I recently watched your Goulet Q&A ep. 100, and I just wanted to say something. I love your company. I got into fountain pens about a year ago, and recently into inks and paper. Whenever I order something from you guys, I get this feeling like its the week before Christmas. That feeling of knowing you're going to get something you're going to love, but time crawls because you're so excited. And when I get my order, it feels amazing. It doesn't feel like a company fulfilling an order, but rather a gift from a family member. The little tootsie pop and handwritten notes make it feel like I know you guys even when I don't. Thats what I love about Goulet. You feel like a family. I feel like I know you guys. And that makes ordering from Goulet such an amazing experience. You feel like a family. I love your company. -Abraham
I have a dedicated pen inked with Baystate Blue. The ink is absolutely vibrant and gorgeous....its unlike any other and NOTHING comes close to it. A Doctor in the hospital I work at got me hooked on this ink! 😍 Highly recommend.
Two years into the future, I can chime in because I did the same thing for the same reason. My dedicated pen is a Lamy AL-Star Aquatic with and extra-fine nib. (I've done the same thing with Noodler's Bullet Black.)
The answer is: there's no other ink like Baystate Blue, nothing gets even close to its "electric vibrancy and saturation", even smudged it's never pale or hollow.
Not waterproof? I have been using Baystate Blue for years and I have done water tests on every bottle that I have purchased and it has never even come close to washing out of basic printer paper. It doesn't bleed or feather at all. It's great ink!
Brian! You're making the chemical lab instructor in me cringe. If you are expecting a chemical reaction, don't seal the container! A lot of acid/base reactions outgas, which can pressurize the container. In the worst cases, it can even make container explode. Or if it heats up it could melt the plastic of your ink sample containers. D: That said I recognize the quantities and concentrations here are pretty safe, but still. I'd have yelled at my students for that one, so I had to at least say it.
baystate blue is my 'signature' color! I love wearing this shade, and LOVE the water resistant nature of the ink.. of course, I do only use it in a$20 konrad flex that I designated for this ink! ps-- I really like the smell too!!
I love BSB it is in my Décimo VP with EF nib and works perfectly. Of course it is the only ink in this pen. I label my test tubes with it and after placing them in a steam bath, the names are all there. No smearing no running away! Love this ink!!!
I'm in love with baystate blue it's my favorite blue ever fast drying water proof and doesn't smear when I put a highlighter on top of it every other ink I have smear when I put a highlighter on top baystate blue is my absolute favorite
I love Baystate Blue and have never subscribed to the "bad press" it gets online. :-) However, I do have a question. Why don't the other 2 Baystate colors ever get this much negativity aimed at them? Are they not as popular as the Blue one?
I use Sunlight dishwashing liquid (original formula) to clean the pen and also the stain of this ink on anything (dishwasher sink, finger etc.). It works really well.
Brian, your method is interesting and potentially useful, but you may wish to consider three changes likely to give better results. The problem is staining of surfaces and the potential for adverse reaction with subsequent inks. The solution is to remove not only the chemicals responsible for staining, but any other chemicals that may have adverse effect with inks used after Baystate Blue. You are taking three actions which may inhibit the desired result. First, you are not using ordinary bleach, but bleach intended for use on textiles. "Extra whitening" means the bleach company has added something to the bleach to enhance whitening of (most likely) cotton textiles. That extra-added-something may *not* be compatible with inks. My advice: 1. If you decide to use bleach, use ONLY ordinary bleach, not bleach with additives. Second, you noted incomplete stain removal after a few seconds of contact time. The time was likely a bit short, but the bigger issue is that you are not accounting for the likely low surface tension of Baystate Blue. Low surface tension means Baystate Blue will penetrate surfaces and especially microfissures that water, with its high surface tension, will simply not be able to access. Bleach does not appreciably decrease the surface tension of water. If you wish to get faster stain removal, 2. you will need to add something to decrease surface tension, and that something is a surfactant. Just put a very small drop of dishwashing liquid into the diluted bleach, stir, and you should see much faster bleaching. Don't use liquid laundry detergent or a whoopty-doo dish detergent with lots of chemical bells and whistles. Again, you want just the surfactant, not a lot of chemical additives that can react with the chemicals in inks. Finally, 3. I recommend you *NOT* use household bleach in any pen. In most European countries, you can't even purchase hypochlorite bleach. It's simply too corrosive. I recommend that you instead use dilute hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide is far less corrosive than hypochlorite, but is just as active against most colorants (dyes, pigments, etc.), so it should remove the staining just as well as hypochlorite, again only if you add that drop of dishwashing liquid. The problem with hypochlorite, and the reason it is such a terrific bleach, is that it will attack just about anything, and that means all metals, all elastomers (rubbbers, anything containing elastomeric resins, etc.), and many plastics. Just don't use it. Peroxide is weaker but is particularly effective against dyes. You've never heard of a 'hypochlorite blonde', but you have heard of a 'peroxide blonde'. If you treat your hair with hypochlorite, you're going to lose your hair. If you treat with peroxide, all you'll do is change the color of the hair. So why would you abuse your pens with hypochlorite? Don't do it. PM 2023
The possible acidic/basic neutralization reaction releases gasses so closing those tightly might not have been the best idea. Maybe leaving the lid a bit loose to allow gasses to escape so the vials don't build pressure might be a good idea. But absolutely, great entertainment, as well as very informative, as always.
