Another advantage of bottle ink is that it's more environment friendly. Bottles are normally made of glass. The small cartridges are more plastic to discard after all...
Well you can reuse cartridges too, I never throw my cartridge out because I can refill and reseal them, and they’re super convenient. But bottles are the go to choice for me :)
In my experience, ink does not degrade if properly stored. I had a bottle of Parker ink in washable blue that I had stored in the back of a drawer. I forgot about it until I took it out after at least 15 years, and it performed like it was new.
I found the ink mixing question interesting. People don't seem to realize that colors mix differently in different media, and it's not like what we were taught in school about the color wheel and learned by mixing craft store acrylic paints. You can't usually mix equal parts blue and yellow to get green. Often you get a color that is very close to the original blue with a hit of green to it. Same with trying to make orange. Not only do you typically want significantly more yellow than red, but whether you use a warm-tone red or a cool-tone red makes a difference in the outcome. I do think it would be interesting to mix certain inks to see the result, or maybe add black to darken a lighter color, but I'm definitely not going to bulk buy red, blue, and yellow and pretend I can mix any color I want. It just doesn't work that way.
Noodler's is willing to special order up to a gallon of ink! It comes in a big glass cider jug, with the thumbhole and everything. Now THAT'S a lot of ink!
Mixed super cheap inks today... Blue and black... Expected blue-black-ish color,instead got the darkest green i have ever seen,almost grey,idk what I'm talking about ....but i like the results... and ur videos r awesome... Lotsa Love from a corner in India.
Thats because most black inks are made from a dye that is rather green. If you want to know more about pigments and mixing, look into watercolor videos about pigments.
Yes, I actually did mention it but it got cut out in the 'final footage'. I had about 26 minutes of footage that I cut down to what you see here, I had some serious 'scope creep' going on with this video and had to narrow my focus!
@UCd8epfeHmmtWIrkrzPpH2bA hey fuck you. Everybody starts somewhere and the metro is a good pen. If you think gatekeeping is cool then you need to get your ass kicked
i recently got a Lamy Al-Star in copperorange and i thought why the hell not and got a converter and copperorange bottle, i've fallen in love with the color it creates and use it daily, might have to get another soon!
Thank you for all these videos. I am a fountain pen newbie (no shame) and your videos are a wealth of knowledge. I am a little overwhelmed by all the choices, but it is exciting to learn. I own a Metropolitan and only use the blue-black namiki cartridges and love them. I feel like a next step is in my near future. Really intrigued by the Kaweco Sport and eyedropper setup, but nervous about the nibs arriving as a dud.
Thanks for watching & the support! I like the Kaweco Sport, and if you want a lot of ink capacity, that could be the way to go. TWSBI Eco is another option if you're looking for a step-up from the Metro. Being a piston-filling demonstrator is really good value for under $30. - Colin
Sorry I'm late to respond. My top picks for PPS replacements are 1) Diamine Majestic Blue, 2) Private Reserve Electric DC Blue, and 3) Noodler's Ottoman Azure, in that order.
That's just a sample. His total collection is well above a hundred bottles. It's a slippery slope, man. I already am sitting on a pile of 20+ bottles, and I have only been doing this for a few months D:
Krishan J I know, right? I mean, basic bottles and colours are bad enough, but then you get ino shading, sheening, or shimmering inks, and suddenly you catch yourself spamming that "add to basket" button at a much faster rate than you can afford xD.
I haven't heard too much about people mixing Edelstein, it's probably not the first ink people grab when mixing because it's pretty expensive if you mix a color you don't like! Most people stick with inks like PR, Waterman, and Sheaffer for mixing. You can mix Noodler's inks too, you just have to make sure you keep the inks in the same 'series' when you mix them. Mixing within a brand is usually fine, when you cross brands you get into a bit more experimentation and have to watch out.
You can store it for a really long time, and it should go bad as in spoiling or anything like that. What causes ink to go bad is usually 1) not being sealed properly, so it dries out, 2) being stored in sunlight, so the uv exposure breaks down the dyes, 3) mold, due to use of improper biocides (not so much a problem today as with some older inks) or contamination from pens that aren't properly cleaned/maintained. That's about it, so if you do what you're 'supposed' to, ink will last a long while
If you compare Noodler's Cactus Fruit Eel ink to Irushizuku's Yama-budo, I have a very hard time making a choice over the other. Without the two bottles present in front of you, how do you make a definite choice? After all like you said, the bottle adds to the magical enjoyment of bottled fountain pen ink!
I love my black blue quink. It's so nice, and ive inked my main pen about 4 times and another pen that flexes about 4 as well and it's only been used up about 2 and a quarter of a tablespoon. Not much when you see how much I write.
i want every bottle in that thumbnail! What a sec.... With the exception of that 5-shot of J. Herbin scented inks, I either have ever one of those bottles or they're headed my way. LOL !
Definitely give the Swab Shop a look at GouletPens, I would recommend you check out De Atramentis Silver Grey, Private Reserve Gray Flannel, or Omas Grey.
I'm a very much a beginner in my knowledge of fountain pens. As you were talking, I started wondering, how do you know what ink to buy for a what fountain pen? Of course, it's obvious that Waterman ink is made to be used in a Waterman pen for example. But most of colors I enjoy - the purples, violets and lilacs - for example, are the most vivid in Diamine or DeAtramentis. Thanks, and I really enjoy the service your company provides.
