Inkcylopedia Baystate blue

[@jerryrhodes850]

Stephen, I know this is an older topic, but I thought I would offer you this info on Baystate Blue based on about 3 years of continual use. I have used this ink in ALMOST ALL of my pens. The only ones I refrain from using it in are piston fillers that can not be easily disassembled, MB x4x s for example. I have used it with stainless, GP, 14KT and !8KT nibs without any sign of damage. I have used it with both plastic and ebonite feeds and have observed no ill effects from its use. Though it does stain plastic, a mild bleach solution has never failed to remove it. DO NOT leave metal parts soaking in chlorine bleach, as it is corrosive and be sure to rinse parts well after cleaning!!! Alcohol removes Baystate Blue. DO NOT put alcohol on celluloid!!! Most hand cleaners will remove this ink as will many gel hand sanitizers. I would say Baystate Blue is not a novice ink, a beginner into fountain pens should probably stick to Pelikan 4001 or Waterman serenity until they become accustomed to cleaning and maintaining their pens but it is a spoiler because once you start to use this ink, other blues just seem to fall short. I have written with nothing but fountain pens for over a half a century now and Noodlers Baystate Blue is the most impressive blue ink I have ever used and I keep at least 2 pens inked with it all the time. I have the nibs and feeds in them adjusted to this ink and it stays in them 24/7. I have used it in at least 30 or 40 different pens ranging in cost from the inexpensive to the insane, without any damage at all. Yes, Baystate Blue is a higher maintenance ink, but for me personally, it is worth it!!!

[@urwholefamilydied]

I'm new to the whole fountain pen game... just bought a kind of pricey pen (well, for me at least). I LOVE Baystate Blue from what I can tell on youtube... but maybe as a beginner I'll stay away for now. Your Pelikan recommendation sounds good (and then pen I bought is a Pelikan). Thanks for the heads up. Any other advice or info would be welcomed!! Thanks!

[@idebk]

Stephen & Jerry,thank u very much as ur reviews/comments are a lot of help actually. I am a die hard BSB fan & like Jerry mentioned,used it only on cartridge converters,even with the more expensive pens. Yes, BSB is the Golden Standard of other blue inks & the closest I feel is Herbin's Eclat De Sephir. Thank u again Stephen,as always ur to the point & less bulls**t & I look forward to ur reviews ! Stay safe guys !

[@bad-girlbex3791]

I absolutely LOVE this ink! Yes it can stain some stuff, but who cares when you're getting such a beautifully vibrant electric blue like this? There really is not other ink out there that even comes close. To be on the safe side, when I first wanted to try it, I purchased a couple of sample vials from Goulet Pens, just in case it turned out to be a no-no (being in Britain, I didn't want to waste all that money on postage, only to have to write a whole bottle off). I decided to use it in my Lamy Vista, so that I could get the most out of the deep hue and almost instantly fell in love with it. It has stained the feed area a little bit, but I don't care, because I've dedicated this pen to being purely for this colour from now on. It does bleed through a little on some paper, but I can live with that. It doesn't on the Rhodia Webnotebook which is ok and when I use it in my Leuchtturm journal, I just glue a couple of pages together for the length of that particular entry and that doesn't bother me at all. I'm a fan of a lot of the Noodlers inks. My two other favourites are Blue Nose Bear and Pasternak. BNB is also notoriously badly behaved, but if you're a fan of fountain pens, inks and stationery, you'll know how and when to use such an ink. It too is an adorable shade; sea green with a deep turquoise blue halo. Pasternak is a lovely dusky lilac/grey. It can clog up a pen if left in there for long periods of time, but I really like the smokey purple shade. Oh and like everyone else, I have their Bulletproof Black, which does exactly what it says on the tin! A proper deep, true black, almost no ghosting and with superior permanence. Yes some Noodlers inks CAN be temperamental, but they were designed by a guy who is really passionate about trying to offer as much variety and saturation of colour in his ink range. He understands the mechanics of fountain pens and I would suggest that these inks be approached with caution by those who are already familiar with the ins and outs of fountain pens and inks. With enough experimentation and vigilance, you can get great use out of their inks and really enjoy the colours. And of course, take full advantage of the ink sample service that Goulet Pens offer first and load it up in a cheap pen to begin with, if you want to be able to get a feel for any ink, before committing. Great comprehensive video by the way, keep up the good work! Bex

