Water resistance, how important to you?

[Gobblecup]

So I have come to the point where I won’t ink my pens with inks that don’t at least have some water resistance, enough to survive a surprise rain shower outdoors, or a spill at the table. And I’ve gotten to where now I won’t even buy inks that don’t have a measure of water resistance, and I aim for those that are permanent, archival, and waterproof. Something about the joy of writing seems deminished for me knowing all it takes is a quick splash or drop of liquid to destroy my thoughts and feelings so beautifully laid down onto paper. Even worse, if the notes are about my health (which I try to monitor via journaling) or school, I find their destruction to be all the more terrible. Maybe I’m a bit anal about it, and it rules out lots of wonderful brands and colors, Diamine, J. Herbin, Colorverse, Robert Oster, and the list goes on. I’m restricted to a few brands and lines of inks that at least show some water resistance. So how do the rest of you feel about this, does it (water resistance/permanence) matter to you? How permanent do you need your inks if you need them so? Why? What role does balancing ink behavior and maintenance play on your choices? What brands do you find to be water resistant that I haven’t possibly thought about?

[suzy01]

I need my ink to be 100% waterproof when I put a watercolour wash over the top. A few reportedly waterproof inks that are OK for a larger spillage are still a bit smudgy with only a tiny bit of water (noodlers etc) so the only one I've found to be any good for me is de atramentis black document ink. There was a thread on here where people found it feathers and didn't like it but with my Xxxf nib and sketchbook paper it's perfect. If I've no intention of washing over it then I not fussed about waterproofness, the other media in my sketchbook would be ruined in the wet too so I try and keep it dry.

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[Wuddus]

Water resistance of my fountain pen inks is irrelevant. I'd rather have a fountain pen that is easy to clean out. If I need water resistance, I'll use a ballpoint, as I don't have to service that.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Never given it a moments thought. Then again, writing outside with the prospect of rain is not on my agenda much. As for losing what I've written... well, I don't think I've ever written anything worth keeping anyway.

[Chrissy]

Whether an ink is "Waterproof" is completely irrelevant to me. It's not like I'm an important archivist or anything. Whatever I write doesn't need to be able to last forever whether it gets wet or not.

[catbert]

One pen with a bulletproof ink is dedicated to addressing envelopes and there's usually at least one with an iron gall or something else that won't be completely removed by a watercolour wash. Beyond that, anything goes.

[Chrissy]

One pen with a bulletproof ink is dedicated to addressing envelopes and there's usually at least one with an iron gall or something else that won't be completely removed by a watercolour wash. Beyond that, anything goes.

Yes, I can understand this. I never use bulletproof ink (assuming it's Noodler's) but have a couple of inks that I consider "more water resistant" that I generally use for addressing envelopes. The main priority is that they don't stain my ink windows and they wash out easily

[Gobblecup]

Never given it a moments thought. Then again, writing outside with the prospect of rain is not on my agenda much. As for losing what I've written... well, I don't think I've ever written anything worth keeping anyway.

The weather in Texas can be very unpredictable, and I like to write outdoors quite a bit, better lighting, more inspiration.

[Gobblecup]

One pen with a bulletproof ink is dedicated to addressing envelopes and there's usually at least one with an iron gall or something else that won't be completely removed by a watercolour wash. Beyond that, anything goes.

Yes, I can understand this. I never use bulletproof ink (assuming it's Noodler's) but have a couple of inks that I consider "more water resistant" that I generally use for addressing envelopes. The main priority is that they don't stain my ink windows and they wash out easily

I use a bulletproof black eel from Noodler’s for most of my addressing, I always have a Safari inked up with it.

Which inks do you use for this purpose?

[catbert]

One pen with a bulletproof ink is dedicated to addressing envelopes and there's usually at least one with an iron gall or something else that won't be completely removed by a watercolour wash. Beyond that, anything goes.

Yes, I can understand this. I never use bulletproof ink (assuming it's Noodler's) but have a couple of inks that I consider "more water resistant" that I generally use for addressing envelopes. The main priority is that they don't stain my ink windows and they wash out easily

Yes, it's Noodler's heart of darkness. I don't actually how well (or if) it washes out – it's in a Safari that's constantly refilled.

