Akkerman seriously has one of the nicest bottle designs I've ever seen. I'm sure the ink itself is fantastic, but I would love to be able to buy empties so that I can just decant every ink I use into them.
This video caused a lightbulb moment for me, for which I thank you! I have two older Parker ink bottles that are wide and flat with a fair amount of ink ink them. I could tell that there was "something " in the bottles that channeled ink somehow. Your video suggested to me to get into them, clean the necks, and poke about. I discovered that there are plastic inserts with slots near the top that channels ink into a well for filling. I hadn't thought about this as an option until I saw the variety of options you shared here. Thanks for the illumination!
Hello Brian! Visconti ink bottle are really effective. The classic ones just have a "narrow bottom" design, but they also have one (inkwell) with a double cavity, where you fill the small, narrow one on the top form the larger bottom one. I find them less pretty than the simpler ones, but definitely more stable, it's what I currently have on my office desktop.
Back in the 20th century, the "Skrips" brand ink bottle had a lip well molded in the side of the bottle and the bottle was made of glass. I used to see these empty in thrift shops but no more.
Goulet Pens now sells 3 Oysters ink (November 2018). The 3 Oysters 38ml bottle is beveled at one corner, and will stand on that corner when tipped. I will be able to reach directly into the bottle's corner with a pen nib, or even with an ink syringe. (The blowtorch probably won't fit.) ;)
I have a Ink Miser Ink-Shot and it's a major help to me! Heck, I don't even wait for the ink to run low in the bottle to use this thing. I got the clear one so it was easier for me to see if there was any ink left in it for cleaning purposes. As long as I've had it, it's been through every pen filling I've done.
I have two interesting ink bottles from yesteryear, which I have sterilized and use for modern inks. One is a Pelikan, simlilar to the MontBlanc bottle Brian showed, which came initially filled with India ink(not for fountain pens, I know). It's best for a dip pen, but I wrangled it for my Noodler's Polar Black and it does pretty well. It's difficult to tip it over when I'm filling. The other, which I like best, is a Sheaffer Skrip Ink bottle It is barrel-shaped, and has an internal well near the top; it is filled by tipping the bottle.
Why not just fill using the ink syringe? Less ink wasted and less of a mess too. For example I remove the used up converter and fill a clean converter using the syringe. Any excess ink is then put back in the bottle leaving a simple cleanup of the emptied converter and the syringe. This avoids the hassle and mess of filling a pen by dipping in a bottle.
In the beginning of the video when Brian is rummaging around looking for an ink syringe, is that a butane creme brulee torch he picks up? If so, how would you use one of those for fountain pen maintenance?!
The Goulet Pen Company Oops, I still didn't know 'well that matters' 😂 coz didn't get closer to empty em. Started from 2 months and became fan of fountain pens. So didn't have an idea about low level Filling.
I think Diamine Marine is the better true turquoise color. That said, Noodler's Turquoise can have some red sheen with the right nib/paper combo if you're interested in that! - Colin
Definitely not Sailor. I couldn't even fill my pens due to that "ink cup". It's almost impossible to submerge the nib under the ink level in the cup. I threw away all the plastic cups in my ink bottles.
I haven't actually filled from a Sailor bottle since we don't carry them, but looking at the pictures online, seems like a really difficult bottle to get every last drop! - Colin
Oh interesting! I think we're going with Miser because that's how it's spelled, but we could be wrong! Mixer spelled Miser doesn't make much sense to me though. - Colin
Pouring old ink into new ink bottles is like pouring new wine into old wineskins. The old ink may be and probably is contaminated with mold and bacteria from being open, which has had time to grow. Pouring old ink into new ink is making the new ink old. If you have a insulin dependent diabetic friend, you can get syringes from him. I think you can also just go in and buy syringes with out an RX. If you refill inkjet cartridges, you can use the tools they give you for ink refills. Also as the ink starts getting low. I add water to the ink ( since it is open it is drying out a bit). There is a trick though. If you add distilled water the ink gets dryer. I keep a small bottle of water where I add a very small amount of detergent or liquid soap. Get it right and you don't change the wtness of the ink. Warning, too much soap will cause the ink to literally run out of your pen.
Akkerman seriously has one of the nicest bottle designs I've ever seen. I'm sure the ink itself is fantastic, but I would love to be able to buy empties so that I can just decant every ink I use into them.
Yeah, definitely! Reminds me of a syrup bottle sometimes though. :) - Colin
This video caused a lightbulb moment for me, for which I thank you! I have two older Parker ink bottles that are wide and flat with a fair amount of ink ink them. I could tell that there was "something " in the bottles that channeled ink somehow. Your video suggested to me to get into them, clean the necks, and poke about. I discovered that there are plastic inserts with slots near the top that channels ink into a well for filling. I hadn't thought about this as an option until I saw the variety of options you shared here. Thanks for the illumination!
Glad to hear that, write on! - Colin
Thank you very much for showing all those bottles, especially because you even included some that your company does not sell. Great video.
