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Fountain Pen Trick for Envelopes

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11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
I am sure that most of you know that the vast majority of fountain pen inks are not waterproof or permanent. What that means is if water should hit the dry ink on the paper the ink dissolves and turns into a blotch of sorts. This of course means those precious words you’ve spent time composing and carefully writing down are wiped out where ever the water hits. Of all of the important information and the one most likely to get hit with water in the form of rain are the addresses on envelopes of the old snail mail variety.

In the past, those precious letters did not get waylaid due to inclement weather, but how so? There is an old trick that will remedy the situation, my mom had told me about some time ago. After addressing the envelope and the ink is dried you take a white wax candle and rub the wax over the written information so it leaves an impermeable to water layer of wax over the lettering. You then take a paper towel and polish the area so it is not tacky.

Somewhat easier to use is a product called MicroGlaze which is like a paste version that is used for art projects and can be found at www.skycraft.com if you search around their site. This will allow you to use your best address writing fountain pen and your favorite non-permanent ink when the weather is rainy without the danger of an address wipeout.

Just remember not to try to write over the waxed area as that will take some difficult nib cleaning to remedy!

Happy writing!!!
 

DerMann

Practically Family
Messages
608
Location
Texas
I just have a Hero 616 loaded with Noodler's Heart of Darkness for addressing or labeling [huh]
 

Randy

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Kentucky
I routinely address envelopes with Waterman Havana Brown (not waterproof) and have never encountered problems with smudged ink. I suppose that it could happen, but I have been using this ink for quite some time now and have never had a problem.

If someone knows of an old trick to prevent that, I'd be interested in hearing about it just the same...

- Randy
 

DerMann

Practically Family
Messages
608
Location
Texas
David Conwill said:
I imagine you could accomplish the same thing with a white crayon.

-Dave
Or a white candle.

Really just any sort of white or clear wax.
 

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