirby11 I'm going to be doing a follow up video to this with more pens and a better test. But also a super simple test anyone can do without needing anything special to test how well their pen will seal.
That’s really useful - thanks! I feel justified in my order of the Bolt now, and a little less urgency to jump into the vp and the Dialog! Any suggestions of ink for the bolt by the way? I was thinking Diamine Writers’ Blood…
Keep going with the tests. I wonder how much the ink is evaporating and whether you are using converters or cartridges in each pen. This was a great video!
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can register detect anything
What an interesting experiment! I have similar experience in everyday use. The A1, writes thin, drier, has hard starts after long time not being used. The A2 is wetter, darker, smoother and has had no hard starts so far.
Interesting test and demonstration. I only have the A1 in my collection. I would go another month or 2 to see if there was any further dryness to announce a winner. I am hoping for the ēnsso Bolt With most of the capped pens have supposed seals it would be interesting to see how well they do. Platinum touts 6 months to a year. How do others fare. I know it would mean putting these pens away for a long time and you wouldn't be able to use them but it would still be of interest.
That would be a lot of pens to test. The easiest way is to put them in my little vacuum chamber I made to simulate air flight. If they don't leak there, it means they have a VERY good seal so dry out won't be an issue. I have tested several pens in there if you haven't seen the videos
Cool test! I left my A1 (Bay State Blue) and VP (Heart of Darkness) for 5 months after I retired. The A1 was dry as a bone. It will have to be cleaned. The VP wrote after just a couple letters. I wonder if the ink type has some effect as well.
Of all of my retractable pens (VP, Decimo, A1, A2) the A2s are the only ones I've ever had an issue with them drying out. And those pens get used daily through the work week.
I'm very impressed. I've always been hesitant about getting a retractable pen beause of worries about them drying out. But even the worst was good enough after half a line of writing. (Maybe this says a lot about how good Diamine inks are?)
Very interesting test it appears that the pens 🖊️ spent the month laying on their sides I wonder how the test would go if the pens were stored nib up or nib down for a month. I happen to have bought into the Ensso Bolt Kickstarter and just got the email to notify me that the optional clip that I will have to pay extra for is designed so that if you actually want to carry the pen 🖊️ in your pocket you will be carrying it nib down exactly opposite to every other fountain pen 🖋️ I have seen it just seems like Ensso has put in the bare minimum effort I can’t help but be disappointed they got their money now they have lost interest in the project. Was hoping that you might have insight into what is going on
I keep my A1 filled with chou kuro and it dries up if i dot use it 2 days in a row... probably not the best ink for it but its my only fully black pen and my favorite black ink
Thanks, very interesting! I wonder, did you use a full fill of Ink for all the pens? Would it look different if you only filled them half and thus more air was in the system allready? For me this is the most likely scenario of forgetting the pen somwhere with a half- or less full fill of Ink.
I am surprised how well all of the pens did considering the time these pens sat. As a daily carry, any of these seem lovely especially considering how well their nibs seem to write from the reviews I've seen from pen enthusiasts.
Interestinglty enough, I have more hard starts with my Vintage Vanishing Point than the others. The Fermo and the Decimo are da bomb! Work like a charm every time.
Even though some pens did better than others, honestly I think every pen here passed the test with flying colors. I wouldn't expect any pen to perform flawlessly on the first stroke after a month. If a pen needs a few starter marks on some scratch paper it's something I expect by default. Special marks to the vintage Vanishing Point though, that one seemed somehow even juicier and more ink primed after a month of rest, which is miraculous.
No Platinum Curidas in the testing? I would have been interested to see that, since Platinum's marketing literature pays some particular attention to their cap design.
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I vote for continuing the test. I was surprised at how well they all did.
This is the kind of content that nobody is doing! It takes planning and patience. Thank you!
Thanks so much!!! I really appreciate it!👐
The ink is darker because some of the water is evaporating, leaving a higher concentration of dye in solution. It’s normal with every pen - even the ones that seal perfectly off gas water into the cap seal.
I don't think there is much outgassing at room temperature in properly sealed pens. The water you find in the cap is typically condensation of the air captured in the cap
The challenge is on? As Galileo said: measure everything measurable.
