Noodlers'

[Inka]

I finally got my first bottle/s of Noodlers' Polar Black yesterday and it's by far much nicer than I'd expected.

Having seen other reviews showing Polar Black looking almost gray, I was concerned it would look even lighter when used in a pen with a F or finer nib.

Just the opposite came to be seen, in that when using Polar Black in my re-worked XXXXF nib pen it actually looks darker, more a true black color.

I also have Noodlers' Borealis Black and Heart of Darkness Black, the Borealis having a dark green prime and the HoD having a dark red/brown prime.

Seeing Polar Black written on various paper types and written with different pens that have different nib widths, I now see that Polar Black is a truer black than others I have.

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Noodlers-Polar-Black-Revie.jpg

 

While I don't normally post pics of any wash-tests in my ink reviews, merely comment on them at times, Polar Black was so completely "as advertised" or "bulletproof" I'd decided to show it off this time.

Here is Polar Black after writing on MaxBrite 24# InkJet printer paper, allowed to dry only 20 minutes [thus the TIME + end written on paper to check drying time].

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Polar-Black-wash-test.jpg

 

Not even 100% Clorox bleach took Polar Black out of the paper, truly a very permanent ink.

For journal writing, check writing, anything with signatures that needs be fraud-proof, this is one very tough ink!

 

P.S., the dark lines seen on the scan are NOT ink, it's just where the paper wrinkled from the HOT water wash and how my scanner picks up wrinkles on paper, nothing more.

Not a single line of black ink had spread out from where it was written, nowhere on the paper, as all the lines look sharp and intact regardless of what was used as a solvent.

Even pure Dawn dish washing liquid on a dampened cotton swab couldn't remove the Polar Black ink and the paper actually began to degrade and fall apart while swabbing with it.

[txinsk]

I had been wondering whether heart of darkness was darker that polar black. I got the bottle of polar black for another ink to use, not that I loved black ink. But I found that love polar black. It is a very strong color.

[Inka]

I had been wondering whether heart of darkness was darker that polar black...

I've tried them both, in pens with different nib sizes.

While HoD seems a darker black when used with wider nibs my new Polar Black acquisition appears even darker than HoD when used with very fine nibs.

Just the opposite is true with my Polar Blue, in that it gets darker with broader nibs and lighter with fine nibs.

I've also done the same wash-test with my HoD and it too is just as "bulletproof" as is Polar Black, just nowhere near as slick to write with as Polar Black is.

Heart of Darkness has a definite brown prime to it, when writing on Staples sugarcane bagasse paper in particular, while Polar Black looks much more "black" to me on the same paper.

 

Borealis is still one of my favorite black inks, even though it's water-resistant and not "bulletproof", having a dark-green prime when used on Staples sugarcane bagasse paper.

If I knew then what I know now, I'd have bought just the Polar Black as my primary black ink and not even bothered with Borealis or Heart of Darkness; I like it that much.

[txinsk]

Thanks for the comparison information. I have noticed that polar blue looks darker in broader nibs as well.

[XerQ]

Not even 100% Clorox bleach took Polar Black out of the paper, truly a very permanent ink.

For journal writing, check writing, anything with signatures that needs be fraud-proof, this is one very tough ink!

 

1 ink I'm definitely not getting... too dangerous with kids and carpets around...

[Inka]

Definitely not a "kid-friendly" ink by any means but then not really sure if any inks really are.

For those concerned about needing a black that's tough, yet can be removed, you may want to try Noodlers' Borealis instead of Polar Black.

I have a large bottle of Borealis and it's an extremely dark black ink, to my eyes even darker than HoD, maybe because Borealis has a dark-green prime.

Doing the same wash-test as above, on Borealis, I was able to wipe it away with Dawn liquid soap and Clorox bleach totally destroys all traces of it.

[chkuo]

Thanks for the review, the comparisons with other Noodler's inks are very helpful.

[dandelion]

Thanks for a excellent and thorough review that made me choose the Polar Black instead of any of the other Noodler's blacks - and I'm happy so far. I really like your handwriting.

[Inka]

It's 90°F outside today, where I live, and I'm still having no problems with my Polar ink/s.

I've read that when temps exceed 65° F that Polar ink can become a little worse in feathering but I've not yet experienced any real change [maybe I need cheaper paper?].

It's @ 76° F inside my home right now, A/C on, I keep my pen [filled with Noodler's Polar ink] inside my shirt pocket getting warmed by my body heat, yet it still performs nicely.

While I do get some feathering, on some paper types, it's not that bad and I have non-Polar inks by other companies that actually do feather far worse than my Polar inks do.

Of all the inks I own, mostly Noodler's, I like my Polar inks the best and always use Polar in whatever pen becomes my carry pen for the day.

[hilasmos]

Thanks for writing about the Polar Black performance in the heat. I use it in my pens that I take to work, and there's no a/c, so it's good to know that the ink will continue to perform well during the summer months. I really like this ink!