[@christiangonzalez6945]

Bad Girl I actually enjoyed reading this

[@paprile57]

See...this is why I ask you this stuff. You always have some extremely useful tidbit of information. Bravo Stephen. Keep up the good work!

[@erikaserika]

Nearly 6 years on, Toccata and Fugue still plays in my head every time I hear mention of Baystate Blue.

[@FromSagansStardust]

It's the Dragnet theme for me!

[@Jerry000g]

Today I cleaned a 18kt 149, a duofold, 2 51s and a few vintage ebonite eyedroppers that have had Baystate Blue in them exclusively for a year or more. Outside of some staining of sacs and converter that I had to use a mild bleach solution to remove, I have observed no ill effects at all. I have used nothing but Noodlers waterproof inks for years and Baystate Blue is the only blue ink I use now.

[@FUBAR956]

As a lefty the dry time is probably the main reason I love Baystate Blue.

[@Wen-ve8nx]

The accent at the beginning sounds more like south Philadelphia than Massachusetts. I pretty much agree with you abut this ink. It's a splendid blue! I do not limit myself to pens worth less than $20, but I have aside a rather nice $120 pen for exclusive Baystate Blue duty. In that I never plan to use this blue with any other ink, it is hard for me to be disappointed.

[@maryriley6163]

You really write beautifully. Thank you for this video. I just tried Baystate Blue today in my Pilot Metropolitan with fine nib. It is beautiful blue ink and worked well thus far. I don't anticipate any problems, but if it actually harms the pen, I will buy another till I find a compatible pen because I love this ink.

[@jakebeard2462]

Thanks for that, hmm, another excuse to go to the pen shop! Love your videos.

[@KL005]

Is bleach solution safe to use in an Ahab?

[@Derekuda2012]

Yes. One part bleach, 10 parts water.

[@LarenOz]

I love BSB, it is my favourite ink by far. However, I use a Lamy Safari as my daily writer and I can't use BSB in any of them (I have several). I had two feeds basically disintegrate when I had BSB in it. The wings that hold the nib onto the feed just fell off. No problem with any other Noodler's ink, just this one. It made me cry, not because it wrecked the pen but because it means I can't use it as much!! I've also had staining issues but that really isn't big issue for me. So I'm now using the BSB in my Cross Affinity. No problems so far.

[@stampedinhisimage1]

I bought all three Noodler's Bay State colors in bottles so I was determined to make them work. I have been delighted with the vibrant colors. I decided to play and mix just the colors among themselves and wouldn't you know I dropped a vial onto my linoleum floor and was horrified as I am a renter and the bleach water was only spreading the mess. I decided to get out the Comet cleanser and try it. It worked like a miracle!!! My clothes were ruined but not my floor! I still love the inks. I even bought a class pen so I could use it just once in a while and not have to worry about cleaning the pen. I left the ink in the free pen that it came with and almost didn't get the nib off the feed; it took what seemed forever. I haven't gotten the residue totally out of the pen. I will use these inks with caution but don't regret buying them in the bottle.

[@justyclacky]

I just got my first bottle of Baystate Blue - STUNNING!

[@EastLancashireJohn]

Hello Stephen, a couple of days using BSB and I love it! The pen ran out of ink this evening and tonight I flushed water through the feed and cleaned the converter. The pen cleaned as easily as it has with other inks. Maybe the converter has a very slight blue tint now but nothing too worrisome. Full marks to BSB from me ... one of my favourite blue inks. Even better than Diamine Sapphire.