@@Doodlebud I’m interested in your perspective on this. As a chemist, it seems to me that it would be impossible to prevent water from evaporating unless you’re in an environment at 100% RH.
What is your reasoning for the ink being so much darker? Do you think that the light faded your previous lines? That seems unlikely to me, but not impossible.
I’ve noticed this effect in all of my pens that don’t seal particularly well, so I always assumed it was water loss.
I have a couple of Jinhao pens that I've noticed this with particularly, where the ink gets more concentrated over time. They never feel like they've dried out; the ink is just darker
Has to be slight evaporation over time of at least the ink in the feed. If you wrote more, after several lines the color would go back to normal!
I’m shocked how well they all did to be honest! Now I definitely will get a Majohn to compliment my pilot VP. Let’s go for two!
My Majohns A2 are definitely doing better than my A1s.
Maybe weight them before storing them to see if there is any significant loss.
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect any change in weight
We might be surprised at how much ink has evaporated...
@@Doodlebud Weigh several identical pens together then divide the loss by the number of pens.
@@d3nza482 that would help for sure but now all of a sudden this test would now cost me a whole buncha money to run.
Please continue the tests!
I'd love if you also included a Platinum Curidas in your tests next time! Capless pens are so cool! I also wonder whether the nib extraction mechanism matters, e.g. if a standard Pilot Capless dries out slower than a Capless Fermo.
Oh, I agree! I actually love the Curidas with a medium nib. I’ve gone a month without mine drying out, so I think it can hold its own. Don’t think it would have been the best result though.
@@pensane my Curidas pens were terrible so maybe it was the ink I was using. I could’ve go a couple days between uses.
If I had a Curidas I would have included it
@@Doodlebud we have to find a way to get you one ☺️
@@Doodlebud how can we get one in your hands? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it as it is certainly a polarizing pen.
So excitedby the Ensso performance. Its the first capless I am getting
Continue this until a champion emerged, please! This is excellent! 👏🏼 ⭐️ 🖊️
Very interesting! I think you should include all the Majohn and Pilot pens in the extended test. While they weren't perfect, I think they performed so well that it would be interesting to see how the perform after two months or whatever you choose.
I'll throw them in the mix for fun since I'm doing it anyways
The real pen science we need! What’s the next experiment?
I'm oddly intrigued with your watch.... 😂
This is an intriguing test. Yes I definitely would want to see longer term, to see who is the winner.
I have a Moonman A1 and Pilot Fermo. Never had any problems with either pen drying out over long usage. I usually keep writers blood in my maroon A1 though. That ink is one of the wettest inks I own so maybe that helps it a lot and I've also tuned the nib to be wetter and ground it a bit and smoothed. Fermo was a lovely medium right off the bat. Great test Doodlebud.
Great video! Regarding the ink appearing darker - I've experienced this before when storing inked pens. The water in the ink is evaporating, leaving a more concentrated color behind. The pens with darker ink actually have seals that aren't performing as well. I'm not sure if you started with full-fills, but I would bet the ink level is lower on the pens with darker ink. The nib's ability to write immediately is mostly determined by how well the feed maintains a supply of wet ink. It appears the ENSSO and LAMY have the darkest inks in the video.
Great test! This tracks with my experience with my mahjohn and pilot I've used.
Thank you so much for the comparison!! Very useful!
Great testing! I also realize that the ink in the reservoir/cartridges will disappear slowly. It may relate to the material, like the rubber sack or ebonite barrel. Also, the little gaps in the complex mechanism contribute. I hope my thoughts can be helpful.
Valeu!
Wow thank you!
The ink can evaporate. That’s how you can get a darker blue after some time. It happens to me especially during the warmer months. It’d be interesting to weigh them and see if it evaporates enough to make a difference in the weight after some time. Yes, keep going to declare a cap less winner.
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect anything a change. But worth a try
Great video for me as I backed the Bolt Kickstarter, cheers DB.
Nice! 😎 Leaving a pen inked for an entire month without any use at all is not normal use to me, so I'm very impressed with all the pens.
I've had plenty of pens, with snap and screw caps, that didn't write as well as that Dialog 3 after just two or three weeks of not being used. I even have a water brush as part of my EDC that is usually used to add a drop of water to a nib to rehydrate it.