Hello Brian! Visconti ink bottle are really effective. The classic ones just have a "narrow bottom" design, but they also have one (inkwell) with a double cavity, where you fill the small, narrow one on the top form the larger bottom one. I find them less pretty than the simpler ones, but definitely more stable, it's what I currently have on my office desktop.
Back in the 20th century, the "Skrips" brand ink bottle had a lip well molded in the side of the bottle and the bottle was made of glass. I used to see these empty in thrift shops but no more.
Great video. Very interesting. This kind of information never goes out of style...at least not during my lifetime. Thanks.
Goulet Pens now sells 3 Oysters ink (November 2018).
The 3 Oysters 38ml bottle is beveled at one corner, and will stand on that corner when tipped. I will be able to reach directly into the bottle's corner with a pen nib, or even with an ink syringe. (The blowtorch probably won't fit.) ;)
Great inclusion. Cool glass bottle that's easy to fill from, checks a lot of boxes! - Colin
I have a Ink Miser Ink-Shot and it's a major help to me! Heck, I don't even wait for the ink to run low in the bottle to use this thing. I got the clear one so it was easier for me to see if there was any ink left in it for cleaning purposes. As long as I've had it, it's been through every pen filling I've done.
Waterman does pretty well because the way the bottle is you have to move it when it gets low :)
I have two interesting ink bottles from yesteryear, which I have sterilized and use for modern inks.
One is a Pelikan, simlilar to the MontBlanc bottle Brian showed, which came initially filled with India ink(not for fountain pens, I know). It's best for a dip pen, but I wrangled it for my Noodler's Polar Black and it does pretty well. It's difficult to tip it over when I'm filling.
The other, which I like best, is a Sheaffer Skrip Ink bottle It is barrel-shaped, and has an internal well near the top; it is filled by tipping the bottle.
I have been known to keep an eye out at antique stores specifically for those Sheaffer Skrip bottles. They are awesome!
You didn't mention the Namiki bottles which have a little well inside where the ink collects. Namiki Blue is my favourite ink.
Why show us a Lamy dark lilac!? :(
Jeffrey Episcopo To flex on us
Why not just fill using the ink syringe? Less ink wasted and less of a mess too. For example I remove the used up converter and fill a clean converter using the syringe. Any excess ink is then put back in the bottle leaving a simple cleanup of the emptied converter and the syringe. This avoids the hassle and mess of filling a pen by dipping in a bottle.
In the beginning of the video when Brian is rummaging around looking for an ink syringe, is that a butane creme brulee torch he picks up? If so, how would you use one of those for fountain pen maintenance?!
It's some sort of Butane torch, but used for wax seals rather than sugary desserts! - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Ahhhh! I just use a candle for my wax seals. I own a torch and must give it a try. Thanks!
Do Check the krishnaink S series Pakeezah bottle. It's unique as well
P.W. Akkerman bottles are pretty dang good ones.
Are your guys' site down? I cant seem to reach it I keep getting a message saying "This page isnt working"
Yeah, we had some site issues yesterday afternoon in through the night. Should be working better now! Sorry about that. - Colin
Wow❤❤
No Iroshizuku? 🤔
4:50
what do you mean by low level filling?
When the ink is really low in the bottle, which bottle is easiest/best to get all of the remaining ink out when filling. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Oops, I still didn't know 'well that matters' 😂 coz didn't get closer to empty em. Started from 2 months and became fan of fountain pens. So didn't have an idea about low level Filling.
Noodler's Turquoise vs Diamine Marine ? Which one's a deeper and better Turquoise ??
I think Diamine Marine is the better true turquoise color. That said, Noodler's Turquoise can have some red sheen with the right nib/paper combo if you're interested in that! - Colin
Definitely not Sailor. I couldn't even fill my pens due to that "ink cup". It's almost impossible to submerge the nib under the ink level in the cup. I threw away all the plastic cups in my ink bottles.
I haven't actually filled from a Sailor bottle since we don't carry them, but looking at the pictures online, seems like a really difficult bottle to get every last drop! - Colin
Jason Tay yeah, the cup is terrible, in top of the bottles being so shallow. But those are some mighty fine inks. Totally worth the effort.
Agreed. Apart from that cup issue, the ink itself is really great and well behaved. One of my favourites
I always thought it was called Mix-er not 'miser' i need to update my pronounciation
Oh interesting! I think we're going with Miser because that's how it's spelled, but we could be wrong! Mixer spelled Miser doesn't make much sense to me though. - Colin
Pouring old ink into new ink bottles is like pouring new wine into old wineskins. The old ink may be and probably is contaminated with mold and bacteria from being open, which has had time to grow. Pouring old ink into new ink is making the new ink old.
If you have a insulin dependent diabetic friend, you can get syringes from him. I think you can also just go in and buy syringes with out an RX. If you refill inkjet cartridges, you can use the tools they give you for ink refills.
Also as the ink starts getting low. I add water to the ink ( since it is open it is drying out a bit). There is a trick though. If you add distilled water the ink gets dryer. I keep a small bottle of water where I add a very small amount of detergent or liquid soap. Get it right and you don't change the wtness of the ink. Warning, too much soap will cause the ink to literally run out of your pen.