While plastic cartridges have been in circulation since the 1960s, bottled fountain pen ink is still widely acknowledged as the best buddy for fountain pens. In this article, you will discover valuable tips on how to purchase a bottled ink that’s the right match for your pen.

Fountain pens are a timeless piece of instrument that has been used by great writers and statesmen for hundreds of years. It’s the way to go in writing even at a time when the internet has slowly replaced the traditional form of communication. You can add fountain pens as a part of your cherished memorabilia.

But fountain pens are useless without a good ink in it. And bottled fountain pen ink has long been acknowledged to be the best ink there is. The last 40 years or so saw the mass production of plastic cartridges which some say are more handy and efficient in refilling fountain pen ink.

But bottled inks still remain to be the ink of preference among hardcore pen enthusiasts. It is classy and looks good beside a fountain pen. Bottled inks are also generally cheaper than plastic cartridges, not to mention it gives you a wide array of colors and hues to choose from.

Because fountain pen inks are usually dye-based, it is important that you choose an ink that has a very smooth, watery quality to it. Inks that have thick texture can clog the tiny passages of your pen. Stay away from Indian ink as it is incompatible with fountain pens because of its shellac content.

When shopping around for bottled inks, choose those that say non-corrosive in the label. This allows you to enjoy your fountain pen for many years to come without the danger of it giving way because of chemical reaction. Upon purchase, examine the quality of the ink and note if there are sediments present here and there. Tiny dirt and sediments will result to poor writing quality, plus it has the tendency to affect the narrow passages of the nib. If this was the case, consider other inks on your next purchase.

Many fountain pen users use trial and error method in determining which ink best suits their writing habits. Before checking out different available brands in the market, decide which color you prefer. The beauty about fountain pens is that they can be matched with many colors, depending on your taste. Once you have found a color you like, see if the quality of the ink makes for beautiful, thin lines in the paper.