Water-Resistance in Fountain Pen Inks: How Important Is It Anyway?

October 30, 2021

I don’t do as many ink reviews as some bloggers, and when I do, it’s mainly a high-level review of (1) how I like the color, and (2) how the ink behaves on the paper that I use on a day-to-day basis, meaning whether it feathers, bleeds, or takes forever to dry. I typically don’t review properties such as the degree of lightfastness (i.e., whether the ink will fade if exposed to sunlight over a long period of time) or water-resistance. So why not? First of all, I don’t have the scientific background or personal experience necessary to make an informed judgment much beyond “I splashed some water on this page of writing and it did/did not smear.” Second, these properties aren’t as important to me as being able to get the ink down on the page with as little fuss as possible. I don’t necessarily need my notes and drafts to be archivally bulletproof, and if I do, I’ll take notes in ballpoint or pencil, or will type them up for electronic storage.

Water-testing inks in everyday situations — Testing inks at pen club in “everyday” situations.

That said, I’ve actually been fairly surprised at the water-resistance of many modern fountain pen inks, even those that don’t advertise themselves as “waterproof” or “bulletproof.” You may have seen some pictures I posted on my Instagram account from last week’s meeting of the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club, where several of us were comparing shades of dark green, and I got curious and splashed some water (not beer) on my writing samples. All five inks actually held up fairly well, with two qualifying as what I would call “waterproof” for my purposes. Here, the Kakimori pigmented ink held up the best (as pigmented ink should do); Noodler’s “Zhivago” came in second (it’s “semi-bulletproof” after all), followed by Cross Black, Birmingham Inks Ancho Chili Pepper, and Diamine Salamander, all of which remained highly legible even if some of the color washed out.

The results from water testing at pen club. Paper used in this test is Write Notepads Dot Grid Paper.

Water testing TWSBI Inks under “less ordinary” circumstances

Similarly, a while back I did a “soak test” of all five TWSBI standard inks and found that the Blue-Black was more or less completely waterproof, while the Black and Midnight Blue showed high levels of water-resistance. This is a far cry from when I first started getting into the pen hobby, and my beloved Waterman inks would essentially wash off the page if I got caught in a rainstorm or spilled a drink.

Results of my TWSBI waterproof testing from a while back. Testing paper is Rhodia.

Suggestions for Waterproof and Water-Resistant Inks

While I still wouldn’t expect fountain pens to be the best choice for signing legal documents or in situations like drawings or technical plans where you absolutely don’t want the ink to run, in light of this experiment I remain relatively unconcerned about the water-resistance of my fountain pen inks, expecting that most of them will remain “legible enough” in the event of a spill. That said, if I want to sign a legal document or am in some other situation where I do want a waterproof (or “highly water-resistant”) ink, here are my favorites:

TWSBI Blue-Black. A great classic steel-blue color, and water-resistant due to iron-gall content.
Pilot Blue-Black. Another classic blue-black ink with high water-resistance that behaves well in most pens. If you shop internationally, you can sometimes order this ink in very large bottles.
Sailor Kiwa-Guro. A pigmented black ink that dries to a matte finish. Blue and Blue-Black pigmented inks are also available from Sailor.
TWSBI Black. For a standard black ink, this ink surprised me with how well it held up when soaked in a glass of water. If you’re looking for a workhorse black, why not choose one where you won’t have to worry if your notebook gets wet?
Noodler’s Zhivago. Not quite as waterproof as Noodler’s “Bulletproof Black,” but I find that this one behaves better, and is a nice green-black shade.
Platinum Carbon Black. Another pigmented ink that’s a favorite of artists as well as writers.

Please note that this is absolutely NOT an exhaustive list of all the “waterproof” fountain pen inks available. Noodler’s makes an entire line of “bulletproof” and “eternal” inks, and companies such as Kakimori, Platinum, and Rohrer & Klingner all make iron-gall, pigmented and “document” inks expressly intended for maximum water-resistance. Also, most permanent inks will need to be regularly cleaned out of your pens every couple of weeks, if not more frequently. (As long as an ink is intended for use in fountain pens, it most likely will not harm your pens, per se, but you may start to have clogging and hard-starting issues if you leave these inks in a pen for a long time.)

