We use old-fashioned (and reliable) crow-quill pens, and in
the case of a
dark artifact, bottled white ink.

Yes white ink is very thick.  You just have to handle it
differently than
you would black ink.  My advice is to keep the pen nib
clean!  White ink
clogs up the pen more easily than black ink.  Use a q-tip
and some acetone,
just be careful not to bend the nib or get a cotton fiber
stuck in it.

Caroline Taylor
Laboratory Assistant
APVA Jamestown Rediscovery


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Bob
Genheimer
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 10:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Artifact Labeling


Joe

We have never had any luck with white ink pens -- the ink
simply has no consistency and often comes out like skim
milk.  We have found that nib pens work best if you
carefully control the consistency of bottled white ink by
diluting with a little water.  It is a pain in the butt, but
if you stockpile most of your darker objects that require
white ink, a seasoned volunteer can do them in a batch.
Once the consistency is correct, and the nib is a good one,
it will go quickly.

Bob Genheimer
George Rieveschl Curator of Archaeology
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
513-455-7161


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Joe
Dent
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 8:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Artifact Labeling


List folks:

A simple question in regard to labeling artifacts (for
example, green bottle
glass) with white ink on clear base....  Is there a
particular brand of
white ink that works better than others?  And by using white
ink is one back
in the age of pen holders and nibs?  In other words are
there any Micron or
Micron-like pens available with white ink?  Thanks for any
help you can
offer.  Please, in your charity no reply with the word
rapidograph in it....

Joe Dent
American University


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