OMG a beautiful ink!!!!!!!!! HOWEVER, per a reviewer, I diluted it with distilled water. Originally, this ink feathered like CRAZY! But, I used an empty ink bottle from Goulet and filled it to 3 ML. I added 1 ML of the distilled water. AND OMG! The ink performed on CHEAP copy paper with NO feathering. Obviously, the water not only retards feathering and bleed through but also keeps the nib from drying out so fast. I have it in a Pilot Metro EF point. My new go to Blue ink. That color is unmatched in my opinion. I just write to look at the color. On Rhodia paper, it really looks almost neon blue. I had to give my coworker a bottle of the “fixed” Baystate Blue. Oh, and please use an ink syringe. I can’t wait to try it in a medium nib.
@@ameliabuns4058 Nope. It did not. It kept that electric blue hue. I will try the xanthan gum. Thanks! Otherwise, it can be off to the races with feathering on some paper. But, that color is sooooooo awesome!
@@anthonykirkendhall4344 oh I live in iran so I can't try it, one day... does the feathering really go away with water? Also when trying xanthan, make a VERY diluded solution, then add barely less than a drop of that solution, try in a 2ml-5ml sample before doing it to the bottle. i'd not do it to an entire bottle for long term issues etc try it in a cheap pen for a while first :)
No lie, no joke, I'm literally sitting here with a bottle of J.Herbin ECLAT DE SAPHIR in front of me. It is an excellent blue ink. Seriously, with the J.Herbin you get a vibrant blue that dries the same shade as what you put on the paper. Not lighter. But the same shade. Very nice, and you simply don't hear the types of complaints with it that you hear about Baystate Blue.
I've only been using fountain pens for about 3 months... I got some of this ink in my first monthly box from Truphae. I wish it had come with a warning because I stained our brand new sink barely 2 months old. Took forever to get it clean.
My BSB feathers on all my papers, I use a fine nib with an adverage flowing Jinhao 51A which oddly ends up smelling of out of date tomato purée after a while with this ink. What can be done to prevent or otherwise reduce the feathering?
I purchased this pen as a total noobie because of the bright blue color and now I have a stained desk, stained sink and worst of all... it stained my brand new Monteverde invincia Deluxe.
Hi Brain, I currently use Sailor Kiwa-Guru Pigment black ink for my Neponset as it drys quickly and there is no feathering on cheap paper. Unfortunatley I have noted that nanopigments are unremovable from clothing, whether that is an actual stain or just a bit of smudge from inky hands. Can you recommend an alternative?
So, a fast drying black ink that's good on cheaper paper? Noodler's Take-Sumi is definitely my go-to option as it's really well-behaved. Noodler's Black is always a standard choice too. - Colin
Oh, yeah, sorry...Noodler's was on my mind when it comes to black inks! But yeah Take-Sumi would be the way to go because it isn't permanent like others are. It should wash out. - Colin
hows the feathering though when you lay down really thick lines with a flex nib? The one dry ink I have is Pelikan Brilliant Black, and even that one feathers slightly with the Neponset
I recently watched your Goulet Q&A ep. 100, and I just wanted to say something.
