Lamy Blue-Black

[Sandy1]

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http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/INK576-1-2.jpg

 

～|～I～|～

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/335c54f1.jpgFigure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

LINK:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_1eecd8b3.jpg

Pens: L → R: Somiko, 440, Estie, PPP, Slimfold & Carene.

 

Figure 3.

Paper base tints:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Private%20Reserve%20Chocolate/86f3378c.jpg

L → R: HPJ1124, Rhodia, G Lalo white, Royal, Staples 20 lb.

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

 

Row height is 8mm.

 

Figure 4.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/d161a876.jpgFigure 5.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/c78b70c7.jpgFigure 6.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/8ea59b8d.jpg

Figure 7.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/86c71d41.jpg

Figure 8.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi use.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/1599d9c1.jpg

Figure 9.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/2f468a1b.jpg

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 10.

Smear/Dry Times.

Wet Tests.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/e5720a2e.jpg

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Presentation :

• Five proprietary 'T10' cartridges in a box; approximately 1ml. each.
• AFAIK, these little rascals will only fit Lamy c/c pens.

Country of origin:

• Germany.

Eco-Green:

• Daft.

Availability:

• Kindly check with your local B&M shops and online outlets.

Daily writer?

• Easily.

A go-to ink?

• Yes - when a simplesimplesimple high-performance true Blue-Black ink is desired.

USE

 

I speculate that it is produced and marketed as a visual equivalent to the bottled Lamy Blue-Black ink which contains iron-gall.

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• In the medium to darker densities, I could see LBlBkC being used for all communication.
• It may be a nice idea to have medium-pale Blue ink when/if a more convivial ink seems appropriate.
• For personal work product, I could see using LBlBkC without hesitation.
• The excellent line quality and unobtrusive appearance make this ink a viable option for marginalia, especially from a very narrow nib.
• Not enough zip for editing / mark-up.
• Not enough zap for error correction or grading of assignments.

Illustrations / Graphics:

• Even at maximum density shown, the ink is not prone to become so dark as to be perceived as Black, (unlike Sailor BlBk), hence it is a good intermediate between Black and medium Blue, or dark and medium Blue should a greater non-Blue increment be desired.
• Line quality is excellent, making it a top pick when narrow tight lines are required. e.g. Lines, labels, crosshatching.

Students:

• Easily.
• LBlBkC has a very readable appearance, so is a good pick for general notes.
• Water resistance is good, but that's not a green light to be careless.
• Performance on 20 lb. bond was very good, so its a contender for two-sided use on 'lowest bidder' papers.
• While wonderful for hand-written assignments, if/when a paper worthy of a high grade is anticipated, a more animated ink, (e.g. PR American Blue, Waterman South Sea Blue), should be considered.

Personal:

• I do not have a history with this ink, but let's pretend ...
• I could use this as a pro forma ink - it is sufficiently 'as expected', yet definitely an FP ink.
• I'm not so thrilled that I would use it in place of my core BlBk inks. (OhOh - time to duck & roll?)
• For personal writing, in the low-medium densities it does not have charisma to overcome its simplesimplesimple appearance; yet in the higher densities, it does acquire more oomph.
• Billets doux? Are you mad?!!?

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• About average.

Nib Dry-out:

• Tips seemed to become dry much sooner than expected, but not the ink in the feed.

Start-up:

• Due to nib tip dry-out, there was some lack of confidence at the first stroke, but no significant virga.

Lubrication:

• About average.

Nib Creep:

• Not seen.

Staining:

• Not seen.

Clogging:

• Not seen.

Bleed- Show-Through:

• Not seen on papers used.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Not seen on papers used.

Smear/Dry Times:

• HPJ1124: 10 - 20 seconds.
• Rhodia: 15 - 25 seconds.
• 20lb.: <10 seconds

Water Resistance: ☂

③ on the 4S Scale:

• All legible, but either very faint and/or has heavy staining from re-deposit of soluble dye.
• Needs recovery/restoration for anything beyond personal use.

Smell:

• N/A

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not seen.

Clean Up:

• Thorough and fairly quick with plain water.

Mixing:

• (Rather inconvenient in a cartridge, no?)
• No prohibition.
• I see no reason to mix into this ink.

Archival:

• Not claimed.

Now that, dear readers, is another lovely performance profile.

 

THE LOOK

 

Presence:

• Rather low presence, but lacking stealth capability.

Saturation:

• Low.

Shading:

• Not evident from narrow nibs, but is quite appealing at higher densities from wide nibs.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • A bit more than expected.

  [*]Papers used:

  • Less than expected.

  [*]Malleability:

  • Moderate.
  • The wily practitioner would choose their writer to set the general Look of their writing, with paper being used to tune that Look.
  • Those properties make LBlBkC quite suitable for a daily writer ink where the appearance remains quite consistent across a range of paper.

Hi-Res Scans:

 

Somiko on HPJ1124

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_07fe1c21.jpg

Estie on Rhodia

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_3c7c3870.jpg

PPP on G Lalo

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_9f754dc3.jpg

Carene on Royal

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_a639d7d4.jpg

 

By request, ♥, we also have the pleasure of seeing LBlBkC from the Sailor Somiko + TIGP F nib on the Royal - 25% rag paper.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Lamy%20Blue%20Black%20Cartridges/th_84eb6005.jpg

 

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Yes.
• Definitely a Blue-Black, without a hint of green/teal/blaqua.

