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It took me some time to finish this comparison but here it is. Not flawless, not pefect, but it has plenty of colors to see. To be honest I've never been violet fan. I always liked dark purples but disliked most of violets. It's hanged with time. At the moment I'm quite keen on these hues. I've included 60-63 inks here (the number differs on different papers, I didn't have enough samples of some inks, I've forgotten about one or two inks and haven't included them everywhere). There are some odd-looking inks here that aren't violet/purple like KWZI Blue L51 (I just had a small sample so I included it here). Kung Te-Cheng, Potassium, Purpillusion are more blue than purple. Alt-Bordeaux and Deepwater Obsession can be regarded as burgundy but as I'm not planning (yet) to compare burgunds / bordeaux I've included them here as well. I need to thank Cyber6 here for A LOT of samples. You trully are Ink Smuggler Extraordinaire Ink Splashes http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/674/D57Iib.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img911/9309/XMowa7.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img905/9462/Dzf3fY.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/121/srURhs.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img901/3985/xcEDod.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/4492/NtfODA.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/2685/q8cIq7.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1967/EnAfQy.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img674/4319/WdEf3j.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img631/7922/1S4blW.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/9114/raVPLz.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img674/3466/vK8xaM.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/7629/ivb3lB.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/2456/dhwe19.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img745/7901/pw9g05.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img674/6609/m4k036.jpg GEMS (they were cut from photos taken on a sunny day, you may find the colors bizarre but I like to show them this way even though most of the times we're not writing in a direct sunlight) http://imageshack.com/a/img910/3417/UZX0cP.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img674/7610/4sDPbR.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/8730/osVcHA.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img912/9997/NAgsqc.jpg

Noodler’s Black Swan in English Roses (redux) I did a complete review of this during a blind testing an experience which removes all expectations, prejudices one can have about a name or a brand. It’s only you and the ink and your impressions Thanks @JungleJim for the sample. I had already done an early review of it, but nothing as complete as this one. This is a gorgeous wine, shading monster ink. Not so surprisingly the shading happens with dryer pens. If you use a wet pen with this, you won’t see any shading. Longer dry times as usual, so not for lefty over writers. It’s very well behaved on copy paper. There was some bleed through, but the feed was oversaturated. Cleaning needs a bit of effort, as it's both pink and water resistant, but not so bad Best used on a white paper, Rhodia or preferably Tomoe River. Not so nice on Midori. Chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. Note that on absorbent paper, this ink is quite water resistant. Art Work: Some wine, S'il vous plaît (please) ? Paper is Talens pocket book Noodler's Lexington Gray, Black Swan in English Roses, Diamine Alexandrite and Montblanc Origins Coral · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B), Waterman W2 flex · What I liked: Colour, shading up to B nibs. · What I did not like: I didn’t like it with the vintage flex (too dark) nor with the stub (too pale) · What some might not like: Long dry times on Rhodia, means very long dry times on Japanese paper. · Shading: Excellent, even some on copy paper. · Ghosting: Faint on cheap paper. · Bleed through: If you press hard with a very wet pen. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Nice. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Rich wine colored · Shading Potential: Yoohoo! · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It’s a pink ink and it’s water resistant, so it’ll take some effort · Water resistance: Very good. · Availability: 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler's amazes me. The color options, the shading, the water resistance (some-but-not-all inks). I have nothing but respect for Mr. Tardif. This thread is one of wonderment, amazement, and homage. One thing that irritates me, however, is that he does not offer a true bulletproof CYMK set (with the obvious exception of Black.) This means that the inks I want to make for myself won't be bulletproof. And bulletproofness is a sticking point for me, or at least water resistance. (I