If you’ve been involved with fountain pens for any amount of time, you have probably noticed that the amount and variety of inks that are available has gone through an exponential growth in the past 10 years or so. Even if you’re fairly new to the world of fountain pens, you’ve probably noticed new brands and even colors of ink …
Identifying Vintage Fountain Pen Ink Bottles and Boxes
Long before the incredibly diverse selection of fountain pen inks and manufacturers we currently know existed, there was a much smaller variety available. The number of manufacturers could be counted on two hands and colors were more or less limited to very subtle variations of blue, black, red, green, purple and brown. Still, there is a certain charm and satisfaction …
Using Shimmer Ink In Fountain Pens
If you’ve ever wondered if using a shimmering ink will clog your fountain pen, you’re not alone. While many people love the look of shimmering inks and enjoy the extra dimension that it adds to their writing, there is always the fear that the particles of shimmer will clog the feed of their fountain pen. Today I want to tell …
Is It Safe To Use Old Fountain Pen Inks?
The question always comes up, “Is it safe to use old ink in my fountain pens?” The answer: It depends. As you’ll find out below, there are certain things to be aware of when using vintage inks, including mold, sediment and evaporation. But those warnings apply to both vintage and modern inks. With that being said, the majority of old …
Testing Fountain Pen Sacs With Different Inks
If you enjoy using vintage fountain pens, or any fountain pen that stores ink in a sac, you are probably very careful about what types of ink you use in those pens. They are typically more difficult to clean than a pen with a converter or piston fill mechanism. You might have also heard stories about ink sacs being destroyed …
Creating and Keeping A Fountain Pen Ink Journal
If you have a variety of different inks and sometimes have trouble remembering what they look like or which are your favorites, you might consider creating a fountain pen ink journal. An ink journal can take on a few different forms. In this article I’ll describe a few different ways to make an ink journal, as well as suggesting some …
Can Different Fountain Pens Change The Way An Ink Looks?
You might have noticed that when you use an ink in one pen it looks darker or lighter than when you use it in a different pen, even if you use them on the same paper. No, this isn’t because you didn’t properly clean out one pen and old ink is affecting how the new ink looks. The difference can …
Using Nalgene Bottles To Store Fountain Pen Ink
As a fountain pen user, there will be times when you find yourself needing a place to store some ink. I’m not talking about bottles of ink, but liquid ink. Maybe you have a bottle that doesn’t seal any more or maybe a friend wants to give you some ink. Whatever the case, if you need a bottle to keep …
What Is Fountain Pen Ink Shading?
One of the most basic and recognizable characteristics a fountain pen ink can have is shading. Shading can give your handwriting a great deal of character, regardless of which color of ink or style of nib you use. In this article I’ll explain what fountain pen ink shading is, show you some examples so you’ll know what it looks like …
What Is The Difference Between Sheen and Shimmer In Fountain Pen Ink?
As a fountain pen user, you might be looking for a way to add just a bit more character to your writing. While you have different types of nibs and many different colors of ink to choose from, there are two more things you might want to consider… sheen and shimmer. Fountain pen inks can have sheen, shimmer, neither or …









