Blickensderfer 6 Ink and Roller

Blickensderfer machines use ink rollers rather than a ribbon. For the Blick No. 6, the dimensions are approximately 8mm (1/4 inch) diameter and 1cm (3/8 inch) long. The originals are getting difficult to find, but you can make your own.

What it takes:

1. dense wool felt
2. A sharp craft knife
3. a small metal skewer or thick needle to punch a hole

Use your knife to carve a small cylinder into shape. Go slowly and have patience. Dense wool is hard to cut in a round shape. The roller can be slightly smaller that optimal, but larger will cause it to either not spin or to rub on your paper. Ideally, you want a perfect cylinder. If the pad is thinner in the middle your ink will not be applied well.

Tips: Start with a wool polishing bob and cut it to size. You'll already have the basic shape, the right wool, and hole most of the way through.

You can use stamp ink - pigment or anything water based is fine. You can also make your own ink by mixing liquid watercolours or fountain pen ink with glycerine.

Do not use solvent based inks. They will break down the cylinder.

So far, the best ink seems to be Tsukineko Ultimate Pigment Ink. It comes in several nice colours as well as black.

Handmade Blick Ink Roller