Noodler's Black Ink: Bulletproof, Dry Time & Bottle

A 3 oz bottle of Noodler's Black drawn in proportion: glass filled with black ink to the brim, a black ribbed cap and a cream label with a catfish, beside a black ink swab card; inset: a written line still legible under a drop of water — Noodler's Black in its 3 oz bottle, drawn in proportion.

Product facts

Product: Noodler's Black fountain pen ink, 3 oz bottle (19001)
Brand: Noodler's
Brand origin: United States
Made in: United States^*
Material: Bulletproof black ink in a glass bottle
Price range: $$$5–20 per item

Notes on these facts

Made by Noodler's Ink, Massachusetts (run by Nathan Tardif). Made in United States: Noodler's About Us page says its ink is 100% made in the USA from cap to glass to ink. Dromgooles adds that the inks are handmade in small batches, and Pure Pens describes Noodler's as a small company in southern Massachusetts run by Nathan Tardif. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

The standard bottle holds 3 oz, listed as 88 ml (Goulet rounds it to 90 ml); a 4.5 oz (133 ml) bottle is also sold.
Mountain of Ink measured a 50-second dry time, with no feathering and no bleed-through.
Its Amazon listing (ASIN B000MVZ2E6) shows 4.5 stars from about 3,600 ratings, ranked between 72nd and 142nd in Bottled Ink.
Noodler's classes item 19001 as archival, bulletproof, forge-resistant and water-resistant; its bulletproof inks resist UV light, bleaches, alcohols and solvents once dry on cellulose paper.
Noodler's says its ink is 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink.

What is Noodler’s Black?

It’s Noodler’s everyday black fountain pen ink, and one of its “bulletproof” inks. Noodler’s is a small American ink maker run by Nathan Tardif in southern Massachusetts; its name refers to noodling, catching catfish by hand, and a catfish appears on its labels.

It’s a long-running bestseller: a copy of its Amazon listing shows 4.5 stars from about 3,600 ratings and a rank between 72nd and 142nd in Bottled Ink.

Noodler’s Black specs

Spec	Value
Maker	Noodler’s Ink, Massachusetts, USA
Item	19001 (3 oz); UPC 019001190016
Bottle	3 oz, listed as 88 ml (Goulet: 90 ml); 4.5 oz (133 ml) also sold
Bottle opening	23.6 mm (0.93 in), per Goulet
Water resistance	High on cellulose paper (Mountain of Ink)
Dry time	50 s (Mountain of Ink’s test)
Shading / sheen	Low / none
Feathering / bleed	None in Mountain of Ink’s test
Price band	$$ ($5–20 per bottle)

We didn’t find a published bottle height, so the cover draws the bottle in proportion.

Noodler's Black 3 oz (88 ml) and 4.5 oz (133 ml) bottles to scale, with fills per bottle: about 220 and 332 for a 0.4 ml Pilot CON-40, 110 and 166 for a 0.8 ml LAMY Z28, 50 and 75 for a 1.76 ml TWSBI ECO; high water resistance, 50 s dry time — Fills per bottle (bottle ÷ capacity), with Noodler's Black's sourced properties.

What does “bulletproof” mean?

It’s Noodler’s term for ink that resists water and forgery once it has dried on cellulose paper. Noodler’s own classification says bulletproof inks resist “most but not all” of a forger’s tools, including UV light, bleaches, alcohols, solvents and petrochemicals, and lists Black among them; blacks are the most bulletproof of its colors.

It isn’t a guarantee against every smear. Dromgooles adds that the ink may still smear when it gets wet, and a Fountain Pen Network reviewer found it not completely waterproof but still quite readable after water.

On coated or synthetic papers with little cellulose, the bond may be weaker; a Goulet customer review notes that the ink washes off anything that isn’t cellulose.

How does it write?

It writes a very dark, flat black with no shading and no sheen. Goulet calls it very highly saturated and dark; Mountain of Ink found its sample lighter, almost grey, and notes that handmade batches vary.

Mountain of Ink saw no feathering and no bleed-through. A Goulet customer saw little of either except on poor 20 lb copy paper.

How long does it take to dry?

Slowly: Mountain of Ink measured 50 seconds. Goulet says it takes a while on ink-resistant fountain pen paper but dries much faster on cheap copy paper.

If you’re left-handed or write fast in a notebook, keep a blotter handy, or pick a faster-drying ink.

Which pens is it safe for, and how do you clean it?

It’s sold as a regular fountain pen ink for any pen that fills from a bottle. It is a good match for a large piston filler like the TWSBI ECO, which holds about 1.76 ml, so one 3 oz bottle fills it roughly 50 times. The TWSBI Diamond 580 holds a little more, up to 1.98 ml by Goulet Pens’ measurement.

Goulet says it takes a little longer to flush out than ordinary inks because it’s permanent. Rinse the pen with water when you change inks, and don’t leave it to dry out in a pen you rarely use.

Why is the bottle so full?

Noodler’s fills its bottles to the brim, so the first opening can spill. Dromgooles and Onlinemantra both advise care when opening a new bottle.

Open it over a paper towel, or pour a little into a small vial first. A full bottle also means a nib can be dipped straight in at the start.

How does it compare to other inks?

It trades speed and easy cleaning for permanence. A dye ink such as Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki dries in about 20–25 seconds in Goulet’s test and rinses out easily, but Goulet rates it low for water resistance.

For checks, envelopes and records, Noodler’s Black is the one to use; for everyday color and quick drying, a dye ink is easier. At the other extreme, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue is made to wash out and, Pelikan says, can be erased with an ink eradicator.

Where is Noodler’s Black made?

In the USA. Noodler’s says its ink is “100% made in the USA from cap to glass to ink”. Dromgooles adds that the inks are handmade in small batches, and Pure Pens places the company in southern Massachusetts.

We didn’t find a founding year or a first release date for Noodler’s Black in a source we could check.

Frequently asked questions

Is Noodler's Black waterproof?

It's water resistant, not fully waterproof. Mountain of Ink rates its water resistance high and a Fountain Pen Network review found writing still quite readable after water, but Dromgooles warns it can still smear when wet.

What does bulletproof mean for Noodler's ink?

It's Noodler's name for inks that resist most, but not all, of a forger's tools once dry on cellulose paper. Noodler's lists UV light, bleaches, alcohols, solvents and petrochemicals, and says the inks are water resistant too.

How big is a bottle of Noodler's Black?

The standard bottle is 3 oz (item 19001), listed as 88 ml on Amazon and 90 ml by Goulet. Noodler's also sells Black in 4.5 oz (19801) and 16 oz (19830) bottles.

Why is my Noodler's bottle so full?

Noodler's fills its bottles to the brim. Retailers advise opening a new bottle slowly and over a paper towel to avoid spills.

How long does Noodler's Black take to dry?

Mountain of Ink measured 50 seconds, and Goulet says it dries slowly on coated fountain pen paper but much faster on absorbent copy paper.

Is Noodler's Black safe for fountain pens?

Yes, it's sold as a fountain pen ink and widely used in everyday pens. Goulet says it takes a bit longer to clean out than ordinary inks because it's permanent, so don't let it dry in a pen.

Where is Noodler's ink made?

In the USA. Noodler's says its ink is 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink; Dromgooles says it is handmade in small batches, and retailers place the company in southern Massachusetts.

Sources (15)

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