I mix inks a long time sins 1978. Parker Quink (royal blue, red, black) with Pelikan 4001 (dark green, brilliant red) Waterman red and blue cardridges or Sheaffer Skrip turquase, filled cartridges with a seringe, never use converters. When the “mouth” of the cartridge is worn out I take a new one. They last a pritty long time. Blue-black: 0,80ml - 0,15 ml (large cartr.) or brouwn: red with green 50-50% ml. Always got five color ink fountain pens ready to write . Never have used expencive ink. Have fun! Greats from a Dutch guy.
Noodler's is 1/4 of the price per ml, that usually helps make the decision easier! ;) Seriously though they're both nice inks, I bet you'd be happy with either.
George, my name is Brian, and you're welcome to call me that! ;) Ahhh...the famed Paker Penman Sapphire...well, whatever I recommend, someone will disagree. It seems that this ink above all others means different things to different people. But personally, I find that the bottle that I have at least, is most closely resembled by Diamine Majestic Blue, Private Reserve Electric DC Blue, and Noodler's Ottoman Azure, in that order. That's in terms of color.
chatgpt told me a good permanent type of ink is pigment ink and recommended platinum carbon ink...its awesome and i use a cheap kaweco sport double broad to replace me constantly buying gel pens. it writes better than my 1.0mm gel pens
You forgot to mention that the Platinum Mix-Free inks are made to be mixed with each other with no problems. And there was a bottle of it sitting in the front row even! :)
Hahaha I'm one of those users that uses lots of ink really fast! 4 months it too me. But then again I do art with my ink and do it regularly. I also write.
I am already wanting to buy some Super5 Dehli and Super5 Dublin -- in one year. I am using them in art, however. So this idea of never buying another color is for pens only, maybe. Thanks for the info on the UV!
I go through WAT more ink than that. I go through about 1ml per week. I just put a new cartrige in my Pilot Kakuno Fine 2 days ago, and am halfway through the .8ml already.
Are there any ink characteristics that make it more suitable to piston fill or eye-dropper type pens, or is suitability more a function of the feed and the nib?
+Edward Wickham Don't know if you've discovered it in those three weeks, but for piston fillers there's an advantage to using lubricated ink (like Monteverde ink or Noodler's Eel series) because it helps maintaining the smooth action of the piston. I don't think there's any characteristic more suitable for eyedroppers, but I could be wrong! Hope that helped a tiny bit :)
I’ve been using green Pilot G2 gel ballpoint pens at work for a long time, I love that particular shade of green. Do you know of any bottled ink that is exactly the same green as the gel ink? I want to start using a fountain pen, but I would like to keep using that color (it’s sort of become my “signature”)
I'm not really familiar with that green, so I'm using this pic (static2.jetpens.com/images/a/000/026/26092.jpg?mark64=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qZXRwZW5zLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvYXNzZXRzL3dhdGVybWFyay5wbmc&markalign64=dG9wLHJpZ2h0&markscale=19&s=483830ec77ee191edf45ceefdf9232ec ) as a reference point. There's not going to be an ink exactly like it, but a few that seem close are Caran d'Ache Vibrant Green, Noodler's Green, or Diamine Emerald. You can compare those for yourself using our Swab Shop tool: www.gouletpens.com/ink-comparison-tool - Colin
Hello Brian (If may I call you like that) I have almost ran out my favourite ink Parker Penman Sapphire which I've been savin for special occasions, could you please, reccomend me a decent substitution which has similar characteristics? Thanks George.
I drained to sheaffer bottles last month. Been using them only for a couple of months. U know looking at an empty bottle that u emptied is kinda nice feeling. Is your noodlers black bottle empty now Brian?
im kinda nervous about filling my pen with a new noodlers ink bottle. they are already filled up to the absolute top and i feel like putting my pen nib/feed in to fill the pen might be enough volume to make the ink drip out of the bottle. has anyone had this problem?
I know what you mean about noodles inks being so full. If you are careful, dipping the pen in the ink bottle will not cause enough displacement to cause overflowing. Just be sure to over something like a paper towel.
Thanks for the informative video. I need a MB 149 backup as mine is at MB service for a few months. The ink window became opaque after using MB permanent ink even though I maintain pen according to proper practices. I like the platinum but appears scratchy, I would like wet, buttery smooth and springy. What would you recommend?
Not familiar with MB as it's not a brand we carry, but permanent inks can stain ink windows, so it's possible that's what happened. Pen flush might be able to help with that when you're cleaning it out. As for other pens, definitely a medium or broader nib if you want wet & smooth. Pilot gold nibs (Custom 74, Falcon, 823) are all great options. Pelikan gold (M400 and above) are really nice but at a premium. - Colin
You have a lot of ink bottles in different coulors. What I do for ink do not dry in ink bottle closed if ink is black (carbón in this ingredients? Carbón solid sediments. Thaks you from Antonio Saiz, from Alicante, Spain.
Can you tell me what the ink on the bottom left hand corner that looks like absinthe is please? Love the videos, very helpful and the site is very organized and extensive in inventory.