I love your company. I got into fountain pens about a year ago, and recently into inks and paper. Whenever I order something from you guys, I get this feeling like its the week before Christmas. That feeling of knowing you're going to get something you're going to love, but time crawls because you're so excited. And when I get my order, it feels amazing. It doesn't feel like a company fulfilling an order, but rather a gift from a family member. The little tootsie pop and handwritten notes make it feel like I know you guys even when I don't. Thats what I love about Goulet. You feel like a family. I feel like I know you guys. And that makes ordering from Goulet such an amazing experience. You feel like a family.
I love your company.
-Abraham
That's awesome to hear! Thanks so much for the support, write on! :) - Colin
😂❤🎉
I have a dedicated pen inked with Baystate Blue. The ink is absolutely vibrant and gorgeous....its unlike any other and NOTHING comes close to it. A Doctor in the hospital I work at got me hooked on this ink! 😍 Highly recommend.
Two years into the future, I can chime in because I did the same thing for the same reason. My dedicated pen is a Lamy AL-Star Aquatic with and extra-fine nib. (I've done the same thing with Noodler's Bullet Black.)
The answer is: there's no other ink like Baystate Blue, nothing gets even close to its "electric vibrancy and saturation", even smudged it's never pale or hollow.
To say that I love Baystate Blue would be an understatement. I love it for its vibrant colour!
I ask my sister to send it all the way to India!
Not waterproof? I have been using Baystate Blue for years and I have done water tests on every bottle that I have purchased and it has never even come close to washing out of basic printer paper. It doesn't bleed or feather at all. It's great ink!
Years later in 2022, I’m freaking out watching this video, bleach, wood desk, and no gloves. Good luck! I believe you.
"If you're using Baystate Blue, it's best to dedicate a pen to it."
Brian knew he was going to be talking about Baystate Blue, so he wore his Baystate Blue shirt, just in case....
I stained my sink the first time I cleaned out my pen with this ink.
James Floyd I make sure my Comet is close by at all times 😂
Brian! You're making the chemical lab instructor in me cringe. If you are expecting a chemical reaction, don't seal the container! A lot of acid/base reactions outgas, which can pressurize the container. In the worst cases, it can even make container explode. Or if it heats up it could melt the plastic of your ink sample containers. D:
That said I recognize the quantities and concentrations here are pretty safe, but still. I'd have yelled at my students for that one, so I had to at least say it.
Marzolan Terrigath holding 'em right up to his eyes too....
Then he pours his working solution back into the stock reagent bottle....
Next Week: Chemical Safety with Goulet Pen Co. XD
Thanks for the safety lesson! Luckily, Brian is a pen man and not a chemistry teacher. - Colin
Marzolan Terrigath chlorine is probably as basic as the ink. Between 11-14 ph
THANK YOU!!!
I just got my first bottle of Baystate Blue - STUNNING!
it really pops, doesn't it? -Brian
Baystate Blue, my go to blue ink. Absolutely stunning like no other blue.
I love this Ink even though I live in the Baystate...:)
Bay State Blue is my FAVE ink! I want to use it in all my pens! Can't say enough about this exquisite color! I don't care if it stains! Its worth it!
Well, I inked up one of my Noodlers Charlie pens with the stuff (ordered a little sample). I'm pleasantly surprised
baystate blue is my 'signature' color! I love wearing this shade, and LOVE the water resistant nature of the ink.. of course, I do only use it in a$20 konrad flex that I designated for this ink!
ps-- I really like the smell too!!
I love BSB it is in my Décimo VP with EF nib and works perfectly. Of course it is the only ink in this pen. I label my test tubes with it and after placing them in a steam bath, the names are all there. No smearing no running away! Love this ink!!!
I'm in love with baystate blue it's my favorite blue ever fast drying water proof and doesn't smear when I put a highlighter on top of it every other ink I have smear when I put a highlighter on top baystate blue is my absolute favorite
Liberty Elysium is pretty blue actually.
I love Baystate Blue and have never subscribed to the "bad press" it gets online. :-) However, I do have a question. Why don't the other 2 Baystate colors ever get this much negativity aimed at them? Are they not as popular as the Blue one?
Yeah pretty much. Blue is much more popular than purple & pink (grape/cranberry). All the same properties, really vibrant inks. - Colin
You know noodlers is working their way to introducing radium ink. They'll probably call it Los Alamos Green or something.
