Sailor "sei-Boku": Pigmented Nano Ink Mini Review

[Intensity]

I've read a lot of great feedback on this ink and finally got a full bottle myself. So far, the ink has definitely lived up to its reputation of being interesting and well-behaved.

 

In my search for permanent water-resistant inks, I've looked at a lot of pigment-based inks, and while there are many nice shades available, they tend to look "flat", with no color variation. There can be some amount of shading, but generally there's an extra complexity to dye-based inks that's missing from pigment inks. This ink defies the pattern and presents a complex, more dye-like blue. There is a great amount of shading and even a purple sheen! And of course it's almost entirely water-resistant after fully drying. Thus it's safe for labeling envelopes and any personal as well as professional correspondence. And as a bonus, it writes well even on cheap paper, with no feathering and minimal bleed-through!

 

Personally I prefer lighter colored inks, and thus I purposefully put the ink into a wider-cursive italic nib pen with a more measured out flow. I gave up a bit of shading, but the beautiful turquoise-leaning blue of Sei-Boku comes through very well. I have also included what the ink would look like with a dip pen as well as with well-known Jinhao X750 pens which have high ink flow (unsurprisingly significantly darker result and with more shading).

 

Paper towel droplets show no noticeable color division/spread.

 

Big thumbs up for this ink! If only it cost a bit less. But at least it comes in a 50ml bottle. I would definitely buy a larger size bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2017 by Intensity

[Ghost Plane]

Uh oh. Now I have to expand my wish list. Nice!

[Intensity]

Adding some cheap paper tests (cheap printer paper and a newspaper) with some other ink types to compare with:

 

From the top:

Sailor Sei Boku (no feathering, almost no bleed-through, only some showing through on the spots with ink pooling up)

R&K Scabiosa (feathering + bleed-through, despite claims of iron gall inks not causing bleed-through)

Herbin Lie de The (both feathering and bleed-through)

Lamy Petrol (both feathering and bleed-through)

 

(disclaimer, don't press down on a pen with cheap paper or use wet feed pens, as these things will likely make any ink bleed-through to the other side. As usual, drier flow and fine nibs are best for avoiding bleed-through. E.g. Jinhao X750 pens and the like are too "wet" for cheap thin paper with any ink I've tried them with.)

 

 

Edited October 21, 2017 by Intensity

[Bookman]

Nice review. The images accurately capture this ink's color range. As a dip pen ink, it is by far the best I've ever used.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your IR !

 

This is one of the most malleable inks. Even though elusive at times, it exhibits an extraordinary performance profile that encompasses all but the worst of the worst situations.

 

One of the 'must have' inks.

 

Bye,

S1

[KellyMcJ]

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your IR !

 

This is one of the most malleable inks. Even though elusive at times, it exhibits an extraordinary performance profile that encompasses all but the worst of the worst situations.

 

One of the 'must have' inks.

 

Bye,

S1

I agree with this! It's my favorite all around ink and I have at least two pens inked with it at all times- it hasn't failed me yet!

[chromantic]

What a difference between your and crahptacular's reviews! I have a friend who described his Sei-boku as a "dark turquoise" and now I can see what he means. The color you're presenting is nice enough but doesn't appeal to me in the same way crahptacular's does yet, even there, I find the scanned image very appealing while the photo image isn't nearly as interesting.

[Intensity]

What a difference between your and crahptacular's reviews! I have a friend who described his Sei-boku as a "dark turquoise" and now I can see what he means. The color you're presenting is nice enough but doesn't appeal to me in the same way crahptacular's does yet, even there, I find the scanned image very appealing while the photo image isn't nearly as interesting.

Normally I wished that this pen I used had a higher ink flow, but with this ink, it's perfect as is. I wanted a waterproof alternative Diamine Asa Blue, as opposed to a dark shading blue-black, and while Sei Boku is different, it's great that it can pass for a medium blue if so desired. It's going to look different with different pens. In high concentration, there's the purple sheen, so the overall look of writing shifts toward purple blue from turquoise-leaning "murky" medium blue.

[chromantic]

I understand and am glad that you got the result you were looking for. I got Tsuki-yo wanting "a dark, shading blue-black" that some reviews showed but all I seemed to manage from it was a lighter, Diamine Teal sort of color.

[lapis]

Thanks for the good review. I too find it one of the "best" of all inks I have but the only "negative" attribute -- as has already been disclosed above -- is that for a "blue-black", it is too greenish. Your images appear to demonstrate that even more than what I myself see on my own paper, but that might be a good hint for those who have not yet purchased same.

