Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 34

Thread: White ink recommendations?

  1. #1
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default White ink recommendations?

    Please can anyone recommend a nice fountain pen safe white ink?

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,907
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Wouldn't a liquid that might be called white "ink" require a suspension of particulate matter and therefore be inappropriate for fountain pens? Is there such a thing as white dye?

  3. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to FredRydr For This Useful Post:

    Chemyst (July 21st, 2018), suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  4. #3
    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    3,885
    Thanks
    2,412
    Thanked 4,804 Times in 1,697 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    White ink for fountain pens is a difficult topic.
    Quite a long time there was no white FP ink.

    As far as I know there is now De Atramentis Dokumententinte Weiß.
    But I did not tried it yet.

    My personal opinion is that white will always be a difficult topic as this ink has to be as opaque as possible (in opposite to common inks).
    Opaque means pigments, pigments means (many times) troubles in FPs.

    If you need a good opaque white for drawing and writing I would always prefer opaque white India ink using dip nibs.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Pterodactylus For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  6. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    955
    Thanks
    242
    Thanked 839 Times in 363 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    I will echo Ptero. I've not used a white fountain pen ink, but I've used pigment-heavy "opaque" white paint in my airbrush. It clogs easy and often due to the size and thickness of pigment. It's easier to use a low-pigment "translucent" white and simply add multiple layers and build up to an opaque result. I do not have this issue with any other paint color. I expect any "white" FP ink will have similar issues. Either it will be very light on pigment and not truly white, or it'll be thick enough to require use of a dip pen instead.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Scooby921 For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  8. #5
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,616
    Thanks
    7,795
    Thanked 11,039 Times in 4,010 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Pretty much a no-go. If you want to write by hand with a white ink, you are going to have to move to calligraphy inks and dip pens. Just how it is.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  10. #6
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Thank you everyone. I thought as much but wanted to ask. For some reason this thread didn't appear in my list on tapatalk so I've only just seen the replies. I've ordered a rotring isograph with white ink, I expect it'll clog a bit too but we'll see.

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  11. #7
    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Where pigs run free!
    Posts
    4,003
    Thanks
    6,231
    Thanked 3,423 Times in 1,715 Posts
    Rep Power
    17

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Not a fountain pen, but a couple of white gel pens work really well. I can't recall both names, but I have two kinds (Sakura Gelly Roll is one), and I use them for writing on dark envelopes.

    ...pretty sure the other's Uni Ball Signo. Very white and opaque...
    Last edited by Sailor Kenshin; March 29th, 2018 at 06:09 PM.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Sailor Kenshin For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  13. #8
    Senior Member Wile E Coyote's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    18SWK7534504853
    Posts
    998
    Thanks
    221
    Thanked 686 Times in 401 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Pretty much a no-go. If you want to write by hand with a white ink, you are going to have to move to calligraphy inks and dip pens. Just how it is.
    You could also use a stylographic pen with white "ink."

    KohINoor makes an opaque white drafting fluid specifically for stylographic drafting pens.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to Wile E Coyote For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 29th, 2018)

  15. #9
    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    3,885
    Thanks
    2,412
    Thanked 4,804 Times in 1,697 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by suzy01 View Post
    Thank you everyone. I thought as much but wanted to ask. For some reason this thread didn't appear in my list on tapatalk so I've only just seen the replies. I've ordered a rotring isograph with white ink, I expect it'll clog a bit too but we'll see.

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
    I also use Rotring Rapidograph pens with Rotring White Drawing Ink (Zeichentusche) this work just fine down to 0,25 mm size (but personal I prefer 0,35 and above for drawing purposes).

    So you donˋt need to worry about (proper) white ink in technical pens (Isograph/Rapidograph).
    But be careful which white ink you use in them, they should have an explicit mentioned approval for technical pens (do not use inks which have not such a clearance)
    Some approvals are limited to specific sizes (and above) like 0,35 because of the pigment sizes.

    As said my personal experience for most inks is to use it in 0,35 and above.
    The Rotring ink works with 0,25 but the flow doesn't seem to be really good anymore.
    I would not load an white ink to a 0,18 or below.

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to Pterodactylus For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  17. #10
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by suzy01 View Post
    Thank you everyone. I thought as much but wanted to ask. For some reason this thread didn't appear in my list on tapatalk so I've only just seen the replies. I've ordered a rotring isograph with white ink, I expect it'll clog a bit too but we'll see.

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
    I also use Rotring Rapidograph pens with Rotring White Drawing Ink (Zeichentusche) this work just fine down to 0,25 mm size (but personal I prefer 0,35 and above for drawing purposes).

    So you donˋt need to worry about (proper) white ink in technical pens (Isograph/Rapidograph).
    But be careful which white ink you use in them, they should have an explicit mentioned approval for technical pens (do not use inks which have not such a clearance)
    Some approvals are limited to specific sizes (and above) like 0,35 because of the pigment sizes.

