Hello r/Scotland!
Are there any small, independent fountain pen ink makers in Scotland that have an online presence? Or even a large one for that matter. I'm hoping to keep it localized to just Scotland and not the greater U.K. I know Diamine is very commonplace and easy to get my hands on, but that's English. Don't want English, want Scottish.
I'm just having a hell of a time finding one. My searches online keep suggesting there is a company called Hamilton and Shields, but I cannot find an online presence at all and I fear that maybe they didn't survive COVID.
I found that Pure Pens from Wales (I know, not Scottish, but hey, at least it's not English) does make their own inks (including a very pretty purple/thistle colored ink called "Flower of Scotland") and ships internationally and that seems to be as close as I can get.
So why Scottish specifically? It's just a way for me to try and connect to my direct heritage from abroad that isn't in the form of whisky (of which I have many very delicious bottles) or wool. I love fountain pens and inks and felt that I could make a small contribution to a small maker while enjoying something made in Scotland. Win/win kinda thing. I don't know when, if ever, I would be able to make travel to Scotland, which is one of my bucket list trips. But maybe I can buy something that I really enjoy from the country of my ancestors? I figure it's worth a shot to ask.
Thank you!