Fuyu-Syogun - Pilot Iroshizuku

[visvamitra]

Few years ago (anyone knows the exact date/year? I would be interested) Pilot's created exclusive line of inks called Iroshizuku. I believe they may well be the most well known fountain pen inks in pen world. These inks are supposed to work in any pen with any nib on any paper and in any situation. I haven't tried all of them but so far the Iroshizuku inks I've tried were behaving flawlessly. The bottles are stunning although they have their issues: if the ink is left unused for some time the cap tends to stick and break when you try to twist it open. It happened to my bottle of Shin-Ryoku.

 

Anyway Iroshizuku line of inks counts 24 "standard" colors. Three inks were made some time ago for Tokyo stores: Edo-Murasaki, Fukagawa-Nezu and Shimbashi-Iro. After seeing the scans over blogosphere I wish these three were accesible, because they look interesting. Edo - Murasaki looks cool while Murasaki - Shikibu is of no interest to me. Even though I kind of like Fuyu-Syogun I find Fukagawa-Nezu more compelling.

 

Nothing indicates Pilot plans on extending the official line any time soon (if ever) so let's take a look at what's possible to obtain from dealers and online shops.

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img905/8500/8118Do.jpg

I don't have all of the inks but sooner or later I'll try to check them all. With time I'll review all of them (hopefully).

 

1. Ajisai
2. Ama-Iro
3. Asa-Gao
4. Chiku-Rin
5. Fuyu-Gaki
6. Fuyu-Syogun
7. Ina-Ho
8. Kiri-Same
9. Kon-Peki
10. Kosumosu
11. Ku-Jaku
12. Momiji
13. Murasaki-Shikibu
14. Shin-Kai
15. Shin-Ryoku
16. Syo-Ro
17. Take-Sumi
18. Tsuki-Yo
19. Tsukushi
20. Tsutsuji
21. Tsuyu-Kusa
22. Yama-Budo
23. Yama-Guri
24. Yu-Yake

There was time when I disliked grey inks. However after doing grey ink comparison (that forced me to play with them and try a variety of greys) and dealing with its aftereffects I've developed kind of sympathy for some of grey inks. Fuyu-Syogun has grown on me and I tend to use it when I find myself in nostalgic frame of mind.

 

Ink Splash

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1981/B8o1SH.jpg

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/7084/hFX2Ub.jpg

Software ID

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/4381/K6CPCc.jpg

Color Range

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/9641/rJXaXH.jpg

Oxford Recycled ( 90g, satined paper ), Kaweco Classic Sport turned to eyedropper, broad nib

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8120/JdyUZu.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/6703/pMMWZ5.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img901/2447/m7xOLb.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img907/6176/JcHM6y.jpg

Comparison (scribbles made with Kaweco on absorbent paper)

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8611/rnYo4x.jpg

Edited January 13, 2015 by visvamitra

[Cyber6]

Awesome Vis!!!!... there are a few Iroshizuko Inks I really enjoy... I'll be looking forward to their reviews...

 

 

C.

[rafapa]

You could find useful information at

http://estilofilos.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/three-more-but-not-new.html

[visvamitra]

Thank you rafapa for the link:)

 

@Cyber6 - let me guess, I might be wrong, but I would say the inks you like are: Ina-Ho, Tsuki-Yo, Syo-Ro, Ku-Jaku, Shin-Kai Yama-Guri, Momiji and maybe Yu-Yake?

[Tas]

Fab review again and I can't wait to see you review all of the Iroshizukus but, at the risk of being lynched, apart from their "black" there's not a colour I like.

Seriously.

 

I really LOVE how they behave though - I've tried, Yama Guri, Tsuki Yo, Shin Kai, Ina Ho & Fuyu Syogun (the latter I use in a brush pen as it's too light in any of my fountain pens)

http://emoticoner.com/files/emoticons/smileys/bye-smiley.gif?1292867562

[PAKMAN]

I love this grey ink, it is the only grey that I have ever thought was really grey and not dull black. It even looks silver on certain papers.

[Cyber6]

Thank you rafapa for the link:)

 

@Cyber6 - let me guess, I might be wrong, but I would say the inks you like are: Ina-Ho, Tsuki-Yo, Syo-Ro, Ku-Jaku, Shin-Kai Yama-Guri, Momiji and maybe Yu-Yake?

 

 

HA HA.... you got me all figure out.... Although Momiji and Yuyake .. I am not particularly crazy about.. and don't have bottles of them either.

 

I also have Kosumosu, Tsukushi... and Chiku-Rin... the latter is a bright green, that looks amazingly olive-like green when you add a drop of dark blue.

 

 

And... THANK you for not including Kon-Peki and/or Asa-Gao on my list..... those are amazingly popular but they really don't do anything for me...

 

 

 

C.

[kestrel]

I never particularly liked gray inks, either, until I tried this one. It is especially nice coming out of a broad nib. As a bonus I discovered that running a fill of it through my Conklin Crescent demonstrator cleared the stain from the transparent sac.

[ehemem]

This is the only gray ink I have. I only have 1 pen inked up with it, but I like it.

[inkstainedruth]

I found it to be a little on the light side, and was not getting the blue undertones I was expecting.

Bruce, have a look at De Atramentis Tchaikovsky/Silver Grey. It's well behaved and a bit darker (therefore more legible). And it kinda looks like you're making a silverpoint drawing or writing. That's probably my favorite grey ink on the planet.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[amberleadavis]

Perturbed Ghost.

[Uncial]

I have Kiri Same and I love it; especially the weird pinkish hue it displays on some papers. This one tempts me. Thanks for the review and great to see it in comparison - I'm surprised at how dark Diamine's Silver Fox is.

[KKay]

Lovely color of gray. It is most definitely on my gray list!

[Quadratus]

Great review- thanks. (All your Iroshizuku reviews are informative and inspiring!)

 

I've just started using this ink- as wonderfully subtly shadeing as any other Iroshizuku inks. Truly these are the "champagne of the ink world" as a pen dealer once described them to me... I love the way the "Fuyu-Syogun" ink has silvery blue hues, but it does need a generous nib to show all its effects on the page. I am currently using a springy, medium tending towards broad, 14c nib in a Visconti Van Gogh maxi and the effect is wonderful!

[visvamitra]

It's very nice grey ink, not my favorite but interesting.