Gradually getting closer to settling on my favourite inks

[blethenstrom]

Thank you. She's been going through a rough spell of late, so I hope it will brighten her day a little.

I'm glad to have this done, so I can start to feel more settled and content with my options. It took a while to feel that way with shaving gear, and already feel that way with my array of pens and paper (particularly Clairefontaine and the Parker IMs). It's nice to feel that whatever you choose from your line up, it will never be wrong.

I agree. I think fountain pens and inks are very much an YMMV area as well.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I agree. I think fountain pens and inks are very much an YMMV area as well.

Very much so. My preferences differ greatly to the prevailing online trends.

 

[blethenstrom]

Teal and Twilight, which are actually quite similar, are just a little too "moody" for my liking. Particularly the Twilight. They are ones I'm hoping to replace, preferably with something a bit "happier", albeit similarly coloured. All I've done so far, is put a colour spot on the caps, to make storing them in the drawer a little easier to work with.

View attachment 1636372

I haven't yet decided how to test them though. Put one of each group in a different pen to use them at the same time? Just use the same two pens for each colour (one bold nib, one fine nib) over and over? Just leave them in the drawer, and randomly use one at a time over the next year or so in whatever pen happens to be available? Not decided yet.

You did something to your ink bottles that inspired me. Putting labels on the lid and swabbing them. What a great idea! I did all my bottles last night. Did not take too long and now I can see a representation of the ink even if the bottle is in a drawer. Thank you most kind sir!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

You did something to your ink bottles that inspired me. Putting labels on the lid and swabbing them. What a great idea! I did all my bottles last night. Did not take too long and now I can see a representation of the ink even if the bottle is in a drawer. Thank you most kind sir!

You're quite welcome. It has made life easier, finding the ink I want.

I haven't done the Midnight yet, as there's currently only one 80ml bottle in the drawer. Also, keeping track of the others got even easier when I went from this...

... to this...

... and will continue to get simpler with time, as it dwindles down further to ten or so. Please excuse the lighting on that second pic.

 

[blethenstrom]

You're quite welcome. It has made life easier, finding the ink I want.

I haven't done the Midnight yet, as there's currently only one 80ml bottle in the drawer. Also, keeping track of the others got even easier when I went from this...

View attachment 1649145

... to this...

View attachment 1649148

... and will continue to get simpler with time, as it dwindles down further to ten or so. Please excuse the lighting on that second pic.

You are quite organized. I do have an ink journal that I swab and do writing tests with all my inks and that help tremendously. Now cutting down the number of inks I have ... well that is a hard thing. It would the most prudent and practical thing to do, but we will see. Also, now I have my wife in this fountain pen thing so she wanted some different inks as well. We will see what happens..