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Koh-I-Noor Document Blue Thanks for @Lithium466 for the sample. This is one of the cheapest document inks, you could ever find. However, it stains, doesn’t like copy paper and it is a pain to clean. Though if you use it exclusively in one pen and don't use cheap paper, you're fine. Check this link on reddit to see the staining: It has a faint reddish sheen. In my experience it is more waterproof than its black sibling. When you clean your pen, the ink looks just lovely in the sink. Pity it’s not the colour you write with. It rarely ever is, isn’t it? Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: I dipped a Kanwrite with a flex nib in my ink vial. I don't recommend flex nib with this ink, unless you're a monk and live before Gutenberg's time in some monastery and have to copy some arcane treatise. And even then I would stick with a nice homemade iron gall recipe Photo: This is to show off the sheen. It's only visible on Japanese paper. Comparison: Water test: No animals were harmed during this test Artwork: This was part of the Inktober yearly challenge. The prompt was mythology. This is a humorous take about the origins of the snake (or maybe Snek) and the apple.. Other inks used: Noodler’s Lexington Gray/ Eel Red Rattler’s Red Kakimori Kurun (Green) You can see see the sheen in the corner top right of the page. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, BB), Ahab nib dipped. · What I liked: Doing washes. Empty the ink in the sink. The colour is mesmerizing, very cheap. · What I did not like: The colour, writing with Kakuno Ef, cleaning the pen · What some might not like: It’s a document ink, slightly chalky, stains, · Shading: Did not notice. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. Though it didn't like the Kakuno. Though almost no ink likes this pen. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: Yes, the more the ink evaporates the more prounced it is. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: On copy paper · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes baby! · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: A royal pain. You need a cleaning solution. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: Surprisingly it comes in grams and not millilitres. 30gr (glass bottles ) 50 gr plastic bottles & international long cartridges. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

I recently purchased set of Variant(discontinued), Isograph and Rapidograph pens. All still working It got me thinking, how many people are still using these and which do you prefer the Isograph or Rapidograph?

So, I inherited this set of rapidograph pens. I love them! I've never used anything like them before. But, at the size I like to ink at, the #3 (.8 mm, green band) is just a little too large sometimes, and the #2 (.6 mm, red band) a little too small. I found out about the #2.5 (.7 mm, light blue band, not pictured below), which I'd really like to try out. My question is, do I need to buy the entire pen, or can I just buy one of these replacement tips and put it in the body of one of pens i use infrequently? New to rapidographs and I know that they can be touchy and some iterations were/are discontinued; I don't want to accidentally buy something incompatible with my older set. Thanks!

Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth is a famous manufacturer of (not only) writing, scribing and painting "tools" and accountrements of all kinds, with over 200 years of continuous history from former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy to current Czech Republic. Their sortiment is broad enoght to cover whole range from hardcore development engineers through different artists by trade to hobby pencil cartoonists. This company is the original, first succesfull creator of todays most simple and notorious writing instrument-a graphite pencil in a wooden stick. From the brief above is quite clear, that Koh-I-Noor is realy not specialized in inks. They have a basic, but usefull range of comon grade writing and india inks in several colours, but kind of "just by the way", they have in portfolio Koh-I-Noor Document Ink Black I can´t say what is it based, as this is kept secret as far as I know. It is not an iron-gal ink, it is not a graphite ink, no way it is a more stable breed of "coloured writing lotion". Probably it is one of the few formulas which work with chemical interaction with celulose in the paper. The colour is dark grey-black or black-grey with distinctive greenish hue, depending on paper and pen combo. It darkens over period of several minutes to several months into flat black with greenish hue.The more it darkens, the more it is resistant to any kind of wash-out. It is awarded ISO 14145-2 and BS 3484-2. The latter is a British norm for permanent record inks, and as the Brits are quite hardcore (another word would fit here better...) about what to consider "permanent record", it means quite a lot. I´m not sure how much pH neutral it is, but will update if I get the info. The ink is a bit more viscous than most others, but flows very well and have some lubricity. Basic Parker Quink feels like running water with no lubrication in compaison, from my point of view on distant memories-but keep in mind this is nib-affected feeling. The viscosity causes very little feathering, even on most low quality papers, but also makes fine nibs to produce M line on some quality papers due to surface tension effects. But the width of the line is consistant, no blots. Frankly, no blots at all, except some realy poor papers or papers of very fibrous nature with "open" surface (like kitchen towels...). Flows well, on some papers almost too fast for my taste, but still not like eg. Quink. Due to its nature, after about 15-30 seconds, depending on the nib, it tends to develop a bit of "skin" and makes the pen a false starter. If the nib has a "baby bottom" grind, it can be realy troublefull to start it again. From wet nibs on quality paper, it produces a realy deeply saturated line, embedded to rock bottom into the paper. From dry writers, it can be kind of greyish, but this realy does not alter the endurance of the line. There may be some trouble with drying up the nib in some F writers with smalish and/or fine compartmented feeds during prolonged period of fast writing. On most papers, is dry almost instantly (2-3 seconds). I posted some general info about torture tests I subjected this ink to, from 2008 to 2014. The post is in the Inky thoughts section, here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/288624-koh-i-noor-document-fountain-pen-inks/page-2?do=findComment&comment=3723625 I must add, that the statement "does not clog the feeds" is OK, but after some testing, I´m sure I wil have to give a good bath to my pens, as the M nib Hero 100 writes dryer now than it should. Well, I used it very sparsely in the last 3 years, albeit it was freshly inked all the time. The abuse this ink can stand is simply unbelievable. The paper vanishes, the ink remains. No matter how do you make the paper to vanish. This says it all. Some people (with degrees in chemistry) claims that this ink is probably the most durable against sun fading ever created, if good, uncoated paper with low filler content is used. Here I will quote myself from the above linked post: Several weeks ago, a clipboard with a day worth of important notes (on poor copy paper, 80g/m2), already a bit soaked in the rain, faceplanted into soaked, liquid clay in a ditch. All was covered to no avail under ochroid mess. So I took it home in a plastic bag, washed the paper gently and recovered every bit of info I had written. This says a lot, when I add the paper was more yellowish-brown-ochroid than white as formerly was... The text was not affected at all. The pens used in the standard review sampler are both Hero 100 of 1950´s vintage, daily writers of my grandfather for some 2 decades, now exclusive daily writers of mine for 8 years. My granddad used them so much that a definitive facette has developed on both nibs, which gives a kind of italic accent to the line, as my writing angle is a bit different to grandpa´s-but close enought to apreciate how smooth gliding writers they are, especialy on vintage paper. The water test-I tried to lay down as rich line as I could, to promote the greenish hue which sometimes apears from this ink on some papers, without any shade of compromising readablitiy of the text. So I wrote about one letter in two seconds the top three lines, the bottom in just slow pace-as writing slow, I write even worse pattern than usualy. The test was performed for about 1 minute under hot running water (like 70°C), then soaking like 5 minutes in a bowl of that hot water and rubbing the bottom line with finger. The paper lost the top layers, is one fluffy spot there, but the text is still there. And by the way-there is no alteration to the text after two years maceration in much more agressive solutions than hot tap water... Generaly, I should apologize for the lack of penmanship screaming out of the paper, I used my pens not as frequently as I was used to in the last 3 years (gap in journaling etc.), no practice either... Also, the sampler was printed with a poor toner cartridge, so the thin grey lines are more nonexistant than anything else, so both samples are freehanded, more in a bit of hurry. The ink is availible in Czech Republic 50 ml plastic bottle for less than 1 EUR to 1,75 EUR equal, depending on greediness of the stationery clerk, or in a nice, simple glass bottle of 30g for 3,5 EUR. On other markets, the price is usualy similarly low, as far as I know. It is one of the cheapest inks I´ve ever seen, but of the most durable and bulletproof you can ever have. There is also a blue version on the market, which is not as much durable and was created, as far as I know-because of demand for "nice blue document ink, not that greyish feculence you sell". But there are traces of fading even after just 1/2 year on direct sunlight, which is nonexistant with the reviewed original black formula.

I became re-interested in stylograph pens, prompted by the post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306057-custom-stylographic-pens/ Photos attached are of my first attempt at using Koh-I-Noor nib assemblies to create stylograph type pens that would also accept Esterbrook nib assemblies. The material I used is vintage old stock cebloplast with aluminum hardware to bring out the white in the material. The feed uses standard Rapidograph refillable cartridge. Comments and questions are welcomed.

