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➤ Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Grey Scale below. As the patches are neutral Grey, that is what you should see. • Mac http://www.computer-darkroom.com/colorsync-display/colorsync_1.htm • Wintel PC http://www.calibrize.com/ http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/27ddb717.jpg ➤ As Photo*ucket has lost the functionality to display linked files as required and includes advertising with linked images, the HiRes images are embedded. I apologise should that choice slow your display times. -|=|- Fidelity I was not able to find a depiction of this ink on an 'official' Sailor site, so fidelity cannot be evaluated. Figure 1. Swabs & Swatch Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK181_zps45623fd1.jpg Figure 2. NIB-ism Paper: HPJ1124. Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness. Distance between feint vertical pencil lines is 25mm. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK180_zps4ae4e4ae.jpg L ➠ R: 45, M200, Symphony, 330, Somiko, NNPS. WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick Ruling: 8mm. Figure 3. Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK188_zpsfcbb9196.jpg Figure 4. Paper: Rhodia. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK187_zps6a772bab.jpg Figure 5. Paper: G Lalo. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK186_zps9fc0a794.jpg Figure 6. Paper: Royal. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK185_zps0dc6fb93.jpg Figure 7. Paper: Staples. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK183_zpsea355926.jpg OTHER STUFF Figure 8. Smear/Dry Times & Wet Tests. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK182_zpsb3f3a48a.jpg Figure 9. Bleed- Show-Through on Staples. (Reverse of Figure 7.) http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK184_zpsef275c8a.jpg HiRes Scans 45 on HPJ1124 http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK189_zpse3ba5cd1.jpg Symphony on Rhodia http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK190_zps53333831.jpg 330 on G Lalo http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK191_zpscb11aa83.jpg NNPS on Royal http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Sailor%20Jentle%20Blue/INK192_zps2f696f69.jpg GENERAL DESCRIPTION Type: Dye-based fountain pen ink.Presentation: Bottle with filler widget.Availability: Available when Topic posted.Daily writer? No doubt.A go-to ink? When a solid Dark Blue is desired.USE Business: (From the office of Ms Blue-Black.) Suitable for the vast majority of business writing, with more than a modicum of gravitas.The writing experience was quite good, even with the very narrow Parker 45 nib on the copy/print papers.Readability is very high across the range of values (light - dark), so embraces a wide range of pen+paper combos. Can be a bit 'weighty', so for the long read I'd prefer to run it in a moderately dry pen. (Those who use Black ink are likely to feel otherwise.)Line quality was good, and will do for a bit of marginalia on smooth papers.Not enough snap for dedicated forms use, mark-up or annotation of material printed in Black.Not enough zap for error correction or grading.Illustrations / Graphics: Quite possible for most charts & graphs where a quite Dark Blue is desired for both line and area formats.Will retain its hue across a range of values.As a watercolour, the dye/s appear to act in harmony, so mono-colour washes should be do-able. Water resistance is quite impressive, as is the sharpness of the remnant line after being wet sponged or over worked with wet media.Students: Will do quite well indeed.May not be sparkly enough for those who enjoy sequins rhinestones & chromed accoutrements before 10PM.Has a very good chance to be run two-sided on 'lowest bidder' copy/print papers.Those who do a lot of start-stop note taking might find it worthwhile to modify the ink just a bit to avoid nib-tip dry-out.Admirable water resistance for a simple aniline dye ink.Another good pick for assignments.Personal: Of course.This one fits into a niche in my inky array: a Dark Blue that is not so low-chroma as to be mistaken for yet another of my Blue-Black inks, and leans away from Sapphire / Indigo.Will do the necessary for pro forma business writing, and brings firmness to a one-page despatch.For personal writing I prefer SJBl for the somewhat shorter letter of less than ten A4s.If I choose to enliven the line, use of nibs of various shape & flex are more than welcome.The Red Shimmer achieved by some practitioners eludes me. Alas, such is my experience with other inks said to have that property. PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS Flow Rate: Middling.Nib Dry-Out: Nib tips dried-out in the open air about as fast as iron-gall inks.