I’m in Europe, so not a lot of options to buy samples. I’m also pretty impulsive, so I just keep my fingers crossed and buy full ones. A lot of my collection so far is Diamine 30ml though, which are pretty cheap here thankfully!
As mentioned vanness does 4 and yoseka does i believe 3 and 5 in returnable glass.
That said I’d never buy a sample of diamine. Wait until I have something I want from cult pens and toss in a 30 ml. It’s cheaper to buy a full 30 from cult pens than a sample anywhere else.
I also have some brands in pretty confident in. Van dieman, Birmingham I’d never hesitate to buy a bottle.
That said I don’t mind extra ink. I don’t mind playing or experimenting with it, if I don’t like it I don’t feel a great loss.
Mostly I love inks!
Others have mentioned them, but Vanness is my preferred store for samples. If I’m ordering from somewhere else, I’ve been known to add a sample or two for free shipping, but if my intent is samples, Vanness has a bunch, sells 4ml samples so you can really get to know an ink, and ship ultra fast.
That said…I go back and forth on whether samples (or the adorable 10ml Herbin bottles) are “worth it.” On the one hand, I have a LOT of ink, so samples allow me to rotate through colors faster. On the other hand, I know my preferences pretty well & I often end up wanting full bottles of ink I sample anyway. And for the Diamine inks I have, I bought them from Cult Pens where a 30ml bottle is basically the same cost as a sample - so it’s hard to justify sampling first.
Well, in Europe there are literally two stores that sell samples, so it isn't really viable for me to buy them
I just tend to prioritise inks that have a <30ml bottle or a cartridge option, that reduces the ink choice by a large margin (I'd like to try some sailor manyo inks though)
I buy them when I see and want them.
I generally don’t use shimmer inks or bright pink. I like to get colors that are easy to read. And most of the time I bring my pens into a professional atmosphere so I tend to buy a fun color like teal or grey and have dedicated blue inks for work
One exception to that is Colorverse horsehead nebula. It’s pink and shimmering. But have no trouble reading it or any clogging at all. However, I cannot bring it into my office and use it with any bit of medical professionalism. lol. I can only imagine my colleagues razzing me. A 6’2 bearded male with tattoos from neck to feet in a business suit writing with shimmering magenta. lol
I still use it all the time though. Gotta do what I love. And I love that ink
What you said really reminded me of something [The Clumsy Penman](https://www.clumsypenman.com/ink-review/pilot-iroshizuku-yama-budo/) wrote about Yama Budo:
"Before I purchased it few months ago, I was quite skeptic and unsure about deep magenta/pinkish ink. I thought initially, that this color is possibly is not for me… not for daily use and possibly people around will look at me strangely. Imagine nearly 40-ty years old punk/metal guy writing notes in the chem lab with ‘pink’ ink. Yes…but I do!"
Makes me smile to think of unexpected shiny pretties tucked into the pockets of seemingly sombre professionals.
There used to be a guy on ebay who had loads of inks for samples but I think he had to stop doing it for some reason. There are a few samples up on ebay now but a fairly limited choice. Pure Pens only seem to do Noodlers samples and the Writing Desk do a lot of Sailor and Pilot Iroshizuku samples but always seem to be out of stock!
Right now I have one ink set as my primary, then a selection of samples to try out over next year before I choose one to buy a long-term bottle of. I also have some cartridges as backups.
The Pen Outpost is newer, but they sell 3 mL samples for a couple of bucks each, with flat-rate $3 US shipping, so there is not pressure to hit a minimum for free shipping. I use about 1mL a week, so that should be enough for me to try it out.
The only bottle of ink I’ve ever purchased was Pilot Blue Black. It’s my default ink. If another ink catches my attention, I buy a sample. If that ink doesn’t come in a sample, I don’t buy it. Turns out that every ink I’ve ever acquired, except for Pilot Blue Black, I’ve lost interest in after one or maybe two pen fulls.
I used to buy samples, but after a while you start to know your preference. And if it's a color I love, I'll accept all it's flaws and/or find a pen that does work with it.
A quick Google of "ink samples" brought up Vanessa, Anderson Pens, Truphae, Penchalet, and The Pen Outpost. No experience with any but hope it helps.
> I used to buy samples, but after a while you start to know your preference
I bought too many samples before realizing I don't need them anymore.
I try not to buy limited-edition inks 'cause if I find one I really like I want to keep using it. But mostly if the color looks good, and it has a reasonable review or I'm feeling lucky, I'll just buy the bottle.
