Improving Ink Performance With White Lightning
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- In this video I improve the performance of Sailor Shikiori Yozakura in my Kaweco AL Sport (14k F) by adding a small amount of White Lightning to the ink.
White Lightning is an ink additive/lubricant that alters the surface tension of the ink and allowing it to flow more freely in the converter. I've also heard that liquid dish soap, like Dawn, can be used in place of the White Lightning.
White Lightning is made and sold by Vanness Pens.
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I found that adding the recommended amount (1 drop in 5-10 mL) was too much, and would make inks look like the bottom writing sample. I've been experimenting with extremely tiny amounts using only the very tip of a toothpick or glass pen, and it seems to be somewhat better but it's very hard to get the right amount.
This is one of my favorite Sailor inks but it's way too dry for flex nibs. If you add the same amount (tip of the toothpick) to an entire bottle, the ink will perform much better and you'll keep the shading. Now, you're making me want one of those brown Kawecos :)
Until this day, I had only heard things about white lightning, but no real/practical example. I thank you for going ahead and sharing your experience with us. It became a useful learning experience for me, that I can say for sure. I can't wait for your next video! Thanks again for sharing. :)
You're welcome Luís! It was a learning experience for me also. 😀
I find that if you add far less than recommended with White Lightning, the better. You can always add more.
That advice cannot be overstated! 😀
That is amazing that such a minute amount of the additive would make such a huge difference!
I knew it wouldn't take much, but it's still surprising how dramatic the effect is.
You can unscrew silver part of the converter and insert metal ball from platinum cartrige. It will break surface tension
That's good to know! I prefer the look of the ink in it's original form.
LOL... I actually did exactly that too to one of my Kaweco converters. They tend to get the ink stuck in surface tension. Nice trick.
Thank you for this video. After eying White Lightning for about a year, I decided to buy a bottle. I used the toothpick method to mix a bit in my Platinum converter with FWP Lady Rose, and it not only fixed the issues I had with that ink, it made it slightly darker (which I like in such a light ink). Next I think I'll try it with RO Cherry Blossom. Thank you again for your videos on the Vanness White Lightning product as well as the toothpick tip!
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. 😀
I came across this 2yr old review of Vanness White Lightning. Quite useful. I don't have any White Lightning because I'm quite new to this type of ink modification. I did use a very diluted Mix of Ajax Dish Detergent and H²O and then just a micro-droplet to a Nahvalur Pen. The difference was amazing, maybe even too amazing. A little goes a long way. The Nahvalur now writes like a champ, whereas prior it was a constant aggravation of running dry and skipping.
I'm glad I could help! I know what you mean about a little going a long way. After some trial and error I discovered that dipping the tip of a toothpick in the White Lightning then dipping it in a filled converter or cartridge usually does the trick. 😀
Now that was interesting! Very good tip! Thank you for posting!
You're welcome Nomad! It was interesting and fun. I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The toothpick idea is so clever! I’m going to try that.
The toothpick trick was suggested to me by someone in the comments. However they had suggested just dipping the tip of the toothpick. I didn't think that would be enough but it turned out they were right. 🤦
You have quite a scientific approach.
Thank you! 😀
Lovely demonstration! I'll have to get a bit when I get something from them.
I add a ball bearing to my converter when that happens. Amazon sells them in bags of various quantities for just a few dollars. Works quite well!
Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking about cutting open a couple cartridges and getting the little plastic beads out, but I don't think they're dense enough. Little bearings like those in the Pilot converters would be better, I think.
@@gadgetstop321 I think so, too. I bought the ball bearings to help mix a bottle of Rohrer & Klingner sketch ink, and the Pilot Con40 gave me the idea to try them in a converter. ☺️They’re handy, but I’d like to get some White Lightning to try sometime. Actually, I’d love to try many of the additives that Inky Rocks showcased recently. I imagine that I’ll become a mad scientist once I find a Drillog! 😂
@@apocalypse_frau I know what you mean! I'm eager to get a Drillog also, and I'd like to give some of that shimmer liquid from Tono & Lim's a try. 🤓
So, as Merl Haggard used to say, " White Lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all"?
Very informative, Mam. I found this problem is consistent with the lamy cartridges.
Now, I have avoided using them and only use the converter.
I'm not fond of Lamy cartridges either. Even when there's nothing wrong with the ink it wants to stick in the back of the cartridge.
Very interesting topic, just one drop made a big difference (with that bottle you have life time supply, LOL). I had the same flow issue with "Kaweco Pearl Black", so I changed it for the "Herbin Perle Noire". Great video as usual.
Thank you Juan. This stuff is powerful! Even after a lifetime of use, I don't think I'll have made a dent in it. I've been wanting to try Kaweco Palm Green, but I've heard that Kaweco inks tend to behave that way.
@@gadgetstop321 Yep, "Pearl Black" is a great black ink, but has flow issues. One question: maybe this product can remove Baystate Blue stains, I mean looks powerful, what do you think?. My poor Twsbi is tattooed in blue, I tried every home product I have with no success.
@@kickbillcom I don't know. I'll have to do some tests. In fact, that sounds like a good video: What will remove Baystate Blue stains?
@@gadgetstop321 Great idea!, I look forward to watching that video. The difficult part is remove the stains keeping the pen undamaged.
@@gadgetstop321 Update: I totally removed Baystate from my Twsbi using bleach gel cleaner (dipped just a few minutes). BTW, works great but, to be honest, I don't know if I would use this method with a more expensive pen.
Interesting demonstration. Thank you
You're welcome! 😀
Does it increase feathering?
Yes, White Lightning does increase feathering, so it must be used sparingly.
Sure it isn’t just dish soap? That’s what I use ....
Basically yes. I think it's the surfactant without any of the dyes or perfumes.
I read same is with dish soap
That's what I've heard also. 😀
Sorry for my english. another hack is adding the sa e little amou t but of glycerin Nowdays glycerin is cheap + easy to find: ecig smokers use it in diy liquids.
@@Benny_M_1922 This might be repackaged glycerin. 🤔
I add dish soap to make the flow better)
Lots of people have told me that they do the same thing. 😀
It is SO easy to accidentally overdo it on the white lightning.
I definitely overdid it. The ink doesn't look as good on the page, but at least it's more pleasant for journaling and the tiny converter will get used up quickly. 😀
@@gadgetstop321 I accidentally messed up a converter worth of ink to the point of nearly bleeding through Tomoe River 😱
From now on I'm going to just barely touch the tip of a syringe into the stuff and then fill using that syringe
@@nauci Be careful not to contaminate your bottle of ink. 🙏
@@gadgetstop321 I'm filling my converter from the ink bottle, then using a separate syringe to just barely touch the white lightning and do as you did in the video. It has worked alright but not perfect for fixing Lady Rose and Colorverse Supernatural.