I didn't think the ink on the page faded, but that the ink in the stores pens had concentrated a bit in the feed, so they wrote darker.
This is my experience too.
Thanks for testing this! Just what I was interested in since I am not writing with all the inked pens every week.
Try Platinum Curidas capless pen. Forgot mine in a light jacket in September, started writing just fine in May next year. And they're interesting from engineering point of view.
If I had one I would have included it in the test
I just got a Majohn A1 works great.. then I got an A2 because the A12 were sold out.. terrible could not get it to work. Did all the cleaning, changed ink, used the brass shim.. pretty bad. Thanks for testing these! Great info..I did order another A1..
Interesting!
I have 2 modern Pilot VPs and they both struggle if left for more than a day or two hence I rarely use them.... might have to try them again at some point with different inks. Now to search your channel for further tests!
Give these inks a try, they are amazing: th-cam.com/video/B1DJuuBxAuQ/w-d-xo.html
Very impressed, definitely keeping the A2 on my wishlist! Like someone else said, id love to see weights before and after to see if there was any noticeable evaporation. I find with my lamy vista, my blue ink gets darker over time and i suspect its just from evaporation, even though the nib stays wet and writes just fine.
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can detect anything
I would love to see a two-month test, for sure.
3 month test will begin this weekend
I've been watching a few pen review videos on youtube (looking at the Karas Kustom ink v2, coppper, w/ titanium nib of course)...Your video started automatically after all of those. And let me tell you, your voice just cut through all those others like nothing else. Kudos, man. You have a very good and distinctive voice. Keep up the great content. Just wanted to compliment your work. Take Care.
Thanks buddy 👍
I've had no problems with my Capless pens. I have a Modern Pilot Capless, and the Mahjohn A1 and A2 with the Pilot 18K nibs.
Shocked they all did pretty great. Would vote for two or three month evaluation
Excuse me sir...its a "hypothesis" not a prediction 😁😁. But i am exclusively into retractables and none of my copies write after 2 weeks. I have had a pilot vanishing point, pilot decimo, majohn a2 etc. But i think its because I put dry inks (I like the permanent ones). Even though they don't write after 2 weeks, I still love them because the convenience is unmatched.
Love this test....I'm between a Lamy and a Pilot VP and not that this matters but great to know that even a month and it will be fine 😊
Thanks for doing this! I'm not surprised -- if a bit jealous -- of your Dialog 3. The "door" on mine was (is) a perpetual challenge at getting a good seal/close. Lamy actually replaced the pen for me but the replacement was as challenging so I've pretty much given up on it. The Pilots were no surprise at all! Part 2 please!!
Not even the worst is so bad. I want it! Congrats!
Based on your reviews, I ordered a couple of Majohn A1's earlier this week and was wondering about how well they would work if not used daily. Great video and I hope you keep the test going. Given the price point, I expected the Lamy to perform better, but I think they all did well after a month of sitting.
Hi DB! I think you should do a 3 month test. I had my first A-2 dry out on me after a couple of months, was a BEAR to get writing again, but it could have been the ink I had in it. Can't wait to see more of your Pelikan 1000! I just recently bought a new Pelikan 800 in the Green/Black and it has just BLOWN ME AWAY! Like writing on a cloud!
Going to start the 3 month testing this weekend
Yes please, continue the test! While often mentioned in reviews fountain pens drying after a few days is generally not paid enough attention. I'm very happy you did the test. I've a Dialog CC, it's excellent but it behaves like your Dialog here… Thanks for all your efforts and maybe do the test with other fountain pens.
Great stuff bud! Looking forward to seeing the review of the Pelikan M1000. Really interesting experiment.
Impressive test, they all work! Watch this video, all doubters! I had an A1 but it leaked like a sieve all over the place, so it got binned. Love the design of the Dialog, none of the rest, but happily it is too pricy for me to justify.
Sounds like your A1 was a dud 😔
Great test! Continuing would be nice indeed!
Great video, I’d love to see a more extended test! Oh man, I am sad to see I missed out on the kickstarter for that ensso, i’ll have to keep an eye out for when they start selling them regularly!
Very interesting testing
I have a Pelikan M205 with a medium nib, inked it once since I got it 14 months ago - I uncap it about to use about every six weeks or so and it still writes perfectly the second I uncap it. Amazing pen!.
