J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil

[Margana]

(Full review at Inkophile.com.)

 

J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil is a brown ink that has a lot of black in it and could easily pass for black or dark gray in some lighting conditions. This cool brown isn't highly saturated so the color of the paper comes through in a charming way. Tests on G. Lalo Verge de France Rose Stationery proved especially interesting.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3515285152_7da2a18a64.jpg

 

Cacao du Brésil is a bit dry and might tame a free-flowing pen though I haven't put that to the test. There's a small amount of shading so it might be lovely for drawing but it is also conservative enough for business. In a black pen it could do double duty at your desk and for a little sketching during lunch hour. Versatility is always a plus.

 

Drying time is about 3 to 5 seconds depending on the paper. I did not find it to be problematic in any way.

 

If you have been wedded to black ink but think there might be more to ink than basic black, J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil might be just the thing to make the transition. If you like bright and lively colors, Cacao du Brésil may not be exciting on its own. However, paired with the right paper, it might be a good addition to your ink rotation. For five years it has slipped in and out of use here. I never traded it as I have many other inks and that's actually a pretty good recommendation.

[Ghost Plane]

It's a favorite for me.

[FrankB]

I agree about the flow characteristics of this ink, and I like it for that reason. It is great in B and BB nibs. But - I still think it sort of looks like motor oil.

[scratchy]

I keep loading this up in a pen from time to time and then falling out with it after a few sentences. Maybe it's just too pale for me ie washed out. Actually I have about 7 different browns but the only one I'm using right now is Noodlers Walnut.

[contaxrts2]

Just had a try today. A great ink. I am in dark browns and this one is very grey just with a hint of brown. Cacao du Bresil will be in rotation with darkened Waterman Havanna and Diamine chocolate (both darkened with black)