Are swatches accurate?

• Swatches on box are accurate in colour; density is close to the Figure 1 Swatch from the relatively wet Carene.

SIMILAR COLOURS:

 

Please note: For the recent Blue-Black inks which I reviewed, an effort was made to use several of the same papers, one or more of the same pen/s, and Written Sample format to support side-by-side comparison through manipulation of 'net browser windows. I hope this is sufficient to meet most ad hoc comparison requirements; if not, I welcome your PM.

 

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• Ran well on all papers used.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• None encountered.

Tinted Papers:

• Most reasonable tints.

Pre-Printed Papers:

• Forms, etc.
  • Easily.

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • Easily.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Doubtful.
• Once again, paper is very much a matter of preference over performance.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• I'm afraid not - LBlBkC lacks the complexity, jump and juice to be conjured.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Carene on the HPH1124.
• While I do have a penchant for pale inks, in this case the greater density and stub nib of the Carene give the LBlBkC a character I can appreciate.

Yickity Yackity:

• Certainly a fine back-up ink to tote around in one's satchel if their cartridge-capable Lamy were to become parched. Other than that, I really do wonder where this high performance ink would fit in a person's array.
• Ah kushbaby, what to do with this one?

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

______

 

Pens:

• Sailor Somiko + TIGP F nib.
• Sheaffer 440 + XF steel nib.
• Estie + steel nib.
• Platinum Presidential Purist + 22K B nib.
• Parker UK Slimfold + 14K B for 'Bodacious' nib.
• Waterman Carene + 18K stub nib.

______

 

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Staples 20lb. multi use.
• Pulp. One-a-Day Calendar page.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted post-production, other than dumb-down by Photobucket and IP.Board s/w.

______

 

Densitometer Readings (FWIW)

• Red 124
• Grn 143
• Blu 187
• Lum 147

______

 

Fine Print

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of materiel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff in the bottle I used, and that in bottle/s you may have.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

______

 

-30-

See - I didn't mention Lamy Green once!

 

Tags: FPN Ink Review Lamy Blue Black Blue-Black cartridge Sandy1

[OMASmaniac]

nice. I wonder if it looks a bit less dull with a wet writer...

[Sandy1]

nice. I wonder if it looks a bit less dull with a wet writer...

Hi,

 

I tend to agree: my person pick was the sample from the Carene on HPJ1124. The Carene is the wettest pen of the six used, but is not 'dripping wet'.

 

The ink didn't show any feathering or bleed- show-through, so use of a wetter pen / more absorbent papers to generate a darker appearance seems very possible without high risk exposure to unacceptable results.

 

I looked at the Pilot Blue-Black, LINK, which was rather pale for a BlBk, so that might give another view of the pale BlBk inks.

 

More choices!

 

Bye,

S1

[Ink Sandwich]

Thanks for another great, really thorough review!

 

Yet another of those inks I didn't like for a long time. I find Lamy and Pelikan Blue-Black comparable in performance. In my everyday pens, they both don't look really that great and require a wet writer, or you'll get some dull light blueish-gray color, but it has the potential to look really nice.

 

Can you say anything as to how the ink cartridges compare to the bottled ink? Given that Pelikan Blue-Black is discontinued, this one seems to be a viable alternative.

[Sandy1]

Thanks for another great, really thorough review!

 

Yet another of those inks I didn't like for a long time. I find Lamy and Pelikan Blue-Black comparable in performance. In my everyday pens, they both don't look really that great and require a wet writer, or you'll get some dull light blueish-gray color, but it has the potential to look really nice.

 

Can you say anything as to how the ink cartridges compare to the bottled ink? Given that Pelikan Blue-Black is discontinued, this one seems to be a viable alternative.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Somehow, I seem to be doing a 'series' of BlBk Ink Reviews, which seems to have been triggered when I noticed a few of those inks did not have an Ink Review entry in the Index. (Likely this one won't either, unless it gets moved to that Forum!)

 

I've used most of this ink in the cartridges, and came away with a near 'Ho Hum'. As mentioned, its a simplesimplesimple ink. It doesn't have the 'it' factor of an i-g ink, which I appreciate. Nor does it have the supple strength and classic good looks of the Pelikan BlBk, which I reviewed HERE. That said, it seems to me that a faux Pelikan BlBk will likely be a mix, and that the Lamy BlBk in cartridges may well be a component of that mix - it certainly has many of the core performance properties.

 

I plan to review Lamy BlBk in bottles, but that'll be a fair while coming.

 

Bye,

S1

[Pat1]

What is the " 'it' factor "?

[Sandy1]

What is the " 'it' factor "?

Hi,

 

The "it factor" is something that I cannot put into words, but can be seen. It has to do with the appearance of the ink when it is on the paper; and how the ink and paper react together.

 

It is very subtle, and I cannot make a scan that shows the "it factor".

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Comparison to Lamy Blue-Black in bottles (iron-gall in the formula) https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/202683-comparison-lamy-blue-black-i-g-bottle-cartridge/page__gopid__2078881#entry2078881