[@marceloestradajr.6869]

Interesting discovery with this ink. I had bought this ink a few months ago along with the Noodler's Standard Flex pen (Medieval Lapis to be exact). When used with the Noodler''s pen I got tremendous bleed through except on the finest of papers. I recently bought a M nib Pilot Metropolitan and tried this ink out with that pen. Result... Not nearly the level of bleed through even on fairly absorbent Mead notebook paper.I love the color and prior to my purchase of Pilot Metropolitan I had only used it in the Noodler's because of the reviews commenting of the staining properties of the the ink. It is now dedicated to just those two pens. I am so happy to be able to use it on more than fine paper now.

[@RubenB658]

I love that ink. I've been wanting to write checks with my fountain pen, and now I can.

[@ElizaHamilton1780]

I really love Baystate Blue. It's suitable for work, particularly with the legal documents I work with, but is such a vibrant blue. Really nice. I use it in my Pilot Metropolitan, but it sure did stain my feed and the underside of the nib. A good long soak in some cold water with a drop of dishwashing soap helped, though.

[@paprile57]

Great thorough review. I was considering using BSB in my Lamy Safari (my everyday knockaround pen) as I probably will use only one ink in that pen anyway. I'm not so concerned about staining the innards of the pen as it and its converter are very reasonable priced. What I AM worried about is staining anything else, principally the sink/countertop in the bathroom in which I clean my pens. Accordingly, depite the brilliant blue color that BSB affords, I'll probably use one of my other blues.

[@howardadamsky2417]

This is a GREAT review. I am so happy that you take the time to do these vids. I am looking for the perfect blue (If there is such a thing) and I needed this information. Thanks very much.

[@MchnsPlyngMchns]

Really nice video. I just picked up a Lamy Vista and figured I'd use only Baystate in it. Have you used it in a demonstrator? Thanks for the hard work.

[@robbiemer8178]

What I have decided, for me, is that staining of the plastic doesn't bother me--I don't really use different inks in the same pen--and, as I haven't seen any problems with the pens I use it in, I'm not worried. My every day pen is a Kaweco Sport Ice that I use as an eyedropper. The clear barrel is blue but the pens still writes well after 18 months. I'm thinking about a custom Edison and may just pick some acrylic as the material. I will see what the maker thinks about using this ink in his pen.

[@EastLancashireJohn]

Good video Stephen. I am using BSB in my Parson's Essential with broad italic nib. Looks great on the page but haven't had to clean the pen yet.

[@munster355]

That was magical how the B appeared through the wet paper towel.

[@bryansammons3337]

Noodler's website does state that Baystate blue is water proof, though I do not know if it stated this at the time this video was created.

[@Aporqpyn]

Great review. BSB would be my favorite blue, except it feathers like crazy one the (even cheaper) copier paper I have to use at work. BTW, I'd love to see a future Inkcyclopedia entry on Diamine Ancient Copper.

[@HaibaneRakka571]

I've had BSB for one day now and after a strange experience I thought it was worth sharing here. I put it in my Lamy Safari (with a black nib) and after a day of using it, my pen has gone from my smoothest

[@SniperAngle12]

Gold is generally rather inert as a chemical so I doubt a weak alkaline solution (which Goulet Pens claim this ink is) can really do anything to higher purities like 18k. 14k and steel though, that might be a different question if you left it soaking for a whole month.

[@GoodGuyPlayer2]

This may sound out of topic but: I've been watching a sort of marathon of your videos lately, even recently subscribed, and stumbled across this 6 year old video and WOAH! You look like an absolutely different person, it's kinda interesting to see the overtime progression. (I'm pretty sure it's gonna happen to me as well when 5 years from now I watch something uploaded on 2016 I guess...)

[@jakebeard2462]

How does the colour of Baystate Blue compare to the colour of Private Reserve Tanzanite?

[@MrJason005]

why isn't this video on the sbrebrown channel?

[@ArtJourneyUK]

I can't see any of the Inkcyclopedia videos on iPad or IPhone, are they disabled for mobile devices?

