Pilot Iroshizuku Tsukushi

November 7, 2009

I've previously reviewed some other inks in the Iroshizuku line such as Fuyu-gaki, Asa-gao, and Tsuki-yo where I've given a reasonable account of the ink packaging and bottle, as well as making some comments about the line in general. I just received a gift of some additional inks in the line, and the most anticipated of the gifted inks was Tsukushi, "Horsetail Brown".

I'd like to wax eloquently on this ink, and even developed some thoughts in that direction, but in all truth, I find myself struggling to become more enthusiastic about this ink. I've used browns for many many years, dating back to a Sheaffer calligraphic set in something like the latter 'seventies, and I've almost dropped the colour in recent years, perhaps in some kind of ennui d'encre or something. When I saw a swab of the Tsukushi a bit back in a Pilot Iroshizuku : Autumn Inks thread in August, I thought that this could be fun.

http://www.PhotoShare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100855/106718/TsukushionHPInkjetPaper5102.jpg

The reality didn't quite match the expectation. Tsukushi is a perfectly serviceable and nice brown ink, it has some shading, perhaps not as much as some others like the Stipula Brown I was sent some months back (Thank you, Lady Dandelion !), but not fully saturated to the point where no shading was possible. And, indeed, my expectation that it would flower more with a very broad nib was well rewarded.

http://www.PhotoShare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100855/106718/TsukushionBRNotebookPaper1469.jpg

With a broad nib (very broad - the semi-vintage Pelikan 2.0 calligraphic nib is broader than any "modern" Pelikan nib I see around), the ink goes on quite wet, and takes much more time to dry. Even on simply HP inkjet paper, however, there's no bleedthrough at all, let alone on the Black n' Red A4 wirebound notebook paper. The broader nib does allow the shading to develop, but it's on the swabs, especially the extremely saturated swab with a Q-tip that a green undertone is visible with obliquely placed light (the second scan only shows a small bit of this, because, quelle surprise, the scanner's light is at a "normal" to the paper, i.e., 90° to the paper plane).

I suppose that I need finally to break down and order a brush-pen to try and test the Iroshizuku ink line more appropriately. It's obvious to me that the ink line is quite well-behaved in broader nib fountain pens, but for the full measure of the ink's shading effects, it needs a brush. Tsukushi is a reasonably wet ink, but certainly not as wet as Tsuki-yo or Fuyu-gaki from the Iroshizuku line, being perhaps more akin to what I experience with the Sailor Kiwaguru Nano Carbon Black, with the line being slightly less broad than the nib width. It dries more slowly than any of the other Iroshizuku inks that I have as well, one of those perplexing questions about ink when it's not as well "lubricated".

Also, it's entirely possible that this ink would function better on a more textured paper. The link I noted above for the Pilot Iroshizuku : Autumn Inks seemed to be swabs on a more textured medium, which may well be preferred for this ink series. Not having any at hand today in my office, I can't confirm this hypothesis.

These are not expensive inks in the sense that a 24kt ink or the inks that are lavished with cut lead crystal bottles can be, but then, as some people pointed out in one of my other ink reviews, it's certainly not a "cheap" ink. As such, this ink may well be the kind of indulgence that many FPN readers don't want to extend themselves towards. In all truth, if I'd not been gifted with this ink, I'm unsure if I'd purchase it at this price point with this specific performance. However, as a gift, it's different enough for me to enjoy, and perhaps over some time, I'll find that I've become closely attached to the ink.

But not yet...

As a note per the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines related to blogging published in October 2009, I purchased this ink myself from Jet Pens, which came in roughly forty-eight hours after web-based purchase. I am not paid in any fashion for my opinion or provided with free ink from the vendor or ink-maker.

John P.

November 8, 2009

Thank you for the review JohnP. I was considering this color (being a fan of browns) for a near-future purchase.

The color that shows in your scan is quite a bit different (on my monitor) than others I've seen online. Most notably, your sample appears to be darker and redder... perhaps even a little more "flat" than I expected. I know that online samples can be way off in that respect-- was the color what you expected?

