Parker Quink Black Vs Sheaffer Skrip Black

[s5s]

I've got both inks and thought I'd make a comparison. The inks are very similar and differences are minute, barely noticeable. The pen I used is Lamy Safari Fine (F) nib. I haven't included any pictures or samples because both inks are reviewed in the ink review index. This is just a comparison between the two.

 

1) Lubrication (Parker)

Parker is slightly (almost unnoticeable) more lubricative. I'm using very smooth paper so I can feel it slightly and I write a lot but for most purposes and in most instances this would not really be noticed I think.

 

2) Saturation (Sheaffer)

Sheaffer is slightly blacker. To be honest I first put it as a tie because they are so similar in colour but I think Sheaffer is slightly blacker.

 

3) Wetness (tie)

Absolute tie. For me the same in any respect in terms of wetness/flow.

 

4) Water (Sheaffer)

I'm really surprised by Sheaffer black is really resistant to water. It will weaken but leaves very, very visible and black marks so to me it's pretty much as resistant as Lamy Blue Black which is iron gall. Surprisingly after bleach it left a yellow line so even bleach can't remove it completely. Parker slowly but surely disappears.

 

5) Other

It should be noted that Sheaffer black when bleached goes from black to redish to yellow. Parker goes to turquoise to nothing (I think it did leave a yellowish line to be honest but I kept the bleach for a very short time 2-3 min). The make up of the inks seems to be different - one is red-based and the other blue-based black.

 

Both are very good inks. I like them both and think they are pretty much substitutes. I have Parker Red and Sheaffer red and Waterman red so I'll try to compare those next when I have time.

 

PS Sheaffer Skrip Red is a very good ink I thought. If you like red I'd give it a try. I was surprised how good it was - very smooth and a very nice colour.

Edited January 22, 2012 by s5s

[DeaconKC]

Nice review of two very under rated inks. The nice thing about them is that I have no fear of using them in any of my pens from vintage to modern.

[s5s]

Nice review of two very under rated inks. The nice thing about them is that I have no fear of using them in any of my pens from vintage to modern.

 

Yeah, I mean you can leave those in any pen and even if they dry they will flush out with simple water. Absolutely harmless. I'm using them exclusively and I've gotten used to not capping my pen at all and I've got no problems.

[laureat]

Thank you for this very usefull comparison. Two nice, problemfree inks. Next time I'll buy Skrip for my everyday black.

[PolarMoonman]

Awesome comparisons very insightful i too use both inks frequently.

[bayport714]

I have and use both frequently. Very nice inks.

[cvasara]

I have and use both frequently. Very nice inks.

 

Nice review. Are you comparing the "New" Skrip and Parkers Black? Or the vintage Parkers and Sheaffer Skrip from the Yellow and/or Red boxes?

 

I ask, only because I use both of those vintage inks, both work well. I have no problems with either one. I don't flush my Targas or Snorkels very often at all, and will fill them with Parkers Ink with Skrip still in the pens. No problems at all. I tend to favor Sheaffer Skrip if for no other reason, most the the pens I use are Sheaffers, and I have a lot of Skrip around, enough to last about 3 more lifetimes. (Fort Madison is on my work route too)

[nervium]

Parker Quink Black is a beautiful ink, i have no opinion about Sheaffer but i always prefer Parker Quink Black to Pelikan esp. in italic and stub nibs like Pilot 78G Bold.

[doggonecarl]

Thanks for the information, especially about Skrip Black being water resistant.

 

I have Skrip blue and though I lean now more towards waterproof, or at least water resistant, inks, I still use Skrip to test new pens. I was actually looking at Skrip Black this weekend but passed and got Noodler's Blue-Black instead. I will have to go back and get the Skrip.

[wastelanded]

Skrip black is a great ink for testing a new pen.

[doggonecarl]

Thanks to this review, and your mention of the ink's waterproofness, I went out this past weekend and picked up a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip Black. Running it in my Parker Frontier as we speak.

 

While maybe not an exceptional ink, there is something to be said about an ink that is time-tried and reliable. And Skrip Black is that.

[Inkysloth]

Black Quink is my go-to ink for the first fill of anything as it'll wash out if it leaks, and is not expensive or hard to find, so it feels like less of a waste!

 

Good to know Skrip has similar properties but better water fastness on paper. I might try that one in my next ink order.

[czanguine]

Chanced upon this thread as I was searching for reviews to somehow "validate" my current thoughts on Parker Quink. I've been using it for quite a while in my fountain pens; it's the first ink I've ever had. In my opinion Parker Black feathers a lot. Can't say anything about Skrip yet as I haven't tried the black. I intend to purchase a Skrip and/or a Pelikan though, for comparison.

[PolarMoonman]

In my experience Sheaffer is drier than Parker....

[mturk]

I've been a Skrip black user for 45 years (since 6th grade), and when the latest black comes out, I always try it, then go back to Skrip. 90% of my pens are vintage, and the highly saturated "boutique" inks are less than perfect matches for them. From a user standpoint, I can't really tell the difference between vintage Skrip and Slovenian.

[ajax16]

Sheaffer skrip black - excellent ink. Better than Quink; as rightly brought out, its blacker and wetter and I've used both even at 11,000 feet and the skrip works just fine. The Quink kind of dried up in the pen and ofcourse the air pressure variation factor too - Skrip came out ahead. Incidentally I tried blue Lamy too - found it better than Quink.

[JeanManuel]

I am a big fan of sheaffer skrip black too.

 

Thanks for the great review, and all the tests you made!

Edited April 3, 2013 by JeanManuel

[Ayaz Ali Laghari]

I have never used the Sheaffer ink but used Parker Black for long times. The Parker ink has good flow on paper and much better than Pelikan. However I love the colour of Pelikan which is darker than Parker and it has a golden ray.

[virgilio]

Don't know which Skrip black he was using, the new or old formula. Old formula was very wet, thin, smooth ink. New formula is very dry, scratchy, thin ink. Parker Quink black is moderately wet, thick and smooth.