Can You Use Fountain Pen Ink With a Dip Pen? What other type of ink can you use with a dip pen? What is the difference between dip pen ink and fountain pen ink? Let’s see in detail about different ink types and why they aren’t compatible with each other.

Can You Use Fountain Pen Ink With a Dip Pen? Basically You can not use fountain pen ink with a dip pen. Because the ink is too thin. But if you add a few drops of gum arabic to thicken the ink, you can use it with a dip pen.

Gum arabic is made from the sap of the acacia tree. There are various ways to use it. You can use it as a thickener. It increases the viscosity of ink and makes it thick. 

And dip pens require thick ink to work properly. Fountain pen ink is thin therefore it slide through pen rapidly. So if you make your fountain pen ink thick then you can use it with a dip pen. 

Can You Use Fountain Pen Ink With a Dip Pen?

Now let’s see it in detail. 

• Dip pen requires thick ink to work properly.
• Otherwise if the ink is thin, it’ll slide through the pen immediately and bleed everywhere.
• All the fountain pen inks are very thin. Therefore they aren’t able to be used in dip pens or stamps.
• So in simple words you can not use fountain pen ink with dip pens.

But if you have a fountain pen ink lying around and you want to make it in use. You can use some gum arabic to make it thicker. And use it with your dip pen.

You can buy gum arabic on amazon easily, it’s not that expensive. And you only need a few drops. Here is the link for it-  Gum Arabic on Amazon.

Gum Arabic is used for multiple things. It is also used for thickeners. You can also use gum arabic with other ink to improve their viscosity. You can also use it with calligraphy ink.

And other best is you can leave the lid open of your fountain pen ink. So the water will evaporate from it. And it will make ink thicker. Then you can use it with a dip pen. But this method is not recommended for every type of ink.

And if you leave it open in UV light (Sun) it can affect the color of the ink. Therefore instead i’ll suggest you to use the gum arabic method. But both methods will work.

How to Use Gum Arabic to Make Ink Thick?

Now let’s see how to use gum arabic properly to make your fountain pen ink thick.

Firstly, you can buy gum arabic easily from amazon or any art supply shop. Make sure to buy liquid gum arabic.

1. Add one or few drops of gum arabic into ink.

2. Stir it well, until you get the right consistency.

3. And your ink is ready to use.

You can even use this kind of thick fountain pen ink for calligraphy and stamps.

This is how gum arabic should look.

If you already buy a power gum Arabic then don’t worry. Put a little powder into the ink and stir it well. Gum Arabic Powder on amazon. This will also do the job.

What is the Difference Between Dip Pen Ink And Fountain Pen Ink?

Dip pen ink is much thicker than fountain pen ink. Fountain pen ink has to flow through tiny galleries. Therefore it made really thin. On the other hand the ink in the dip pen has to flow slowly, so you won’t need to dip your pen again and again. Therefore it is made thicker. So you don’t run out of ink quickly.

We learn from this that every ink has a different purpose therefore they are made according to their use. The fountain pen had a tiny gap to flow the ink. So if you use thicker ink like calligraphy ink and dip pen ink. Your fountain pen will get clogged up.

And if you use fountain pen ink into a dip pen, the ink will flow quickly through the nib and spread everywhere. Also the ink has to stay on paper without bleeding till it’s dry.

There’s very good reasons to keep the right sort of ink for the pen you have. Other ones may be tempting because of price differences, but it’s very risky to try them out and experiment.

Can I Use Fountain Pen Ink in a Brush Pen?

It is completely safe to use fountain pen ink in brush pens. Because the fountain pen ink is thin enough. But make sure your fountain pen is not thick. Because some brands of fountain pen ink do sell little thicker inks. So be aware of it.

If needed, ask someone for help. Whether they are using the exact ink you have with the exact pen. It’s a good idea to get assistance. But in most cases it is completely fine to use fountain pen ink with a brush pen. But you should pay attention to one important thing.

It’s completely fine to use fountain pen ink with a brush pen, until you are using that pen regularly. Otherwise if you leave your brush pen unused for a long time, the ink can get dried out, specially on the tip of the pen. 

So unless and until you’re using it regularly, it won’t create any problems at all. Here are my best recommended inks for brush pens.-

PILOT Iroshizuku Bottled Fountain Pen Ink- 50ml,

Platinum Carbon Ink Bottle 60ml,

Parker Quink Ink Bottle Black- 57 ml,

Diamine Fountain Pen Ink 30ml – 3 x Bottles (Red, Blue, and Green)