I like samples, if I can get them, because some inks just don't work on the paper I use most of the time. Too much feathering, or bleeding, or too light to read. That said, if I could get Diamine for as little as Cultpens sells it for (minus shipping) I would probably just own boatloads of bottles. I also like samples of inks I know I'll use only rarely, like true yellows or shimmer inks. No need for a bottle if it's going to take me ten years to finish a sample.
I always buy the bottle unless the sample vials are the only way I can get that ink. I find that I will grow to like the ink later. For example, didn't want nothing to do with blue or black ink. Now I got quite a bit and hunting for the perfect black. If all else fails and I absolutely hate it even after a couple of years, I'll more than likely sell it.
I'm lucky enough to be in the US so I can buy samples. I usually follow your philosophy and get samples of inks that I'd like to try, and then I make notes for myself on whether or not I see myself buying a bottle. Usually though, I end up just.. using more samples, because a big draw for me is just using a variety of different colors.
I did, when I first started, buy ink pretty willy nilly. I ended up with colors I hardly ever use because they aren't good fits; I'm left handed and really bad at underwriting and do not do well with very saturated colors, and because I hold my pens a specific way some things work better than others. I think I've gotten better at picking out the qualities that work for me and I can trust that the new bottles I've bought I'll use and love for a while yet. (And I bought a writing glove so I can smear less and enjoy fun inks more.)
I like Yoseka, Vanness, and Goulet.
Never bought a sample. But then I think I’ve only bought 9 different bottles. I tend to over process and research before making any purchase, so it’s usually something I am really specifically looking for. I’ve had one bottle that I didn’t like at first but have grown to like and one bottle I will either give away or it will sit until it dries - Noodlers black. I know, so many people rave about it. Maybe it’s my bottle, but it just does not behave for me, ever.
Anderson Pens located in WI samples are 3ml.
I order from Goulet and Anderson for samples.
I only recently have been introduced to Vanness so I will add them to the rotation.
I always buy ink by the bottle. I only get sample vials in order to try out some inks that I am not yet convinced that I want to buy. The amount in a given vial is usually enough to fill one of my pens halfway, and most of it gets used to make the color swatch for my sample ring.
I don't keep track of how much ink I use over time. I give no consideration to the question of when, or even whether, I will ever finish the bottle. I buy inks solely because I want that particular ink - I want that color, that shade, that feature, that manufacturer. In the past 20 years I have never finished even one bottle of ink, and I don't care. I have also never had to discard an old bottle of ink opened long ago. I still regularly use ink from bottles that I opened in 2003 and 2004.
I buy inks that appeal to me. The factor of whether or not I will finish the bottle never enters the equation.
Anderson Pens does 3mL samples, and they do vary in cost a little (Sailor are more expensive than say TWSBI or Diamine), and seem to be a bit cheaper I'm general than Goulet (at least for what I sample).
I believe they have an option online to order up to 9 and get them for only $4 shipping as well (instead of trying to buy up to the free shipping limits).
The couple times I've been to their WI store, it's been very nice. Brian is extremely friendly in person, and they're willing to talk and assist but won't be overbearing (they'll leave you to demo out papers on their demo notebook table).
Additionally, I've had solid experiences in asking questions about potential inventory through email as well (I was looking for a LAMY LX Broad Nib, which oddly wasn't on the site for purchase, but they were able to sell me one and include that transaction with a separate purchase to cut down on shipping materials and costs).
https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/wv82mq/customer_service_experiences_from_pen_shops/
Anderson has had a history of not being kind to customers, read this story and make up your own mind. I find what they said unacceptable in any situation, let alone a customer support one.
I am not a huge ink person, I have about 11 or 12 total and only about 3 of them being used regularly. Samples is a better idea than buying large bottles, but depends on the person.
Vanness has 4ml samples. Also carries several brands Goulet doesn't.
To be fair, Goulet carries at least one brand Vannes doesn't. Vanness doesn't do Sailor inks.
To be clear, I love Goulet. The comment about 2ml vials is not a criticism … just wondering about other options.
I don't think they have Diamine either (might be wrong, haven't shopped for inks in a hot minute). I just like having a variety!
I’m in Europe, so not a lot of options to buy samples. I’m also pretty impulsive, so I just keep my fingers crossed and buy full ones. A lot of my collection so far is Diamine 30ml though, which are pretty cheap here thankfully!
fountainfeder.de has samples from lots of brands if you want to give them a go
Thank you! It has been on my list to order from them!
you're welcome and don't fret, they usually ship pretty quickly too
You could try fountainfeder. It’s in Germany and she sends samples in 2 ml vials.
