oil-based vs water-based ink: simple tests to distinguist?

[thanhhuy123]

Is there any simple test we can do to tell if one pigmented ink is oil-based or water-based? The place I live people confuse others between pigmented and oil-based. I want to buy water-based pigmented ink for my HP. Some call it 'pigmented' and some call it oil-based ink.

 

[pharmacist]

all printer based pigment ink have water + hydrophilic solvents in them. You can test it by rubbing ordinary vegetable oil on text printed with pigment ink. You will not be able to rub it off the paper surface.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

There's pigment ink and dye ink. There are no oil-based inks for inkjet printers as far as I know. There might be some professional products for printing presses, but you won't find these sold for inkjet printers.

If you are asking about the difference between pigment and dye ink, the difference is quite visible. Dye ink is transparent. Pigment is translucent. It's milky in appearance. In the case of black ink, the dye has a purplish cast. If you mix a couple of drops with water, you will see it easily. But pigment is just plain black, period.

 

[PeterBJ]

Here is another test: water based inks, both pigment and dye, will not mix with white spirit/mineral spirits/mineral turpentine, but mix readily with water. Oil based inks will not mix with water but mix readily with white spirit/mineral spirits/mineral turpentine.

 

[cls]

i guess oil based is just a Wrong term for solvent based ink

 

[thanhhuy123]

Hi ThrillaMozilla, I know that there's no oil-based ink for inkjet printers. However, the problem here from where I live is the sellers sell many kinds of ink for inkjet, large format printer, printing press printer, etc (dye, pigmented, pigmented uv - don't know what it is, ink for offset printing...many many!). PLUS they also confuse the term "pigmented" and "oil-based" --> make it difficult and confusing and prone-to-error for customers. That why I would like to have a simple test method so that when I go buy ink, I can make sure they don't sell me the wrong ink.

Some sellers call the pigmented ink is: pigmented ink. Some others call it: oil ink. Some call: permanent ink...Very confusing.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Wow, this is difficult. The simple answer is that you get ink from a reputable company that is formulated exactly for your printer. I have no idea where you get that in Vietnam. You may have to order it from overseas.

If you tell us what model printer you have and what kind of cartridge it uses (for example, HP364), maybe someone can recommend something.

 

[The Hat]

Wow, this is difficult. The simple answer is that you get ink from a reputable company that is formulated exactly for your printer. I have no idea where you get that in Vietnam. You may have to order it from overseas.

If you tell us what model printer you have and what kind of cartridge it uses (for example, HP364), maybe someone can recommend something.

The problem in Vietnam has probably something to do with foreign currency or the lack of it.

The government of the day dont want guys buying things from the internet and then paying out with local currency
which will then have to be bought back again later at higher rates.
Just a wild guess..

 

[thanhhuy123]

Shhhh!! It's a "top-secret" in my country! Luckily you're not in Vietnam, else police gonna visit your house.

What you've said is one among many obstacles prevent us from trading with the outside world.

Some of my friends report having their goods lost during the customs entrance, being charged to 200% tax and fee..., requires many paper, which is not available, to prove something. Or another case: they refuse to receive the goods but the customs don't return it and keep it for their personal usage! >.<

ThrillaMozilla: Mine is HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 5525 (special series for SE Asia region, ~ to Photosmart 5520 series in the USA ) with HP 685 ink cartridge (HP 685 CMY is HP 564 CMY, HP 685 K is HP 564XL K -- diff. in size, ink droplet size are exactly the same and maybe the ink formula too).

P/S: I'm having red-eye disease now. I planned to have a post about this printer and cartridge refill based on my experience in VN. Stay tuned!