don't write anything worth forging anyway, so for the time being let's throw out bleach/acetone/ammonia/..... resistance.) So for the chemists in the room: how can one make a water-resistant, dye-based ink? The dye retailers I've called don't think it can be done. (They mostly retail to cloth dyers, so their lack of expertise in inks isn't surprising, but cellulose reactivity is cellulose reactivity; all cellulose-reactive dyes I've come across require activation with a base like soda ash or NaOH, and then are unstable in a bottle. ) The closest I've come to an explanation of Tardif's dyes on this forum is this: Unfortunately I saved the quote but not the link in my notes. I believe Chemyst stepped in and countered that yes, they are reactive dyes. We know that water resistant CYMK inks are possible, because De Atramantis makes them too. (Unfortunately they're very expensive here in the US.) So. Who wants to take a stab? What makes Bulletproof Black so bulletproof? How can one make a water resistant ink from a dye base? I'll offer some clues, or at least properties of Noodler's that I've noticed: --He offers (at least partially) water resistant blacks, and purples, and browns. (Though usually the water resistant component is black...) --He DOESN'T offer truly water resistant yellows or oranges. (Operation Overlord*) --He USED TO offer essentially CYMK inks from I think Swishers (Goldfinch for yellow, which he was "permanently sold out of" at one point, Hellbender Red, Brittania's Blue Waves -- see the Noodler's CYMK thread). He no longer does so. Is this lack of interest, or a change in availability, or....? --Noodler's likes to form bubbles in my bottles, indicating he uses A LOT of surfactant. This is also evidenced by the degree to which it nib creeps. So far I've: --Done patent searches related to inks (I still haven't found a single patent related to fountain pen inks; the ONE I was able to find seemed to talk about a "ball point fountain pen ink" which was odd.) There are lots of patents related to inkjets and ball points, but none specifically related to FPs. Most of the inkjet patents are pigment-related, but not all. --Done MSDS searches for major ink makers. I've learned some about what other stuff goes in ink, but the only actual dye I've found was a direct dye used in Pilot's rollerball inks. --Called Pro Chemical and Dye, DharmaTrading, and Keystone; the first 2 have no idea what I'm talking about (and think it's impossible); the last hasn't called me back yet. --Done general dye research, especially at . A list of threads worth reading if this topic encuriouses you too: Fabric Dye as a Basis for Ink: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/269610-fabric-dye-as-a-basis-for-ink/ Make Your Own Ink https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/2183-make-your-own-ink/ The Open Source Ink Project: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/227894-open-source-ink-project/ Physics Articles Related to FPs: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/288121-fountain-pen-ink-behaviour-fountain-pen-physics-journal-articlesreferences/ Mixing Glycerine In Ink: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/257406-mixing-glycerine-in-ink/ Surfactants in Ink for Improved Flow: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/229403-surfactants-in-ink-for-improved-flow/ So.... thoughts?

Here's a brief comparison of 3 modern flex nibs: Conklin Omniflex, Noodler's Ahab, Fountain Pen Revolution Flex. Ease of flex Conklin Omniflex FPR flex Noodler's Line variation FPR flex - the nib writes finer "naturally" Noodler's Conklin Omniflex Railroading They all railroad at some point but it depends so much on how quick, how often and how hard you flex that this is really where I need to call in the YMMV. That being said, my Ahab is the most reliable and sturdy. Nib "feel" Conklin Omniflex feels the most fragile: the metal seems the thinnest, and I don't dare pushing it too much, Noodler's Ahab feels the sturdiest of the three, smooth even flexed to its maximum. Normal writing FPR has the finest line and feels almost italicized, a bit dry and doesn't keep up well with my rather fast writing. That might be something I can fix with brass sheets etc but I don't want to alter the line variation so I'll wait! Noodler's pleases me the most: smooth, a fine medium, still wet, always keeps up. Conklin: meh, nothing to say. Conclusion As much as it kills me to say it, the FPR flex nib is the best in terms of flex, you can get very "calligraphic" with it. The Conklin Omniflex just feels too fragile to me - I must be able to feel comfortable otherwise I might as well go back to dip pen nibs. The Ahab is just the most versatile of all: I love it as an everyday writer, I still love flexing it even after the beautiful discovery of FPR nib. I'll try to swap the FPR nib onto the Ahab and see how I like it (as I don't like the Himalaya V2 pen that much) but I'm pretty sure I want to keep the Ahab as is.

