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Thread: How to shimmer?

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    Default How to shimmer?

    This may have been covered elsewhere but I couldn't find it (just having a crap day for searching I suspect).

    Shimmer inks: Diamine, Herbin and so on. How do you get the best out of them? I have three of the Herbin offerings and get no shimmer from any of my admittedly limited group of fountain pens. This is after giving the bottle a damn good shaking. I know the shimmer is there because if I use an italic or music dip nib it does show in all its glory.

    So, recommendations for fountain pens to use with such exotic inks?

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    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    It's going to have be something quite broad, I should think. I use fine or EF nibs and a lot of the time you can hardly tell what colour the ink is.
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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    I can get plenty of shimmer from Diamine shimmer inks with M nibs. Those are the nibs I write my reviews with.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    Maybe I am doing something else wrong? [wouldn't be the first time ]

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    Senior Member jbb's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    I make my own shimmer inks by adding fine mica powders to my inks. I've been using them for a couple of years now and they seem to work fine. I can see no difference between them and the ones that are sold with shimmer powder in them. I add more powder when I don't get as much shimmer as I want. This is one brand that I've used https://www.dickblick.com/products/j...SABEgJ_IPD_BwE
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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    EoC, I find I also have to roll the pen between my hands and rock it end to end once in a while since the sparkles seem to settle in the pen while I'm writing. I noticed this when using a clear TWSBI. Also I use at least an M nib.
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    Senior Member Voiren's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    I have my shimmer ink in a clear Ahab - you get ALL THE SPARKLES coming out and shading in the ink as well. And you can see what's going on inside, so can see if they've all settled to the bottom or whatever. Rouge Hematite needed more babying than Diamine's Citrus Ice, for what that's worth.

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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Voiren View Post
    I have my shimmer ink in a clear Ahab - you get ALL THE SPARKLES coming out and shading in the ink as well. And you can see what's going on inside, so can see if they've all settled to the bottom or whatever. Rouge Hematite needed more babying than Diamine's Citrus Ice, for what that's worth.
    I was given a bottle of J.Herbin Rouge Hematite version 1 that has a sort of "sludge" in the bottom of the bottle rather than regular sparkly nano particles. I can't get it to write in any of my pens for longer than the first few moments after I fill it. I filled a Sheaffer with it and it's permanently stained red inside the brass section where the end of the converter goes.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    Quote Originally Posted by jbb View Post
    I make my own shimmer inks by adding fine mica powders to my inks. I've been using them for a couple of years now and they seem to work fine. I can see no difference between them and the ones that are sold with shimmer powder in them. I add more powder when I don't get as much shimmer as I want.
    How do you know for certain that they are exactly the same nano sized micro-particles than fountain pen ink manufacturers obtain for use in their inks, rather than those that artists and restorers use? I have jars full of fine mica powders for use with paints and lacquers, but I wouldn't dare to add any of them to inks that I use in my fountain pens.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: How to shimmer?

    Ha ha! Now I'm getting shimmer. Have loaded the ink into an English Parker Duofold that seems to have a stubbish nib. Shaken the bottle first, and rotating/gently agitating (as per VertOlive's suggestion) appears to be doing the trick. And I rather like the result. Herbin Caroube de Chypre - it's quite a soothing colour without the sparkly bits, and a bit of a dazzler with them!

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