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, and unless otherwise noted, all links are to the T.G.S. Curated Shop, an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

TWSBI Diamond 580 and Midnight Blue Ink — A high-capacity TWSBI Diamond 580 and a solid, non-distracting blue-black ink might be the perfect addition to your NaNoWriMo writing arsenal.

Deals & Drops: Autumn Is Here! Fall Colors, NaNoWriMo Prep, and More

October 28, 2021

I love fall for two reasons. First, it gives me an excuse to write with red and orange inks all the time, and second, it means that NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. For those of you unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it’s short for National Novel Writing Month, where thousands of people each year accept the challenge of writing a novel during the month of November, committing to a daily word count. I participated once, back in 2015, and while I still swear that every year I’m going to do something with the book, just the fact that I made it all the way through is a point of pride. When I participated, I alternated between typing my novel and writing by hand, though I ultimately settled on handwriting since I think better on paper and hate doing the first draft of anything on a computer. If I had any advice for those considering giving NaNoWriMo a shot this year, it would be this: Find a single fountain pen or pencil that you like, a thick notebook or stack of legal-style writing pads, and just go for it. (Commit to not switching between pen/pencil/paper during the month because it’s distracting, though there’s a case for changing ink colors daily to help keep track of your word count.) This week’s Deals & Drops contains some suggestions for NaNoWriMo-appropriate writing gear that we stock in the shop.

Are you participating? Have any questions about my experience? Give me a shout!

Autumn Red Inks at Vanness (via Vanness Pens). One of the main reasons I love autumn (and the ensuing holiday season) so much is that it gives me a seasonal opportunity to use one of my favorite ink colors of all, RED! Vanness has all sorts of red inks available and conveniently set up for viewing on a single page.
Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache, Edition No. 9. Something about the fall also makes me want to write with pencils, especially these lightly scented special editions from Caran d’Ache designed in collaboration with Swiss parfumier Mizensir, which have a woodsy scent reminiscent of the outdoors.
Caran d’Ache Swiss Wood Pencils. Sustainably made from Swiss beech and pine, the Caran d’Ache Swiss Wood pencil is long-lasting while still retaining a dark enough core to maximize legibility. Perfect for the longer writing sessions necessary to complete NaNoWriMo. You can read my review from a while back here.
Caran d’Ache Fixpencil. The original mechanical pencil. Faceted like a typical woodcase pencil, without having to sacrifice any trees. Uses 2mm leadholder refills.
TWSBI Fountain Pens and Ink. Rather than writing in pencil, perhaps you’d prefer a no-frills fountain pen that holds a lot of ink and will let you write for days without refilling? All of TWSBI’s fountain pens have large ink capacities, even the cartridge/converter TWSBI Swipe. Bottled ink and cartridges are available to refill, in a range of colors.
Midori MD Codex Day-to-a-Page Notebook. Though often advertised as a planner or journal, writers love the Midori MD Codex notebook because not only does it contain a whopping 360+ pages of high-quality Midori MD Paper, but the codex-style binding allows the notebook to lie completely flat on a desk or writing surface.
Stalogy 365-Day Notebook. A similar concept to the Midori MD Codex notebook, but with thinner paper that makes for a much more compact format for everyday portability. Half-year versions are also available. Read more about Stalogy paper here.
Rhodia Writing Pads. Need basic, no-frills writing paper that will handle fountain pens, pencils, and anything else you might want to throw at it? Rhodia is a standby for me whenever I want to do any sort of drafting, especially their A4 Dot Pads.
Midori MD Cotton Paper. Not only is Midori MD Cotton exceptionally good paper for fountain pens, but did you know that the paper from the MD Cotton writing paper is also excellent for typewriters?
Maruman Mnemosyne Notebooks. Mnemosyne paper might be one of the most budget-friendly fountain pen papers out there, sold in spiral notebooks that allow you to easily use both sides of the page.

Remember that fall is also planner season! Check out this post for a guide to all of the dated and undated planners and notebook systems that we have in stock. (Shown here are the Midori MD Diary Stickers, which allow you to turn any notebook into a planner.)

