This post is part of our first travelling ink sample swap package on the fedi. You can find the thread where it all started here: fedi thread on the ink sample swap.
I have been asked how I take my ink samples and how they look like, so you can prepare for when the package reaches you and it’s your turn to add ink samples.
I keep my ink samples in small airtight plastic sample vials. These specific ones are being used by one of the professional ink shops to ship their samples and they have proven to be safe. Meaning they don’t leak and the ink doesn’t dry out. Ink is a very sneaky fluid that needs to be contained or you get a huge mess. That’s not something you want, especially in a package that’s going to be thrown around by robots and humans on its way to you.
To take the samples and transfer the ink from your bottle to the sample vial, you will also need a clean syringe or a pipette. In case you don’t have one of those, my workaround is to use a clean plastic straw, put it in the ink then close the hole on top with your finger so the ink will stay inside the straw. It’s a bit tedious but it works.
Since at the moment we are all located in Germany, here is where you can get ink safe sample vials:
- tintenprobe.de (the 7ml size is the one you want and they also sell pipettes)
- fountainfeder.de (I’m hesitant to recommend it because of shop owner’s military propaganda but the sample vials are good and you can make your own choices)
You can of course get your sample vials somewhere else, there are plenty of offerings on the usual big sites. But please make sure to test them properly. There are some out there that look very nice and seem to be well sealed. Here’s an example.
I’m going to include a bunch of empty sample vials in the package in case you can’t get any yourself. But they won’t be enough for everyone. So if you can, please prepare and get some of them in time.
Please make sure you clean your syringe / pipette after each ink so we don’t get the wrong impression of an ink because you mixed it up a little. Also, things can go very wrong when mixing ink: thread on the fountain pen network about ink mixes that didn’t work.
The sample vials fit 6-7ml of ink. I recommend you fill them up with 4-5ml of ink, so there’s some space left but it’s still enough to try it out and have fun with it.
Here’s how the samples could look like in the end. My advice would be to first label the vials and then fill them with the right ink. Because once they are in there, it might not be so easy to say which one it is, especially if you share similar colors.
Alright, that’s it! All you need to know before we start.
I’m going to write another post once I have the initial package ready. Because there will be some fun extras, like a collective swatch sheet where in the end we can see all the inks that were part of this swap at some point.