(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her first novel, The Bone Weaver’s Orchard, now available where books are sold!)
Have you ever lost some important writing to a tea spill? Or a water bottle leak? It happens, and it's the worst. I've had a few instances where I needed a truly waterproof ink for a task, but I've always been a bit wary of putting them in my pens. So many carry warnings of stains, clogs, or even pen damage. But I have heard good things about the Platinum Pigment inks, so I gave this lovely Brun Sepia a try.
I filled my Pelikan M205 and started scribbling. I noticed that the ink in the bottle is opaque and doesn't have the transparent quality of non-pigment inks. The bottle is nice. Blown glass in a sturdy shape that's practical for filling pens. It comes with its own internal inkwell that is designed to make the pen easier to fill when the ink level gets low. It's like a wee plastic wine glass that sits in the bottle. When you flip the bottle upside down (with the lid on, of course), then right it, the small cup will fill with ink, and you can fill your pen from the smaller cup. It's a nice feature.
The ink flows well when writing, though it is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes it feels like it's dry, with a fainter line, then it gushes a bit and makes darker patches. It looks pretty--like extra shading--but it feels like a behavior issue. And despite the fact that it sometimes feels dry, it's not. In fact, this is one of the longest dry times I've counted out for any ink. It was a full 40 seconds before it was mostly dry, and even then it smudged.
However, once it is dry, it is completely water resistant. I did a drip test, and you'll just have to take my word for it that I did drip water on the ink grid, because not a bit of it moved. I also couldn't really do any kind of chromatography, because I just got a wet line of ink. If this ink's number one job is to be impervious to water--it wins.
The ink's color is also nice, though nothing amazing. It's a cozy brown, simple enough to be professional, but fun enough to not be boring. I love the old-timey feel of brown inks, and this one doesn't disappoint. It also isn't very similar to anything else in my collection of browns. The closest relative is Montblanc Toffee Brown, but while their swabs look similar, they are completely different in writing. This brown is almost rosy. It's actually the exact color of a Chilean Rose Tarantula…which may not be an endearing comparison for most folks, but it helps to highlight my point that it is a subtly interesting color.
Overall, I like this ink, and it does its job well. It has a few faults, namely the dry time, but I feel that's a fair trade for the qualities you do get. It's certainly not going to be an everyday ink for me, but it's the perfect tool for when you need it. Going on a writing hike? Camping? On a deadline with your notebook surrounded by half-forgotten cups of coffee perched precariously close to your work? Definitely time for permanent ink.
Also: My pen has not suffered any ill effects at all. I'll update if it does over a longer period of time, but so far I have zero concerns.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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