Noodler's Swishmix Burgundy

[hunter186]

I recently picked up a bottle of the Noodler's Swishmix Burgundy from Swisher's. I was looking for something reddish and dark that was waterproof, and this seemed to fit the bill. I have to admit that I've had mixed results with this ink, however.

 

From my Lamy Safari, M nib, the ink flows wonderfully and has lots of variations in shading. It seems to flow very freely, but lacks the "thick" feel that I've found in some Noodler's ink. I'm not exactly sure how to describe this; it seems to feel a bit more watery, like it lubricates the nib a bit less. This shouldn't be interpreted as a complaint at all. (As I'm fairly new at this, perhaps someone could help me describe this in terms more readily understood)

 

I loaded this ink into my fine-nibbed Pilot 78g with very different results. The pen wrote well initially, but after less than 1/4 page, it got gradually more and more dry, until the pen was not writing at all. I was unable to get it to flow properly at all.

 

After rinsing the pen with soapy water, I gave it another shot. Now it seems to write rather nicely in this pen. It does have a tendency to dry on the nib, although I suppose this shouldn't be surprising as the Swishmix inks are intended to be very fast drying. The fine 78g has an exceptionally fine point, so that may influence things as well.

 

I really like the color. It certainly fits what I would picture as burgundy. I don't quite know how to describe the color, but it varies between a brick-red and a dark pink, depending on the paper, pen, and pressure.

 

I'm still getting used to this ink, but I like how quickly it dries on the page, and it does seem to be working better in the 78g. It may have just needed a cleaning.

 

Anyone have any experience with this ink? Any suggestion for mixing it with other inks? I wouldn't mind mixing something a bit darker, more of a red-black.

[Taki]

Thanks for your review! I have two other Swishmix colors(Tahitian Pearl and Glacier Blue), and my experience with those colors are similar to yours. I got a lot of feathering from GB and it does feel thinner than other Noodler's. I've had very good results with mixing it with PR Tanzanite and Noodler's Blue. Tahitian Pearl writes well initially, then becomes dry. I guess that's the trade off with fast-drying characteristics.

 

Again, thanks for your review

[Melnicki]

My pens dry up quickly when inked with SM Burgundy, or even when a mix contains SM Burgundy. Nevertheless, I like the color a lot. When my homemade Tiananmen-Black runs out, I'm going to try incorporating SM Burgundy in it to make it more vibrant & dark red (rather than bricklike). SM Burgundy goes in my Unsulphured Apricot mix.

 

I've noticed that the drying-up with this ink happens more than with Glacier Blue or Lakeshore Spruce (in my opinion). A quick dip in my rinsing-flask (used for rinsing syringes, but also for cleaning pens and starting dried-nibs), which always sits on my desk, can easily get it going again, though, even when the pen's been sitting for a month (I know, I shouldn't do that. But I do.)

 

pic attached is a brief water squirt test (not a dunk test) with SM Burgundy and Unsulphured Apricot #3. #3 is SM Burgundy + Habanero (adding some Eternal Brown makes it #4, a much nicer and more accurate mix). The "art nib" is a Duke 915 pen.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Melnicki

[hunter186]

Just wanted to add a bit. I've been using this ink for a few days now in my 78g, and it's really growing on me. The flow issues that I was having initially have disappeared, and the ink really does perform very well. Flow is consistent and smooth, and I really like the color. If allowed to dry on the nib for a couple minutes, it's a bit dry initially but after a couple letters is back to normal.

 

The ink does bleed horribly on cheap paper, but the nib on this pen is so fine that it isn't too bad. The color is dark enough to read easily, but stands out nicely compared to black text. I've been able to take margin notes on cheap paper without any problems, but with a wider nib that's really not an option.

 

It dries so quickly that I never smudge it, and my water tests have been about the same as the others posted here; it fades slightly as the non-waterproof ink washes away, but the waterproof component is easily legible.

 

I like it a lot, and I can see myself using this ink regularly.