J. Herbin Solves the Slime/SITB Issue
02/08/2012Sometimes sh*t happens. Toward the end of 2010, venerable ink maker J. Herbin had an issue with stuff/slime/sh*t in the bottle (SITB). Only a tiny fraction of bottles sold were affected, but the company took the issue seriously. Karen Doherty, VP of Exaclair, Inc., has posted a letter from the J. Herbin General Manager that explains the problem and how it has been remedied.
Though none of my ink was affected, I am appreciative of their efforts and willingness to be open about the situation. If you wound up with a tainted bottle, get a replacement from your retailer or directly from Herbin. The company definitely wants to make things right.
An Inkophile's Blog 
Just another reason why I love J. Herbin!
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Awesome explanation letter – I love learning about the processes behind things…
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Kindred spirits, penemuel! 😀
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This is one reason I use their inks almost exclusively in my very high end pens – I know they’re working to keep the formulations safe and they’re excellent about communicating when they need to make changes due to regulations.
My only disappointment, and it’s completely beyond their control, is that some of the newer formulas subtly change the colors from the lovely shades of the past to duller colors with only a single shade, rather than the shading of the past. Newer bottles of Cacao du Bresil, for example, are now a muddy brown rather than the archival motor oil shade of the past.
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[…] J. Herbin Solves the Slime/SITB Issue « An Inkophile’s BlogFeb 8, 2012 … Toward the end of 2010, venerable ink maker J. Herbin had an issue with stuff/ slime/sh*t in the bottle (SITB). Only a tiny fraction of bottles sold … […]
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I have same problem with mine, but also I add water, I wish they will provide a solution for that like to add drop of something to kill the slime……
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Indeed! There is some information at Fountain Pen Network about the slime issue or you can exchange the bottle for a fresh one through Exaclair. Frankly, I wouldn’t use an ink that had junk in it even after treating. It just isn’t worth it to me to risk fountain pens since I value them far more than a bottle of ink. However, I would use a treated ink with a non-fountain pen like one made of glass. The ink would never go to waste and could be a lot of fun. 🙂
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