+captain south america Hey there! Check out Brian's fountain pen 101 for lefties here: blog.gouletpens.com/2015/08/fp101-fountain-pens-for-lefties.html :) -Margaret
Noodler's has a few beyond Baystate. Kung Te-Chang (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-kung-te-cheng-3oz-bottled-ink/p/N19087 ) is based on an ancient ink recipe and it's pretty temperamental in pens. Beyond that, Organics Studio sheening inks can cause some issues if left in too long. Same with any shimmering inks. - Colin
Hey how much would you know about Sheaffer pens and pen holders? Just acquired two with sentimental value and want to do it up, only problem is in one of them doesn't have any ink and the other is missing the pen entirely! Care to help out a novice in need?
I'll admit, I haven't had too much experience with Sheaffer pens. It's not something we carry currently. Pretty certain that Sheaffer uses proprietary cartridges/converters, so if you can find those, they might be able to help. Also, check out the Fountain Pen Network, they would have a lot more knowledge about those pens in particular. - Colin
Hello, this video was very helpful to me as I am about to start using my very first fountain pen. But I would like to ask, the kind of pen I have is an Antonio Da Parra calligraphy pen. What would be the best kind of bottled ink to use for such a pen?
I'm not familiar with that pen, so I'm just looking at it online right now. Seems like a pretty standard fountain pen, so I think any fountain pen ink would work. Noodler's/Diamine are good affordable options. - Colin
My Parker ink is too concentrated because I have not used it a lot I years. What can I use to dilute it a little? Should I use just a little tap water? Help!
I'd use distilled water from the store as you may have some minerals within tap water that can cause issues. But yeah, a little bit of water can really make an impact on super-saturated inks. Start with a small amount. 1 parts water to 10 parts ink and see how it's behaving. - Colin
Hi Brian, Have you experienced or hear about people who have tried mixing the Edelstein inks. I remember those as marketed as being mixable, perhaps there are other brands as well - would love to hear stories if it is the case. Thanks!
I know I'm 5 years late for this video but could you tell me what that bright red bottle of ink is 3rd from the right in the first row? That looks incredible
If we mix inks that are from the same brand, do we still need to let it sit like you said or we can pretend that those inks are made with the "same things" so that they are "made to be mixed"? (Tell me if my question is not clear enough haha my English isn't the best 😅)
It really depends on the brand! Noodler's inks have such a crazy variety of properties that I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the more stable-dependable inks like Pilot Iroshizuku or Monteverde could be good options though. Did you have a brand in mind? - Colin
No, I would advise against that. I believe those are not water-based like fountain pen ink, so they can really ruin a pen. Stick with ink that's labeled as for FPs. - Colin
+l4min3 The bottom of lamy bottles has a half spheric shape to collect the last drops of the bottle to one spot when its almost empty. The plastic is there to give it a secure stand, yes you can remove it but the bottle will fall over.
Can a drawing ink, like Winsor and Newton Drawing Ink, be used with fountain pens? I like their range of colours and I know it's not made for fountain pens, but I was curious... Thanks in advance!
No - the WN 'drawing inks' contain shellack and would ruin your pen. WN also has 'calligraphy ink", in similar colours, which they say can be put into a fountain pen. However others have issued cautions, so you may want to read up on more advice before going ahead. ( just fyi, the WN calligraphy inks themselves are beautiful - they are pigmented and lightfast, so excellent for their intended purpose, whereas the WN drawing inks are dye based and will fade if exposed to light. They are intended for illustrations which will be scanned and digitized - also great for their intended purpose).
I ended up finding Parker Quink Ink, which made me happy, but still, a thank you for your awnser! I may be getting a Dip pen to get to try those inks with my watercolours!
I get asked this from time to time. There's really no official expiration for bottled pen ink. A conservative ink company will say one year, but just about every pen fan I know has ink older than a year and hasn't had a problem. I would say in general, 5-10 years would be when I'd expect to see the ink change in some way, but it varies on the use. The more you're opening up the bottle, the more the ink is exposed to air and that can affect it after a long period of time. If you don't clean your pen often and you're either constantly filling a 'dirty' pen in the ink, or get cross-contamination from another ink into your ink bottle, that can affect the longevity as well. One thing that most people don't realize too much is that when you're writing with your pen, it creates a small static charge on the nib that can attract dust and paper fibers to it while you write. These build up in the nib tines and the feed, so regular pen cleaning (I recommend once a week with regular use) is key. Some people think if you're using the same ink all the time, that you don't need to clean the pen, but you definitely do for this very reason. Of course, if you're ever changing a color, you always do a full cleaning. I am a serial ink changer, so I am always cleaning my pens! Bottle storage is also very important. Aside from air exposure, the most harmful risk to your ink is UV-exposure. You don't want to keep a bottle of ink near a window or in direct sunlight. I recommend keeping it in the box it came in (as long as that box is opaque), or in a drawer or cabinet of some kind. Temperature is also kind of important, you don't want you inks to freeze or to be too hot (above 100 degrees, probably). That's rarely an issue. With good bottle storage and moderately-proper pen maintenance, you'll be able to enjoy your bottled inks for years and years. Now, if you really want to take it a step further, you can decant a small amount of your bottled ink into a sample vial and fill your pen from that....doing this will minimize the pen dipping into your bottle, as well as minimize the air exposure to your ink by not having to open the bottle as often. This is a practice that the most serious ink enthusiasts do to ensure ink longevity. -BrianG
It's the Pelikan M205 Duo Highlighter ink (www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/168164-pelikan-m205-duo-highlighter-ink/). Unfortunately, I don't think they're available anymore. - Colin
+SabotPottery I would check out De Atramentis Document Inks. They are meant to be mixed together, and have a white ink as well to lighten/soften the tones. Water asks differently depending on the inks. - Colin
pinkpandamiranda That's exciting! Well, you have literally hundreds to choose from. The best thing would be to start with a color you're interested in, then read up reviews on those inks to see which might be to your liking. Check out the Swab Shop on my site, that's a super-helpful tool with color-adjusted scans of almost 600 inks: www.gouletpens.com/Swab_Shop_s/793.htm Some popular brands to consider: Noodler's, Pilot, Diamine, to start. There are plenty more but that should be enough to overwhelm you for now ;) -Brian Goulet
Thank you so much! I eventually got Noodler's Navy. Blue green is my favorite color. Excited to get another bottle of something different. Maybe a red. Your site was super helpful! Thanks for the advice!
