A paper like Mead's school notebook paper absorbs ink quickly and dries fast. It won't smear because the ink has quickly moved from the paper surface into the fibers. However, the same characteristics that enable fast drying also encourage feathering, spread, and bleed through. You normally cannot write on the reverse side of this paper.
The bottom line is that you must take into account the paper you are writing on before selecting a pen and in combination. Cheaper paper requires finer nibs and ink that will not absorb too quickly. Finer papers look great with almost any pen and ink combination, but if you are concerned about dry times and smearing, you need a fine nib and fast-absorbing ink.
This comparison shows the behavior of several water resistant inks on Rhodia paper. Rhodia is 80 g/sq-m and has a nice, smooth finish. Look for longer dry times and smearing when using this paper.
The comparison consisted of writing samples of each ink on Rhodia paper using the same dip pen and fine nib to minimize variations due to pen and nib. The writing sample was allowed to dry 24 hours. An initial test of water spilling was simulated using tap water poured over the right half of the page. This was immediately photographed to capture the effects of water flowing over the ink. Some inks quickly reacted by releasing some color components with contact with the water. Others showed no impact at all.
The next step was to place the page into a tray with tap water to soak for 10 hours to determine the permanency of the ink. Some inks remained unphased. Others lost some color components will leaving a permanent black base behind. Regardless, all inks provided strong water resistant components and would likely survive a flooded basement.
Selecting which ink to use is a matter of personal preference since all are water resistant. If you want a bold, black ink, Noodlers Black and DeAtramentis Document Black are very saturated dark blacks. Noodler's Black is very permanent, but takes a long time to dry on smooth paper and will smear for days after writing. DeAtramentis Document Black dries fast and is also permanent, but because it absorbs so quickly, it tends to feather and spread on cheaper paper.
If you want a black ink with some trace color that is still water resistant, Zhivago or Air Corps Blue Black might be of interest. They tend to take longer to dry, similar to Noodlers Black.
One of my favorites is El Lawrence. It has the color and consistency of motor oil and dries relatively quickly. Although not a true black, it is close enough that it can substitute for a black. It is very permanent and doesn't lose anything in water. It also clean up nicely in all pens.
Original Sample on Rhodia Paper with Steel Fine Dip Nib
Water Spill Demonstration
After 10-Hour Water Soak
Ink Properties Summary
| Water Resistance | Dry Time | Smearing | Feathering | Bleeding | Saturation | |
Noodler’s Black | 100% | Slow | Yes | None | None | Heavy | |
Noodler’s Heart of Darkness | Some color runs off | Medium | Faint | None | None | Medium | |
Noodler’s Bad Black Mocassin | Some color runs off | Fast | No | Some | Some | Medium | |
Noodler’s Lexington Gray | 100% | Fast | No | Medium | Medium | Light | |
Noodler’s El Lawrence | 100% | Fast | No | None | None | Medium | |
Pilot Black | Some, faint black line remains | Fast | No | Some | None | Medium | |
De Atramentis Document Black | 100% | Medium | No | Some | Some | Heavy | |
De Atramentis Archive Black | 100% | Medium | No | Some | Some | Heavy | |
Platinum Carbon Black | 100% | Slow | Faint | Medium | Medium | Heavy | |
Noodler’s Zhivago | Some color runs off | Slow | Yes | None | None | Heavy | |
Noodler’s Air Corps Blue Black | Some color runs off | Slow | Yes | None | None | Heavy |