Noodler’s Eel Red Rattler Red Photo: Courtesy of Noodler's website I've been looking for a good water resistant red ink for some time, and I bought a bottle on impulse for it's purported cleaning properties. While the section of my Kakuno was noticeably cleaner after two weeks, it didn't remove a big blue stain. I should have left it in for a longer time, but there were other inks waiting impatiently to be tested Despite all said, this is a gorgeous red, with decent water resistance, long dry times, which hates copy paper. I prefer it with Ef-M nibs. As I use it mostly for drawing, it's perfect for me, but it's not for everyone Chroma: It's very complex and lovely to look at for ink nerds Writing Samples: w Photo: Comparison: Water test: Art work: Shake, rattle an roll Inks used: Graf von Faber-Castell Stone Grey, Lapis Lazuli Rohrer and Klingner Helianthus, Noodler's Lexington Gray This was part of another challenge. The prompt was feather. I was inspired by the musketeer's feathered hats. Note how one can achieve different grades of pink/ red from the ink. Other inks used: Noodler's Lexington Gray, Polar Brown, Octopus Write and Draw White Polar Bear, R &K SketchInk Klara+Marlene Mix, J Herbin Vert de Gris. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, BB) · What I liked: Colour. For art work. · What I did not like: Long dry times. · What some might not like: It hates copy paper. Long dry times. · Shading: No. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Nice. · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes on copy paper. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Almost easy. · Water resistance: Decent · Availability: 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

This is one of my all time favorite blue, and I always have several pens filled with it. I think I definitely love it more now than when I wrote the review, which was over a year ago. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/673/CkHYfi.jpg I do have to note, of the three bottles I have, two of them are exactly the same, but the third has a major violet shift, which I feel is even out of Nathan's regular range of making every bottle unique. It's still an awesome ink, just more violet than the other two bottles.

I was inspired by raving reviews of this ink. Maybe because it’s too much like Royal Blue, or maybe it’s the Sharpie scent, I didn't feel the quickening of the heart. Nevertheless, it's a rich blue for blue lovers. It has a faint sheen and very well behaved in general, on the downside, it's not for lefty over-writers nor for those who use cheep papers with gusher pens Let's start with the chroma, am I blue or what? Writing Samples: This is a difficult colour to scan. The beauty emerges truly with M/B/Flex nibs. It mostly ghosts on Hammermill and if you use a gusher like the Waterman, you'll be in trouble Here you can see the richness of the colour, the sheen and shading, thanks to a vintage Waterman W2 flex nib Comparison: As usual the excess inks washes off, held 10 seconds under running water after 24 hours on Mnemosyne notepad. And finally an art work, homage to the magnificent blue whale, with our intrepid team of explorers I only used a Pentel brush nib for the contours. The rest is done slowly with the ink. Note the richness of the blue... · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub), Waterman W2 flex · What I liked: It really wrote well out of the Kakuna. I also enjoyed it with the medium nib and flex. Cleaning was easy. · What I did not like: Smell. I love the colours for washes it's that type of blue... · What some might not like: Long dry times, Doesn't like thin copy paper. · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: Faint on copy paper. · Bleed through: If I press hard on copy paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Ok · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Rich blue · Shading Potential: Yes depending on nibs. · Sheen: Hint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes on the vintage Waterman · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Quite easy for a bulletproof ink. · Water resistance: Excellant · Availability: 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler’s Zhivago Noodler’s was established in 2004, and is probably the smallest ink company in the world. Nathan Tardiff’s mission is to provide us affordable fountain pen inks with a decent colour selection. Most of his Noodler’s inks are bullet proof – meaning fraud proof and waterproof. The focus of this review is on Zhivago, a saturated green-black with a faded look. Zhivago comes in the typical no-nonsense Noodler’s packaging: a simple 3 oz bottle, filled to the brim. The ink is advertised as bullet proof. I