Ink Review #312: Vintage Sheaffer Skrip Melon Red

Today's vintage ink is Sheaffer Skrip Melon Red. This ink was popular in the 1940's. A sample of this ink was provided by John from Fountain Pen Love.

The color:

Melon red is a watermelon red.

Swabs:

In large swabs the color is pretty constant, not a lot of variation.

Writing Samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: no shading, no sheen, and no shimmer. 

On 24 pound Staples copy paper the ink feathered and bled in every nib size.

Comparison Swabs:

Ink swabs for comparison, left to right (top to bottom for mobile RSS): Sheaffer Skrip Permanent Red, Sheaffer Skrip Melon Red, and Robert Oster Fire Engine Red. Melon Red has not turned as pink as Permanent Red has over time. Fire Engine Red is a close modern match, but not a perfect one.

Longer writing: 

I used a medium Jinhao X750 on Tomoe River paper. The ink had a wet flow. There was a bit of nib creep, but not too bad.

Overall, the ink still behaves well and has a good color, even after all this time. It is a little less vibrant than the original color, but it is still usable. If you are looking for a modern alternative, give Robert Oster Fire Engine Red a try.

Disclaimer: A sample of this ink was donated by Fountain Pen Love for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. There are no affiliate links on this page.