I use Rapidographs a lot in my art, and the old bottle of Koh-i-noor ink that I've been using with them is close to running out. It's not the greatest ink for my purposes--the shellac that makes it waterproof also makes everything shiny, which shows up on scanned images. It's also not as water-resistant as I'd like, mostly due to a layer of ink sitting on top of the surface of the paper and running all over the place if I try to use some watercolors over it. The solution to that, and to a certain extent to the sheen as well, has been to erase over everything really well to rub off any extra ink. I could just buy a new bottle, keep erasing over everything, and deal with the residual shinyness. However, I've also recently bought some very thin-tipped technical pens that I don't want to get clogged (which almost always spells death for the hair-masquerading-as-a-wire inside finer rapidographs,) so I've been thinking about buying a fountain pen ink anyhow. Platinum Carbon Black seems to be the recommended ink for anyone doing watercolor washes over drawings, but I'm also intrigued by the almost-perfect performance of Noodler's Black, which seems to have the same issue as the ink I'm currently using (ink left on the surface of the paper runs with water.) Noodler's is also cheaper, so I have a couple unanswered questions before I go off buying anything. How does Platinum Carbon Black/Noodler's Black perform on watercolor paper? Most of the reviews I can find about water resistance are on printer or notebook paper, which don't have as much sizing as a sheet of hot press watercolor paper. I suspect Noodler's will do worse than normal because it binds to cellulose, but I'm particularly interested in what, if anything, changes with the Platinum Carbon. If you erase over Noodler's, does the residual surface ink just smear around, or does any of it come off with erasing? If you erase over Noodler's, is there any difference in water resistance? Does either ink perform poorly in technical pens? Is there any water-resistant ink I'm completely looking over? Preferably black, but if there's some incredibly waterproof red I'm missing I might as well add it to the list. These are pretty specific to my situation and I might just have to get some samples to test things myself, but I figured I might as well ask around here first.

Hello, to be wholly honest I know literally nothing about fountain pens (and given my handwriting and tendency to write in all capitals, that might be for the best), but I am relatively interested in mechanical pencils and this was the first writing implement forum I came across. I am currently a mechanical engineering student, and even though most of what we do is on a computer, I prefer to take my notes and do what few paper drawings I do with a mechanical pencil rather than a Ticonderoga, possibly from laziness and not wanted to get up and sharpen it, but also because I do find the whole experience more satisfactory and more clean/precise. Since high school I have used purchased-new Pentel P207 (for drawing) and Pentel P209 (for writing, I perhaps press too hard and 0.9 lead rarely breaks on me), which as far as I know are made in Japan and fairly well respected. I was mostly satisfied with them, especially finding them preferable to the five-for-a-dollar plastic papermate pencils a student usually ends up with. But the pocket clip easily dislodges and the chrome (nickel?) plating on the cap wears down to the brass as I grip rather low. Today, while thift shopping, I found a rather old set of "KOH-I-NOOR RAPIDOMATIC RAPIDOGRAPH Drawing Pencils" in 0.5 mm lead. While there were only eight left in what was a pack of a dozen, they were in unused condition and, judging by the packaging, made in Japan in the mid-1980s. They look far more substantial than the Pentels I have, and even though they're in a smaller size than I normally use the dispensation is precise enough that I can let out a very short tip that won't easily break. In any case, the box was $4.99 so not precisely a big risk. I was wondering if anyone here knows more about these pencils, or has had experience with them? Should I keep them all, or try for resale?

