Noodler's Legal Lapis

[JJBlanche]

Attached below is an image of a writing sample with Noodler's Legal Lapis, and below that, the review proper. Regarding the image, "lorem ipsum" is a nonsense language used by printers to showcase a font/color (ie: it takes focus away from content and puts it on aesthetics). The water test was performed by submerging and agitating a sample swatch of the given ink in reverse osmosis water for thirty seconds, then letting it drip dry.

 

A key has been added, written on Clairefontaine paper, with a number of different inks for reference.

 

Standard Disclaimer: Image provided only to give a general sense of the color. The vibrance and nuance are typically lost when an ink is digitized.

 

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/5232/legallapisyn3.jpg

 

Review

 

When I write a review, I first focus on color, and award an ink 0 to 100 based upon that alone, separate from other considerations. I then deduct points from the color score for defects (ie: lack of flow, creep, etc), to arrive at an overall score.

 

Color

 

Noodler's Legal Lapis is a pleasing shade of grey-blue. Out of all the inks I've tested, it very closely resembles Sailor Blue-Black, albeit bluer. It does not exhibit much shading in my pen. Overall, I find Legal Lapis to be a decent color, but it's ultimately drab and uninteresting, at least from my perspective.

 

Color Score = 80

 

Deductions

 

Legal Lapis is the messiest ink I've tested to date, but has less nib creep when compared to other Noodler's inks (although creep is still present).

-5

 

Bonus Points

 

I was simply amazed at Legal Lapis' performance on the water test. When I was pasting the swatch to my review sheet, I had to remind myself that I'd actually dunked it (the only give away was the wrinkled paper). 100% bulletproof

+6

 

Overall Score = 81

[The Bantam Scribbler]

Thanks for this review! I agree that the color doesn't seem quite as deep or complex as Diamine Blue-Black or Noodler's Navy (my two "Holy Grail" Blue-Blacks), but the waterproof characteristics certainly are interesting, and I've heard no less than a hundred people recommend Legal Lapis with as much surety and strength of conviction as might be expected from a small religious movement. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to end up having to try LL sooner or later!

[lws]

@ The Bantam Scribbler:

 

Just buy a bottle already. Depending on pen/paper, it can either be a dull blue-gray or a rich blue-green; as for the permanence, I really value the knowledge that the words I put on the paper will still be there in ten year's time - unlike the stuff I've written in Parker Quink (most of which has faded after a scant three years.)

 

- Lewis.

[drifting]

The scan is accurate on my monitor, though it seems more lively in person, in my opinion. As lws says, LL is a highly variable creature, and if it seems drab and uninteresting (as the OP describes) in one pen, try another, and you might be surprised!

 

Just how did this review go two years without a comment?

 

Ryan.

[tnmike1]

I switched from a lot of Noodler inks to Herbin just recently, but kept my bottle of Legal Lapis. Don't care much for the color, but OOO the permanence. Put a paper with Lapis written on it under running water and nothing happens: nothing washes away, but the ink just sticks there. Plus, unlike other Noodler waterproof/bulletproof inks, there's no nib creep in any of the pens I use it with.

 

So I keep several Herbin colors that I enjoy, but for letters and check writing, always turn to the Lapis

 

Forgot to mention: using this in a Pelikan with "M" nib and a Pelikan with "F" nib and they both shade wonderfully in my Rhodia tablets. Your experiences may vary--as I find they often do in these reviews, but for me the shading is a real plus. BTW--nibs were "tuned" by Richard Binder

Edited September 11, 2010 by tnmike1

[Glenn-SC]

Sorry, but that color does nothing for me.

[drgoretex]

Two bottles on the way. Can't wait.

[Alexandra]

Thanks for this review! I agree that the color doesn't seem quite as deep or complex as Diamine Blue-Black or Noodler's Navy (my two "Holy Grail" Blue-Blacks), but the waterproof characteristics certainly are interesting, and I've heard no less than a hundred people recommend Legal Lapis with as much surety and strength of conviction as might be expected from a small religious movement. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to end up having to try LL sooner or later!