KumHou Kok The best way to see that will be on our website: www.gouletpens.com/bottled-ink/c/14. You can search by color, brand, price, etc... :) -Margaret
Hey Jomar Souza I suspect the Montblanc special format of bottle has something to do with refilling. I have one that is shaped in two compartments. The smaller part of the bottle is to make it easier to dip the nib all the way in. For refilling, you move some of the ink from the main body of the bottle by tilting it, and then refill from the small compartment.
Another advantage of bottle ink is that it's more environment friendly. Bottles are normally made of glass. The small cartridges are more plastic to discard after all...
Good point! And the glass is recyclable, too. -Brian Goulet
I have a bottle made out of plastic. Anyway, good point there!
It also lasts for a long time and it is a on use bottle
Well you can reuse cartridges too, I never throw my cartridge out because I can refill and reseal them, and they’re super convenient. But bottles are the go to choice for me :)
In my experience, ink does not degrade if properly stored. I had a bottle of Parker ink in washable blue that I had stored in the back of a drawer. I forgot about it until I took it out after at least 15 years, and it performed like it was new.
Well. My dad's old bottle of Sheaffer ink went from blue-black to black. But it was lying around since at least the 90s
I go through a 30ml ink bottle in 2 to 2.5 months. I write a lot. Around 12-14 pages per day.
Kalikacharan Chowdhury
Interesting that gives us something like 10 pages per ML.
Whoa, what do you write? Essays for days?
I found the ink mixing question interesting. People don't seem to realize that colors mix differently in different media, and it's not like what we were taught in school about the color wheel and learned by mixing craft store acrylic paints. You can't usually mix equal parts blue and yellow to get green. Often you get a color that is very close to the original blue with a hit of green to it. Same with trying to make orange. Not only do you typically want significantly more yellow than red, but whether you use a warm-tone red or a cool-tone red makes a difference in the outcome. I do think it would be interesting to mix certain inks to see the result, or maybe add black to darken a lighter color, but I'm definitely not going to bulk buy red, blue, and yellow and pretend I can mix any color I want. It just doesn't work that way.
Noodler's is willing to special order up to a gallon of ink! It comes in a big glass cider jug, with the thumbhole and everything. Now THAT'S a lot of ink!
I imagine that is how the banks used to order ink back in the day when they offered free pen fillings in their lobbies
I wonder how many novels I could get out of one of those.
Mixed super cheap inks today... Blue and black... Expected blue-black-ish color,instead got the darkest green i have ever seen,almost grey,idk what I'm talking about ....but i like the results... and ur videos r awesome... Lotsa Love from a corner in India.
I mixed Bril Green and Camlin Blue with some water and got turquoise.
The Ratio : 2:2:1
2 parts green and 2 parts blue and 1 part water
Thats because most black inks are made from a dye that is rather green. If you want to know more about pigments and mixing, look into watercolor videos about pigments.
Dude, you're a *fountain* of knowledge, thank you!
lol I read this as you're a *fountain* pen of knowledge.
It’s really cool knowing there is actually a real Goulet behind every packet I receive when ordereing from the store
Yes, I actually did mention it but it got cut out in the 'final footage'. I had about 26 minutes of footage that I cut down to what you see here, I had some serious 'scope creep' going on with this video and had to narrow my focus!
Noodler's ink has never gone wrong for me. Not only does it look great but it comes in a great looking bottle.
The labels also have a nice art
You are fountain pen encyclopedia..thanks for video
I've got a pilot metropolitan in the mail and I can't wait!
LOL NOOB
@@Cortesevasive asshole
@UCd8epfeHmmtWIrkrzPpH2bA hey fuck you. Everybody starts somewhere and the metro is a good pen. If you think gatekeeping is cool then you need to get your ass kicked
i recently got a Lamy Al-Star in copperorange and i thought why the hell not and got a converter and copperorange bottle, i've fallen in love with the color it creates and use it daily, might have to get another soon!
Copperbot 10 Glad you love it! The CopperOrange ink is a limited run, so once it's gone, that's it! -Margaret
Thank you for all these videos. I am a fountain pen newbie (no shame) and your videos are a wealth of knowledge. I am a little overwhelmed by all the choices, but it is exciting to learn. I own a Metropolitan and only use the blue-black namiki cartridges and love them. I feel like a next step is in my near future. Really intrigued by the Kaweco Sport and eyedropper setup, but nervous about the nibs arriving as a dud.
