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Which of the three fountain pens is the best, overall, in your opinion? (Do not keep the price in mind, as for some abnormal reason each of them costs almost the same here, with Jinhao 65 being just a little cheaper than the rest.)

So, I am usually using Japanese pens/nibs for my writing style, but I'm wondering what nib size I should go for when purchasing a western model of pen(*my first Edison*). I tried a Pelikan twist in a medium nib that I really liked, so should I go with that size or get my usual size which is a fine? Thanks all! I appreciate the help!

Hello Inky Friends! It has been quite awhile since I shared my comparisons of pink and purple inks here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/274481-pink-purple-ink-comparisons/ I have updated the list with a few new inks (mostly samples, but a few are bottles as well.) Again I will say that this is not an absolute accurate depiction of every ink. Rather it is intended as more of a guide as to where certain inks fall next to each other when compared with similar ink colors. All samples were written with a glass dip pen on Clairefontaine paper. I hope that this is useful and helpful! Pink Inks Pink & Purple Inks Purple Inks Dark Purple Inks

Having just picked up my grail pen, I was astounded by its size and thought a post such as this would be a useful reference. Take a look at the comparisons with a green Dinkie 540 (c.1950) and with its larger counterparts, a #77 (c.1958) , #58 (Red Herringbone c.1958 & Silver hatch c.1955) as well as with the c.1940s flat topped #1200 and the mighty Onoto Magna Classic (2019). The heart-breather nib design suggests my pen is a first edition. The #100 was released to coincide with the Golden Jubilee of Conway Stewart in 1955. Later models featured one band, no bands and a Duro point with a circular breather hole, like the #77 and the Herringbone #58 you see here. Please add to this post with your own comparisons, if not for the sake of usefulness then do it for the eye-candy!

Here are a couple scans of some pink and purple ink comparisons. All these were written with a glass dip pen on a Rhodia dot pad. I did my best to represent the colors of the inks but as always please remember that what I see on my screen is probably a little different than what you see. I hope that this will at least give an idea of where each of these inks stand next to similar ones I have listed here. I will list the inks in the text also so it will be searchable. Enjoy and I hope these are helpful! http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/f0/d9/29/f0d92944248bba04d46040abc53d79fa.jpg Pink Inks De Atramentis Heather Violet Monteverde Pink J Herbin Rose Tendresse J Herbin Bouquet D'Antan Sailor Jentle Peche Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji J Herbin Rose Cyclamen Organics Studio Emily Dickinson Private Reserve Plum Diamine Deep Magenta Noodler's Cactus Fruit Eel Pilot Iroshizuku Yama Budo Organics Studio Lithium Organics Studio Lewis Carroll Levenger Shiraz Noodler's Ottoman Rose Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses (Old) Montegrappa Bordeaux http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/dd/f4/6e/ddf46ef824d6c1de85f67e946d81c5d2.jpg Purple Inks J Herbin Larmes de Cassis Private Reserve Arabian Rose Organics Studio Jane Austen Pelikan Violet De Atramentis Pearl Violet Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa J Herbin Poussiere de Lune Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses (New) De Atramentis Aubergine De Atramentis Alexander Hamilton De Atramentis Lilac De Atramentis Magenta Violet Diamine Majestic Purple Diamine Lavender J Herbin Violet Pensee Pilot Iroshizuku Muraski Shikibu Organics Studio Vanadium Nostalgic Impressions Purple Monteverde Purple

I am admittedly ink-fussy. This one is too thick. This one is too dry. But is there one that's 'just right?' After complaining I was unable to tell one turquoise ink from another without a score card, I tested a few...well, all...of my turquoise inks. Although two of them, the Iroshizuku Ama-Iro and the Diamine Steel Blue, were mere sample vials. All the tests except those two were done with a glass dip pen. The Steel Blue was loaded in a Dollar Demonstrator. And even though I have MORE than enough Turquoise inks,the Ama-Iro has such wonderful flow properties when tested in a Metro Retro that I may spring for a bottle. The Pelikan swab looks much darker than it should because I took it from the cap, where it had partially dried, but it also displays the most sheen of any turquoise ink tested. Sparkle, even! The Souten seems bluest, the Steel Blue greenest. The Ku-Jaku is indescribable and undefinable. The paper was Rhodia Ice. Still can't decide on a favorite. Signed, Goldilocks

Bought the new Sailor Jentle inks in a fit of spending last week. Not too into very dark colors so will probably not get the last 2 colors, Doyou and Miruai. Otherwise these are the new colors that replace the previous set. This is the first time I am doing this type of comparison. So excuse me if some of the observations are a little newbie-ish. _Tokiwa Matsu is probably my favorite. I love green inks, particularly ones that are yellow hued. _Some of the colors appear, look and behave differently on different pens. Eg Nioi Sumire looks distinctly purple on the broad pen, but is more blue on finer pens. _Oku-yama is my most sheening ink right now. Love the metallic green sheen over the burgundy brown color. _Sailor inks have a very interesting smell that is distinctive, even when you write.

So I thought I'd compare my newly purchased (for GBP 12) Ciak Paperchase and the Rhodia Webbie we all already know and love. Firstly is the Ciak Paperchase. I believe this is the new Ciak paper which is now dubbed environmental friendly as it is acid free (personally never read much into the whole environmental issues behind acid containing paper). I was initially hesitant to get it as I had at a time held a sample of the old Ciak paper, which we would recall was slightly toothy, fibrous, but oddly had a strange charm and texture to it. I never did manage to find another copy of the old Ciaks, as much as I tried with emails to various online Ciak sellers. So describing this paper, it not as smooth to touch as the Webbie's Clairefontaine. When I say that, the paper isn't rough like a tortoise's shell, it's just more, textured, but not to the point of say, a G Lalo Verde 100gsm paper with the embossed lines in them to guide writing. Your pen will not glide as smoothly on this paper as on the Webbie. You will not have that 'I'm writing on silk.'' sensation. (Ignore the logic for a second and just concentrate on silk being smooth...) But it will not stop, get tangled in fibres, or spew blobs of precious ink. But yes it is bettter than your average paper you find at work. Strangely, I used to hold Webbies as my gold standard, but I've found that this paper actually holds slightly better against broad pens with broad nibs. As you can see, there is a little more bleedthrough on the Webbies, evident by the tiny dark splotches ,whereas the ink patterns are relatively consistent throughout the Ciak's. The shading amount is the same. Not very well represented on this, but take my word for it. I think it's a good alternative for people who; 1) Have been using Webbies, love them, but just want to try something new. I'm one of them. I'd actually love a journal made completely out of G Lalo Verde pages.. 2) Dislike the sheen on the paper of webbies 3) Dislike the slower drying time of webbies 4) Don't need the extra pouch at the back to keep pieces of paper. 5) Like a horizontal strap. It is fountain pen friendly, which for me, means it is able to tolerate broad nibbed pens with highly saturated inks. I've no qualms recommending this as a reliable alternative to the Webbie.