Robert Oster Ink

Robert Oster inks are different from other fountain pen inks because of their expressive color drawn from the Australian landscape and handmade in Australia. They have two lines, the dye-based Signature and the glittery Shake ‘N’ Shimmy, each sold in a 50 mL bottle. Fire and Ice is one of the hobby's landmark sheening inks, and that strong reputation for sheen and shading is what attracts most collectors to the brand.

Signature is the everyday line, dye-based, wet, and well-behaved, with the shading and sheen the brand is known for. Famous sheeners, like Fire and Ice, throw a strong second color onto pen-friendly paper, while Dragon's Night adds a subtler copper sheen. Shake 'N' Shimmy uses a similar base but adds a suspension of metallic particles for a glittery shimmer. That means the bottle needs a shake before filling, writes best through medium and broad nibs, and requires more frequent cleaning.

For daily writing, the Signature line is the one to reach for. It flows wet, writes page after page, and shades reliably nicely, without the metallic particles that ask for extra cleaning and broader nibs. Save the Shake 'N' Shimmy inks for when you want extra pizzazz.

These inks are generally not water resistant, though the level of resistance varies by line. The Signature inks are dye-based, so writing that gets wet will smear or lift, leaving some color behind but not a clean line. If you need writing that survives water, look to our collection of water-resistant inks.

Shake the bottle before filling, use the pen regularly so the particles don't settle in the feed, and flush it more thoroughly than you would a standard ink. The metallic particles in Shake 'N' Shimmy can restrict flow and collect in the feed if a pen sits idle, so many writers keep it in a broader-nibbed or lower-value pen and clean weekly. For best results, write regularly to keep the particles moving.

Medium and broad nibs work well for the Shake 'N' Shimmy inks. The wider tine slits let the suspended metallic particles flow through consistently, and they lay down enough ink to actually show off the shimmer. Fine and extra-fine nibs still work, but they clog more easily and show less sparkle.

For the most part, yes. The Signature line is a standard dye-based ink that’s fountain-pen-safe. The one caution is the Shake 'N' Shimmy line, whose metallic particles make it a poor match for very fine nibs and for pens you would leave inked and idle for long stretches. For a vintage or valued pen, the Signature line is the safe everyday choice. Of course, regular cleaning keeps any pen happy.

On paper designed for fountain pens, the inks take roughly 10 to 30 seconds to dry. They set in faster on standard printer paper or cheap notebook paper, but the ink’s color complexity won’t appear as clearly. The Signature line flows wet, so a heavily saturated color on smooth paper may stay on the surface a little longer. Left-handers and fast writers, be vigilant about smudging!