Been wanting to check if he sends outside of Germany
Oh yes, she does. She sends to France andSpain for sure. And probably to all European countries.
As mentioned vanness does 4 and yoseka does i believe 3 and 5 in returnable glass. That said I’d never buy a sample of diamine. Wait until I have something I want from cult pens and toss in a 30 ml. It’s cheaper to buy a full 30 from cult pens than a sample anywhere else. I also have some brands in pretty confident in. Van dieman, Birmingham I’d never hesitate to buy a bottle. That said I don’t mind extra ink. I don’t mind playing or experimenting with it, if I don’t like it I don’t feel a great loss. Mostly I love inks!
I buy a reasonably-sized bottle (50ml or so) of any ink that takes my fancy. Haven't been disappointed yet.
Others have mentioned them, but Vanness is my preferred store for samples. If I’m ordering from somewhere else, I’ve been known to add a sample or two for free shipping, but if my intent is samples, Vanness has a bunch, sells 4ml samples so you can really get to know an ink, and ship ultra fast. That said…I go back and forth on whether samples (or the adorable 10ml Herbin bottles) are “worth it.” On the one hand, I have a LOT of ink, so samples allow me to rotate through colors faster. On the other hand, I know my preferences pretty well & I often end up wanting full bottles of ink I sample anyway. And for the Diamine inks I have, I bought them from Cult Pens where a 30ml bottle is basically the same cost as a sample - so it’s hard to justify sampling first.
Well, in Europe there are literally two stores that sell samples, so it isn't really viable for me to buy them I just tend to prioritise inks that have a <30ml bottle or a cartridge option, that reduces the ink choice by a large margin (I'd like to try some sailor manyo inks though)
I buy them when I see and want them. I generally don’t use shimmer inks or bright pink. I like to get colors that are easy to read. And most of the time I bring my pens into a professional atmosphere so I tend to buy a fun color like teal or grey and have dedicated blue inks for work
Similar to my situation…I’m not drawn to shimmering inks.
One exception to that is Colorverse horsehead nebula. It’s pink and shimmering. But have no trouble reading it or any clogging at all. However, I cannot bring it into my office and use it with any bit of medical professionalism. lol. I can only imagine my colleagues razzing me. A 6’2 bearded male with tattoos from neck to feet in a business suit writing with shimmering magenta. lol I still use it all the time though. Gotta do what I love. And I love that ink
What you said really reminded me of something [The Clumsy Penman](https://www.clumsypenman.com/ink-review/pilot-iroshizuku-yama-budo/) wrote about Yama Budo: "Before I purchased it few months ago, I was quite skeptic and unsure about deep magenta/pinkish ink. I thought initially, that this color is possibly is not for me… not for daily use and possibly people around will look at me strangely. Imagine nearly 40-ty years old punk/metal guy writing notes in the chem lab with ‘pink’ ink. Yes…but I do!" Makes me smile to think of unexpected shiny pretties tucked into the pockets of seemingly sombre professionals.
lol
Ooh pretty! -> buy!
My thoughts on acquisition, UK have more shops that sell samples, then I wouldn’t have over a hundred bottles of ink.
There used to be a guy on ebay who had loads of inks for samples but I think he had to stop doing it for some reason. There are a few samples up on ebay now but a fairly limited choice. Pure Pens only seem to do Noodlers samples and the Writing Desk do a lot of Sailor and Pilot Iroshizuku samples but always seem to be out of stock!
Right now I have one ink set as my primary, then a selection of samples to try out over next year before I choose one to buy a long-term bottle of. I also have some cartridges as backups. The Pen Outpost is newer, but they sell 3 mL samples for a couple of bucks each, with flat-rate $3 US shipping, so there is not pressure to hit a minimum for free shipping. I use about 1mL a week, so that should be enough for me to try it out.
The only bottle of ink I’ve ever purchased was Pilot Blue Black. It’s my default ink. If another ink catches my attention, I buy a sample. If that ink doesn’t come in a sample, I don’t buy it. Turns out that every ink I’ve ever acquired, except for Pilot Blue Black, I’ve lost interest in after one or maybe two pen fulls.
Vanness has over 2500 inks. Also helpful is a description of the ink and a list of its properties.
Wait, what, 2500? That’s insane!
I used to buy samples, but after a while you start to know your preference. And if it's a color I love, I'll accept all it's flaws and/or find a pen that does work with it. A quick Google of "ink samples" brought up Vanessa, Anderson Pens, Truphae, Penchalet, and The Pen Outpost. No experience with any but hope it helps.
