Even though students and artists have used India ink for more than a century, most people don’t know much about it. This ink is not just for artists and other creative types. It is a water-based deep black ink that does not fade quickly. You might wonder: Can I use India ink in a fountain pen?
You can’t use India ink in a common fountain pen. The ink contains ingredients that will damage or clog up your pen. To my knowledge, there is only one brand that makes a fountain pen that especially suitable for Indian ink.
Let’s dive deeper into why and why not, and some alternatives.
Why Can’t You Use India Ink In a Fountain Pen?
Whether you can use India ink in a fountain pen is a common question, and the short answer is no. India ink is a water-based dye, which requires a water-based medium to be visible. While it is possible to use a water-based dye in a fountain pen, it is not advisable. The water is for diluting the ink so that it flows better. If you try to write with it straight out of the bottle, you’ll have a hard time making a mark. At the same time, the water can corrode your pen.
India ink is a pigment. That means that instead of flowing like water, it can clump together like paint. Imagine the ink pigment clumping together in your pen, it will clog up, and you will have a hard time cleaning it.
For What Can You Use India Ink?
India Ink is a thick black ink that doesn’t quickly fade. Its pigment is made from the soot of vegetable oil and is non-toxic.
One of India’s most popular uses is calligraphy, where it is used to write Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language characters.
Another use for Inda ink is pen drawings.
Alternatives To India Ink For Fountain Pens
When you use a pen, you don’t want to waste time fussing with cartridges and other complicated devices that cost you more time and money. That’s why many people prefer fountain pens. They are more affordable and more convenient. When you write with a fountain pen, you add ink to the water-based barrel, and you’re good to go. However, not all fountain pens use the same type of ink. There are many ink alternatives to India ink that can be just as good.
One commonly suggested alternative to India ink is Noodler’s Bullet Proof Black. It’s an excellent choice for fountain pen users, as it’s a waterproof ink that won’t feather or bleed through the page. In addition to being waterproof, it’s also lightfast, meaning it will maintain its actual color over time. Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi is another excellent black ink alternative to Inda ink, and it gets its color from Bamboo Charcoal.
Like most of the other fountain pen inks listed here, they come in a wide variety of different colors.
But it is not the only option. There are many different permanent ink colors available that can be used in fountain pens.
Why Would You Want To Use It In a Fountain Pen?
There are many reasons why you may want to use India ink in a fountain pen. The rich, dark color makes it easy to create bold and beautiful artworks. If you combine this with the ease of use of a fountain pen compared to a dipping pen, it is understandable that many would want to use India ink in a fountain pen.
But it’s important to remember that not all links are created equal. India inks can clog the delicate inner workings of your pen.
How To Use India Ink In A Fountain Pen
If you still want to use Inda ink in a fountain pen, you have to take a few steps to make it work. From the bottle, India ink is a very thick ink. Luckily, the ink is water-based, so that you can dilute it a bit with a little water. This way, the ink will flow a lot better.
After you use the pen, it is best not to let the ink sit in your pen. Cleaning it thoroughly is essential for the longevity of the pen. To prevent the water-based ink from corroding your pen, make sure to dry it well after washing.
A fountain pen especially made to use Indian ink
like we discused in this article, there can be many problems when using indian ink in a fountain pen. For that reason Kickstarter has a project where they designed a fountain pen specialy to be able to use India ink. The name of the pen is the IndiGraph Fountain Pen
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It has a cap that keeps the nib moist, allows the use of any ink, from regular to Indian ink. Because the special cap keeps the nib moist, the ink will not dry and therefor not clog up the pen. A clogged up pen with Indian ink is verry difficult to clean.
Tips to Help India Ink Flow Easier
Ink flow is affected by your pen’s nib size, paper quality and ink properties. The easiest way to make India ikk flow better is to dillute it with a little water.
How do you remove India ink from a fountain pen?
Here are some tips to clean India ink off your fountain pen. Most calligraphy inks are shellac-based, which must be cleaned by denatured alcohol (which may damage your pen). Make sure your pen is properly dry after you have cleaned it. What you have to remember is these inks contain ingredients that will clog or even damage your pens by corroding some internal mechanisms, you might have to clean your pen more than once to get all the ingredients out.
For thorough cleaning, you can use an ultrasonic cleaner. Dried India ink is very hard to clean from your pen, remember not to wait till it’s all died up, and clean your pen if you are not planning to use it the next day.