 

Is that an alternative to the BSB cult? It makes me think of iron gall ink that doesn't turn black.

[Possum Hill]

Thanks for this review! I agree that the color doesn't seem quite as deep or complex as Diamine Blue-Black or Noodler's Navy (my two "Holy Grail" Blue-Blacks), but the waterproof characteristics certainly are interesting, and I've heard no less than a hundred people recommend Legal Lapis with as much surety and strength of conviction as might be expected from a small religious movement. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to end up having to try LL sooner or later!

 

Is that an alternative to the BSB cult? It makes me think of iron gall ink that doesn't turn black.

You can belong to more than one cult at once here, no need to look for alternatives.

 

LL is my overall favorite general purpose ink just because it exactly fits some notion I have of how real ink should look. I used Skrip blue-black for years but it just wasn't quite right. As soon as I tried it I knew LL was the one.

 

However, I recently bought a bottle of Diamine Registrar's Ink from Goulet Pens and it is clearly real ink in the same sense as Legal Lapis. The color change is fascinating and the final blue-grayish black is very attractive, though I'm not sure I've been using it long enough to see the real final color.

 

So, by all means give LL a try and whatever you think of it, you can expect there will be even more good stuff to try after that. (And BSB is very nice, too.)

[Alexandra]

Thanks for this review! I agree that the color doesn't seem quite as deep or complex as Diamine Blue-Black or Noodler's Navy (my two "Holy Grail" Blue-Blacks), but the waterproof characteristics certainly are interesting, and I've heard no less than a hundred people recommend Legal Lapis with as much surety and strength of conviction as might be expected from a small religious movement. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to end up having to try LL sooner or later!

 

Is that an alternative to the BSB cult? It makes me think of iron gall ink that doesn't turn black.

You can belong to more than one cult at once here, no need to look for alternatives.

 

LL is my overall favorite general purpose ink just because it exactly fits some notion I have of how real ink should look. I used Skrip blue-black for years but it just wasn't quite right. As soon as I tried it I knew LL was the one.

 

However, I recently bought a bottle of Diamine Registrar's Ink from Goulet Pens and it is clearly real ink in the same sense as Legal Lapis. The color change is fascinating and the final blue-grayish black is very attractive, though I'm not sure I've been using it long enough to see the real final color.

 

So, by all means give LL a try and whatever you think of it, you can expect there will be even more good stuff to try after that. (And BSB is very nice, too.)

 

"You can belong to more than one cult at once here, no need to look for alternatives." In that case I'll have to order a bottle. Then I can have my bright blue days, my subdued blue days, and every day a waterproof day.

[JohnS-MI]

Thanks for this review! I agree that the color doesn't seem quite as deep or complex as Diamine Blue-Black or Noodler's Navy (my two "Holy Grail" Blue-Blacks), but the waterproof characteristics certainly are interesting, and I've heard no less than a hundred people recommend Legal Lapis with as much surety and strength of conviction as might be expected from a small religious movement. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm going to end up having to try LL sooner or later!

 

Is that an alternative to the BSB cult? It makes me think of iron gall ink that doesn't turn black.

You can belong to more than one cult at once here, no need to look for alternatives.

 

LL is my overall favorite general purpose ink just because it exactly fits some notion I have of how real ink should look. I used Skrip blue-black for years but it just wasn't quite right. As soon as I tried it I knew LL was the one.

 

However, I recently bought a bottle of Diamine Registrar's Ink from Goulet Pens and it is clearly real ink in the same sense as Legal Lapis. The color change is fascinating and the final blue-grayish black is very attractive, though I'm not sure I've been using it long enough to see the real final color.

 

So, by all means give LL a try and whatever you think of it, you can expect there will be even more good stuff to try after that. (And BSB is very nice, too.)

 

"You can belong to more than one cult at once here, no need to look for alternatives." In that case I'll have to order a bottle. Then I can have my bright blue days, my subdued blue days, and every day a waterproof day.