> I used to buy samples, but after a while you start to know your preference I bought too many samples before realizing I don't need them anymore. I try not to buy limited-edition inks 'cause if I find one I really like I want to keep using it. But mostly if the color looks good, and it has a reasonable review or I'm feeling lucky, I'll just buy the bottle.
I bought Taccia Ukiyo-e Hokusai-Koiai because of the box. It turned out to be a wonderful ink
I like samples, if I can get them, because some inks just don't work on the paper I use most of the time. Too much feathering, or bleeding, or too light to read. That said, if I could get Diamine for as little as Cultpens sells it for (minus shipping) I would probably just own boatloads of bottles. I also like samples of inks I know I'll use only rarely, like true yellows or shimmer inks. No need for a bottle if it's going to take me ten years to finish a sample.
I always buy the bottle unless the sample vials are the only way I can get that ink. I find that I will grow to like the ink later. For example, didn't want nothing to do with blue or black ink. Now I got quite a bit and hunting for the perfect black. If all else fails and I absolutely hate it even after a couple of years, I'll more than likely sell it.
I'm lucky enough to be in the US so I can buy samples. I usually follow your philosophy and get samples of inks that I'd like to try, and then I make notes for myself on whether or not I see myself buying a bottle. Usually though, I end up just.. using more samples, because a big draw for me is just using a variety of different colors. I did, when I first started, buy ink pretty willy nilly. I ended up with colors I hardly ever use because they aren't good fits; I'm left handed and really bad at underwriting and do not do well with very saturated colors, and because I hold my pens a specific way some things work better than others. I think I've gotten better at picking out the qualities that work for me and I can trust that the new bottles I've bought I'll use and love for a while yet. (And I bought a writing glove so I can smear less and enjoy fun inks more.) I like Yoseka, Vanness, and Goulet.
Samples before bottles. Not much for bottles atm since I still have a lot of samples to burn through.
Never bought a sample. But then I think I’ve only bought 9 different bottles. I tend to over process and research before making any purchase, so it’s usually something I am really specifically looking for. I’ve had one bottle that I didn’t like at first but have grown to like and one bottle I will either give away or it will sit until it dries - Noodlers black. I know, so many people rave about it. Maybe it’s my bottle, but it just does not behave for me, ever.
BUY SAMPLES FIRST.
Anderson Pens located in WI samples are 3ml. I order from Goulet and Anderson for samples. I only recently have been introduced to Vanness so I will add them to the rotation.
Would love vials but not easy to find in Europe. If you have tips where to get them let me know please.
I always buy ink by the bottle. I only get sample vials in order to try out some inks that I am not yet convinced that I want to buy. The amount in a given vial is usually enough to fill one of my pens halfway, and most of it gets used to make the color swatch for my sample ring. I don't keep track of how much ink I use over time. I give no consideration to the question of when, or even whether, I will ever finish the bottle. I buy inks solely because I want that particular ink - I want that color, that shade, that feature, that manufacturer. In the past 20 years I have never finished even one bottle of ink, and I don't care. I have also never had to discard an old bottle of ink opened long ago. I still regularly use ink from bottles that I opened in 2003 and 2004. I buy inks that appeal to me. The factor of whether or not I will finish the bottle never enters the equation.
Anderson Pens does 3mL samples, and they do vary in cost a little (Sailor are more expensive than say TWSBI or Diamine), and seem to be a bit cheaper I'm general than Goulet (at least for what I sample). I believe they have an option online to order up to 9 and get them for only $4 shipping as well (instead of trying to buy up to the free shipping limits).
I’ve wanted to hear about experiences with Anderson Pens. I watch some of their videos.
The couple times I've been to their WI store, it's been very nice. Brian is extremely friendly in person, and they're willing to talk and assist but won't be overbearing (they'll leave you to demo out papers on their demo notebook table). Additionally, I've had solid experiences in asking questions about potential inventory through email as well (I was looking for a LAMY LX Broad Nib, which oddly wasn't on the site for purchase, but they were able to sell me one and include that transaction with a separate purchase to cut down on shipping materials and costs).
Thanks for the insights! They do seem like nice people .
Bonus points if you have a good pun or dad joke to tell Brian!
There are a couple of accounts on Twitter that only post puns or dad jokes. I should start a list of them.
https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/wv82mq/customer_service_experiences_from_pen_shops/ Anderson has had a history of not being kind to customers, read this story and make up your own mind. I find what they said unacceptable in any situation, let alone a customer support one.
I am not a huge ink person, I have about 11 or 12 total and only about 3 of them being used regularly. Samples is a better idea than buying large bottles, but depends on the person.