[catalyst]

Great review!

 

Thanks for the good review. I too find it one of the "best" of all inks I have but the only "negative" attribute -- as has already been disclosed above -- is that for a "blue-black", it is too greenish. Your images appear to demonstrate that even more than what I myself see on my own paper, but that might be a good hint for those who have not yet purchased same.

I don't see how Sei-Boku is really marketed as a blue-black, its not even really a dark blue. That said it is a wonderful ink for what it is, definitely my favorite permanent/poor paper ink.

 

Against recommendations, I have mixed it with Kiwa-Guro (I think the SB:KG ratio was 5:2), it made for an ink that really looks like a blue black with a subtle red sheen on almost any paper. It retains the permanence and almost as well behaved. I wish Sailor would do it themselves as I don't trust mixes enough to put it in any pen above $10, but so far it has been working for me for a couple months of sparing use in a Pilot Plumix italic.

[katerchen]

And as a bonus, it writes well even on cheap paper, with no feathering and minimal bleed-through

 

 

Hmm, now I need to try it. I wonder if it's a match for my nemesis, the evil Utility Company Return Envelope.

 

I swear that thing is made from blotter paper. The tiniest touch from the tip from a fountain pen will spread out instantly. The only thing I can use to write my return address on it is a true Extra Fine pen with 4001 Königsblau ... and it still will look like a Sharpie crawl.

 

-k

[Intensity]

Thanks for the good review. I too find it one of the "best" of all inks I have but the only "negative" attribute -- as has already been disclosed above -- is that for a "blue-black", it is too greenish. Your images appear to demonstrate that even more than what I myself see on my own paper, but that might be a good hint for those who have not yet purchased same.

 

It's always difficult to convey colors accurately via internet, and it requires not only calibrating my own monitor (which thankfully is super well calibrated and is a special high gamut photography monitor), but also processing to have the right colors, and then the browser the viewers use has some color management (or not), their operating system, and their monitors can also have differing calibration and color accuracy issues. With that said, I matched what I saw as best as I could, perhaps there's a touch more saturation in the photographs than in real life. Near an open window in diffuse daylight shade, I clearly see the teal/turquoise element at this ink intensity (with the broad nib and dry flow).

[RoyalBlueNotebooks]

Definitely on my wish-list, but Kiwa-Guro and a Jentle color come first, I need a couple of dark colors, and this one is definitely not blue-black enough for me at the moment.

 

Impressive well-behaved ink though.

[fuddmain]

Nice review of one of my favorite inks. My pens are wet writers, so the ink is quite dark for me. Closer to your dip pen examples.

 

Here's a (not great) cellphone image:

 

 

 

[displacermoose]

This is one of my favorites as well. I don't really go for pure blues, so the green is a plus for me. But far more than the color is the performance; I prefer water resistant inks as I am paranoid about losing work and this is one of the few I've found that doesn't make performance trade-offs to get that water resistance.

[KellyMcJ]

I ordered a back up bottle of this. I love it that much.

 

The color changes drastically depending on paper too. It's still unmistakably Sei Boku but sometimes it's bright, sometimes dusty, and sometimes a rich navy that leans teal.

[AndyYNWA]

Nice review.

 

I love this ink!!!

[Sandy1]

Thanks for the good review. I too find it one of the "best" of all inks I have but the only "negative" attribute -- as has already been disclosed above -- is that for a "blue-black", it is too greenish. Your images appear to demonstrate that even more than what I myself see on my own paper, but that might be a good hint for those who have not yet purchased same.

 

 

Hi,

 

Yes.

 

It is not ye olde Blue-Black in that it lacks Indigo, rather the hue of Ss-b is reminiscent of the allure of tsuki-yo - a cousin, but not a sister.

 

And I've danced till dawn with all of them, though BlBk I-G (Registrars) needed a bit of a chivy to get them up on the table, (and a bit more to get them on the floor then out the door.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMDa-oftF1U The dancer's attire is magnificent, and even under stage lighting, I see a hint/echo of Ss-b

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

 

Oh, I found this ink handles dilution waaay down to 10% concentration. I reckon the D.water mucks-up the long-term stability of the nano chemistry, so batches are tiny - one shot.

Edited October 30, 2017 by Sandy1

[Tas]

This review tipped me over the edge and I finally bought a bottle. Thank you.

 

Theres something rather special about this ink and its changeling qualities are adorable.