I wonder if the roll protected them at all since there was no air exchange around them. I also wonder if nib up would change it compared to storing horizontal.
Pretty much my thoughts.
I am not shure about the air exchange, but the humidity is definetely effected.
Maybe the test whould be better if they weren't storred in a roll or with their grip/nib sections uncovered.
Interesting results nonetheless!
@@vasilis_k_97 what I kind of meant with the air exchange would be the air in the roll might equalize to a humidity or at least be a bit more consistent where the room would always be about the same humidity drawing out more water from the pen. Does that make sense? I’m guessing light and depending on the room sunlight also are a big factor as well.
@@gizmogeek23 Yes, and I agree completely
I'm not thinking the pen roll would make much of an impact. Its very breathable fabric. If I for example put that pen roll in my vacuum chamber and lowered the air pressure it wouldn't protect the pens for the pressure change. I don't think its able to create its own unique environment. The roll was in an open bin on a shelf, away from sun or much light in a room which sees very little change in air temp.
@@Doodlebud might be an interesting test to get a couple of the same majohns and leave them in different places to see how/where you store it matters. On desk, in drawer, in case, nib up, nib down, etc.
Another interesting video DB. Yes, I have a Lamy Dialog cc the all black edition. As circumstances so happened, I preordered it with a fine nib, and ended up with the extra fine nib. I'm really glad I did. Size wise, it's about the same diameter as the Atelier F2 but about 2.5 cm longer. Maybe you could do a round of testing with the Dialog cc, Majohn A3, and the Curidas.
Looking forward to the multiple month challenge! I’m hoping you keep all 6 in the test though, not just the bolt and VP. Great video idea!
Nice experiment , My A2 dries out after 2-3 weeks. There seems to be a slight crust around the nib, like dried out ink. Maybe its the ink, Diamine green. Thanks. KB
Yeah try a different ink. Some just do that easily
@@Doodlebud Thanks, I'll do that. KB
I’m excited for the bolt action ēnsso I preordered and this test allowed me to exhale 😮💨 thank you!
This is so helpful. Thank you. Love to see a follow up test.
I don't know the air humidity. But maybe it's possible to get a biger Delta. If the pens a stored in a yar with silica gel.
I think its better to simulate real world scenarios since virtually nobody is only using their pens in an perfectly controlled environment. We all used are pens everyday of the year no matter the weather. The pens stated in the same pen roll, in the same open bin, on the same shelf, in the same room of a house where the there aren't wild swings in environmental conditions.
For the upcoming Pelikan review, would be interesting to compare it to your Montblanc pens.
Love the test! Do we have a part 2?
I have a few more pens I will be adding and a better method to test for nib dry out
Great test! I’d love to see it continue and similar tests with capped pens too. BTW, I keep a sheet of blotting paper in each notebook. I usually don’t actively blot (unless using a very wet pen & ink combination) but just toss it on the page I just wrote before closing to notebook.
Great stuff. Only suggestion if you do again is to include one or two capped pens for comparison.
Interesting experiment. Out of these pens, I only have the modern VP and haven't experienced any dry-outs, and have left the pen unused for approx. 6 weeks. So would be interesting to see how long they can last before they give up. Congrats with the Pelikan ;-)
I was very curious when I saw the video. I have to say: I'm impressed! Drying out is one of the reasons I don't buy a capless pen.
The one I like the most (Lamy), performed the worst 😕
I wouldn't say it performed the worst at all. The A1 took a whole sentence to get writing properly, the Lamy took 2 characters. Its the most expensive, but wasn't the worst
WOW ! I am impressed by A2 !
But i would also like to see that test with the Platinum Curidas.
I hope you do that with a Curidas as well.
If I had a Curidas I would have included it
Interesting! even though I dont have a capless of any brand. I did have an A1 at one point in time, but it dried out so quickly...within a day. I've been content with screw caps ever since.
I find that the position you store the pen in matters. I have several Pilot capless pens, my daily writer has an EF in it. Storing them nib up even overnight can cause some hard starts for me, but storing it sideways is usually fine.
