Thanks for the replies. I have thinned with water and alcohol. I’ve thinned just to the point where it’s almost too thick for the nib. Just not opaque enough for me after thinned. Ordered acrylic ink and 1Shot Signer’s paint. Was hoping to get these rods out sooner but will have to wait. I would rather use acrylic ink as not to thin anything anymore. Odd thing is that some rods will take India ink or Testors and other stuff and some won’t. I use Minwax Wipe-On Poly over the script. For example, a Lamiglas wouldn’t take India ink but a Haldin blank would accept it. But I also think some inks and paints have different properties based on brand name. Anyways, 1Shot is the only thing I’ve found that goes on and stays on different rods and accepts my Poly.
Thanks again.
***UPDATE 7/20***
I bought Dr.Ph.Martin’s Spectralite Liquid acrylic ink. I used a donor blank to scribe and let it sit for 48 hours. Then with 4 hours in between applications, I layed down 2 coats of Minwax Wipe-On Poly.
The ink flows very well off the nib but care still needs to be taken as not to tattoo the blank. Beats mixing and thinning my 1Shot. Wipes off easily with water - if done very soon thereafter. My F’s look like J’s.