Diamine Quartz Black

[Djehuty]

Diamine Quartz Black

 

I have no scan to show for this ink because I could not write with it. It completely clogged my Pelikano. Even when I gave up on capillary action and turned the converter until a large drop of ink fell from the nib, it refused to write. I could drip ink on the page and drag the nib through it, but I could not get the nib to produce an ink flow on its own. Any ink which reached the tines dried almost instantly. Judging by the way the last drop of ink in the converter turned a full glass of water an opaque, nearly pitch-black, I'm sure that this over-saturated ink would look very black indeed, should any pen be wet enough to overcome its tendency to coagulate.

 

The Verdict: No.

 

[gregamckinney]

I thought it was just me. I tried Quartz Black in several pens and, while it didn't clog them, it wouldn't flow.

I thoroughly cleaned my pens, and poured the ink down the drain.

 

Regards, greg

[PaulT00]

I don't understand this at all. I've used Quartz Black in several pens - it's currently loaded in an XF '51' vac - and not had any problem with it. Starts first time, every time, nice wet line, flushes out easily...

 

Perhaps I got a good batch?

[Calbei]

I'm surprised to hear this! Diamine inks tend to have a fantastic flow, and my bottle of Quartz Black works like a dream.

[gregamckinney]

QB is the only Diamine ink I've had any trouble with. I have about 10 colors of Diamine, four of which I use all the time.

 

I've heard many other positive reports about Quartz Black, so I have to assume that Djehuty and I somehow got bottles from a bad batch.

 

Regards, greg

[tawanda]

I have nine Diamine inks, and I agree with Greg, this is the only one I've had problems with. My husband's vintage 45, a perfect workhorse, gives up after half a page with QB in and I have to wash it out and start again. I've tried the same pen with every other Diamine I have, and other makes including Visconte green and Noodler's Walnut, and the pen steams away quite happily.

Also, if I take the lid off my bottle of Dia QB after a few days' standing, there is a grating noise, and powdery deposits along the rim. (The bottle is always looked after properly: lid off only for minimum time, placed in box, in a desk drawer when not being used.)

I'm seriously considering buying another black very soon. Its not too much of an issue for me as I'm hooked on Dia blue-black and Presidential blue, but hubby is a black and black only kinda guy.

[UNDERDOG]

I've recently gone on a hunt for a black for a relatively newly acquired Sheaffer Heritage Legacy (black/silver trim). Something keeps telling me this pen is made for black (given it's overall look). I've put Private Reserve American Blue in it and it's a nice ink and all, but this pen screams black (as described above).

 

I had heard about Pear Tree Pen Company's ink sampler program and decided that would be the best way to find the right black for this pen. I had tried PR Ultra Black, but IMHO in feathered too much both in this pen and a Lamy 2000. Having gone through 2 pens with this ink, I decided it wasn't for me. It may work superbly in other pens, but I'm forcing the issue with the Sheaffer for now.

 

I tried Aurora black, Noodler's Polar black, J. Herbin Perle Noire, and Diamine "Jet" Black.

-Aurora was dry in my pen and when filling and emptying it acted "sticky" and had a general odd character to it that I didn't see in the other inks I've worked with so far.

-J. Herbin Perle Noire was/is a dream. Smooth. Silky. "Clean."

-Noodler's Polar Black was definitely water-proof, if not a touch dryish, but performed admirably enough.

 

But more to the point with this topic -- the Diamine "Jet" Black looked "dirty" in the vial. It had "deposits" on the inside of the bottle. But in the spirit of "sampling" I continued and put it in the pen. To my surprise is came out a very middle-colored gray. I wondered if I had not filled correctly and considered I might've made an error in the order or filled it incorrectly. I tried to "write it out" of the pen, but it acted either partially clogged or perhaps is was just the "actual" color of this so-called black. I couldn't tell. Not a good first impression with this ink manufacturer though. Perhaps there's a big difference between "Quartz" black and "Jet" black?

[Calbei]

But more to the point with this topic -- the Diamine "Jet" Black looked "dirty" in the vial. It had "deposits" on the inside of the bottle. But in the spirit of "sampling" I continued and put it in the pen. To my surprise is came out a very middle-colored gray. I wondered if I had not filled correctly and considered I might've made an error in the order or filled it incorrectly. I tried to "write it out" of the pen, but it acted either partially clogged or perhaps is was just the "actual" color of this so-called black. I couldn't tell. Not a good first impression with this ink manufacturer though. Perhaps there's a big difference between "Quartz" black and "Jet" black?

As far as I am aware, Quartz Black is a touch darker than Jet Black.

 

It's always awful to have a bad first experience, but they do produce some fantastic inks. Hold out with Diamine!

[mucephei]

Funny, I've never had problems with Quartz Black.

 

I've just inked up my Capless with it, after a long period of trying out different colours.

[nectarmk]

Same bad experience 3 years ago: no flow. I even complained at the Writing Desk about it. So horrendous it had to be a manufacturing problem. The colour though is fantastic; that makes it even more frustrating if it doesn't flow. I am willing to give it another try. (Currently I use pelikan black: reliable but not exciting).

Edited June 14, 2009 by nectarmk

[sherlock_tomes]

I don't have any problems with the flow, but the ink itself came out more charcoal gray than black. Perhaps it had separated -- I don't know. It was recommended to me as a very black black, but it was the least black black I've ever used. I'm sticking to the Aurora black, now that I have a bottle.