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Ink and pH Levels

I was reading on one of my favorite web pages about pens and inks Glen's Pens and found some information everyone could use. This is copied from their excellent web page: http://www.marcuslink.com/pens/ink/

Acid & Alkaline Levels

What about the acidity of ink? This seems to
be a point of ongoing talk on various discussion sites. Is it really
important? On one hand I am told it is not that much of an issue. The
compatibility of inks and dyes used in the particular inks is more of an
issue.

In 1996 Gregory
Clark had an article published in Pen World giving the pH
levels of a wide variety of inks. A low pH reading indicates the relative
level of acid to a high pH reading that indicates the level of alkaline.
Some brands/colours are listed with two different readings. That is because
Gregory included both the pH levels found through his testing and those
reported by the pen manufactures.

Readings that have been previously reported for the pH levels of inks include:


  • 1.7 for OMAS
    Blue-Black, OMAS Royal Blue, Visconti, Lapis Blue;
  • 2.2 for Montblanc
    Blue-Black, Montblanc Bordeaux, Pelikan Blue-Black, Visconti Turquoise;
  • 2.6 for Caron d'Ache Imagine in Blue Sky
  • 2.7 for Pelikan
    4001 Blue, Visconti Permanent Blue-Black, Pelikan 4001 Turquoise, Quink
    Washable Blue, Waterman Purple;
  • 2.8 for Caran d'Ache Escape in Caribbean Sea
  • 3.0 for Montblanc
    Emerald Green, Quink Permanent Black, Waterman Blue-Black, Waterman Blue;
  • 4.0 for Sheaffer
    Brown, Emerald Green, Peacock Blue;
  • 5.5 for Caran d'Ache Dream in Blue Night
  • 5.6 for Caran d'Ache Protect in Storm
  • 6.1 for Caron d'Ache Travel in Grand Canyon
  • 6.3 for Parker
    Penman Emerald;
  • 6.5 for OMAS
    Sepia;
  • 6.6 for Parker
    Penman Ebony;
  • 6.8 for Herbin
    Green, OMAS Vespucci Red, Parker Penman Mocha, Parker Penman Sapphire;
  • 7.0 for Waterman
    Havana
  • 7.2 for OMAS
    Permanent Black;
  • 7.5 for Parker
    Penman Ruby; Pelikan Brilliant Green;
  • 7.8 for Visconti
    Black
  • 7.9 for Rotring
    black, Waterman red, Caran d'Ache Explain in Carbon
  • 8.2 for Pelikan
    brilliant red, turquoise, violet
  • 9.0 for Sheaffer
    jet black

Noodler's Ink has also promoted their ink, and as a basic foundation of their product, as being a pH neutral ink.

The Noodler's Site includes an extensive write-up with photos about pH levels and the effect of inks with corrosive levels on metal.

Noodler's advances that rather than the danger of the dye content of ink it is the pH level that pen users should pay greater attention to in considering their purchase of inks. The dye used to colour inks is important in setting the intensity in colour and how it will fade or not fade.

The Noodler's article suggests that inks with a pH level of between 1.5 and 4 tend to be corrosive.

Confused? Well as a reference point, water has a pH of 7. When buying inks consider a number of factors. In terms of pH levels do not become paranoid. For example, Gregory Clark notes in one of his reviews of ink is that a range of 5.4
to 8.1 was reasonable in his view for pen inks. Noodler's ink notes their inks are "pH neutral" having a range of 6.2 to 7.9.

I'm not a scientist, but my understanding is that the pH level measures the acidity or alkalinity. Where the pH level is less than 7, the solution is acidic, where the pH level is greater than 7 the solution is basic or alkaline. The ranking of 7 is made as that is what is considered a neutral - as that is the pH of pure water at 25 °C.

What does all that really mean? Most modern inks are safe to use in pens. Pens with piston or vacuum fillers would be subject to staining of some inks. This is less of an issue for pens with converters but ink does seep from the nib, and it won't take long for some of the semitransparent pen caps to "show" the staining of ink.

Use your inks and enjoy the colour range. If you are leaving your pen unused for period of time, simply expel the ink and rinse the pen with water.
 
Nice summary. That OMAS ink is strongly acidic. That's a significantly stronger acid than vinegar. It'd eat copper and brass.
 
I'm surprised that 1.7 Omas doesn't eat through the paper, or the pen for that matter.

i wonder where it needs to be, to be safe for a lever filler with a sac.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Or your skin- the numbers don't seem correct.

This. I think we need another independent test, this is ridiculous and was discussed on the boards at length when Greg first wrote this and still had his business in the 1990s.
 
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