Hero Blue Black

[BearsPaw]

Since WillSW was kind enough to give away some ink, I thought I would show it off here. I took some pictures of the bottle, and then my horrible handwriting with a number of different blue blacks that I have lying around.

 

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/bearspaw12/DSC03700-convert.jpg

 

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/bearspaw12/DSC03701-convert.jpg

 

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/bearspaw12/DSC03702-convert.jpg

 

I find it to be a lighter blue black, sort of like Legal Lapis but without the green tint.

 

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/bearspaw12/comparison.jpg

[lovemy51]

on my screen hero BB looks more like blue-grey (and w/o the green tint)... i like that a lot!!!

 

how's the flow and drying time?

 

PS. waw!! i just saw it's iron-gall... never mind.

Edited December 15, 2008 by lovemy51

[BobR]

I just got a bottle of Hero Blue from Will this afternoon and am chomping at the bit to try it out tonight. And you're right, Will rocks!

[BearsPaw]

on my screen hero BB looks more like blue-grey (and w/o the green tint)... i like that a lot!!!

 

how's the flow and drying time?

 

PS. waw!! i just saw it's iron-gall... never mind.

 

I think that "blue-grey" is an accurate description.

 

The flow and drying time are both pretty good in my Sheaffer PFM. I did some writing in my notebook this evening, and it seemed to dry about as quickly as Legal Lapis (my standard ink). The flow was about the same as any other ink. I've never encountered flow problems other than with Noodler's Bulletproof Black.

 

I think the concern about iron-gall ink is overblown, and I would not hesitate to put it in any pen I own. I flush all my pens thoroughly every other filling or so. My girlfriend was overcome with nostalgia upon seeing this ink, because she spent years using Hero BB exclusively in her cheap school pen when she was a child. It never caused any problems, and she almost never flushed it.

[lovemy51]

thanx bearpaws. if only i knew where to get it?????... i can use it in my cheaper pens. overblown or not, i don't wanna risk it in my more expensive or vintage pens.

Edited December 16, 2008 by lovemy51

[BearsPaw]

I don't know where to get it either. I looked everywhere in Chinatown in Philly, and none of them had fountain pen ink. A place called Shanghai Bazaar said they were out of it, but I don't know if they ever got any in. If you travel to any big cities, you might check out their Chinatowns. Maybe a good place to find Hero pens too?

[WillSW]

FPN member Betty mentioned buying Heros (Heroes?) in New York's Chinatown and after I inquired further she pointed me to Oriental Culture Enterprises on Elizabeth St. I bought several 616s and a few other pens (Posted a group review of them) and also a bottle of Washable Blue and Blue-Black. After leaving New York recently I realized buying Hero ink in any other place would cost a lot more than the $2/bottle I paid. As a parting gift from the city to me I picked up several bottles and sent them to the people who would appreciate them the most.

 

If you're in New York I'd suggest looking in any of the smaller stationery stores, where I found some more Heros and some Wing Sungs, and if you're anywhere else with a Chinatown I suggest you investigate there as well.

[lovemy51]

thanx will and bearspaw! i'm in san francisco and i can check china town here, like YOU suggested.

Edited December 16, 2008 by lovemy51

[Melnicki]

Your WM BlueBlack looks a bit too blue for what I've got my mind around. I always think of WM BB as a greyish blue-black, which means the Hero is probably extremely grey. The comparison to Legal Lapis is very helpful though, because most of us know that strange and unique color quite well.

 

Lovemy51: I once tried hunting for Hero's in SF Chinatown, without success. I also tried a few places in Oakland's Chinatown. If you come up with anything, do let me (and several of the SF Pen Posse) know!!

Edited December 16, 2008 by Melnicki

[BearsPaw]

I admit that my scan might not show up the same as it does in real life. I don't really know how to do it better. The Waterman is a bit less blue in real life.

[BearsPaw]

So, I ran out of ink in my PFM today, and refilled with a different ink (Noodler's Aircorp Blue Black). It's a noticeably smoother flow than with the Hero ink. I guess I had forgotten how awesome this pen can be with the right ink. Anyway, when I wrote the above, the Noodler's was in a Reform 1745, and the flow there seemed about the same as the Hero in my PFM.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I love the way different inks labeled 'blue-black' will be entirely different in hue and tone.

 

The Hero ink looks closest to the Noodler's Legal Lapis on my monitor, whereas the Montblanc appears almost black.

 

I also like the shape of its bottle.

[BillTheEditor]

My box of three Hero inks (washable blue, blue-black, red) from Will arrived this morning. I filled my Hero 100 with the blue-black right away. I was surprised to see that, while it is a dark blue when it is wet, it turns a sort of blue-gray after it dries. Not at all like the Diamine Registrar's Ink, which is a very light transparent blue at first, and then turns very dark and eventually black. However, the Hero BB is a kind of unique color and oddly pleasing, even if it is lighter than what I normally use. Interesting.

 

The blue-black is well-behaved, does not feather on Levenger pad or on cheap inkjet paper, and it flows well from the Hero 100 (although it seems a bit "dry"). I like it and will probably use it, as long as I remember to flush the pen every couple of weeks -- nervous about the iron-gall, and I don't know what kinds of metals are in that Hero 100.

 

I will try the WBB and the R later -- too much going on today.

 

Thanks, Will -- this was very generous of you.

Edited December 23, 2008 by BillTheEditor