I have a vintage Pilot Vanishing Point broad nib and this pen doesn't dry out on me, also have the Vanishing Point matte black and also doesn't skip when starting to write. I really love the way the vintage feels in the hand and how smooth it writes and it's really light in the hand, the matte black feels more heavy on the hand because is brass, but it feels secure and sturdy. Love the both and no problem from them when unused for weeks. Hope Pilot makes a special edition or brings back the one piece clip like on the vintage vanishing points. Thank you for this test 💪🙏
I too would like to see a month by month review! Having the A1 and A2 I am so invested in this haha
It might be interesting to try it with a different ink too. I find that in my EF A2 Sailor Shikori Souten takes a bit to get started after a few hours, while Manyo Kuzu is fine for days. Both pens work with no issues in my Kaweco Lilliput
Great video. Could you store them standing up and then try?
They all did rather well. I've a Platinum Curidas, though I've not let it set for a month. I've got the Mahjohn ones and the Endless Pens Creator. The only one I've inked up so far is the Curidas, and I used one of the Mahjohn some time ago. Certainly would like to see a continuation.
First: I have at least three Pilot VPs, the favorite of which is the Decimo. All of them write when I want to use them, despite the passage of time, but I don't think I've waited a month since last usage.
Congratulations on the M100 "green-stripe!" I think the green-striped Pelikans are the most definitive of the brand, and the best-looking.
I have had trouble with hard starting (drying) with two of my retractable pens. Pilot Decimo and the Mahjohn A2. Both of them have feed trouble. I have to spend some time to separate the tines a tiny bit. No light comes through the very ends of the nib. DB showed how to do this in an earlier video. Scared to do the Decimo. Can't only get a nib for that pen. Have to buy the entire unit. The Mahjohn was 1/4 of the price. Will start with that one. It dries out after one day not being used.
Yeah if they have low flow issues they will dry out faster too
@@Doodlebud I wonder why these pen companies let a nib go out to customers that closed or touching at the tip. Seems like bad business. I am going to have to take the nibs off the two pens and shimmy a brass shim in the slit to widen the gap. Very scared.
Trust me, each nib isn't being visually inspected one by one under magnification by a trained eye. Best case scenario there will be batch inspections.
Doodlebud…you've become the “ Project Farm” of fountain pens..lol😊. Keep them coming! Great test. Cheers from Nova Scotia, MikeR.( if you haven’t seen Project Farm on TH-cam I highly recommend it…and YES this requires further testing…to the failure point!)
I've seen some of his videos. The test will continue on as another pen has arrived to be added into the mix. I've also come up with what I think is a better test to check for dry out
I'd love to see this with the platinum curidas included.
Just had one arrive yesterday to include in the testing
I am so so grateful for this
On my decimo, it tends to have a dry nib, lint tends to get into the apparatus and cause the ink to attach to the lint it also gunks up the closing mechanism that causes the exit of the nib to be inhibited.
I have a Curidas that dries out overnight. Even PR's Infinity Ink can't help. It's a shame because the nib writes smoothly and the retraction action works well. Oh well. On the other hand, I have an Ensso Bolt Action pen on order from their Kickstarter and I am eager for it to arrive in June! Thanks for the vid, by the way!
I'm going to need another test
Its in the works
I watched this wondering if I should get an A1 for work notes and study notes. But now I’m interested in that bolt action one 😅
Only have an A2 of the shown pens. It dries up (not badly) in a couple days. Maybe it is the R&K Scabiosa ink, that is finicky. I am sorely tempted by the Lamy Dialog
That vintage VP is 🔥!
I had a Pilot VP in EF that could barely go a week before it would dry out completely and refuse to write again. Was my one and only VP and the experience made me write off the entire retractable family of pens. Seeing this makes me wonder if I just had a dud.
@@PinkKirby11 I'm going to be doing a follow up video to this with more pens and a better test. But also a super simple test anyone can do without needing anything special to test how well their pen will seal.
Go for the next test
That’s really useful - thanks! I feel justified in my order of the Bolt now, and a little less urgency to jump into the vp and the Dialog! Any suggestions of ink for the bolt by the way? I was thinking Diamine Writers’ Blood…
Keep going with the tests. I wonder how much the ink is evaporating and whether you are using converters or cartridges in each pen. This was a great video!
I can weigh them but I think the evaporation rate will be too little for my scale to detect or at the least within the error of the scale. For example, it takes several drops of ink on the scale before it can register detect anything
Have you ever tried the Platinum Curidas? That is one of my favorite capless pens.
