Some of my fountain pens were skipping a bit and some were nearly dry, so it was time to re-ink. I seldom completely clean a pen; inserting the nib and feed into the ink, then emptying and re-filling the converter a couple of times seems to lubricate everything. My pens then write like new again.
This old wooden box that holds my ink bottles (De Atramentis Document, Noodler’s, and J. Herbin brands) and a few pre-filled cartridges is from my grandfather’s print shop, and once held odd type, blocks, and bits for the monstrously big printing presses he kept in his garage. I can remember the smell of the ink he used a large roller to apply. His fingers were always ink-stained. As are mine after refilling my pens!
I know that having your grandfather’s printer’s box has to be so special and how nice to be able to capture it in a sketch! I like you, can never seem to refill my pens without getting ink all over my fingers!
ReplyDeleteI found a great artist’s hand soap at Hobby Lobby that removes ink stains easily, but I kind of like having them on my fingers now and then!
DeleteI will have to check that out.
DeleteWhat a nice post Vicki! Your ink box is so special. I like using unique boxes to store my supplies too, I have an old wooden cigar box. I have to keep my different ink pen cartridges marked so I don’t forget which pen they go with. Question: do you store your filled pens upright in the glass? Thanks for this post! Dorothy
ReplyDeleteI mark my extra cartridges and converters to remember which pen they fit as well! Except for the Lamys — they are used the most so I pretty much know their shape.
DeleteI usually keep my pens in this heavy glass container (it once held a candle) near where I’m sitting so they are easy to grab. But for fountain pens that don’t like starting up as easily as a Lamy, I keep those laying down horizontally so the nib stays wet.
How special to have your Grandfather's printing box and very appropriate that it now stores your inks. I am wondering, what is a good gray ink for fountain pens? Black is sometimes too stark in my sketches so I am thinking gray might be softer.
ReplyDeleteThe best gray ink I’ve found is Noodler’s Lexington Gray. In a fountain pen with a very fine nib, it looks like a fine pencil line on the paper; bolder nibs make an almost black line. Once dry, the ink is waterproof so watercolor can be applied over it.
DeleteThank you,Vicky! I was told when I first bought my fountain pen that it was only the beginning. I can see wanting a brown ink too. Then I'll have to have more pens so I can have different colors in different pens. Then there are the different nibs...... 😀
ReplyDeleteLOL — Now you sound like me! Except I’ve had trouble finding brown fountain pens that I like for brown or sepia inks. I do have water soluble brown cartridges for my copper Liliput pen, so that’s sort of brownish. Maybe it should be filled with a “brown sienna” color ink instead? (I actually mixed that color by adding a bit of black to red De Atramentis Document ink, a formula learned from Jane Blundell’s blog.)
DeleteNoodler’s Polar Brown is nice; my favorite waterproof brown is De Atramentis Document brown. You can make a sepia brown with a drop or two of black or blue ink added to the brown — just make sure they are both waterproof or both water soluble; it helps if they are also the same brand.