personally don’t care about the fraud proof aspects, but appreciate the strong water resistance when using this ink in my EDC pens. As always with this type of ink, pen hygiene is important: regular cleaning of your pen can help avoid nasty surprises. The ink’s colour is a nicely saturated dark green-black. Almost black in fine nibs, but more of a murky green-black when used in broader nibs or dry pens. I personally like the washed-out look of this ink, especially when used in a dry Lamy Safari with a B / 1.1 nib. With this combination, the ink looks gorgeous. Zhivago is perfect for the workplace: a serious looking colour, and almost 100% waterproof. And the green undertone makes it look more interesting than a standard black ink. The ink itself writes a very saturated line with good lubrication in my Lamy Safari test pens. The dark colour and strong saturation make it an outstanding ink for EF/F nibs. Shading is almost absent in finer nibs, but with broader nibs the ink gains some depth, and becomes less one-dimensional. The ink has a fairly limited dynamic range, without much contrast between light and dark areas. To illustrate this, I did a swab where I really saturated portions of the Tomoe River paper with ink, pooling it on. With the right pen/nib combination, you can coax some great-looking soft shading from this ink. I personally love Zhivago’s looks when used in a Lamy Safari with 1.1 calligraphy nib. On the smudge test – rubbing text with a moist Q-tip cotton swab – there is quite some smearing, but the text itself remains crisp and clear. Water resistance is near-perfect. A bit of the green disappears, but all text remains undisturbed on the paper. Even with longer exposures to water (30 seconds under running tap water), the ink remains firmly attached to the paper. A waterproof ink indeed! The chromatography confirms this: the dyes remain firmly attached to the paper in the bottom part. You can also see that the coloured dyes in the mix are most likely to detach from the paper. I’ve tested the ink on a wide variety of paper – from crappy Moleskine to high-end Tomoe River. On each scrap of paper I show you: An ink swab, made with a cotton Q-tip 1-2-3 pass swab, to show increasing saturation An ink scribble made with a Lamy Safari M-nib fountain pen The name of the paper used, written with a Lamy Safari B-nib A small text sample, written with the M-nib The source of the quote, written with a TWSBI Micarta v2 with F-nib Drying times of the ink on the paper (with the M-nib Safari) Zhivago looks equally good on white and more creamy paper. It is a near-perfect writing ink: across my test set of paper types, I noticed no feathering, and very minimal bleed-through or show-through. The Moleskine paper forms the litmus test: no visible feathering, and even on this horrible paper there is only a tiny amount of bleed-through. Excellent technical behaviour! Drying times are around the 10 second range with the Lamy Safari M-nib. This Noodler’s ink not only looks good, it can also handle any paper you use. This includes typical copy paper you find at the office. As such, I can really recommend this ink for use in an EDC pen. I’ve used Zhivago in my Kaweco Liliput with F nib for the past month, and found the ink perfect for use at the office. At the end of the review, I also show the back-side of the different paper types, in the same order. Since scans alone are not always enough to give you a complete picture of the ink, I also provide you with a few photos for an alternative look at Noodler’s Zhivago. In this case, I think the scans capture best the way the ink looks in real life. Writing with different nib sizes The picture below shows the effect of nib sizes on the writing. Zhivago manages to look good in all nib sizes from EF up to the 1.9 calligraphy nibs. The ink writes a very saturated line, and as such works great in even the finest nibs. Shading is not the ink’s forte – you need dry pens with broad nibs to coax some shading from Zhivago. For my EDC pens, I don’t care too much about shading. For work settings, I appreciate Zhivago’s waterproof aspects, and the off-black faded green looks. Related inks To compare Zhivago with related inks, I use my nine-grid format with the currently reviewed ink at the center. This format shows the name of related inks, a saturation sample, a 1-2-3 swab and a water resistance test – all in a very compact format. I have a number of green-blacks in my collection, and they all look different. Zhivago is the only one though that shows true water resistance. Inkxperiment – Ghostwalker With every review I try to do a single-ink drawing that shows what the ink is capable of in a more artistic setting. The most fun part of every ink review: I really enjoy