Good work, man!!
What an interesting experiment! I have similar experience in everyday use. The A1, writes thin, drier, has hard starts after long time not being used. The A2 is wetter, darker, smoother and has had no hard starts so far.
Very cool test. I am curious what would still work after 3, 5, 7 months.
3 month will be next
Interesting test and demonstration. I only have the A1 in my collection.
I would go another month or 2 to see if there was any further dryness to announce a winner. I am hoping for the ēnsso Bolt
With most of the capped pens have supposed seals it would be interesting to see how well they do. Platinum touts 6 months to a year. How do others fare. I know it would mean putting these pens away for a long time and you wouldn't be able to use them but it would still be of interest.
That would be a lot of pens to test. The easiest way is to put them in my little vacuum chamber I made to simulate air flight. If they don't leak there, it means they have a VERY good seal so dry out won't be an issue. I have tested several pens in there if you haven't seen the videos
@@Doodlebud I have. I was thinking in terms of real life. Some people just toss their pens in a drawer and forget them.
Cool test! I left my A1 (Bay State Blue) and VP (Heart of Darkness) for 5 months after I retired. The A1 was dry as a bone. It will have to be cleaned. The VP wrote after just a couple letters. I wonder if the ink type has some effect as well.
Of all of my retractable pens (VP, Decimo, A1, A2) the A2s are the only ones I've ever had an issue with them drying out. And those pens get used daily through the work week.
Nice experiment. My vote is for Pilot VP.😊
I'm very impressed. I've always been hesitant about getting a retractable pen beause of worries about them drying out. But even the worst was good enough after half a line of writing. (Maybe this says a lot about how good Diamine inks are?)
Very interesting test it appears that the pens 🖊️ spent the month laying on their sides I wonder how the test would go if the pens were stored nib up or nib down for a month. I happen to have bought into the Ensso Bolt Kickstarter and just got the email to notify me that the optional clip that I will have to pay extra for is designed so that if you actually want to carry the pen 🖊️ in your pocket you will be carrying it nib down exactly opposite to every other fountain pen 🖋️ I have seen it just seems like Ensso has put in the bare minimum effort I can’t help but be disappointed they got their money now they have lost interest in the project. Was hoping that you might have insight into what is going on
Was hoping others who invested in the project might share their opinion about the clip on the bolt
Nice watch ...😊
I've had it for a while, Samsung S3 frontier amzn.to/4apuaF1
I keep my A1 filled with chou kuro and it dries up if i dot use it 2 days in a row... probably not the best ink for it but its my only fully black pen and my favorite black ink
Definitely not the best ink for a pen that can dry out quickly
Thanks, very interesting!
I wonder, did you use a full fill of Ink for all the pens? Would it look different if you only filled them half and thus more air was in the system allready?
For me this is the most likely scenario of forgetting the pen somwhere with a half- or less full fill of Ink.
Also would love if you weighed or otherwise measured evaporation.
I am surprised how well all of the pens did considering the time these pens sat. As a daily carry, any of these seem lovely especially considering how well their nibs seem to write from the reviews I've seen from pen enthusiasts.
Great video as always.
What is that green striped pelikan you had on your desk? first time I see it in your videos, a new pen perhaps?👀
I talked all about it at the end of the video if you give it a watch
@@Doodlebud oh I was watching while doing something, guess I missed it, gonna rewatch with my full attention this time 😂
Interestinglty enough, I have more hard starts with my Vintage Vanishing Point than the others. The Fermo and the Decimo are da bomb! Work like a charm every time.
Even though some pens did better than others, honestly I think every pen here passed the test with flying colors. I wouldn't expect any pen to perform flawlessly on the first stroke after a month. If a pen needs a few starter marks on some scratch paper it's something I expect by default. Special marks to the vintage Vanishing Point though, that one seemed somehow even juicier and more ink primed after a month of rest, which is miraculous.
No Platinum Curidas in the testing? I would have been interested to see that, since Platinum's marketing literature pays some particular attention to their cap design.
I don't own one to include in the testing
About the color change: I noticed that Diamine Teal looks darker if it sits in the pen for a while (like a week or so). Some oxidation?