EFNIR: Büroservice Bergmann Rotfliessende Eisengallustinte

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Büroservice Bergmann Rotfliessende Eisengallustinte

This is review #242 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:


Post-recording notes: Only had one ink that's remotely close to this. The ink changed color almost immediately upon touching the paper, going from reddish to an odd brown with slightly purple leanings. Used the Penmanship in case of staining. Cleaning was quick and easy. I did not try to color correct the images just because the color of the ink changed by the time I could do a comparison. IMO, the various colors you see will give you a good idea of the range from "fresh" to oxidized (or whatever it is that iron gall inks do).

Can be found here.

Errata: "I darkens..." should be "It darkens...".

Zoomed in photo


Screenshot


Scan of Completed Review


Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper)


Line width (One of the lines used for dry time. Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. The line width for this ink is roughly 264µm. With 242 inks measured, the average line width is 296µm.) (Super fine line!)


Microscope image (100x. Captured 3 days after making the slide. Ink is a little more red and vibrant than the capture shows.)


Microscope image (100x. Captured 3 days after making the slide. Ink is a little more red and vibrant than the capture shows.)


Water Test Results


Previous Review: Lamy Blue.

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

Want to influence the inky sequence? Take the "next ink" poll.

View a list of my inks, complete with review results in a google sheet.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh? Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[Yazeh]

Holy moly batman mackerel! Those microscopic images, are fantastic this time you outdone yourself with image /sound effects and fast forward editing
Thanks for making our Tuesdays so fun with our intrepid adventures despite a suspicious backpack

[LizEF]

Holy moly batman mackerel! Those microscopic images, are fantastic

Yes, this ink puts on a great little show.

this time you outdone yourself with image /sound effects and fast forward editing

Thank you!

Thanks for making our Tuesdays so fun with our intrepid adventures despite a suspicious backpack

You're most welcome!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Liz, thanks so much for our Tuesday Treat! Butbutbut….u duz not darkenz? 😜

I love these. Keep 'em flyin' plz!

Wow, I'm finding this a fascinating ink. It is is an iron gall? Yes? But still tempting. I think all the colors it becomes are worthy of its name.

And! The micros! The earl has been on a rampage! But Makhabesh has spotted something. Let's hope our heroes make a clean getaway.

(And the last time I escaped was in yesterday's dream, from people trying to kill me.)

[LizEF]

Liz, thanks so much for our Tuesday Treat!

You're very welcome!

Butbutbut….u duz not darkenz? 😜

I love these. Keep 'em flyin' plz!

Thank you. Will do.

Wow, I'm finding this a fascinating ink. It is is an iron gall? Yes? But still tempting. I think all the colors it becomes are worthy of its name.

And! The micros!

Yep, this and its blue sibling are really appealing inks.

The earl has been on a rampage! But Makhabesh has spotted something. Let's hope our heroes make a clean getaway.

(And the last time I escaped was in yesterday's dream, from people trying to kill me.)

Yikes! Glad you escaped!

[Yazeh]

(And the last time I escaped was in yesterday's dream, from people trying to kill me.)

Yikes! Glad you escaped!

We don't know that for sure, maybe we're caught in her dream

[LizEF]

We don't know that for sure, maybe we're caught in her dream

Double yikes!!

[Sailor Kenshin]

We don't know that for sure, maybe we're caught in her dream

Double yikes!!

Oh I wouldn't do that to either of you.

Though I now crave watermelon mint drinks.

[LizEF]

Oh I wouldn't do that to either of you.

Thank you!

Though I now crave watermelon mint drinks.

It's Yazeh's fault!! I'm innocent! Innocent, I tell ya! (Of the mint part, anyway...)

[Thom.]

Gosh, what a pretty ink!

... The ink changed color almost immediately upon touching the paper, going from reddish to an odd brown with slightly purple leanings. ...

This is the reason for the "rotfliessend/blaufliessend". For years I said red and iron gall doesn't work because iron gallate isn't red. But the iron gall fans showed no mercy so I said o.k. I'm doing a red one again, but I cheated and made an iron gallus.

[LizEF]

Gosh, what a pretty ink!

Indeed!

This is the reason for the "rotfliessend/blaufliessend". For years I said red and iron gall doesn't work because iron gallate isn't red. But the iron gall fans showed no mercy so I said o.k. I'm doing a red one again, but I cheated and made an iron gallus.

Thank you for cheating!

[Thom.]

I'm just reading the comments on the video that there are some R&K IG fans. https://www.penexchange.de/forum_neu...t=2655#p416897

[Thom.]

... Microscope image (100x. Captured 3 days after making the slide. Ink is a little more red and vibrant than the capture shows.)...

Dear Liz,

Today I am writing you a few lines. Here in Germany, the iron gall community admires your microscopic photos of the red-flowing iron gall ink. But there is also a certain helplessness, one wonders what exactly you did there. Did you just smear the iron gall ink on the glass slide and wait 3 days? Or did you dilute the ink with water? (Was Klaw involved?) Would you be so kind as to report that briefly?