brainstorming the drawing’s setting, and the experimentation with different techniques. I’m constantly amazed at the broad range of hues/tones that one can coax from a single ink. Almost unbelievable. For this inkxperiment I used an A4-sized piece of HP photo paper. I taped out the tree trunks, and sponged in the background using a dish-washing sponge and heavily water-diluted Zhivago. For the sun, I used more concentrated ink applied in a circular pattern. Once dry, I removed the tape, and painted in the tree trunks with a piece of cardboard and pure Zhivago. I finally used a brush with pure Zhivago to add the figure of the ghostwalker. I was fairly surprised by the amount of green buried within the almost black looking Zhivago. Hadn’t expected this! Conclusion Noodler’s Zhivago is the perfect office ink: well saturated, can handle crappy paper with ease, is totally waterproof. And it looks great too! I like the washed out faded green undertones that are present in what appears to be a black ink at first glance. Highly recommended for use in an EDC pen. Technical test results on Rhodia N° 16 notepad paper, written with Lamy Safari, M-nib Backside of writing samples on different paper types

Noodler's Akhmatova Named after the great the Russian poetess, Anna Akhmatova. Famous and beloved before the Revolution hounded after, until death of Stalin. On a trip to Paris, she befriended an unknown and impoverished Modigliani, who drew her several times. She was famous for her signature shawl, even in the height of poverty, she managed to stay regal... The ink harbours a deep melancholy, recalling that of coniferous forests in the deep of winter under a grey day. It reflects well Akhmatova's soul. For the sake of this review, I have cropped pages, to give a hint of the dynamic of this ink and not my musings.... Chroma Comparison: This is one of the best, if not the best eternal ink I have ever tried. The ink is so will lubricated that beckons you not to force the nib but let the pen glide. I could buy this ink for the tactility of it, only. Ink is eternal/ bullet proof/ fluorescent. The shading is best experienced on white and bright paper. Dry time is super fast. Cleaning nothing was left. Water test: On Hilory one of the most absorbent papers I know: On Peter Pauper Paper (Thick absorbent paper) On Hammermill Multipurpose Paper 20 lb On Midori The ink is so smooth that I wrote a whole page with a reverse Lamy broad.... (midori) Tomoe River classic Tomoe River 68 gr (thicker) A couple of sketches... • Pen used: Noodler’s Ahab / Lamy Safari Broad/ Jinhao Medium • Ghosting: None • Bleed through: None. • Flow Rate: Wet • Lubrication: Out of the world. • Nib Dry-out: Needs a well-sealed pen. • Start-up: None • Saturation: Murky and dark. • Shading Yes. • Sheen: No • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None. • Nib Creep / “Crud”: None • Staining (pen): It doesn’t stain. Very easy to clean. • Clogging: Nope • Water resistance: Waterproof/ Eternal/Fluorescent. • Availability: Only in bottle 90 ml bottles.

Noodler's Bad Green Gator, belongs to the warden series (4 inks). It’s forgery proof. There are inks that are love and first write, this was one of them, maybe because I have a thing for Gators. But it’s a bad, bad ink. If I didn’t have a bottle of Polar Green, then this would’ve been my go-to green ink. But thankfully it isn't. Confusing, eh? 🇨🇦 It made the Osmiroid pen, which is dry, write like a dream and no ink normally does, (the pen has flow issues) But would I recommend it? absolutely not. It’s one of the most difficult inks that I’ve ever cleaned out of a pen. More difficult than Kung Te-Cheng and Polar Green, which are low maintenance compared to this thing. The ink sticks to everything. I had to let it soak in a pen solution twice for long hours. It'll make your Ef and would bleed the bejesus out of any paper. I didn't test it on copy paper, it's pointless when it bleeds through Tomoe River 68gr paper (the thick one_ I would recommend this only for cheap pens with a great seal, and with a F nib on Midori/ Rhodia/ Maruman papers. Or alternatively on thick absorbent papers. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test (Left side was under water for 10 second, nothing budged) And finally an artwork: Inkotober yearly challenge - Sing Other inks used: Anderson Pens' Oshkosh Denim Platninum Carbon Black Super5 - Delhi (orange ink) Pen Pébéo Gold Marker Lierre Sauvage Mixed with a hint of Kuretake Black ink.... · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B, 1.1), Osmiroid Copper Plate · What I liked: It made the Osmiorid write like a dream, ultra fast dry times, waterproofness, name. · What I did not like: bleed through, limited use, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, · What some might not like: Almost everything about it  · Shading: Non-existent. · Ghosting: On most papers. · Bleed through: same as above. · Flow Rate: Very wet · Lubrication: Above average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Dismal · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): It sticks to everything. It's like the Baystate Blue of Greens · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: High maintenance. Needs pen flush and multiple rounds of it. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 3 oz /90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Pinkish Red ink from Noodler's, made in honour of Park Sang Hak, a North Korean defector now living in South Korea who sends propaganda balloons back to the North. You can watch more about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMQFp9qBCHU&feature=youtu.be The info by Mr. Tardiff is not 100% accurate. I wish I could like this ink. But I don’t. It’s one of those smear inks. I think the best thing is to send this in one of Mr. Park’s balloons over to North Korea. 😛 The only way I could tame this ink was with Peter Pauper Press notebooks with their thick, absorbent paper. If you're looking for waterproof bright red, this not one of them. As of now, Noodler's Fox Red/ Esenin and De Atramentis Document/ Artist Red are the best behaved waterproof inks I know of. Let's start with the watermelon coloured chroma: Writing samples: As you can see I had a bit of smudge disaster all over the place: It didn't like Hammermill as you can see: Photo: Comparison: Water test: I filled an eyedropper with water, and this was the effect. and per usual an art work: Cat & mouse Gangnam style, the grey is De Atramentis Document Urban Grey.... Note how the application of a wet brush obliterates the pink lines and leaves a greyish line. Hope it brings a smile · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Kaweco(EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmioroid Copperplate · What I liked: Writing on thick absorbent paper, history lesson, and drawing · What I did not like: Long dry times, not waterproof and smudges all over the place. · Who might like this ink: K-Pop/ K-drama fans.... · Shading: I doubt it. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap thin paper · Bleed through: Same as above · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good from fine above · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Doubt it. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Kaweco was easy, Osmiroid and Kakuno were slightly more difficult. I suspect if this ink stay a long time in the pen, the pink element might be difficult to clean. · Water resistance: It has some water resistance with a minor spill, but don't count on it. · Availability: 3 oz /90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler’s 1984 This is the regular lineup 1984 and not one of the special edition inks. It’s a fast drying, cellulose loving ink. It absolutely hates Tomoe River 68 gr paper. It does a lot of unmentionable things to it and any cheap/thin papers. What I noticed was that if the feed is primed the ink will bleed through anything, however, if you un-prime the feed, and let it settle it works fine. Noodler’s has many bulletproof purples, which are better behaved than this one, such as Tchaikovsky or even Polar Purple to name a few. But then again, if you’re a fan of Orwell, 1984, you can rein this misbehaving ink. Either with Rhodia, Midori or Maruman, or a thick absorbent paper and a fine nib. Using a gusher is foolhardy What I noticed over the week or so using this ink, that every time, I reached a pen with this ink, I enjoyed writing with it, thanks to its excellent lubrication. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: I didn't bother posting Hammermill. You can see how it affects this paper: Photo on Maruman Mnemosyne Paper with the Kanwrite flex nib. Comparison: Watertest: The nib of the Kakuno Ef was primed. Not a good idea. As you can see how it spread. But afterwards it was alright.... and finally an artwork. Mushroom, I did a wash with this ink, and here you can see the complexity of the ink shining: Paper is a Talens Mixed media paper Other inks are Noodler's Polar Brown / De Atramentis Document Red. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno (Ef, Stub( , Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Kanwrite with Ahab nib · What I liked: Fast drying time, muted purple, perfect for a lefty overwrite, chroma, doing ink washes and the pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: It’s a finicky (read high maintenance) ink. It doesn’t like certain papers at all. I prefer other purples. · What some might not like: Feathering, woolly line and the above. · Shading: Are you kidding me? · Ghosting: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr · Bleed through: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr with some wet pen configuration · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Didn’t notice. · Start-up: Didn’t notice. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Are you kidding me again? · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, on some papers, especially if the feed is primed, i.e. when you fill up your pen. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: A bit · Staining (pen): Surprisingly no. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: I put it in the middle to high maintenance category, ike most purple inks. I let it soak in solution. · Water resistance: Excellent. Nothing budges. · Availability: 3 oz, 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia This ink is exclusive to Goulet's and sold in 4.5 oz (128 ml) bottles with a free Charlie pen. I've added links for those interested to read about the creation of this ink. Italics are quotes from Goulet's website. Ink is in homage to Nathan Tardiff's great uncle Reginald Hegarty - who served upon whaleships and whose father was a whale ship captain and Manjiro Nakahama. (photo courtesy of Wikipedia) A fisherman at age 14. he was stranded on an Island (1841) and saved by an American whaler ship who brought him back to the US, (due to Japan's period of isolation) to Nathan Tardiff's hometown. He was "adopted" by the neighbour of the captain and sent to school to study English and navigation. Later he returns to Japan despite the danger of being killed and being one of the rare Japanese who lived in Mainland US, participates in the "opening of Japan" period. He was made a Samurai, later on and his sword was gifted to the Milicent Library Fairhaven, Massachusetts in 1918. While the sword was stolen in 1977, a replica was given back to the library. I would say, this is Noodler's at the best, you buy more than a bottle of ink, you buy a bottle of history, with so many layer. I'm glad it's exclusive to Goulet's and it's such a big bottle. I won't be tempted to buy it (Goulet doesn't ship to my province ) The ink reacts with bleach and creates a magnificent red and supposedly if the bleach is strong enough it'll then become purple. According to the Goulet website: These colors were designed for their symbolic value: sepia brown from 1840s whalemen's ink, red for the color of the Japanese national flag, and purple in honor of Emperor Meiji - for his reasoning affected by Manjiro Nakahama. Ink is a reddish brown, as you can see with the chroma: Writing samples: Quotes are from Herman Melville's Moby Dick, who was also a whaler and sailed from Fairhaven. T The ghosting and bleed through is minimal despite what the scan shows. However, it's best on thicker papers. Photo: Comparison: Watertest: I changed my method and poured some water on the left side of the paper and dried it with a piece of tissue. While it looks washed out I couldn't discern any ink on the tissue paper. I added some bleach and managed to create the red, but couldn't create the purple. And finally and artwork, which I named Creation which is an homage to Herman Melville, Moby DIck: I only used this ink, either in strong concentration or diluted with a touch of bleach to create the red effect. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Extremely pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: I’m nitpicking but maybe the hint of red in the brown, big bottle, and exclusive to Goulet's (though it's a plus, as I won't be able to order it) · What some might not like: Big bottle, exclusive to Goulet’s, tendency to stain transparent sections. · Shading: Faint · Ghosting: Faint · Bleed through: with a gusher, but I’ve seen much worse. · Flow Rate: Nice and wet · Lubrication: Very good. · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: Nope · Saturation: Nope · Shading Potential: Yes. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes. It did stain the transparent section of Kakuno, so you need Doyou or Red Rattler's Eel nearby. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy, like most pigment/bulletproof inks. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 4.5oz ≈ 128 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler’s Fox Red When it comes to red ink, I'm often weary as they are very difficult to clean. I also lprefer Dark reds better than brighter red. However, this ink has wowed me with its performance, it's one of the best inks, I've ever used. It doesn't ghost or bleed through on copy paper. It's a pleasure to use. Unlike other Noodler's inks, it comes into 1 oz/30 ml series. The other inks in this series are La Reine Mauve, Luxury Blue, Periwinkle and Whiteness of the Whale. Apparently the ingredients to make these inks are quite expensive, hence the smaller ink bottle. Let's start with the chroma; there's a hint of yellow in the sea of red. Writing samples: Text is from the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. No ghosting or bleed through on Hammermill. Surprisingly longest dry time Photo Paper is Mnemosyne - Nib is copperplate. Text is in French, same as above. 2 This ink is quite close to Noodler's Esenin. If you use a lot of red then maybe it's a better choice. (Esenin is also a very good red) A bit of the red is removed. But the text is legible: And as usual an artwork: Reunion an homage to The Little Prince. Paper is Canson mixed media paper, 98lb/160 gr Other inks used: Black: Noodler's Polar Black Yellow: J. Herbin Bouton d'or Green: Polar Green Wheat: Diamine Sepia The Sky is a mixture of Herbin's Émeraude de Chivor and Diamine Shimmering Seas, which I created effects by using a glass dip pen dipped in bleach. And finally the planet is done with Ferris Wheel Press, Storied Blue, lovely gorgeous ink for doing washes. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B), Osmiroid Copperplate semi-flex, Jinhao 450 · What I liked: Well lubricated, well behaved. · What I did not like: I’m nitpicking: I wish it were a darker red. · What some might not like: 30s dry time with a medium nib on some papers, Price. · Shading: Nope · Ghosting: None. · Bleed through: None · Flow Rate: Really nice · Lubrication: Great · Nib Dry-out: None · Start-up: None · Saturation: Saturated · Shading Potential: dismal · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Surprisingly easy. · Water resistance: A bit removes but not much. · Availability: 1oz (30ml) Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

*comes in a 3 oz glass bottle * it's definitely pink *more of a blue-pink than an orange-pink (the third photo looks the most accurate to me, but your monitor may show it differently) *dries pretty fast, under 5 seconds *highlights over a variety of inks without smearing *not water resistant (that's not a surprise!) The first sheet is the 32 lb HP laser paper - the only part that really shows (obviously) is where I shot the paper with a syringe full of ink! The second sheet is cheap 20 lb copy paper, and I (personally) wouldn't have any trouble highlighting on both sides of the paper. You can see it a bit, but it's really not bad at all.

I’ve been enjoying this eye searing ink for quite a well. In general, most of the Russian Series ink are some of the best “bulletproof” inks I’ve tried, and Esenin is in that category. Sergei Esenin or Yesenin was a Russian Poet. In his young life he married four times. His 2nd wife Zinaida Reich, a famed Russian actress, was killed in 1939 by Soviet Secret service. His 3rd wife was famed American dancer Isadora Duncan. And his fourth wife a granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy. It is said that his last poem, was written with his blood, as he couldn’t find ink in the hotel room, he was staying. Hence this reddish eye searing colour. The next day, he was found dead in his hotel room, having committed suicide at age 30. Some say, he was killed by the soviet secret police and his suicide was staged. Poem (from wikipedia's translation) on Tomeo River 68gr. The pen is Kawrite Ultraflex. The smudge on the word "die" is intentional. The best way to describe his poetry is a quote from Wikipedia: The Empress told me my poems were beautiful, but sad. I replied, the same could be said about Russia as a whole," The ink with a fine nib has an orange red hue, but with the flex it shares more character. Ink is bulletproof and fluorescent. When I first inked, it, I was sketching foxes..... This is with the fine nib of a Kaweco Perkeo Here is another written text: from the Song of Songs.... this time on thin Tomoe River, pen Kanwrite Ultra flex... Savour the richness of the red... and the delicate chroma: In all this is a delightful red ink, for those who are for looking for an unabashed eye searing red Note the Russian series are more expensive than the other bulletproof inks. • Pens used: Kaweco Perkeo Fine/ Kanwrite Flex • Shading: Quite a bit • Ghosting: Not really. • Bleed through: Depends on paper nib/ combination. • Flow Rate: Wet • Lubrication: Great • Nib Dry-out: No • Start-up: No • Saturation: Eye searing… • Shading Potential: With flex and depending on paper • Sheen: None • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed… • Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes. • Staining (pen): Easy to clean… • Clogging: Nope • Water resistance: Excellant • Availability: 90 ml bottles