I use Sunlight dishwashing liquid (original formula) to clean the pen and also the stain of this ink on anything (dishwasher sink, finger etc.). It works really well.
Brian, your method is interesting and potentially useful, but you may wish to consider three changes likely to give better results. The problem is staining of surfaces and the potential for adverse reaction with subsequent inks. The solution is to remove not only the chemicals responsible for staining, but any other chemicals that may have adverse effect with inks used after Baystate Blue. You are taking three actions which may inhibit the desired result. First, you are not using ordinary bleach, but bleach intended for use on textiles. "Extra whitening" means the bleach company has added something to the bleach to enhance whitening of (most likely) cotton textiles. That extra-added-something may *not* be compatible with inks. My advice: 1. If you decide to use bleach, use ONLY ordinary bleach, not bleach with additives. Second, you noted incomplete stain removal after a few seconds of contact time. The time was likely a bit short, but the bigger issue is that you are not accounting for the likely low surface tension of Baystate Blue. Low surface tension means Baystate Blue will penetrate surfaces and especially microfissures that water, with its high surface tension, will simply not be able to access. Bleach does not appreciably decrease the surface tension of water. If you wish to get faster stain removal, 2. you will need to add something to decrease surface tension, and that something is a surfactant. Just put a very small drop of dishwashing liquid into the diluted bleach, stir, and you should see much faster bleaching. Don't use liquid laundry detergent or a whoopty-doo dish detergent with lots of chemical bells and whistles. Again, you want just the surfactant, not a lot of chemical additives that can react with the chemicals in inks. Finally, 3. I recommend you *NOT* use household bleach in any pen. In most European countries, you can't even purchase hypochlorite bleach. It's simply too corrosive. I recommend that you instead use dilute hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide is far less corrosive than hypochlorite, but is just as active against most colorants (dyes, pigments, etc.), so it should remove the staining just as well as hypochlorite, again only if you add that drop of dishwashing liquid. The problem with hypochlorite, and the reason it is such a terrific bleach, is that it will attack just about anything, and that means all metals, all elastomers (rubbbers, anything containing elastomeric resins, etc.), and many plastics. Just don't use it. Peroxide is weaker but is particularly effective against dyes. You've never heard of a 'hypochlorite blonde', but you have heard of a 'peroxide blonde'. If you treat your hair with hypochlorite, you're going to lose your hair. If you treat with peroxide, all you'll do is change the color of the hair. So why would you abuse your pens with hypochlorite? Don't do it. PM 2023
I love the BS Blue. I resisted buying it because of the controversy, but I bought it. I've always been on the side of the underdog.
My bottle of Baystate Blue was the only one that shattered on my office carpet when my son pulled over my ink shelf. q_q
I like to draw with Bay State Blue because of its lack of shading. You can put down a large area pretty evenly; two coats and it is very even.
I dedicated a Pilot Plumix to this ink. $10 pen that writes beautiful lines. It's been good. It also tames the gushing flow of the baystate.
The possible acidic/basic neutralization reaction releases gasses so closing those tightly might not have been the best idea. Maybe leaving the lid a bit loose to allow gasses to escape so the vials don't build pressure might be a good idea. But absolutely, great entertainment, as well as very informative, as always.
Baystate blue is legendary
Ancient copper is my fav ink right now. Currently in my twsbi Precision.
OMG a beautiful ink!!!!!!!!! HOWEVER, per a reviewer, I diluted it with distilled water. Originally, this ink feathered like CRAZY! But, I used an empty ink bottle from Goulet and filled it to 3 ML. I added 1 ML of the distilled water. AND OMG! The ink performed on CHEAP copy paper with NO feathering. Obviously, the water not only retards feathering and bleed through but also keeps the nib from drying out so fast. I have it in a Pilot Metro EF point. My new go to Blue ink. That color is unmatched in my opinion. I just write to look at the color. On Rhodia paper, it really looks almost neon blue. I had to give my coworker a bottle of the “fixed” Baystate Blue. Oh, and please use an ink syringe. I can’t wait to try it in a medium nib.
Did the water make the color different?