*Start-Up: Quite reliable from capped pens, even after several days at rest.I'd nudge the nib prior to writing something that needs a very clean start, such as a signature.Lubricity: Very nice.Smooth glide yet does not muffle feedback necessary to keep nibs running on their sweet spot.Nib Creep: Not seen.Staining (pen): Not seen after three days.Clogging: Not seen.Seems unlikely.Bleed- Show-Through: HPJ1124: Symphony. (I was using higher pressure and a lower rate of travel than usual to get a bit of flexi line variation.)Staples: A bit unusual to have freckles from the M200, yet the wide wet NNPS was OK. (?)All other pen+paper combos were fine for two-sided use.Feathering / Wooly Line: Not seen on papers used.Aroma: A bit sharp on the nose.Not noticed whilst writing.Hand oil sensitivity: Possibly: The NNPS flickered once on the HPJ1124, which might've been due to hand oil or some surface anomaly.Clean-Up (pen): Exceptionally fast & thorough with plain water.For recently charged pens, the use of a DIY pen cleaning solution of dilute ammonia+surfactant did not release any visible residue after my fussy water-only cleansing regimen.One to consider if one needs to change ink on-the-fly or in the field.Mixing: No stated prohibitions.Archival: Not claimed.___ ___ * Such misbehaviour was unexpected, is not typical of Sailor inks, nor was it mentioned in preceding Reviews, so may be a quirk. If encountered, very slight dilution or addition of a whisper of pure glycerol could be considered. THE LOOK Presence: Firm.Likely to have a Rockwell Number.Saturation: Typically high.Shading Potential: Quite low indeed.Line quality: Very good on smooth papers.A bit choppy on textured papers.Variability: Pen+nib combos used:Quite high for such a saturated ink.SJBl responds well to changes of pen characteristics, but doesn't go masquerading as some different Blue ink.Papers used:A bit higher than expected.The hard laid surface of the G Lalo was no more challenging than usual.Line-width variation was a bit high, and depended more on the absorbency of the paper than wetness of the pen. Malleability: Really quite high for such a simple-looking ink.The performance envelope is very generous, so a wide range of pen+paper combos can be used without returning an unacceptable result.PAPERS Lovely papers: Smooth crisp whites.Trip-wire Papers: ☠ Not seen.Copy/Printer Paper: Very good for a simple aniline dye ink.One may well not need to use a dry narrow nib to use both sides of such papers - a light hand should suffice.Tinted Papers: Certainly.Limited only by good taste.Is high-end paper 'worth it'? Not so much.As ever, coated writing papers are worthy of consideration if one chooses a flexi nib, wants to generate the narrowest of lines, or tries to wring some shading from SJBl.ETC. Majik: Not sufficiently malleable to overcome the inherent firmness.Billets Doux? Impossible from yours truly.Personal Pen & Paper Pick: The Eversharp Symphony on Rhodia.The nib has just enough flex to enliven the line, and the flow is lean enough to keep the colour from submerging.The base-tint of the Rhodia brings warm neutrality, and the coated surface gives great line definition and supports smooth travel of the nib as it flexes. Yickity Yackity: Certainly not a 'wow' ink or one that would cause one to drop everything then charter an aircraft to get a bottle, but once SJBl has been in a few pens, a second bottle may well find its way into your shopping cart before the first bottle reaches the half way mark.Now if I could just get some shading . . .Ah kushbaby, too sober to dance with Ghandi?= ==== = NUTS BOLTS & BOILERPLATE Pens - Written Samples: A. Parker 45 + 14K XF nib. B. Pelikan M200 + g-p steel EF nib. C. Eversharp Symphony + 14K F flex-ish nib. D. Sheaffer 330 + steel M nib. E. Sailor Somiko + TIGP B nib. F. Non-Nudist Pink Safari + goosed 1.1 steel nib. - Lines & labels: R&K Sepia from a Pilot Penmanship. Papers: HPJ1124: Hewlett-Packard laser copy/print, 24lb.Rhodia: satin finish vellum, 80gsm.G. Lalo Verge de France: natural white, laid, 100gsm.Royal: 25% cotton, laser/inkjet copy/print, 'letterhead', 90gsm.Staples: house brand multi-use copy/print, USD4/ream, bears FSC logo, 20lb.Imaging An Epson V600 scanner was used with the bundled Epson s/w at factory default settings to produce low-loss jpg files.No post-capture manipulation of scanner output was done, other than dumb-down by Epson, Photobouquet, IP.Board s/w, and your viewing gear.Other Inks This Review uses the same Written Sample format, atrocious handwriting and some pen+paper combos common to most of my previous Reviews of Blue inks. Consequently, ad hoc comparisons through manipulation of browser windows is supported. Should that functionality not meet your requirements, I welcome your PM requesting a specific comparison. Additional scans may be produced, but the likelihood of additional inky work is quite low. Fine Print ◊ The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used. ◊ Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc. ◊ As always YMMV, due to differences in materials, manner of working, environment, etc. ◊ 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- Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Sandy1 2013 Sailor Jentle Blue Dark Blue

Hi all, I am a student currently in 8th grade and I write a lot every day. I need a new pen with which I can write on a daily basis. Any suggestions (highly appreciated)? Thanks, Geena

Do you have a pen that will write on almost anything,that is your trusty stalwart? Something that writes checks, addresses envelopes, takes notes, does your journal - the one that gets the green jersey for "most consistent performance?"