[@ArtJourneyUK]

Yay! I can see them all now! They literally all just popped up in my subs.

[@kshirsagar45]

Many times after usage of BSB it leaves a permanent blue glare on the feed . Any suggestions to remove that Doc. Brown?

[@738polarbear]

Weak bleach solution .

[@TheRiz52]

S, you mention your students. What do you teach?

[@nlane3993]

Is this staining only with BSB or is this a problem with the other baystate inks as well?

[@RobertMaguire67]

This is a great and powerful ink....try the Plains of Abraham version for the kinder and gentler experience.

[@hitterson]

hi, i like your video series. can you tell me what is the pen for writing the flexible fine line?

[@Aporqpyn]

Yes! You need Ancient Copper! But perhaps it would be a good review for the Halloween timeframe: it looks quite a bit like dried blood. Coppery red, and shades like crazy. :0

[@GenWivern2]

You should be very cautious about using BSB in Lamy pens if Richard Binder is to be believed (and he generally is): "Noodler’s Baystate colors ... are also alkaline enough to destroy some plastics, including the materials from which Pilot and Lamy feeds are made ...". Actually, a Noodler's flex pen would be a safer candidate because of the ebonite feed.

[@Lireoec]

I heard that Baystate Blue can melt molybdenum like it's butter.

[@mohitkumbhat]

I recently used this ink in a pen (a pen which never skips) but after using this ink it for a few days, I started noticing skips and then complete blockage. I had to prime the food again and again to make the pen work. Has this happened to any of you ?

[@ElijahMathews]

I love the color and have had pretty good luck with the ink, but it did permanently discolor the converter and grip section on my Noodler's Ahab (10% bleach solution had very little effect).

[@TheRxBlues]

Stephen! I did not know you had a channel outside of sbebrown!

[@jakebeard2462]

Thanks for you reply (serious NOOB) do you know of anything that looks very close to Baystate?

[@738polarbear]

Diamine Blue Velvet perhaps.

[@annewatman677]

Does it really matter if it stains a converter? How does that impact anything other than how it looks? Honestly, I'm curious.

[@annewatman677]

I guess when I'm thinking about stain, I'm thinking about something that is discolored and you are unable to remove it. So I don't think it would mix with anything. But I could be wrong.

[@ichirofakename]

I'm with you, who cares.

[@slafata2002]

what is your favorite ink? Color?

[@moranalilith]

I've had some staining with BBB but not as much as with North African Violet. Both are such pretty colors though that I hardly care. What is the first FINE pen you used?

[@soumyajitsarkar2372]

Is it safe to use Baystate Blue on TWSBI Eco

[@wuff177]

good point with the 1/4 bleach to remove stains.

[@collinrg43]

What type of pen did you use to write 1,2,3 in the beginning of the video?

[@power4u977]

Can I use BSB with my TWSBI Eco Stub Nib pen ?

[@maritaalex]

Hello! Is it erasable?

[@olivia2008able]

Hello there- I very much enjoy your videos. All this being said, i would like some Bay State Blue. Can i clean pens and nibs with bleach at what parts? I'm new to the Ahab pens- waiting for some to arrive with some different inks. I would like to use them for drawing...The first ft pen i got a month ago was a Lamy safari. It didnt write well with the ink it came with at all. Luckily, i i got the converter and put Black Noodlers in it and its wonderful! Do you recommend using different inks in the same pen, or designating a pen to a color? Bay State for any drawing? Thank you for your time- Sincerely, Kim

[@charlesdyfis]

Unless you're going to be consistently thorough about cleaning when changing inks (and Ahabs are easy pens to clean thoroughly, making them a good choice), dedicating a pen to Baystate-series colors is a good idea -- since they turn to sludge if mixed with other inks. That makes them unusual, though -- generally, changing out colors is actually good for maintenance, since it means you're cleaning out your pens regularly. I'd be careful with bleach; ammonia is generally considered safer, though it isn't as effective with Baystate Blue.