Come to think of it, I also have heart of darkness in a Noodler's Charlie eyedropper pen that's constantly topped up, though in that case it's more a case of rehydrating evaporated ink than topping up with fresh ink, so more like 'edge of darkness' than heart of darkness.

[Gobblecup]

I need my ink to be 100% waterproof when I put a watercolour wash over the top. A few reportedly waterproof inks that are OK for a larger spillage are still a bit smudgy with only a tiny bit of water (noodlers etc) so the only one I've found to be any good for me is de atramentis black document ink. There was a thread on here where people found it feathers and didn't like it but with my Xxxf nib and sketchbook paper it's perfect. If I've no intention of washing over it then I not fussed about waterproofness, the other media in my sketchbook would be ruined in the wet too so I try and keep it dry.

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I just discovered De Atramentis document inks and I’m very impressed with them, they seem perfectly suited to a watercolor wash, and don’t smudge or smear one bit!

[jar]

Never much worried about it.

[Chrissy]

One pen with a bulletproof ink is dedicated to addressing envelopes and there's usually at least one with an iron gall or something else that won't be completely removed by a watercolour wash. Beyond that, anything goes.

Yes, I can understand this. I never use bulletproof ink (assuming it's Noodler's) but have a couple of inks that I consider "more water resistant" that I generally use for addressing envelopes. The main priority is that they don't stain my ink windows and they wash out easily

I use a bulletproof black eel from Noodler’s for most of my addressing, I always have a Safari inked up with it.
Which inks do you use for this purpose?

I bought a random bottle of Montblanc B-B ink on ebay, and it seems to be a waterproof version. So if I'm particularly concerned about rain smearing an address on an envelope, I might fill a pen with that, and use it for addressing envelopes. Otherwise, I just use whatever I happen to have in a pen, that might be more waterproof than anything else I have in any other pen, and rub the bottom of a candle over it.

[azkid]

Well, since I just wrecked a carefully addressed envelope by setting it down on the smallest drop of water on the counter... I am suddenly much more interested in waterproof ink.

[penwash]

Never much worried about it.

I'm with JAR.

Everything will perish in the end, that's why I upload my sketches to "The Cloud"

[welch]

Never much worried about it.

I, also, feel the same as JAR. I put my writing in a folder / notebook, and it lasts as long as I want. When I'm working on something, I put coffee off to the side. Same with coke or seltzer bottles. After a while, it becomes a habit.

As a kid, we learned to put things in a three-ring binder. If it rained, we tucked the binder and our text books under our raincoats. Yes, that was back in the olden dayes, when we walked to school, along the edge of a farm, proudly carrying our Sheaffer school pens. (see the great FPG post about Sheaffer and their school pens.)

Now, I avoid inks that want to attach to clothes or the wood floor in our apartment.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Well, since I just wrecked a carefully addressed envelope by setting it down on the smallest drop of water on the counter... I am suddenly much more interested in waterproof ink.

This is why I address envelopes with gel pens. But don't tell anyone.

[Gobblecup]

Wow, so far it seems I’m firmly in the minority for demanding water resistant and archival grade inks. I guess it makes sense why so few ink manufacturers actually cater to this now! 😂

[Wuddus]

Well, since I just wrecked a carefully addressed envelope by setting it down on the smallest drop of water on the counter... I am suddenly much more interested in waterproof ink.

This is why I address envelopes with gel pens. But don't tell anyone.

Yup, ballpoints here.

[carlos.q]

Wow, so far it seems I’m firmly in the minority for demanding water resistant and archival grade inks. I guess it makes sense why so few ink manufacturers actually cater to this now! 😂

I like water resistant inks as I have had my fair share of mishaps with water. Keep in mind that there is a difference between water resistant inks, waterproof inks and archival inks. I have found that some simple dye inks can be sufficiently water resistant so that you won't lose your writing if the paper gets wet (such as Namiki/Pilot Blue or Blue-Black). JetPens offers an interesting guide to some of these:
https://www.jetpens.com/blog/waterpr...en-inks/pt/829



PS. The rubbing candle trick really works...