Thanks for watching & the support! I like the Kaweco Sport, and if you want a lot of ink capacity, that could be the way to go. TWSBI Eco is another option if you're looking for a step-up from the Metro. Being a piston-filling demonstrator is really good value for under $30. - Colin
Sorry I'm late to respond. My top picks for PPS replacements are 1) Diamine Majestic Blue, 2) Private Reserve Electric DC Blue, and 3) Noodler's Ottoman Azure, in that order.
Damn u got more ink bottles than my gf has shoes
That's just a sample. His total collection is well above a hundred bottles.
It's a slippery slope, man. I already am sitting on a pile of 20+ bottles, and I have only been doing this for a few months D:
DoctorPC ik it's so addictive bc of all the choices
Krishan J I know, right? I mean, basic bottles and colours are bad enough, but then you get ino shading, sheening, or shimmering inks, and suddenly you catch yourself spamming that "add to basket" button at a much faster rate than you can afford xD.
DoctorPC yh same when you get yout first couple of pens
That's why I'm so thankful for Goulet's samples!
I haven't heard too much about people mixing Edelstein, it's probably not the first ink people grab when mixing because it's pretty expensive if you mix a color you don't like! Most people stick with inks like PR, Waterman, and Sheaffer for mixing. You can mix Noodler's inks too, you just have to make sure you keep the inks in the same 'series' when you mix them. Mixing within a brand is usually fine, when you cross brands you get into a bit more experimentation and have to watch out.
You can store it for a really long time, and it should go bad as in spoiling or anything like that. What causes ink to go bad is usually 1) not being sealed properly, so it dries out, 2) being stored in sunlight, so the uv exposure breaks down the dyes, 3) mold, due to use of improper biocides (not so much a problem today as with some older inks) or contamination from pens that aren't properly cleaned/maintained. That's about it, so if you do what you're 'supposed' to, ink will last a long while
If you compare Noodler's Cactus Fruit Eel ink to Irushizuku's Yama-budo, I have a very hard time making a choice over the other. Without the two bottles present in front of you, how do you make a definite choice? After all like you said, the bottle adds to the magical enjoyment of bottled fountain pen ink!
I love my black blue quink. It's so nice, and ive inked my main pen about 4 times and another pen that flexes about 4 as well and it's only been used up about 2 and a quarter of a tablespoon. Not much when you see how much I write.
You're welcome! Diamine Majestic Blue is one of my favorite inks.
i want every bottle in that thumbnail! What a sec.... With the exception of that 5-shot of J. Herbin scented inks, I either have ever one of those bottles or they're headed my way. LOL !
I go through about one and a half converter worth ink a day. :D
+anirudhvk That is a lot of writing! That would take me a month to get through. - Colin
what are you, a scribe???
The Goulet Pen Company
I can imagine that a very fine nib or a broad nib consume a big differance in ink amount.
I go through the same amount on my lamy
Definitely give the Swab Shop a look at GouletPens, I would recommend you check out De Atramentis Silver Grey, Private Reserve Gray Flannel, or Omas Grey.
I'm a very much a beginner in my knowledge of fountain pens. As you were talking, I started wondering, how do you know what ink to buy for a what fountain pen? Of course, it's obvious that Waterman ink is made to be used in a Waterman pen for example. But most of colors I enjoy - the purples, violets and lilacs - for example, are the most vivid in Diamine or DeAtramentis. Thanks, and I really enjoy the service your company provides.
Brian, I really appreciate your videos. Fountain Pens aren't easy to come by in Hawaii. You're videos really help me. Thank you!
Diamine Inks all the way!!!!! wooohhh!
For reals, I fell in love with those inks. They're just so awesomely saturated and what not.
Diamine works great in my Parker 51, but skips like crazy in my Safari.
You can certainly do that! To each his own.
Brian is the man.
Noodler's Black, Diamine Red Dragon or Oxblood, and Diamine Majestic Blue/Noodler's Ottoman Azure/PR Electric DC Blue.
I mix inks a long time sins 1978. Parker Quink (royal blue, red, black) with Pelikan 4001 (dark green, brilliant red) Waterman red and blue cardridges or Sheaffer Skrip turquase, filled cartridges with a seringe, never use converters. When the “mouth” of the cartridge is worn out I take a new one. They last a pritty long time. Blue-black: 0,80ml - 0,15 ml (large cartr.) or brouwn: red with green 50-50% ml. Always got five color ink fountain pens ready to write . Never have used expencive ink. Have fun! Greats from a Dutch guy.
Noodler's is 1/4 of the price per ml, that usually helps make the decision easier! ;) Seriously though they're both nice inks, I bet you'd be happy with either.
George, my name is Brian, and you're welcome to call me that! ;) Ahhh...the famed Paker Penman Sapphire...well, whatever I recommend, someone will disagree. It seems that this ink above all others means different things to different people. But personally, I find that the bottle that I have at least, is most closely resembled by Diamine Majestic Blue, Private Reserve Electric DC Blue, and Noodler's Ottoman Azure, in that order. That's in terms of color.
Thank you for such a quick answer :) I will definitely remember this inks when I will run out of my supplies.
chatgpt told me a good permanent type of ink is pigment ink and recommended platinum carbon ink...its awesome and i use a cheap kaweco sport double broad to replace me constantly buying gel pens. it writes better than my 1.0mm gel pens
You forgot to mention that the Platinum Mix-Free inks are made to be mixed with each other with no problems. And there was a bottle of it sitting in the front row even! :)
I want to mix for a deep purple or maroon.Stay with in brands I guess? Great video
Hahaha I'm one of those users that uses lots of ink really fast! 4 months it too me. But then again I do art with my ink and do it regularly. I also write.