[@abc-wv4in]

BSB is a little too intense after a while for me, and I'm afraid of it because of its reputation. I like vibrant blues, though, such as Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue and Levenger Cobalt. Diamine Majestic Blue is good too and has a lot of red sheen. I have bottles of Noodler's QE'ternity and Heart of Darkness, and they are the only inks that have ever clogged any of my pens. Therefore I'm not a big Noodler's fan in general, but I use H of D for writing checks. I love the color of Liberty's Elysium, but haven't bought a bottle because of the issues I've had with the other Noodler's inks. This is my experience; I know others are big Noodler's fans. Love your reviews!

[@alessandrolai2890]

I never tried noodler's ink ..... probably i will try them in my waterman hemisphere

[@howardadamsky2417]

One quick question. I seem to know where to buy expensive pens but have little idea as to where to buy inexpensive ones. (Less than $50.00) Can you recommend a website that might help? Love to get an over sized pen with a large nib (#6). Thanks in advance.

[@jerryrhodes850]

Howard Adamsky Go to Ebay, search Jinhao159. Same size as a MB 149, 50 grams in weight, number 6 medium nib. Cant go wrong for the price!!!! They are well constructed lacquered metal and all of the ones I have are smooth writers.

[@luisguillermoperezmejia7907]

Hola. Lo saludo desde Medellín, Colombia. Soy un seguidor de sus comentarios sobre tintas y plumas. Cual de estas dos tintas tiene un color azul mas intenso (parecido al acul de penman de Parker) Baystate blue o Liberty´s Elysium o la Diamine Majestic Blue. Cordial saludo

[@1GiGi1]

Luis Guillermo Pérez Mejía Majestic....

[@ichirofakename]

Just thought I'd go on record for loving Bay State Blue BECAUSE it doesn't shade. Ideal for the way I draw; I can get nice even areas. Two coats and it is absolutely even. Though nice, I am less impressed with the color than most. Finally, I choose to use it because it is so reviled, and I have a contrary nature. No problems yet. In the process of choosing a fancier pen to dedicate to it. Currently in a Preppy.

[@FromSagansStardust]

Nice profile photo!

[@oliverfader]

WHAT KIND OF PEN IS THAT CHISEL TIP?! PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME! Thanks in advance for your help! -Oliver, San Francisco,CA

[@kuhataparunks]

The 6mm thick line? That's a Pilot Parallel, comes in a variety of thicknesses

[@eliseandad]

Nathan is to be commended for his passion but as someone who writes with a lot of vintage pens, I would not recommend using Noodler's inks with anything but a dip pen. Thanks for the videos.

[@YanjuLiu]

It definitely stains a loooot...on my neon yellow Lamy Safari, I am out of idea of how to remove the stain off my pen, someone please help~~~~~~~~

[@PandaMagicFTW]

I highly doubt the ink will affect gold. Gold is inert to mostly everything beside aqua regia and some special solutions.

[@pmckinlay653]

I more remember the horror stories of BSB eating the feeds on Lamy Safaris. My preferred shop cautioned me against buying it. I walked out with Noodler's standard blue instead.

[@v.mikaelian]

When I write with Baystate blue it feathers very much. I use Lami fine nib.

[@gizm007o]

I'm a big fan, but living in Boston I was seriously concerned that the accent was going to be for the whole writing sample....

[@FunOfTheChase]

So the final analysis is don't put BSB in your $300 demonstrator unless you want the barrel to be a unique shade of blue.

[@ebrente]

I haven't read through all the comments. Would anyone advise against using this in a Waterman Carene? I don't care if the insides of the pen are stained as long as it works.

[@738polarbear]

It can stain the grip of a plastic pen and also it can stain a lacquer finished pen , Don't use it in good quality pens . There are some really good Jinhao or Hero writers for couple of bucks . Use them .The reason this ink is so stunning is because of its PURPLE component.

[@anthonykirkendhall4344]

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.

