# Optical Forums > Optical and Ophthalmic Equipment >  Lensometer Ink/Inkpad

## Trina

The ink sponge in my lensometer has seen better days so I recently replaced it with the ink pad from Hilco (EX-3926) and used the Bombay Red India Ink (EX-3934) also from Hilco. Instead of just moistening the ink pad, all it did was gum it up and dry up all crusty. Am I doing something wrong? Is there anything I could be doing to make the ink pad actually absorb the ink without drying up? Thanks!

----------


## Trina

Bump! :)

----------


## rbaker

Cut a new pad from the brim of your grandfathers felt hat. Go to stationary store and get a bottle of "stamp pad ink." Don't use India ink.

----------


## Chris Ryser

> *Cut a new pad from the brim of your grandfathers felt hat. Go to stationary store and get a bottle of "stamp pad ink.**" Don't use India ink.*


perfect answer Dick .................it still needs us oldies to solve complicated things the easy and proven way.

Stamp pad ink does never dry out, and is a little greasy and you can get it in black or red.

----------


## Trina

Thanks! I really appreciate it. This India Ink is making me stabby...

----------


## Tallboy

I got some checkwriter ink from Ebay 7 years ago still works well, though my new lensometer has the cartridges in it. I actually got ink for "numbering metal" from ebay, it had  a  lion on the bottle, it worked super well.  There are lots of checkwriting ink on ebay also, pretty much the only place you can find it anymore is straight from china/india.  I'm sure the stamp ink is good too - I tried that first and it wasn't as good - at least whatever the ink is my doctors stamps use wasn't very good.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ebay...R8cb53uqMktVM:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Paymaster-H...QAAOSwAU5aVRmM

----------


## Don Gilman

If stamp pad ink wouldn't dry, how does it dry when you stamp it? I make my own using glycerin or propylene glycol and mix with Rit Dye any color you want and almost never drys out.

----------

