These fluids are pigmented, and they are frequently not water based. UGLY:В India ink, white-out, and other similar fluids are certain death to fountain pens. It also contains particulate resins for adhesion as well as various alcohols (such as ethanol and 2-propanol) that can damage the feed and barrel in some types of fountain pens. Like inkjet ink, this stuff is based on pigment, not dye, and that means it can and will clog feeds. They also retard evaporation, making the ink take longer to dry on the paper.ДЄnother kind of ink whose potential for disaster is not immediately obvious is whiteboard marker ink. Various glycols (diethylene, alkylene, etc.) enhance penetration these substances can exacerbate bleeding and feathering in a fountain pen. It frequently uses pigment, not dye, for color, and there are also particulate resins for better adhesion. But there are some very bad things in inkjet ink. This stuff might seem appealing refills are inexpensive, and the colors - especially the ones rated for 70 years or longer - are remarkably permanent. Right at the top of this list is inkjet-printer ink. There are other inks, less obviously troublesome, that you should avoid. In general, nanoparticle inks can be considered safe for fountain pens, but I rate them as high-maintenance inks (see below) because the very existence of particulate matter brings with it more risk of clogging than is present with inks that are true solutions. Called nanoparticle ink, it contains pigment - but the pigment is much more finely ground than in traditional calligraphy inks so finely ground, in fact, that Brownian motion can easily keep it suspended.

Note, however, that a new type of ink has appeared in the past few years. The modern plastic feed shown here illustrates the myriad nooks and crannies into which ink can find its way before drying out to clog the works. A layer of pigment builds up and will inevitably clog the feed, the nib, or both. But as the ink passes through the very fine fissures of a fountain penвЂ™s feed and the slit of the nib, pigment particles come in contact with the walls of these passages and are attracted to the surfaces. In a calligrapherвЂ™s dip pen any separation of solid components is not a problem because the nib is easy to remove and clean and because there is no feed with hidden passages to clog. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. In theory, the pigment in these inks is so fine that it will remain in suspension under the impetus of Brownian motionВ in the liquid component of the ink. Calligraphy inks are pigmented that is, they derive their color not from dissolved dyes but instead from finely ground solid matter - like paint.

This is an important point to remember.Д«AD:В Certain manufacturers of artistsвЂ™ inks and paints, such as Winsor & Newton, market some of their calligraphy inks as being suitable for fountain pens.

Because itвЂ™s a solution, fountain pen ink contains no solid matter at all. The solvent in fountain pen ink is distilled water, and the solutes are dyes, wetting agents, and mold inhibitors. The solutes are actually reduced to the molecular level, the same as the solvent, and all the different molecules are mixed up evenly to create a uniform fluid, a pure liquid В that contains no microscopic particles of solid material.

To the chemist, a solution consists of a fluid in which other substances are dissolved (the solvent), and the dissolved substances (the solutes). Period.В This injunction may seem obvious, but it is not quite so obvious as it appears. GOOD:В Feed your fountain pen a steady diet of fountain pen ink. Only minor changes were made to avoid interrupting the flow of our website.ДЇountain pens require ink. The important information on this page is direct from and is used with permission.

India ink fountain pens