Sincerely yours, Thomas

[LizEF]

Dear Liz,

Today I am writing you a few lines. Here in Germany, the iron gall community admires your microscopic photos of the red-flowing iron gall ink. But there is also a certain helplessness, one wonders what exactly you did there. Did you just smear the iron gall ink on the glass slide and wait 3 days? Or did you dilute the ink with water? (Was Klaw involved?) Would you be so kind as to report that briefly?

Sincerely yours, Thomas

Very glad they liked it. I put a tiny drop of ink on the slide (usually with a disposable pipette that only holds .2mL of ink, so it's easy to deposit a tiny amount - don't even have to squeeze the bulb to pick the ink up - just dip it). After a few seconds (while I expel the rest back into the ink container and set the pipette aside), I place the cover slip on. Sometimes I use the pipette to push the cover into position if I got it off or too close to the edge of the slide (this can create patterns in the ink). Then the slide sits on my desk until the next time I use the microscope. Thereafter, it waits on the microscope platform (with a plastic/rubber cover over the whole microscope - probably slows drying, but I think the cover slip does most of that). I'll check it whenever I use the microscope (usually only for ink review stuff), and if it looks interesting, I'll capture some images. I check it the day before I record my reviews and if anything has changed, I'll take more pictures. The most interesting pictures (if any) make it into the review. Then I soak the slide in water, clean it, dry it, and drop the next ink on.

Hope that satisfies everyone's curiosity. Happy to answer more questions, if any.

ETA: If I got too much ink on (usually only a concern for dark inks), I'll use a paper towel at the edge of the cover slip to wick some ink out.

Liz

[Yazeh]

@LizEF so there's no ink sorcerer's apprentice?

[LizEF]

@LizEF so there's no ink sorcerer's apprentice?

Not so far...

[Thom.]

Very glad they liked it. ...

Thanks very much! I'll put your description in German in the penexchange so the community can read it.
These IG inks need to change their pH in order to form their iron dyes. This doesn't happen by drying the inks alone, so IG formation on glass is significantly slower than on that paper in your video. You could also speed it up, but I chose this way to reduce the aggressiveness of the inks on stainless steel nibs.

[Carpio]

Hello,

Hi Liz,
I'm learning posh writing, slowly, and I'm reading as much as possible to help, and earlier yesterday, I read a piece of advice from a lady 'posh writer', who advised to use what she called a 'guard paper'.
This is where you come in.
My question to you is this - I noticed when I watched your video a while back that you had something covering your 'ikkle finger' and 'right hand ring finger'. I'm guessing this is a glove used by artists/posh writers to stop hand oils from affecting ink from sticking to paper?,... and my point is this - if that is the case - do you find it easier than using a 'guard paper'?,... and a follow up question is this - if it is a glove,would you advise buying a glove which is smaller than hand size so as to stay crinkle free when writing, or is normal size adequate?

Many thanks

Carpio

[LizEF]

My question to you is this - I noticed when I watched your video a while back that you had something covering your 'ikkle finger' and 'right hand ring finger'. I'm guessing this is a glove used by artists/posh writers to stop hand oils from affecting ink from sticking to paper?,... and my point is this - if that is the case - do you find it easier than using a 'guard paper'?,... and a follow up question is this - if it is a glove,would you advise buying a glove which is smaller than hand size so as to stay crinkle free when writing, or is normal size adequate?

Mine is a SmudgeGuard glove, 2-finger (they also make them with other numbers of fingers), purchased from JetPens. I've seen them elsewhere, generally referred to as an artist's glove. I'm sure you can find them in some more local place - if not a pen store, certainly an art store - or Amazon UK. Technically, they are for digital artists to allow their hand to more easily slide on the digital surface, and not leave smudges on said surface. But they serve to keep your hand (and anything on your hand) off the paper, too. It won't prevent wet ink from smudging (just from getting on your hand).

Yes, I do find it easier than using some other sort of guard between my hand and the paper, but I only use it when recording reviews. When I'm writing in my Hobonichi or journal, I just use the blotter page that I use as a bookmark, because it's there anyway and I'm usually only making a short entry. But for the review, to be sure I'm not interfering with the ink going onto the page, and where I'm going to be writing for 16+ minutes, it's easier. I would assume it would be the same for writing practice.

I would strongly recommend buying the appropriate size for your hand - the material doesn't stretch that much, and it would be very uncomfortable if too tight (especially around the wrist, where it would actually restrict blood flow if too tight). I don't have any issue with wrinkles in the glove getting in the way when writing.

[Carpio]

Hello,

Thank you for a quick reply, Liz.
I've gone to my friend, 'Amazon UK' (yes, I have a friend, but I'm guessing he's staying loyal due to how much I spend monthly) and I've found the gloves, so I have ordered a pair to see if I can get on with them.
Very much obliged for your words.

Carpio