➤ Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Grey Scale below. As the patches are neutral grey, that is what you should see. Mac http://www.wikihow.com/Calibrate-Your-MonitorWintel PC http://www.calibrize.com/Grey Scale. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/b4a04182.jpg ➤ As Photo*ucket has lost the functionality to display linked files as required and includes advertising with linked images, I've embedded the HiRes images. I apologise should that choice slow your display times. =^= http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/e54300b8.jpg Figure 1. Swabs & Swatch: Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/5499770f-4e52-48b2-95af-bda9e5842632_zpscfc3779f.jpg Figure 2. NIB-ism Paper: HPJ1124. Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/138bd3ce.jpg Pens: L ➠ R: Estie, M200, Sheaffer, Somiko, NPS & C74. WRITTEN SAMPLES: Moby Dick Ruling is 8mm. Figure 3. Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/979d9e46.jpg Figure 4. Paper: Rhodia. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/f3b9fcd0.jpg Figure 5. Paper: G Lalo. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/72946ac4.jpg Figure 6. Paper: Royal. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/d01f2f5a.jpg Figure 7. Paper: Staples 20lb. Pen: Somiko. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/9aae83d9.jpg Comparison Exemplars for Turquoise Inks: Figure 8. Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/d25faad8.jpg Figure 9. Paper: Rhodia. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/8663cf29.jpg OTHER STUFF Figure 10. Smear / Dry Times & Wet Tests http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/INK208_zps06aa496f.jpg Figure 11. Bleed - Show-Though on Staples. (Reverse of Figure 7) http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/INK209_zps21fb8eaf.jpg Hi-Res Scans: Estie on HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/91fe8f87.jpg Sheaffer on Rhodia http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/899058c3.jpg Somiko on G Lalo http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/f726ff5c.jpg C74 on Royal http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/a06fd44c.jpg GENERAL DESCRIPTION Type: Dye-based fountain pen ink.Presentation: Bottle.Availability: Available when Topic posted.Daily writer? Quite possible.A go-to ink? Yes - when nothing else will do.USE Business: (From the Office of Ms Blue-Black) While this may not have the gravitas that some prefer, this ink has charisma, and as such is an excellent choice for those at risk of being overlooked in the peloton of a corporate rat race, or working in a team / egalitarian environment.Certainly acceptable for lateral and downward internal correspondence, yet an ink with more gravitas may well be kept in the break glass cupboard along with the silver bullets.The writing experience is exceptional, even with very narrow nibs, so is a boon for those who write at length.Readability is high, though at high value Pk-j can become a bit vibrant during a long read.Welcome for forms work and mark-up & annotation of material printed in Black.Does not suit error correction or grading of assignments.Illustrations / Graphics: Quite possible.Might replace colours that are currently mixed, and slip into the spot between Blue and Aqua for charts & graphs in both line and area formats.Line quality suits lines & labels.As a watercolour, the dye/s seem to act in harmony, so washes of varies values should remain the same hue. Even at high value, the ink retains much of its character.Students: Possible.Ran well on all papers, though not at its best on 'lowest bidder' papers.Robust enough to withstand accidental encounters with potable liquids.To compensate for the higher cost of this ink, simply stop eating junk food - your brain, physique & GIT will thank you.Personal: Absolutely.If one uses slightly dark inks for personal correspondence, this is a must-have; and perhaps The Go-To when the Blues are chilly, the warm colours too cozy, Brown is blah, and lighter inks too fluffy.The writing experience with any nib type shape or width is excellent, which makes Pk-j a top pick for long haul writing sessions. Prior to writing, kindly ensure that your paper shelves are fully stocked, and at least one kilo of espresso beans are ready to grind.One could easily run any nib with this ink, although I prefer an oh-so-boring mono-line - best that the reader not be [overly] distracted by the ink, so might actually read what I've written for once. PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS: Flow: More than willing.Nib Dry-Out: None.Start-up: Immediate.With confidence.Lubricity: Outstanding.Provides a whisper of feedback so one may keep the nib running on its sweet spot.Makes even the lesser nibs seem like they've been tuned by a master hand - well, almost.Nib Creepies: None.Staining (pen): None after 3 days.Clogging: Not seen.Seems unlikely.Bleed- Show-Through: Staples: More than a few freckles.All other pen+paper combos shown are greenlighted for two-sided use.Feathering: C74 on Royal: In some 'ink pools' at the end of a stroke.Aroma: Very faint.Rounded sweet esters.Hand oil sensitivity: Not noticed.Clean-up (pen): Fast and thorough with plain water from recently charged pens.After three days the use of a DIY pen cleaning solution of 0.5% ammonia+surfactant did not release any visible residue after my OCD water-only cleansing regimen.Blending: No stated limitation, but Father Christmas & Uncle Sam's NSA will know if such a rogue thought even crosses your mind, then its downhill from there.Archival: Not claimed. THE LOOK Presence: Classy.Friendly.A firm handshake - no hug or bisou.Saturation: A fully-inked line is quite do-able.Shading Potential: Oh yes, that too!Variability: Pen+nib combos used:More than expected.Papers used:A bit more than expected.Malleability: Fairly good.Responds well to fine tuning in a fairly predictable manner - no pranks from this well mannered ink.Bon temps rouler! PAPERS: Lovely papers: Crisp white paper.Tonnes of the good stuff.Trip-Wire Papers: Those with grids, lines or [polka] dots.Copy/Print Papers: Not the home range of Pk-j.Though the appearance was up to par on HPJ1124, the Staples 20lb swallowed enough of the lustre that I felt short-changed.Tinted Papers: Possible, but greatly a matter of personal taste.I do enjoy Pk-j from a wet pen onto the Tomoe River and Rhodia 'R' 90gsm papers, both of which combine a warm base-tint with a smooth surface.Is high-end paper 'worth it'? No doubt that Pk-j does nicely on the HPJ1124, yet if one wants to exploit the full potential of this ink, then pairing with a high-end paper may well kick out the chocks. ETC Majik: Just add some encouragement.Personal Pen & Paper Pick: NPS on Rhodia.The wide nib puts down a satisfying amount of ink, yet the nib is dry enough so we have gentle shading.The Rhodia is not such a stark white that it counteracts the shading that its smooth surface promotes. Yickity Yackity: The look is exquisite and unique, yet not startling.The writing experience, and the ink's generosity while writing is something else. This ink wants to write and do it so very well.Ah kushbaby, I imagine this is on your top shelf too.= ==== = NUTS BOLTS & BOILERPLATE Pens: - Written Samples: A. Esterbrook J + 2550 posting steel XF nib. B. Pelikan M200 + g-p steel EF nib. C. Sheaffer Imperial TD + 14K F nib. *OoooLaLa* D. Somiko + TIGP B nib. E. The Notorious Pink Safari + steel B nib. F. Pilot Custom 74 + №5 14K three-tine MS nib. - Lines & labels: Pilot Penmanship + EF nib. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20ku-jaku/70d925f4-71c9-4b37-b00b-271a82ed55e8_zps40d49995.jpg Papers: HPJ1124: Hewlett-Packard laser copy/print, 24lb.Rhodia: satin finish vellum, 80gsm.G. Lalo Verge de France: natural white, laid, 100gsm.Royal: 25% cotton, laser/inkjet copy/print, 'letterhead', 90gsm.Staples: house brand multi-use copy/print, USD4/ream, bears FSC logo, 20lb.Imaging An Epson V600 scanner was used with the bundled Epson s/w at factory default settings to produce low-loss jpg files.No post-capture manipulation of scanner output was done, other than dumb-down by Epson, Photo*ucket, IP.Board s/w, and your viewing gear.Other Inks This Review uses the same Written Sample format, atrocious handwriting and some pen+paper combos common to most of my previous Reviews of Blue and Turquoise inks. Consequently, ad hoc comparisons through manipulation of browser windows is supported. Should that functionality not meet your requirements, I welcome your PM requesting a specific comparison. Additional scans may be produced, but the likelihood of additional inky work is quite low. Fine Print ◊ The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used. ◊ Ink does not require a label/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc. ◊ As always YMMV, due to differences in materials, manner of working, environment, zebra migration, etc. ◊ 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- TAGS: fountain pen ink review Pilot iroshizuku ku-jaku kujaku Peacock Blue Turquoise Sandy1