I am already wanting to buy some Super5 Dehli and Super5 Dublin -- in one year. I am using them in art, however. So this idea of never buying another color is for pens only, maybe. Thanks for the info on the UV!
Hi. Can you tell me why Montblanc ink bottles have that different format? Thank you.
What do you mean, like the actual shapes of the bottles?
Can u make video of ferris wheel press ink bottles and how do they write and etc. etc.
Should we shake the bottle of ink before using it?
I go through WAT more ink than that. I go through about 1ml per week. I just put a new cartrige in my Pilot Kakuno Fine 2 days ago, and am halfway through the .8ml already.
Does fountain pen ink have an expiration date, how many years can you keep it in a drawer?
There's a plastic plug in my ink bottle when it came. Am i supposed to keep that in, or just take it out and rely on the screw cap?
Are there any ink characteristics that make it more suitable to piston fill or eye-dropper type pens, or is suitability more a function of the feed and the nib?
+Edward Wickham Don't know if you've discovered it in those three weeks, but for piston fillers there's an advantage to using lubricated ink (like Monteverde ink or Noodler's Eel series) because it helps maintaining the smooth action of the piston. I don't think there's any characteristic more suitable for eyedroppers, but I could be wrong! Hope that helped a tiny bit :)
I end up using 5 ink bottles since start of quarantine. 2 50ml bottles and 3 30ml. Wow. In a Sheaffer 300 fine nib.
I’ve been using green Pilot G2 gel ballpoint pens at work for a long time, I love that particular shade of green. Do you know of any bottled ink that is exactly the same green as the gel ink? I want to start using a fountain pen, but I would like to keep using that color (it’s sort of become my “signature”)
I'm not really familiar with that green, so I'm using this pic (static2.jetpens.com/images/a/000/026/26092.jpg?mark64=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qZXRwZW5zLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvYXNzZXRzL3dhdGVybWFyay5wbmc&markalign64=dG9wLHJpZ2h0&markscale=19&s=483830ec77ee191edf45ceefdf9232ec ) as a reference point. There's not going to be an ink exactly like it, but a few that seem close are Caran d'Ache Vibrant Green, Noodler's Green, or Diamine Emerald. You can compare those for yourself using our Swab Shop tool: www.gouletpens.com/ink-comparison-tool - Colin
In Singapore a bottle of Pelikan 4001 costs like $3 :)
Joel Wong lucky, isnt everythinf cheap in singapore?
Wow, that's actually pretty fast. You must write a lot!
hey Brian, the dark storage include cartridge too?
Hello Brian (If may I call you like that)
I have almost ran out my favourite ink Parker Penman Sapphire which I've been savin for special occasions, could you please, reccomend me a decent substitution which has similar characteristics?
Thanks
George.
Thank you Brian. Don't worry about late response, it's ok :)
I'll put them on my list, but it'll be a while before I get to them, I can assure you :(
I drained to sheaffer bottles last month. Been using them only for a couple of months. U know looking at an empty bottle that u emptied is kinda nice feeling. Is your noodlers black bottle empty now Brian?
im kinda nervous about filling my pen with a new noodlers ink bottle. they are already filled up to the absolute top and i feel like putting my pen nib/feed in to fill the pen might be enough volume to make the ink drip out of the bottle. has anyone had this problem?
+Sorual If you have an ink syringe, that would definitely get the ink out without it overflowing. - Colin
I know what you mean about noodles inks being so full. If you are careful, dipping the pen in the ink bottle will not cause enough displacement to cause overflowing. Just be sure to over something like a paper towel.
I am looking for a good bold black ink ( I currently use parker quink), a blood red ink, and a nice deep blue ink. any suggestions?
Thanks for the informative video. I need a MB 149 backup as mine is at MB service for a few months. The ink window became opaque after using MB permanent ink even though I maintain pen according to proper practices. I like the platinum but appears scratchy, I would like wet, buttery smooth and springy. What would you recommend?
Not familiar with MB as it's not a brand we carry, but permanent inks can stain ink windows, so it's possible that's what happened. Pen flush might be able to help with that when you're cleaning it out. As for other pens, definitely a medium or broader nib if you want wet & smooth. Pilot gold nibs (Custom 74, Falcon, 823) are all great options. Pelikan gold (M400 and above) are really nice but at a premium. - Colin
You have a lot of ink bottles in different coulors.
What I do for ink do not dry in ink bottle closed if ink is black (carbón in this ingredients? Carbón solid sediments.
Thaks you from Antonio Saiz, from Alicante, Spain.
A. T. Cross black ink has a lot carbon on his composition, It is a true black ink.
A. T. Cross ink is made in Germany; I think that this ink is made by Pelikan or Smith.
Hi Brian. Can you guys get the Ferris Wheel Press inks please?
Can you tell me what the ink on the bottom left hand corner that looks like absinthe is please? Love the videos, very helpful and the site is very organized and extensive in inventory.
Dillon Ward That would be Pelikan highlighter ink, similar to Private Reserve Chartreuse and Noodler's Firefly. Glad you like my vids! -Brian Goulet
Hey Brian, do you have any experiences or opinions on Hero's 234 Carbon ink?
