What’s more important to you? Which do you prefer? I used to love pens more in my collecting days – the days where I would explore pens – because I would buy just about any pen. When I realized what kinds of pens I liked, it was easier to acquire inks. Now, it’s all about the nib for me. I like special, unique nibs, and nibs that blow me away.
Ink shading is something a lot of people look for when they are using a flex nib. Flex nibs tend to highlight shading because of the line variation – the variation in wetness and line size changes the saturation of the ink, resulting in shading. Personally, I love it. I know some people who hate it and want a solid line. If you are looking for an ink that will shade well with your flex …
I have read conservative recommendations on the life span of an ink: one year. Wow. I have definitely used inks longer than one year, and own inks that are much older than one year old! If it doesn’t smell really weird, and if is clean (doesn’t have chunks or slime in it), it’s very likely perfectly okay. I like Sheaffer Skrip King’s Gold – it’s a legible yellow that shades nicely when used with a flex …
Actually, they only changed the names. I know quite a few people who were disappointed in Waterman changing the names of their classic inks. My favorite names were Florida Blue, Havana Brown, and South Sea Blue. I wish they had kept those and renamed the others! Inspired Blue just doesn’t feel as descriptive as South Sea Blue. Nevertheless, Waterman inks are reliable and dependable inks which are a good choice for vintage pens.
One of my preferred inks, particularly for use in vintage fountain pens, is Waterman ink. Vintage pens require care and maintenance, which includes regular flushing. Since vintage pen mechanisms can sometimes be complicated, depending on the filling system, and not easy (or recommended) to disassemble, ink that flushes easily from the pen is preferable. Waterman inks behave well; they have good flow, wash out easily, are relatively non-staining, and are non-pigmented. In other words: they are safe for your fountain …
A lot of the modern ink bottles in use today are reminiscent of vintage ink bottles. One in particular that gets a lot of attention are the ink bottles (and inks) produced by P.W Akkerman in The Netherlands. Jif-Waterman was a French subsidiary of Waterman who produced this long neck reservoir ink bottle we all love today. The neck reservoir is filling by tilting the bottle and the glass marble in the neck traps the …
