Polar Black use during the Polar Blizzard of 2005

The Polar Black ink has been tested by many people throughout the arctic as
well as many of our northern states (sometimes as low as -54F in
Minn.)....nobody was able to get it to freeze in natural conditions (which were
at times more than severe in the arctic). Laboratory freezers reached -110.2 F
(yes, BELOW ZERO!!!) when testing the prototype before the freeze point was
reached. It was also found that the smear resistance property of the ink
worked best on higher grade papers (velum for instance) even after being
frosted. The best pens tended to be those with generous nibs, among modern
pens this included mostly Sailor Pens and among vintage, plunger filled
Sheaffer's, WET writing Pelikans, and vintage waterman's from before 1945.
Modern WET Parker pens also faired well, though the frontier and sonnet models
I tried did require added flow adjustments. If one pen is not perfect,
another may be preferred - as many of the testers have told me "it can work
better in one pen than another". Sailor pens have a flawless record with this
ink thus far in testing. It also was reported to be perfect ink for use with
stylos.
Lastly, testers have reported a peculiar behavior for the ink - it flows
faster and wetter AS THE TEMPERATURE FALLS! The fountain pen also is the only
writing instrument to be able to write on frosted paper, provided it has
adequate nib flow and uses Polar Black.

If you buy Polar Black and have ANY suggestions as to how this first of its
kind ink might be improved to better serve the public - please e-mail Noodler's
distributor or scaupaug1 right here. Please bear in mind this ink has been
created to serve a specific purpose previously unserved in the fountain pen
market (No more burst pens from freeze damage either!!) - and has NEVER been
made before in the history of the industry. Your input during its initial
public debut will be greatly appreciated...for the improvement of the ink, the
improvement of our hobby and the versatility of the pens we love.

Lastly...try an American Eel series ink in any piston filler...or piston
convertor...or plunger. After about a day, let me know how that mechanism
behaves. It's the first time in decades that any ink company actually cared
about these mechanisms - so I hope you enjoy the new smoothness to the glide
these mechanisms are capable of... ;-)

nky (Scaupaug1) writes:

The Polar Black ink has been tested by many people throughout the
arctic as well as many of our northern states (sometimes as low as
-54F in Minn.)....nobody was able to get it to freeze in natural
conditions (which were at times more than severe in the arctic).

-47.8 degrees C

Laboratory freezers reached -110.2 F (yes, BELOW ZERO!!!) when testing
the prototype before the freeze point was reached.

-78.9 degrees C

HTH

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-fahrenheit.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature


--
Juhapekka "naula" Tolvanen * http colon slash slash iki dot fi slash juhtolv
"sinun kauneutesi kaataa valtakuntia. minun pimeyteni raiskaa runoutta." CMX

ink
worked best on higher grade papers (velum for instance) even after being
frosted. The best pens tended to be those with generous nibs, among modern
pens this included mostly Sailor Pens and among vintage, plunger




Some additional info, such as white light absorption:

Polar Black is a "multi-lubricated" ink due to the nature of its preservative
(which is strong out of necessity, yet also assists in lubricating traits),
anti-frost components, and water based lubricants. If you try it with a pen
that has the right flow (dense, fast and wet - that is the ideal flow, but this
will vary from pen to pen regarding this specialty ink) - it is pretty much the
slickest and darkest ink ever (Sailor pens thus far have a perfect score for
adequate flow with this ink, though the list is now long of pen models that
have had a perfect flow score) - in a broader temperature range than for any
other ink (and the only ink that improves flow as the temperature declines
toward -20F, instead of freezing solid as other inks do). It is the only
smudge proof/UV light proof ink within 15 second dry trials with medium test
nibs, in most paper grades sold commercially. Even with a frosted page, it
penetrates the cellulose paper faster than any other ink in such conditions (it
must, or it would not be able to write on frosted paper). If you give it the
flow, it does all the rest. Of course - it also rinses off plastic with plain
tap water.

It is not as feather resistant as standard Noodler's Black (which strives to be
feather resistant on as many paper grades as possible), but it is as permanent
- and absorbs the entire light spectrum to a startlingly high degree. It is
not entirely an ink reserved for Polar use...so if you see it at a Pen Show,
try it out. It might be just what you are looking for... Just keep in mind
it is an extreme specialty ink for a very specific set of purposes - but that
does not mean it is limited to that as an ink. With the right flow, it is just
about the darkest black imaginable with fountain pen properties (it was called
a "black hole" ink for absorbing more white light than any control in testing,
my thanks to the lab techs who helped in this regard - as the company can't
afford the equipment that was used to reach that goal!). It can also absorb
other Noodler's Inks to your preferred dry time (if diluted, it may no longer
reach the extreme -110.2F of its range anymore, but it might write more to your
taste and depending upon how much you have diluted it - will retain many of its
properties - such as proportional lubrication/freeze resistance).