Fountain pens are loved by many for their smooth writing and the luxurious feel they bring to the writing experience. However, sometimes fountain pen ink can have ink flow problems that make them too wet, this can cause smudging and bleed-through on paper. This can be frustrating, but fear not! We will explore some tips and tricks for what to do when fountain pen writing is too wet.
- Choose the Right Paper
- Adjust Your Writing Angle
- Use a Drier Ink
- Adjust Your Pen
- When fountain pen writing is too wet
Choose the Right Paper
The first step in addressing wet fountain pen writing is to make sure you are using the right paper. Not all paper is created equal, and some are better suited for fountain pen ink than others. Papers that are too absorbent or too smooth can cause ink to spread too much, making your writing appear mushy and blurry.
Look for papers that are specifically designed for fountain pens, such as Rhodia, Clairefontaine, or Tomoe River Paper. These papers have a higher quality and are often coated to prevent ink from bleeding through. Additionally, heavier weight paper can also help absorb excess ink and prevent smudging. Tomoe River Paper is particularly suited for fountain pen inks, as it shows off shading and sheening properties of inks.
If your favorite notebook just happens to have absorbent paper then look at Noodler's X-Feather line of inks. They are specially formulated to limit ink bleed on absorbent paper.
Adjust Your Writing Angle
Another way to address wet fountain pen writing is to adjust your writing angle. When writing with a fountain pen, depending on the shape and style of the nib, it is possible to adjust the ink flow depending on the angle at which you hold the pen. If your writing angle is too low, the ink may pool on the page, causing smudging and bleed-through.
Try holding your pen at a higher angle, around 45 degrees, and experiment with different angles until you find the sweet spot. This will help the ink flow smoothly and prevent excess ink from pooling on the page.
Use a Drier Ink
There are thousands of different fountain pen inks, and they are not at all the same. This is one of the joys of the fountain pen hobby, finding a unique ink that is the perfect color and works well with your pens. One of the differences between inks is how wet or dry they can be. If you find that your fountain pen is producing too much ink, try switching to a drier ink. Drier inks have a higher viscosity and produce less ink when writing, resulting in less smudging and bleed-through.
Some popular drier inks include Noodler's Black, Sailor Jentle, and Pelikan 4001. However, keep in mind that drier inks may require more pressure or a slower writing pace to flow smoothly.
Adjust Your Pen
Warning, only adjust your nib if you know what you are doing, or don't mind destroying your expensive fountain pen nib.
If none of the above solutions work, it may be time to adjust your pen, or even get a new pen. Fountain pens have a variety of nib sizes and styles, ranging from fine to broad, and some nibs produce more ink than others. If you find that your fountain pen is producing too much ink you can try to bend and adjust the nib yourself. However, you should not do this unless you are willing to destroy your nib.
It is far easier to replace an overly wet fountain pen buy buying another brand or model of fountain pen. I love Noodler's 54th Massachusetts ink but it is very wet and I can only use it in a dry pen. I use it most of the time in a Pilot Custom 74 with an Extra Fine nib size.
When fountain pen writing is too wet
Wet fountain pen writing can be frustrating, but there are several solutions to address the issue. By choosing the right paper, adjusting your writing angle, using a drier ink, or adjusting your pen, you can achieve smooth, beautiful writing with your fountain pen. If all else fails you can just buy more ink to find something the same color that's less wet.