Sasha Royale, Hmm. What an interesting question—one I can answer only for my own experience creating www.TwelveDrawings.com Fountain pens are much more closely associated with writing than with drawing. In fact, I don't personally know any artists who use a fountain pen. I am pleased to find artists here on the Fountain Pen Network, but I think fountain pen usage is probably rare in the general population of artists. WHY NOT USE PENCIL? First, I should explain why I prefer using pen and ink vs a pencil. I can and do use pencil for sketching but have always preferred the demands and rewards of pen and ink. I would compare pencil use with skydiving, where there is real excitement involved but also ample room for correcting minor errors. Pen and ink is more like B.A.S.E. jumping which is very unforgiving of even the smallest mistake. (Not that I am brave enough to actually try either dangerous sport for real). Every mark or motion made by a pen will remain visible in the final drawing, so there is a bit of risktaking in each new stroke of a pen. WHY NOT USE A CALIGRAPHY PEN? This one you already know. The chisel-shaped nib required to make those wonderful letter forms is not well-suited for my style of illustration. WHY NOT USE A TECHNICAL PEN? Most pen and ink artists I know are fond of Rapidograph technical pens https://d2npbuaakacvlz.cloudfront.net/images/uploaded/large-present/2012/7/13/rapidograph-pens-1342201371.jpg These unique pens were used worldwide for creating architectural blueprints and engineering drawing. They come in an astonishing array of nib widths, but are must be held almost perpendicular to the page, rather than in an oblique handwriting position. Although I love Rapidographs, I prefer a pen that lets me use a relaxed handwriting grip.....thus, I use a Phileas. WHY NOT A MORE EXPENSIVE FOUNTAIN PEN THAN PHILEAS? Here I must declare a tiny bit of Divine intervention. I had only a brief interest in fountain pen as a child. Then, in middle age, I came across a display of Phileas pens in the Staples office supply store. I was mostly an idle doodler at that time, so I'm not sure why I suddenly wanted to own the Phileas. Its $50 price tag seemed absurdly high since my favorite drawing pen at the time was a $1.49 Pilot RazorPoint felt-tip pen. I took the plunge and bought what for me was an exorbidant luxury item. (Only much, much later did I learn that the Phileas is viewed by connoisseurs as a low-end "economy model" pen.) I was mesmerized by the very things that Waterman had purposely included...nostalgic Art Deco styling, glossy black enamel, and gleaming gold details. I don't usually collect "bling", but I liked owning this one particular bit of dazzle. WHY NOT A LESS EXPENSIVE PEN? I have formed a loyal bond with the Phileas. My devotion is not entirely rational, but it harms no one that I don't seek out less-expensive alternatives. WHAT'S TO LIKE ABOUT THE PHILEAS? • FEEL: Looks aside, I found the Phileas to have an excellent "feel" when writing or drawing. Other than my one childhood pen (a Sheaffer?), I have no basis for comparison. Today, I realize I was not alone in admiring the smooth performance of Phileas. The high-end Waterman designers seem to done a remarkable job when they created this low-end pen. It writes cleanly, delivers ink reliably, is physically rugged (when the cap is firmly on), and very easy to maintain. • CONSISTENCY: Like most ink illustrators, I primarily use dots (stippling) and lines (hatching) in my illustrations. A typical fountain pen is meant to create handwriting, but there are plenty of dots and lines in that. However, when I am drawing, I work very very fast. My Phileas must deliver up to 200+ dots per minute—that's averages 12,000 strokes per hour. Multiply that by 2 to 8 hours per drawing, times 70+ drawings and you'll see I am putting my Phileas through torture-test conditions. I have never "worn out" a Phileas pen. I have lost one and ruined two (accidentally dropping them nose-down onto concrete), but they work as well when old as they did new. • DIVERSITY: The afore-mentioned Rapidograph technical pens deliver a consistent, near-perfect round ink dot with each tap. That's why so many artists love them. When I draw, I am improvising constantly and do not want to see a perfect uniformity in my pen marks. The Phileas is capable of drawing very neatly, but it can also deliver scratchy, sloppy, and even wild lines given the right drawing technique. When I examine my stippling under a mangnifier, I am amazed that no two dots look alike. That would drive perfectionists crazy, perhaps, but I like it in a jazzy improvisational sort of way. Thank you for asking a very interesting question, Sasha Royale. I had never given any of the above much thought before. I know there are many much-finer pens in the world. But by Divine intervention or just plain luck, I found the right one for me (and my budget) on the first try. Since I am a pen user, not a collector, I am contented to stop with what I've got. I am curious how other fountain pen artists would answer your question. TweveDrawings

Hello, As I was prowling the ebays for fountain pens, I came across a lot of 5 Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Technical Fountain Pens. 4 of the pens (marked with a grey band and a 0 on the box) are unopened with a fifth pen marked 00 with a yellow band on the box. I have a general grasp on technical pens, but have no idea about these. What inks would I use (if I were to purchase them), are they so valuable that I would not want to open the 4 unopened boxes? Any information would be a great help. If pictures are needed, here is the ebay link= http://www.ebay.com/itm/300950363132?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Hopefully there will not be a sudden bidding war erupting against me after others see this :-)! Regards, Tadeusz