Caran d’Ache Fixpencils are a great no-frills writing instrument, especially if you enjoy the feel of a woodcase pencil, but don’t like the idea of consuming trees. (Shown here with M+R Brass Lead Pointer)

The Ultem-ate EDC? Reviewing the Schon DSGN Ultem Pens in Black and Amber

October 27, 2021

By far my biggest prizes from this year’s pen show season have been my two newest additions from Schon DSGN: Ian’s first full-size fountain pens made from the engineered plastic Ultem. This material is increasingly popular in penmaking, so you may have seen a bunch of pictures of Ultem pens in recent month, both from Schon DSGN and other makers, and wondered, what the heck is it?

Ultem is a “semi-transparent high-strength plastic” that is capable of being machined thinner than most other plastics or acrylics, so when used in penmaking you get a pen that is not only resistant to cracking and breaks from accidental drops, but chemical and stain resistant as well. (Source: Curbell Plastics). You read that last part right: If you’ve been dreaming of eyedroppering that transparent fountain pen with Noodler’s Baystate Blue, you can fill your Schon DSGN Ultem pen with Baystate or any other high-maintenance ink with a clean conscience, since it will neither stain nor disintegrate! This makes sense once you understand that in “real life”, Ultem is so durable that it is typically used to make medical, industrial, and other scientific equipment.

Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pen Swapped Parts — I swapped the sections on my two Schon DSGN fountain pens as soon as I got them. It looks great and adds just enough variation to make them interesting without looking overly mismatched.

I admit that I was a touch skeptical when these pens were first released, not because I doubted that Ian Schon would make a great full-size fountain pen, but rather because I didn’t understand how the properties of Ultem justified the somewhat hefty price tag. Ultem as a material isn’t cheap, so a cartridge-converter Ultem fountain pen with a steel nib starts at $250. But as with most things Schon DSGN, once you get the product itself in your hands, you realize that you get what you pay for. Here’s a short list of what I love about the Schon DSGN Ultem fountain pen:

Lightweight Design. Ultem’s key selling point - its extremely light weight - translates well to pen design. For example, you can post the cap on the end of the pen with no perceptible change in weight or balance. I’ve never had an experience like this posting a fountain pen before. To me, it’s the epitome of well-considered and creative pen design: using the properties of a specific material in a way that actually enhances the user experience.
Eyedropper Capability. I generally don’t eyedropper standard cartridge-converter fountain pens, as they tend to burp ink into the cap (and eventually, onto your hand) due to air pressure and temperature shifts. Unless you use a Japanese-style system that includes a “shutoff valve,” or skillfully apply o-rings and silicone grease to minimize potential leakage, you could end up with a real mess on your hands. Here, Schon DSGN has already included at least five o-rings into the design of the Ultem fountain pen (I count four in the section and one in the cap), making it eyedropper-ready. I’ve flown with these pens twice and have had no serious “ink-cidents.”
Comfort. The Ultem fountain pen is designed for comfort. Not only is it lightweight, but the concave section provides a nice grip, and the threads are high enough on the barrel to stay out of the way. Ultem as a material has a nice grippy texture that doesn’t get slick over the course of longer writing sessions.
Durability. I’ve carried this pen in a traditional pen case, loose in a bag, and in my pocket, and have had no issues with scratches, cracks, or other damage. Given the industrial uses for Ultem, it’s highly unlikely that the average fountain pen user could stress this pen to the degree necessary to cause damage. While not marketed as a “pocket pen,” I would carry the Schon Ultem in my pocket with confidence.
Nib Versatility. Designed to take a JoWo No. 6 nib unit, this opens the door to all sorts of customization, as I discussed in a separate article a couple of weeks ago. Currently, I have an “inverted architect” nib in my amber Ultem fountain pen, and a Platinum UEF nib in my Black Ultem (courtesy of specialty housings available from Flexible Nib Factory). Another fun fact: the parts and sections on the Schon Ultem pens are interchangeable, meaning that you can swap the amber section and/or cap onto the black pen, or vice-versa. Ian also sells a section designed to fit a larger No. 8 Bock nib, if you’d like a different sort of writing experience. (You will need to supply your own nib.)

