Quink

Quink (a portmanteau from 'quick' and 'ink') is a fountain pen ink developed by the Parker Pen Company. It was introduced in 1931 and has remained in production ever since.

Background

In 1928, under the direction of Kenneth Parker, the Parker Pen Company set out to develop a new and improved fountain pen ink. Inferior inks had long been the main cause of clogged fountain pens, yet popular ink formulations had remained unchanged in decades. Research for the project was initially outsourced to Miner Laboratories of Chicago. In August 1930 one of the lead chemists, Galen Sayler, was hired directly and put to work in a small laboratory at company headquarters in Janesville, Wisconsin.[1]

History

Quink was heavily advertised, and an immediate success. According to Kenneth Parker's personal journal, Quink production began on March 17, 1931, and $89,000 worth had been shipped by October 22—more than twice the company's expectations and an excellent return on the $68,000 spent on its development.[2] Quink was introduced as a general-purpose ink, safe for use in all fountain pens. It remains in production, with minor changes in formulation.

Features

The success of Quink lay in its useful features: it had the desired quality of ink flow, it resisted water and molding, it was non-corrosive, and it was claimed to be quick-drying. From the beginning it was advertised as containing a "secret" additive which purportedly dissolved sediment and reduced clogging. In 1942 this additive was given the trademarked name "Solv-X".[6]

Quink was developed and introduced when the Duofold was Parker's flagship line,[7] but the Duofold's successor, the Vacumatic[8] was already under development and was in full production by 1933. Vacumatics held their ink supply directly within their celluloid barrels, so Quink was formulated accordingly.

Quink is not to be confused with two iterations of a special ink formulated exclusively for use in the Parker 51. This ink was highly alkaline and while water-based, also included a substantial amount of isopropyl alcohol. It was released in 1941 as "51" ink, along with the Parker 51 pen; in 1947 it was made somewhat less corrosive, and renamed "Superchrome". Parker was careful to print prominent warnings on caps, labels, and boxes that the ink could only be used in the 51 (and, later, its economy version, the 21), and would damage any other pen.

Twenty-first century

According to fountain pen enthusiasts, Parker Quink is generally considered to be "safe fountain pen ink";[10] this means that it should not stain or clog fountain pens very easily.

The use of fountain pens gradually decreased during the second half of the 20th century. Many collectors and enthusiasts continue to use the Parker 51 pen in the 21st century, with a limited edition of the model (available in two colors, "Vista Blue" and black) released by Parker in 2002.[11] As part of the 2002 product revival, Parker promoted its quick-drying ink as the ideal accompaniment for the Parker 51.

Sources

• Martín-Gil J, Ramos-Sánchez MC, Martín-Gil FJ and José-Yacamán M. Chemical composition of a fountain pen ink. Journal of Chemical Education, 2006, 83, 1476–78

External links

• Glenn's Pen Page: About Fountain Pen Ink: Parker
• discussion about superchrome and other Parker inks
• Fountain Pen History: Quink, and Superchrome Ink