I heard xanthan can help with feathering. Obviously the tiniest tiniest amount
@@ameliabuns4058 Nope. It did not. It kept that electric blue hue. I will try the xanthan gum. Thanks! Otherwise, it can be off to the races with feathering on some paper. But, that color is sooooooo awesome!
@@anthonykirkendhall4344 oh I live in iran so I can't try it, one day... does the feathering really go away with water?
Also when trying xanthan, make a VERY diluded solution, then add barely less than a drop of that solution, try in a 2ml-5ml sample before doing it to the bottle. i'd not do it to an entire bottle for long term issues etc
try it in a cheap pen for a while first :)
I bought a jinhao x750 specifically to delicate to this ink.
No lie, no joke, I'm literally sitting here with a bottle of J.Herbin ECLAT DE SAPHIR in front of me. It is an excellent blue ink. Seriously, with the J.Herbin you get a vibrant blue that dries the same shade as what you put on the paper. Not lighter. But the same shade. Very nice, and you simply don't hear the types of complaints with it that you hear about Baystate Blue.
I've only been using fountain pens for about 3 months... I got some of this ink in my first monthly box from Truphae. I wish it had come with a warning because I stained our brand new sink barely 2 months old. Took forever to get it clean.
I really enjoy BSB the color is amazing. I have it dedicated to a pilot metropolitan with a medium nib.
same!
Currently I have BSB in a Preppy, but I'm thinking about what nicer pen to put it in. Probably somethinig opaque like my Karas Fountain K.
Is it safe to use Baystate Blue on TWSBI Eco ?
Yes, definitely safe to use. Just be sure to clean it out pretty regularly, maybe every 10 days or so? - Colin
This blue is so blue that even if you try to thin it out with water.....still super blue
I just got a lamy studio and dedicated it to this ink.
I really like the smell of BSB too
Why don't people have the same comments about baystate cranberry or the purple one?
I think it's because they are just less popular. Everyone gravitates towards the blue, or at least tries that color first. - Colin
Oh I love me some Baystate Concord Grape!
I have it inked in a pen next to me right now.
You should make an overview of the Lamy lx
We do have a Quick Look video of the LX: ua-cam.com/video/LWS2cDq2lxI/v-deo.html - Colin
My BSB feathers on all my papers, I use a fine nib with an adverage flowing Jinhao 51A which oddly ends up smelling of out of date tomato purée after a while with this ink. What can be done to prevent or otherwise reduce the feathering?
Ooh the cap is an eye dropper? That's soooo coop every bottle should be like that xD
I purchased this pen as a total noobie because of the bright blue color and now I have a stained desk, stained sink and worst of all... it stained my brand new Monteverde invincia Deluxe.
Did the bleach work?
I like Noodler’s Legal Blue
I stay away from BSB too! :)
Hi Brain,
I currently use Sailor Kiwa-Guru Pigment black ink for my Neponset as it drys quickly and there is no feathering on cheap paper. Unfortunatley I have noted that nanopigments are unremovable from clothing, whether that is an actual stain or just a bit of smudge from inky hands. Can you recommend an alternative?
So, a fast drying black ink that's good on cheaper paper? Noodler's Take-Sumi is definitely my go-to option as it's really well-behaved. Noodler's Black is always a standard choice too. - Colin
the aim is to have stains in your shirts etc which actually wash out. do you mean Pilot Take Sumi?
Oh, yeah, sorry...Noodler's was on my mind when it comes to black inks! But yeah Take-Sumi would be the way to go because it isn't permanent like others are. It should wash out. - Colin
hows the feathering though when you lay down really thick lines with a flex nib? The one dry ink I have is Pelikan Brilliant Black, and even that one feathers slightly with the Neponset
What the Hell is Noodler's Red Lined Inks?! What was your part in this?!
I feel like you posted this video a few weeks/months back
These videos are slices from our weekly Q&A episodes. This was from episode 164 in mid-April. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company ah I was feeling some serious dejavu
The Goulet Pen Company These slices are super helpful. Thank you!
If you want the same color profile use Kon Peki. Yes, it does cost more but, you will thank yourself later.
Where are your safety glasses? 😜
Keep Baystate blue in my VP
Brian: You can't color mix
Me: Whaaaaat?
Brian shows why you can't mix
Me: THAT INK IS THE DEVIL!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!
This ink is a meme. Overpriced and not even good.