Ink-redible

Rrishi Raote on the pen and ink alliance

Once upon a time, when schoolteachers wanted to teach children good handwriting, they would make sure the children got themselves fountain pens. This transition from erasable pencil to permanent ink used to be a coming-of-age moment akin to the change from short to long pants. As the school-leaving exams neared, however, children abandoned fountain pens in favour of ballpoints. And they stuck with ballpoints thereafter.

A few people — typically well along in their careers — escape this paradigm and return happily to ink. For them, the fountain pen is a statement of style and old-fashioned virtue.

Ink-lovers of this demographic are not taking chances with cheap and leaky fountain pens and cheap and dull inks. No, they take their writing implements seriously. A fine inkpen adds a certain flourish to a signature on a contract. But only true aficionados pay close attention to the ink itself.

Yes, the well-known pen manufacturers do sell their own inks. Caran d’Ache, Montblanc, Pelikan and Sheaffer all also sell ink, at prices up to Rs 1,000 for 30 ml (more than Rs 30,000 a litre). Some inkbottles are beautiful (Caran d’Ache), others are well-designed (Montblanc). There are companies that make just ink, such as US-based Noodler’s Ink, which prides itself on its pH-neutral and fraud-resistant inks. The pH level is a measure of how acidic or alkaline the ink is, which affects how it works on different kinds of paper and whether it corrodes the insides of the pen.

That’s just the tip of the technical iceberg. The world of ink is awhirl with information about how the chemicals in ink determine surface tension, viscosity and flow, colour and resistance to bacteria. Paper, atmospheric conditions (humidity) and the kind of nib you use all shape the experience.

And the colours! Not for these fine pens the drabness of black and blue. There are shades and shades of black. There are violets and browns, greys, oranges and beautiful greens. With good ink, even a pageful of text in a vibrant colour is not an unpleasant sight. Some knowledgeable users even mix different colours together to make their own personalised inks.

Which all goes to show: jettison the ballpoint, and you will stand apart.