In Australia the cheapest you can get a bottle of ink is around $12 :( Can get up to around $40 for inks like Edelstein and Iroshizuku :((
is there any quick dry inks that you would recommend for a lefty
+captain south america Hey there! Check out Brian's fountain pen 101 for lefties here: blog.gouletpens.com/2015/08/fp101-fountain-pens-for-lefties.html :) -Margaret
Noodles Baystate series aside are there any other inks to watch out for as far as crazy reactions from their use in vintage pens?
Noodler's has a few beyond Baystate. Kung Te-Chang (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-kung-te-cheng-3oz-bottled-ink/p/N19087 ) is based on an ancient ink recipe and it's pretty temperamental in pens. Beyond that, Organics Studio sheening inks can cause some issues if left in too long. Same with any shimmering inks. - Colin
Wow that’s so many inks 🤔
Hey how much would you know about Sheaffer pens and pen holders? Just acquired two with sentimental value and want to do it up, only problem is in one of them doesn't have any ink and the other is missing the pen entirely! Care to help out a novice in need?
I'll admit, I haven't had too much experience with Sheaffer pens. It's not something we carry currently. Pretty certain that Sheaffer uses proprietary cartridges/converters, so if you can find those, they might be able to help. Also, check out the Fountain Pen Network, they would have a lot more knowledge about those pens in particular. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company fab, thanks for the help!
Great Video Brian. Keep up the great work. Nick.
Hello, this video was very helpful to me as I am about to start using my very first fountain pen. But I would like to ask, the kind of pen I have is an Antonio Da Parra calligraphy pen. What would be the best kind of bottled ink to use for such a pen?
I'm not familiar with that pen, so I'm just looking at it online right now. Seems like a pretty standard fountain pen, so I think any fountain pen ink would work. Noodler's/Diamine are good affordable options. - Colin
Thank you very much, I was thinking of buying Noodler's might be a good choice. Have a nice day.
My Parker ink is too concentrated because I have not used it a lot I years. What can I use to dilute it a little? Should I use just a little tap water? Help!
I'd use distilled water from the store as you may have some minerals within tap water that can cause issues. But yeah, a little bit of water can really make an impact on super-saturated inks. Start with a small amount. 1 parts water to 10 parts ink and see how it's behaving. - Colin
Thank you, FRIEND! I will try it right now. Again, THANK YOU!
So how long can you store it? It doesn't go 'bad'?
Hi Brian,
Have you experienced or hear about people who have tried mixing the Edelstein inks. I remember those as marketed as being mixable, perhaps there are other brands as well - would love to hear stories if it is the case. Thanks!
I know I'm 5 years late for this video but could you tell me what that bright red bottle of ink is 3rd from the right in the first row? That looks incredible
That was Platinum Mix-Free Flame Red I believe. It's not currently being produced, but you may be able to find it online somewhere. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Looks great thanks!
If we mix inks that are from the same brand, do we still need to let it sit like you said or we can pretend that those inks are made with the "same things" so that they are "made to be mixed"? (Tell me if my question is not clear enough haha my English isn't the best 😅)
It really depends on the brand! Noodler's inks have such a crazy variety of properties that I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the more stable-dependable inks like Pilot Iroshizuku or Monteverde could be good options though. Did you have a brand in mind? - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Not really, I'm a beginner and I'm learning a lot these past few days 😅
Quick question, can I️ use an FW acrylic artists ink to refill my fountain pen?
No, I would advise against that. I believe those are not water-based like fountain pen ink, so they can really ruin a pen. Stick with ink that's labeled as for FPs. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thank you so much!
03:35 That's why you make sure you buy a new pen to go along with that new ink. ;
The Lamy Ink Bottles have something thats detachable underneath, what is it?
l4min3 The Lamy bottles come with an integrated blotting paper roll for wiping excess ink off your pen nib after filling! -Margaret
+l4min3 The bottom of lamy bottles has a half spheric shape to collect the last drops of the bottle to one spot when its almost empty. The plastic is there to give it a secure stand, yes you can remove it but the bottle will fall over.
Hey Brian, can you do a online ink video. I saw you got it at the right corner
+Lai Jerry We actually don't carry that ink brand anymore. Sorry! - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company oh, that's bad...
Can a drawing ink, like Winsor and Newton Drawing Ink, be used with fountain pens? I like their range of colours and I know it's not made for fountain pens, but I was curious... Thanks in advance!
No - the WN 'drawing inks' contain shellack and would ruin your pen. WN also has 'calligraphy ink", in similar colours, which they say can be put into a fountain pen. However others have issued cautions, so you may want to read up on more advice before going ahead. ( just fyi, the WN calligraphy inks themselves are beautiful - they are pigmented and lightfast, so excellent for their intended purpose, whereas the WN drawing inks are dye based and will fade if exposed to light. They are intended for illustrations which will be scanned and digitized - also great for their intended purpose).
I ended up finding Parker Quink Ink, which made me happy, but still, a thank you for your awnser! I may be getting a Dip pen to get to try those inks with my watercolours!
+Axixe Good luck with them! I have some of both and like them very much.
Hey there! Great video, I just have one quick question, how long does the ink last in a glass bottle?