[@UrbaNSpiel]

We could have better lighting and it looks like webcam footage.

[@jcastano]

the infamous / notorious BSB!

[@nealtomlinson4530]

If the nib is truly gold, it cannot stain of oxidize with cleaning agents.

[@cqpadovani]

Do you own a dog??

[@JtwasLuck]

If half the people say the ink doesn't cause problems and the other half says it does I'll never touch the ink. My daily ink is Iroshizuku Take-sumi on my Pilot 823 Medium Nib but I'm moving towards Pilot Black ink (350ml) because 3.4 cents per ml > 26 cents per ml. I use about one or two ml daily so I really should switch inks out lol. I stick with wet flowing, low maintenance ink like Iroshizuku Take-sumi, Waterman Intense Black, and Pilot Black ink. Never bad to stay on the safe safe side on a black Demonstrator with a vac filler.

[@MarkGrago]

This ink is gorgeous;I just purchased some! It is very bright and puts a lot of emotion in your writing;however,as Stephen was a bit emphatic about in this review,THIS INK IS AGGRESSIVE AND WILL NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF YOUR FOUNTAIN PENS! It has stained a few of my converters. (Keep this ink bottle on a leash...)

[@TheStig000]

"You shall not pass!"

[@david111davies]

I`m sure it would not kill a pen to put a small amount in, use it all that day and wash any left out in the night time.

[@theoffstageme]

I made a little video about my 'success' (or otherwise) of cleaning Baystate Blue from a clear Jinhao 599. If you're thinking of putting this into any expensive pen... maybe check this and other videos out first. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJe7q3uIdreBbqs

[@kshirsagar45]

It wont affect gold.

[@d.joseph4356]

I only use this ink on cheap pens.

[@randy25rhoads]

:O

[@CECS1]

Dawn dish detergent and some bleach. problem solved

[@isaac_k98]

*Colour, your father would not approve...

[@jisa39]

Missing a C in the title of the video: "Inkcylopedia"

[@Carterofmars]

Hated? For an ink? Interesting. You also sound like your making fun of New England'er's but in a way more than just the accent- that was more and quite ugly. The broad comment is telling as well. What is with some of you people. Can't you let a man have an independent opinion contrary to the regiems?

[@2010stoof]

Funny how in just 7 years since this was made, the broad nib joke went from funny to something that now would cause a protest outside his home... Sad what everything has come to. Especially in the United States.

[@isodoublet]

Horrible ink. Stains everything, is a pain in the ass to clean off pens, and the color isn't anything to write home about either. And apparently it'll even corrode certain feeds. I hope other Noodler's inks are different.

[@isodoublet]

***** Thanks for letting me know. Some of them looked really attractive but I'd been avoiding them because of my bad experience with the BSB.

[@isodoublet]

***** Apache sunset just happens to be one of the inks I was interested in :)

[@jannorman2091]

I can honestly say that I hate noodler's inks. They're horrible in my opinion. Every last one of them.

[@jannorman2091]

I've tried about five different ones. They're gorgeous, unquestionably, but they've stained a good number of pens. Love the look, strongly dislike the stains. I couldn't imagine not being able to take it off of an expensive pen.

[@jisa39]

Which five Noodler's inks are those 'horrible' inks you've tried?

[@jannorman2091]

Baystate Blue, bulletproof black, polar blue, polar black and polar green.

[@jisa39]

Jan Norman I have to agree with *****, my experience with several Noodler's inks is flawless, including BSB and black. Not all of them stain. I hope that you can live a better experience in the future.

[@jannorman2091]

José Ignacio Silva I appreciate that very much. I will give it another try, but I recently acquired some pretty expensive pens and want to try it on an inexpensive pen first, then. The inks are gorgeous. No doubt about it. I'm just hesitant to repeat that experience.

[@EastLancashireJohn]

Good video Stephen. I am using BSB in my Parson's Essential with broad italic nib. Looks great on the page but haven't had to clean the pen yet.