I know you've reviewed a few inks from this line now... aside from color/shading characteristics, does it differ in other ways from other inks in this line that you've tried?

--Carol

November 8, 2009

Thanks for the review, JohnP. On my screen this ink looks more or less like Waterman Havanna, especially the part which is written with the small nib and the first two swabs. Could this be possible...?

- Ralf.

November 8, 2009

The color that shows in your scan is quite a bit different (on my monitor) than others I've seen online. Most notably, your sample appears to be darker and redder... perhaps even a little more "flat" than I expected. I know that online samples can be way off in that respect-- was the color what you expected?

I know you've reviewed a few inks from this line now... aside from color/shading characteristics, does it differ in other ways from other inks in this line that you've tried?

Carol :

It's quite dark in a "smaller" nib. Note that the smaller nib was still a pretty wet medium/broad CI, so shading in that case was less than I'd expected. As for flat, well, I think that's an artifact of the scanning. As I noted, there's a green undertone that's not visible with the direct scanner light, and thereby more texture than the scan shows.

This ink's not as powerful nor develops the shading of say, Fuyu-gaki, but so far, that's been the best of of the Iroshizuku line I've tried. I'd say that the Iroshizuku line has been better in the orange and red tones I've tried than this brown.

It's possible that this would benefit from a slight dilution, and when I get some time after this week, I'll likely give that a try.

John P.

November 8, 2009

Thanks for the review, JohnP. On my screen this ink looks more or less like Waterman Havanna, especially the part which is written with the small nib and the first two swabs. Could this be possible...?

Ralf :

Don't think so... It's less wet than Havana, IMO, and the shading is different. OTOH, I haven't used Havana for a longish time.

John P.

November 8, 2009

My bottle arrived yesterday (with great glee!), with its companion bottle of Yama-Guri (chestnut). I know that screens and scans vary wildly, but I would have mistaken your scan for the Yama-Guri if I had no title to work off of!

I get the same nice ruddy brown shading in my Visconti 14k fine nib; quite nice and somewhat lighter than your experience. Much more shading than I expected, especially versus the more consistent Yama-Guri.

Par for course in the fountain pen experience, isn't it?

November 8, 2009

My bottle arrived yesterday (with great glee!), with its companion bottle of Yama-Guri (chestnut). I know that screens and scans vary wildly, but I would have mistaken your scan for the Yama-Guri if I had no title to work off of!

I get the same nice ruddy brown shading in my Visconti 14k fine nib; quite nice and somewhat lighter than your experience. Much more shading than I expected, especially versus the more consistent Yama-Guri.

Par for course in the fountain pen experience, isn't it?

Heh.

I'd thought about the Yama-Guri as well, and decided on this because I thought it would be lighter... It's certainly not because of a lack of or actual shaking, as the bottles show plainly through, albeit coloured light.

It's entirely possible that I'm getting darker results because of writing with a Pelikan re-ground CI nib delivering a different line. When I'm not travelling for work (in the airport as I type this), I'll try it in a Sheaffer Defender MilClip that was recently re-ground for me to a CI. It's quite possible that my results are "brand specific".

I do quite like the Iroshizuku line and I'm also bringing along pens inked with Yu-yaki and Momiji for work this week. The Momiji is almost exactly as described "autumn leaves" with more than a strong hint of the ubiquitous Japenese maple. Quite enjoyable as a colour for editing or notes with inmpact. The Yu-Yake's not quite as dark as I'd expected (in a counterpoint to my experience with the Tsukushi), but I can see bringing it into the rotation along with the Fuyu-gaki (at this time my favourite in orange colours including always fine to use Herbin Orange Indien).

One of these days, I'll find some folks who want to do some swaps within the Iroshizuku line for colours that I'll use more. I can see that a couple of these will likely find themselves in very slow rotation frequencies with me. I won't just flush them or anything - they're far to good for that - but they'll not see the use I like with my inks. We'll see once I get a brush-pen to do some more tests on this line.

John P.

Edited November 8, 2009 by PJohnP