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Thread: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

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    Default What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    I know with a lot of vintage pens it is recommended to use "well behaved inks", what does this mean and what should I be looking for?
    Is it ok to use Shimmering inks? What about permanent or Noodler's inks?

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    If you’re worried about it, use a washable blue from Pelikan, Waterman, Parker, Montblanc or Lamy. Other colors are probably OK but anything with red dye will be harder to clean and can potentially gunk up your pen. Blue is the easiest to clean. Pelikan Blue-Black is an iron gall ink which can corrode the steel nib.

    Alkaline inks will shorten the life of the latex sac. Most Japanese inks are alkaline.

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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    I use only Waterman inks. I read that vintage pens like wet inks and Waterman is known to be a wet ink. I have a few Esterbrooks from the 1930's-mid '50's.

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    Quink (permanent) Black is a good one for my Esterbrooks. It isn't overloaded with dye so it's easy to clean and it flows a bit wetter than some inks so it works well with those pens.

    Not all vintage pens like wet inks. My Esterbrooks tend to write drier so they do.

    But My Wahl Ringtop and Vacumatics flow on the very wet side so I use drier inks: Pelikan black in the Wahl and so far Diamine Twilight has worked well in one of the Vacumatics (one of few pens it works well in)

    Latex interacts with all kinds of stuff, unfortunately. Based on what pen repairers have written here and there it is probably safest to stick to well established ink makers and use inks with less dye and a more neutral ph.

    Waterman serenity blue and mysterious blue both flow well in a variety of pens and many trust it.

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    Esterbrooks are impervious to everything you could throw at them.

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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    I tend to use Waterman inks in my vintage pens. It's less of a hassle to get them clean when the time comes.
    Fountain Pen Sith Lord | Daakusaido | Everything in one spot

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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    I tend to use Waterman inks in my vintage pens. It's less of a hassle to get them clean when the time comes.
    I like to try out all of my new or "new to me" pens with Waterman inks first as a sort of barometer that gives me a good idea of what ink I might need to use in the pen. It always shows me whether I will need a dryer flowing or a wetter flowing ink in a particular pen.
    And as you say they are always easy to clean out of pens and off of fingers and hands.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    I'm a big Noodler's fan and use it pretty much exclusively in my newer converter, PF, pens.........., but sac pens beware. I have melted many a sac using Noodlers and use only vintage (or new) Sheaffer Skrip, Waterman and Parker.

    No issues anymore
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    Default Re: What inks are safe for my Esterbrook J?

    I considered Noodlers for a couple of minutes.

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