I get asked this from time to time. There's really no official expiration for bottled pen ink. A conservative ink company will say one year, but just about every pen fan I know has ink older than a year and hasn't had a problem. I would say in general, 5-10 years would be when I'd expect to see the ink change in some way, but it varies on the use. The more you're opening up the bottle, the more the ink is exposed to air and that can affect it after a long period of time. If you don't clean your pen often and you're either constantly filling a 'dirty' pen in the ink, or get cross-contamination from another ink into your ink bottle, that can affect the longevity as well.
One thing that most people don't realize too much is that when you're writing with your pen, it creates a small static charge on the nib that can attract dust and paper fibers to it while you write. These build up in the nib tines and the feed, so regular pen cleaning (I recommend once a week with regular use) is key. Some people think if you're using the same ink all the time, that you don't need to clean the pen, but you definitely do for this very reason. Of course, if you're ever changing a color, you always do a full cleaning. I am a serial ink changer, so I am always cleaning my pens!
Bottle storage is also very important. Aside from air exposure, the most harmful risk to your ink is UV-exposure. You don't want to keep a bottle of ink near a window or in direct sunlight. I recommend keeping it in the box it came in (as long as that box is opaque), or in a drawer or cabinet of some kind. Temperature is also kind of important, you don't want you inks to freeze or to be too hot (above 100 degrees, probably). That's rarely an issue.
With good bottle storage and moderately-proper pen maintenance, you'll be able to enjoy your bottled inks for years and years. Now, if you really want to take it a step further, you can decant a small amount of your bottled ink into a sample vial and fill your pen from that....doing this will minimize the pen dipping into your bottle, as well as minimize the air exposure to your ink by not having to open the bottle as often. This is a practice that the most serious ink enthusiasts do to ensure ink longevity.
-BrianG
Thanks! Great explanation, as comprehensive as your videos.
Well, I really didn't use any of them, I just showed a bunch. There's too many to name, I have about 40 inks there.
What's the Name of the neon yellow ink in the bottom left at 0:46 ?
It's the Pelikan M205 Duo Highlighter ink (www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/168164-pelikan-m205-duo-highlighter-ink/). Unfortunately, I don't think they're available anymore. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thank you!!
Hey! Great video! Quick question, what's the pen at 3:30? Thank you!
That looks to be a Pilot Custom 74. (www.gouletpens.com/pilot-custom-74/c/199) - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company
Thank you!
Is there De Atramentis Coca Cola ink?
How long would the Parker last?,as I write about four a4 sheets a day with my lamy.
skrillex 123456789 probably pretty short
Brian, thanks for the video. One quick question, can you add water to ink to soften a color or make it slightly diluted.
+SabotPottery I would check out De Atramentis Document Inks. They are meant to be mixed together, and have a white ink as well to lighten/soften the tones. Water asks differently depending on the inks. - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company wouldn't adding white make it pastel?
+C.E. Parks
No, this is ink, not wax.
What's the difference between a notebook and a notepad?
I think it comes down to binding. Notebooks usually have the binding on the left side, and notepads generally have it on the top! - Colin
I'm getting my first bottle soon. Which one should I get?
pinkpandamiranda That's exciting! Well, you have literally hundreds to choose from. The best thing would be to start with a color you're interested in, then read up reviews on those inks to see which might be to your liking. Check out the Swab Shop on my site, that's a super-helpful tool with color-adjusted scans of almost 600 inks: www.gouletpens.com/Swab_Shop_s/793.htm
Some popular brands to consider: Noodler's, Pilot, Diamine, to start. There are plenty more but that should be enough to overwhelm you for now ;) -Brian Goulet
Thank you so much! I eventually got Noodler's Navy. Blue green is my favorite color. Excited to get another bottle of something different. Maybe a red. Your site was super helpful! Thanks for the advice!
pinkpandamiranda I recommend the pilot Iroshizuku line!
pinkpandamiranda I also recommend Pilot's Iroshizuku line! Primo ink, beautiful colors, and it writes like a dream.
Is there any expiry date for these inks...?
No exactly an expiration date printed on the bottle, but they might lose some color or properties if out for 5+ years. - Colin
@@Gouletpens thanks a lot for the information...
How do I ink up a pen when the bottle in only 1/2 full and I cannot submerge the nib fully?
Using an ink syringe is probably the best bet, but also a separate ink well could work too (www.gouletpens.com/ink-miser/c/462 ) - Colin
Can u make a list of all of the inks u have? Thanks.
KumHou Kok The best way to see that will be on our website: www.gouletpens.com/bottled-ink/c/14. You can search by color, brand, price, etc... :) -Margaret
+The Goulet Pen Company quink is very good i use na old bottle that was nos and its very smooth
which ink(s) did you use today?
I went through a 50 ml bottle of sailor shigure ink in 5 months...
I want my Black ink, to be solid Black. No Grey shading, or anything. Just deep dark Black color.
I go through 2ml per week I'd that alot
About a year
*these.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25 KJV
Hi. Can you tell me why Montblanc ink bottles have that different format? Thank you.
I can't really tell you much about why they do what they do! -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company Ok Brian. Thank you for your time.
Hey Jomar Souza I suspect the Montblanc special format of bottle has something to do with refilling. I have one that is shaped in two compartments. The smaller part of the bottle is to make it easier to dip the nib all the way in. For refilling, you move some of the ink from the main body of the bottle by tilting it, and then refill from the small compartment.
Hi Johnny. Thank you for your explanation!