    As said my personal experience for most inks is to use it in 0,35 and above.
    The Rotring ink works with 0,25 but the flow doesn't seem to be really good anymore.
    I would not load an white ink to a 0,18 or below.
    Oh dear, I ordered it for the smallest. 0.1 :-/

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  18. #11
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,616
    Thanks
    7,795
    Thanked 11,039 Times in 4,010 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by suzy01 View Post
    Oh dear, I ordered it for the smallest. 0.1 :-/
    Patience is a virtue. Gather all info before pulling trigger.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  20. #12
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by suzy01 View Post
    Oh dear, I ordered it for the smallest. 0.1 :-/
    Patience is a virtue. Gather all info before pulling trigger.
    Teehee it's never been one of mine!

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  21. The Following User Says Thank You to suzy01 For This Useful Post:

    Jon Szanto (March 30th, 2018)

  22. #13
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,616
    Thanks
    7,795
    Thanked 11,039 Times in 4,010 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by suzy01 View Post
    Teehee it's never been one of mine!
    Oh, believe me, I understand. It took years of cultivation, often spurred on by miscues like "I bought the wrong pen".
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  23. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  24. #14
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    I couldn't find anywhere official online that said I shouldn't use it in the 0.1 so I couldn't resist. I'll have to take care to use it everyday or rinse it out and see how we go, it'll probably clog and I'll buy the bigger one but there's no point just putting it in the cupboard. I really enjoyed using it though

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  25. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to suzy01 For This Useful Post:

    Jon Szanto (March 30th, 2018), Pterodactylus (March 30th, 2018), Sailor Kenshin (March 30th, 2018)

  26. #15
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,616
    Thanks
    7,795
    Thanked 11,039 Times in 4,010 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Suzy, that is beautiful!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  27. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  28. #16
    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    3,885
    Thanks
    2,412
    Thanked 4,804 Times in 1,697 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    That is great, I love it.

    May I ask you which ink you used?

    And just to be sure, you made it using your new 0,1 Rapidograph?

    If yes, how was the flow?
    Did you faced any hard starts?

    E.g. Dr. Martins Pen White ink mentions 0,25 and above

    As said, I use the Rotring White ink and obeserved a not so good flow using a 0,25 compared to the bigger ones.

    I found this cleaning tip for the Rotring ink:
    To reduce the risk of blockages on the finer nibs, 0.10, 0.13 and 0.18 keep the inside of the cap damp. The moisture and humidity will help the ink flow

    Great that it works as you expected it.
    Please keep us updated and share your experiences if it keeps functioning over a longer period of time.

  29. The Following User Says Thank You to Pterodactylus For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  30. #17
    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    3,885
    Thanks
    2,412
    Thanked 4,804 Times in 1,697 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    I really like black and white drawings.
    Here is one of mine I did some time ago (using a brush not a technical pen)


    Dragon by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

    (Brush ..... Pelikan Drawing Ink White)

  31. The Following User Says Thank You to Pterodactylus For This Useful Post:

    suzy01 (March 30th, 2018)

  32. #18
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Suzy, that is beautiful!
    Thank you only my second one drawing the white bits, the first one I used white colour pencils. I'm loving the black sketchbook so far, it's going to be my April side project

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  33. #19
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    That is great, I love it.

    May I ask you which ink you used?

    And just to be sure, you made it using your new 0,1 Rapidograph?

    If yes, how was the flow?
    Did you faced any hard starts?

    E.g. Dr. Martins Pen White ink mentions 0,25 and above

    As said, I use the Rotring White ink and obeserved a not so good flow using a 0,25 compared to the bigger ones.

    I found this cleaning tip for the Rotring ink:
    To reduce the risk of blockages on the finer nibs, 0.10, 0.13 and 0.18 keep the inside of the cap damp. The moisture and humidity will help the ink flow

    Great that it works as you expected it.
    Please keep us updated and share your experiences if it keeps functioning over a longer period of time.
    Thx, I used the rotring white ink. It's the isograph 0.1 rather than the radiograph but I think the only difference is that one takes cartridges? It seemed OK, a bit scratchy lol but if you will write with a needle!! I just shocked it a bit when I looked a bit pale. I don't have experience of the others so I can't compare to the bigger sizes in terms of flow. I'd say it was slightly more smooth than a running out copic fineliner 🤣

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

  34. #20
    Senior Member suzy01's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    286
    Thanks
    526
    Thanked 450 Times in 142 Posts
    Rep Power
    7

    Default Re: White ink recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    I really like black and white drawings.
    Here is one of mine I did some time ago (using a brush not a technical pen)


    Dragon by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

    (Brush ..... Pelikan Drawing Ink White)
    This is lovely! I'm only just starting with the black paper, I usually use white paper and black ink so it's a bit of a mind bender to draw the light bits rather than leaving them!

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •