A Reason for Waterproof Ink

[Raissermesser]

My work in progress has a mystery element, and what I'd written was dragging, so I started notes, outlines, and scenes in a regular notebook. Since these were just notes, I used a cheap, but good writing, pen.

You know where this is going, right?

Yesterday, disaster. The pages got wet. I can puzzle out most of them, but there's still damage. I'm having to rewrite them.

Ideally, I'd use my Pilot Metropolitan and Noodler's Black. But I had a Uni-Ball 207 in 0.5mm, and I can store it with the notebook. The Uni-Ball 207 is waterproof.

Something interesting: I did use the Metropolitan and Noodler's Black one evening. While there was significant ghosting with the cheap pens and even a Sharpie (tm) fine point, there was none with the Noodler's. This is with regular lined notebook paper; nothing fancy.

BTW, if you're wondering why no pencils, I did use them for a few pages, then noticed the graphite was rubbing off. This is especially true when writing on the back of the sheets.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I use Legal Lapis in one of my work pens for this very reason. Something gets splashed and the Pelikan Turquoise washes out. Not so much with the Legal Lapis. Some water resistant inks will wash out and stain and require getting wet again to see what the permanent color is left. (Looking at you 5 O Clock Shadow. )

 

[r0ckrat]

Depending on the notebook and pen nib, Noodler's 54th Mass might be a good option, but it does require ink-friendly paper and a dry nib.

 

[KW Driver]

ESS Registrar’s has been the best performing, stable ink I’ve found and use routinely in a couple of pens.

 

[Tomo]

It took me a long time to find an ink that I was happy with. It had to be waterproof, light fast, smooth, no bleed, no feather, free flowing, highly saturated and for gods sake no dry smudging. Yes I wanted it all and I quickly learned that I may be asking for too much. Every ink was a compromise. Good in some areas bad in others. But I finally found two that fit the bill. I now use these two inks exclusively.

1. De Artamentis Document Black
2. Platinum Carbon Black

The compromise. Hard to clean, no colour and must be careful to not let it dry in the pen. Because I like black, use my pens regularly and do not change inks this is not an issue for me.

If you are looking for waterproof inks with great performance these are the best I have found and I have tried a lot.

 

[Mitzie]

The compromise. Hard to clean, no colour and must be careful to not let it dry in the pen.

It's for this reason I've given up using waterproof inks. I have now resorted to using regular inks, letting the ink dry thoroughly, and rubbing the text with a clear wax crayon for waterproofing.

 

[ukobke]

I have a whole collection of fountain pens, carrying at least 12 (different nibs and colors) everyday.

The notebook I use is specially for fountain pen use.

After long use with various inks, I ended with Noodler's ink to use in 10 out of my 12 daily pens. I have more than 60 different Noodler's inks.

Noodler's has bulletproof inks, which are waterproof also. For black, try X Feather Black. An ink that feathers less, plus it is bulletproof.