Check out the red o-rings, visible in the amber Ultem cap, section, and barrel. In addition to making the pen eyedropper-ready, it’s a nice design touch that creates a cool look,

The Schon DSGN Ultem fountain pens get more or less an unqualified recommendation from me. The only potential drawback I can see for some people is the size. As with most of Ian Schon’s designs, these are compact fountain pens that may be too small for some people with larger hands, or who prefer a longer pen and don’t want to post the cap. Unposted, the pens measure 4.8 inches. Posting extends the length to roughly 6.25 inches but not everyone likes to post (even though the o-ring inside the cap pulls double duty as a failsafe against leaks AND a means of allowing the pen to post securely).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I have not taken my two Schon DSGN Ultem pens out of rotation since purchasing them in late August at the San Francisco Pen Show. I’ve used the pens both as traditional cartridge-converter fountain pens and as eyedroppers, and it’s hard to envision a more versatile fountain pen for everyday carry, in the sense that the pen can serve as both a durable pocket pen and a full-size “desk pen.” Throw in added points for eyedropper capability and the ability to easily swap out nibs, and the Schon DSGN Ultem fountain pen lands itself very high on my list of favorite releases from 2021.

Schon DSGN Ultem Fountain Pens with Swappable Parts

Schon DSGN lists the Ultem fountain pens under the category of “Engineered Plastics” on the website, and you may have seen that in addition to the standard natural/amber Ultem and Black Ultem fountain pens, Ian now offers a “Peek” fountain pen, which is another engineered plastic that comes in a taupe or beige shade. (I can’t wait to get my hands on that, but I’ve purchased a bunch of pens lately and need to let things lie for a while.) The natural/amber Ultem pen is priced at $250, Black Ultem at $260, and Peek at $275.

If you’d like to read further on other Schon DSGN products, check out my review of the Schon DSGN Pocket 6, which can be found in the “Artisan/Custom Pens” section of the T.G.S. Fountain Pen Review Archive.

I purchased the pens featured in this review with my own funds. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by reader contributions and purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Tuesday Update: Does a Notebook "Lay" Flat or "Lie" Flat? Who Cares! Five Suggestions For Those Who Hate Holding It Open.

October 26, 2021

A common question I get about notebooks sold in the shop is “will it lie flat?” This question, apparently QUITE important to some people, is hard to answer because everyone has a different standard for what qualifies as “flat.” For purposes of this post, I will assume that “lie flat” means that the notebook will stay open on a desk without any assistance whatsoever from a clip, pen, or hand, and allow you to write on either page. Personally, I think the only true “lie flat” notebook is a spiral bound one, and that most other options require you to at least bend the spine a bit to prevent one or two pages from popping up, but I carry several in the shop that get darn close. If you’re fans of the “lie flat” design, be sure to check these out!

Editorial Grammar-nerd Note: I’ve always wondered what the proper grammatical phrasing is here. In the stationery community, many people use the expression “lay flat,” but after doing my exhaustive online research at merriam-webster.com (which also just happened to be the first google result I hit upon), I believe that notebooks actually “lie flat.” According to Merriam-Webster, you “lay” something flat when you place it in a flat position, such as setting it on a table. “Lie” refers to the act of being in a flat position on a table, which I believe better describes the situation we refer to here. I mostly try to avoid the situation entirely by talking about how notebooks “open” flat, but I’m sure someone will want to fight me on this anyway.

Midori MD Notebooks. Whether a notebook will open completely flat depends on the type of binding used, and threaded bindings such as those found in Midori MD Notebooks and the Kokuyo “PERPANEP” series (discussed below) are often your best bet, especially if you can’t live with a spiral or wire binding. The Midori MD Cotton notebooks feature this same binding, if you prefer more absorbent paper with a higher cotton content.
Midori MD Codex Day-to-a-Page Notebook. It’s rare to find a notebook this large that opens completely flat, and this day-to-a-page, jumbo-sized Midori MD can only do it because of the codex-style binding. A great value for planners, journalers, and even those who like to devote a single piece of creative writing to a day on a page.
Kokuyo PERPANEP Notebooks. Another well-known Japanese brand, Kokuyo launched it’s new PERPANEP paper this fall, and we’ve chosen to stock the textured “Zara Zara” version because we find that it handles fountain pen ink the best. The cheesecloth binding allows for versatile lie-flat use. Available in multiple rulings.
Life x Kleid Notebooks. Love micro-grid paper? I do. Japanese stationery brands Life and Kleid collaborated on these notebooks that, while not thread-bound, still do a good job of staying open. Life paper is quite fountain pen friendly, and I love the unique ruling.
Spiral-Bound Notebooks. If you don’t mind a spiral binding (and lefties, I understand this could be a deal-breaker), it’s the truly foolproof way to ensure a notebook stays flat on your desk, and even allows you the added versatility of folding the notebook over on itself to minimize the footprint without breaking the notebook’s spine. We carry a range of spiral notebooks with exceptional fountain pen friendly paper from Write Notepads, Maruman, and Clairefontaine. The great thing about spirals is that they’re generally inexpensive, with Maruman and Clairefontaine notebooks costing as little as $7.