 

Yup. more ink is ALWAYS the answer.

 

LL is not my favorite color, but it is a waterproof, bulletproof, cellulose reactive ink, and it is extremely well behaved and flows well. Some of the nicer blue permanent inks give various causes for concern, and LL isn't a bad color, just not a GREAT color (in my view).

 

(My three main inks are Noodlers Black, Noodlers Legal Lapis, and Mont Blanc Blue-Black. I better think of something important to say, as my words are there to stay.)

[PAKMAN]

I like Legal Lapis because it reminds me of an old aged ink like on some old legal document. It does tend to have some nib creep but I really enjoy using it in my 1928 Parker Duofold.

[RayOski1]

This is really a green-black. If you want a true blue-black, go with Noodler's Ellis Island.

[jgrasty]

When I first bought this ink at the Dallas Pen Show last year, I didn't like it at all. It grew on me, though, and I've used it for the past 2 weeks in my daily workhorse.

[Php]

Thank you.

I just acquired a PELIKAN 120 with F nib and hesitated inking with LL because of Richard Binders admonition NOT to use any Noodler's ink in a fine pen.

Your thoughts or comments

Paul

 

 

 

I switched from a lot of Noodler inks to Herbin just recently, but kept my bottle of Legal Lapis. Don't care much for the color, but OOO the permanence. Put a paper with Lapis written on it under running water and nothing happens: nothing washes away, but the ink just sticks there. Plus, unlike other Noodler waterproof/bulletproof inks, there's no nib creep in any of the pens I use it with.

 

So I keep several Herbin colors that I enjoy, but for letters and check writing, always turn to the Lapis

 

Forgot to mention: using this in a Pelikan with "M" nib and a Pelikan with "F" nib and they both shade wonderfully in my Rhodia tablets. Your experiences may vary--as I find they often do in these reviews, but for me the shading is a real plus. BTW--nibs were "tuned" by Richard Binder

[Freddy]

Thank you.

I just acquired a PELIKAN 120 with F nib and hesitated inking with LL because of Richard Binders admonition NOT to use any Noodler's ink in a fine pen.

Your thoughts or comments

Paul

 

 

 

 

Firstly..Welcome Aboard! Paul pull up a chair put your feet up relax and enjoy your time here.

 

My personal opinion.. Re Admonition..he makes a good point. I do use Legal Lapis in *some

converter/cartridge pens and Esterbrook eight ball..407..444 et al..however..never in any other Fountain pens.........................................................................................................................................

Again..'tis me personal opinion............................................................................................ 79 months later give or take

 

Fred

 

Capuzzelle

Edited April 23, 2017 by Freddy

[Octo]

Legal Lapis has been in one of my EDC for almost 10 years. I like the bulletproof properties AND the color. My grandfather (born in the late 1800's) lived into the 1960's. One of my childhood memories is of watching him write. The color of the ink that flowed from his pen looked very like Legal Lapis.

[Morphling27]

Thank you.

I just acquired a PELIKAN 120 with F nib and hesitated inking with LL because of Richard Binders admonition NOT to use any Noodler's ink in a fine pen.

Your thoughts or comments

Paul

 

 

 

Ink is fine. Use it. Pen is meant to be written with.

 

I'd rather see a beat up pen, full of nicks and damaged, knowing it wrote loads of words compared to an original Mont Blanc in perfect shape.

 

[Fuzzy_Bear]

I use Noodlers in any pen I own. The only ink that get it's own pen are IG's and BSB.

[scunepo]

When i was at work I used a different coloured ink each week (also loaded into a different pen) to make searching back-entries in my day-book easier. However, on the weeks I used LL I was always reluctant to change the following week as I loved using it.

 

Now, as a retiree, LL is my ink of choice for daily use. However, I gave away a half bottle to a relative and now find it's very difficult to source in the UK. I guess when the bottle is empty I will have to find an alternative replacement. I'm not hopeful of finding one that I like as much.