Water resistance and light fastness test of some fountain pen, ballpoint and gel inks

Water resistance testing was by letting the ink dry for a day and then rinse under running water. Light fastness testing is done by taping the paper to the inside of a window. (This test was started in the summer.)

These are the intermediate results. I'll let the light fastness testing continue.

Ballpoint and gel inks

This time around I didn't bother to test and roller ball inks.

• Pilot G-2 blue, 0.7 mm
  Water: Some smudging
  Light (4 weeks): Some fading
  Light (8 weeks): Faint grey-black remains
• Pilot G-2 black, 0.7 mm
  Water: Some smudging
  Light (4 weeks): Hardly noticable fading
  Light (8 weeks): Slight fading
• Pilot G-2 purple, 0.7 m
  Water: Almost washed away
  Light (4 weeks): Completely faded (took 2 weeks to fade to illegibility)
• Zebra gel blue, 0.7 mm
  Water: Very good
  Light (4 weeks): Very good
  Light (8 weeks): No noticable fading
• Niji Gel black, 0.7 mm
  Water: Good
  Light (4 weeks): Good
  Light (8 weeks): Slight further fading
• Parker gel blue, 0.7 mm
  Water: Totally washed away
  Light (4 weeks): Faded to a faint reddish brown (already after two weeks)
  Light (8 weeks): Almost completely faded
• Parker gel black, 0.7 mm
  Water: Slight smudging, greyish
  Light (4 weeks): Good
  Light (8 weeks): Slight further fading
• Parker ballpoint blue, medium
  Water: Very good
  Light (4 weeks): OK
  Light (8 weeks): Hardly any further fading
• Parker ballpoint black, fine
  Water: Very good
  Light (4 weeks): Very good
  Light (8 weeks): No noticable further fading
• Rotring ballpoint blue
  Water: Very good
  Light (4 weeks): Noticable fading
  Light (8 weeks): Very slight further fading
• Fisher ballpoint black, bold
  Water: Some smudging
  Light (4 weeks): Good
  Light (8 weeks): No noticable further fading
• Fisher ballpoint blue, bold
  Water: Some smudging
  Light (4 weeks): OK
  Light (8 weeks): Some further colour change

Fountain pen inks

• Shaeffer Skrip blue-black
  Water: Some fading
  Light (3 weeks): Slight fading to a grey-black
  Light (7 weeks): Faded to grey-brown
• Shaeffer Skrip blue
  Water: Faded
  Light (3 weeks): Very faded to a greenish grey
  Light (7 weeks): Much further fading
• Shaeffer blue
  Water: Faded
  Light (3 weeks): Very faded to a greenish grey
  Light (7 weeks): Much further fading
• Shaeffer peacock blue
  Water: Very faded
  Light (3 weeks): Faded to a darker blue grey
  Light (7 weeks): Much further fading
• Parker black
  Water: Blueish, some smudging
  Light (3 weeks): Faded to a dark brown
  Light (7 weeks): Faded to light brown
• Parker blue
  Water: Practically totally washed away
  Light (3 weeks): Faint greyish blue
  Light (7 weeks): Very faded
• Parker turquoise
  Water: Very faded
  Light (3 weeks): Faded to a darker blue grey
  Light (7 weeks): Some further fading
• Waterman black
  Water: Blueish, some smudging
  Light (3 weeks): Faded to a dark brown
  Light (7 weeks): Faded to light brown
• Waterman florida blue
  Water: Practically totally washed away
  Light (3 weeks): Faint greyish blue
  Light (7 weeks): Faded to very light faint grey
• Mont Blanc black
  Water: Practically totally washed away
  Light (3 weeks): Faded to a purplish colour
  Light (7 weeks): Faint reddish brown
• Mont Blanc blue-black
  Water: Almost no fading
  Light (3 weeks): Some fading, more greyish
  Light (7 weeks): Some further fading
• Mont Blanc blue
  Water: Faded to a faint colour
  Light (3 weeks): Faded
  Light (7 weeks): Almost totally faded
• Pelikan brilliant black
  Water: Some smudging
  Light (3 weeks): Slight colour change
  Light (7 weeks): Very slight fading to brown
• Pelikan royal blue
  Water: Almost washed away
  Light (3 weeks): Faded
  Light (7 weeks): Almost totally faded
• Pelikan blue-black
  Water: Faded
  Light (3 weeks): Slight colour change
  Light (7 weeks): Faded to light grey-brown
• Pelikan purple
  Water: Practically washed away
  Light (3 weeks): Faint reddish
  Light (7 weeks): Hardly any remains