Water-testing inks at Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club — Water-testing inks (in public) at yesterday’s meeting of the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club.

Sunday Reading for October 24, 2021

October 24, 2021

Anderson Pens Chicago: A Quick Walkthrough (via Pen Addict). Kimberly posts photos from her post-Chicago Pen Show trip to Anderson Pens. I’m returning to Chicago in a couple of weeks and certainly plan on stopping by Anderson Pens myself!
SCRIBO Piuma Utopia (via Dapprman). This review has me eager to test out the Piuma, the latest model from SCRIBO. While the design hasn’t tugged at my heartstrings, I recall that I wasn’t drawn to the Feel until I actually had that one in my hand.
Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). I still haven’t managed to review a Gravitas Pen. The finish on this “Entry” model is beautiful.
A Scary Project (via From the Pen Cup). A scary project, yes, but as Mary discusses in this post, there are quite practical reasons why you should have an inventory of your pen collection. I’m currently working on this myself.
Link Love: The Sad News Edition (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve written here and on social media about the sadness in learning that several stationery businesses I’ve loved and patronized over the years are closing shop. Ana rounds up exactly what’s been going on.
Dragon Bolt V: The Karas Pen Co. Bolt v2 with Dragonskin Grip (via Penquisition). There has been a bit of a mini-trend towards “dragon scale” or “dragon skin” patterns and textures on pens lately. This version from Karas looks interesting, and designed to enhance the grip on the pen.
Montblanc Notebooks: A Real Luxury Experience (via UK Fountain Pens). I have one of these in my “to review” pile, but have never pulled it out simply because I didn’t know whether there was much interest. They are quite beautiful and I’m glad to see the paper holds up.
Nock Co. Cases: An Urban Sketcher’s Companion (via Writing at Large). I do hope Brad continues to make limited runs of these cases, as the designs are great and quite versatile. While I don’t own multiples, I do have a Sinclair that is a key piece of my EDC.
Vinta Ulap: An Exclusive Worth Having (via UK Fountain Pens). Having just discovered Vinta inks myself, I can agree that they are exceptional. This shading grey looks amazing.
Ink Review #1643: Vinta Romblon (via Mountain of Ink). Here’s another plug for Vinta, this time in an interesting black with purple undertones. Subtle black inks are among my favorites.

In Case You Missed It…

This week I released two articles on topics I’ve been thinking on for a while. The first is an article about online pen shows, and how they’ve literally saved businesses during the pandemic, but at the same time hopefully won’t become the new normal. I also wrote a lighter piece on my fixation with black and matte-black pens, especially those with black trim, and why I think these are so enduringly popular. Finally, be sure to check out this post discussing some new features I’ve either launched or am in the process of launching.

So What’s New in the T.G.S. Curated Shop?

Planner Season continues on, as we all get geared up for year-end and start thinking about what we will/will not do differently in 2022. I’m still noodling on next year’s setup, but personally I’m loving my combined Traveler’s Notebook/modified Stálogy setup. We will continue to offer the full line of Traveler’s Notebook dated planners through the start of 2022, as well as other undated/flexible options such as the Stálogy Half-Year and 365-day planners and the Midori Day-to-a-Page Codex notebooks.

Traveler's Notebook

Stálogy

Pencils

Pens

Reading Accessories

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales, and I’m currently working on a fresh batch of pens, inks, and notebooks that should hit the Patreon shop in the next couple of weeks.