Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki - Yo

[Sandy1]

At this moment in time - Tsuki-Yo is my favorite ink of all time. Does that make sense?

 

It allows so much creative control on paper, reacts wonderfully to my mood, and of course, I loooove the color.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your remarkable experience with Pt-y.

 

I have also had the experience of being captivated by an ink - until I change inks.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

After quite a few more pages dedicated to Tsuki-yo in different lighting and on different papers, I am still scratching my head over exactly what it is that others love so much about the ink color. It's subtle, I suppose. Others have told me it conveys an old-fashioned appearance. I think I simply prefer something with more drama and vitality.

 

Hi,

 

Many thanks for letting us know of your further explorations of Pt-y.

 

As mentioned, I was rather slow to come to this ink, but I greatly appreciate subtlety in an ink.

 

I think that by giving such an ink a fair go, you have determined through experience what it is you prefer in an ink: "something with more drama and vitality."

 

I share the same experience of trying inks that are widely held in high regard, only to have them set on a lower shelf. Yet I do persist in their use, in hope that I might grow to like them, but when that bottle is empty it is not often replaced.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

I finally load my pen with this ink. It appears more of a muted/pale blue. I really like this color. I think it will be on my to buy list.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

I am surprised that you find the colour to be "more of a muted/pale blue". Does its appearance fall outside of the range depicted in this review?

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

I suppose it all comes down to one's priorities and preferences.

 

Just to clarify, I meant no disrespect to the choice. It's just the lubrication aspect, and I think it would be fair to say only the lubrication aspect, of the Iroshizuku inks I've tried that doesn't seem to match up with what reviewers have tended to say. It is a mystery to me. The only thing I can think is that almost all my pens are very smooth writers, and I use Rhodia and Clairefontaine paper a lot.

 

Hi,

 

I certainly agree that if one is using smooth writers on papers such as Rhodia & Clairefontaine, then low lubrication is less of a concern.

 

Let me share how I consider Lubrication, or more properly 'lubricity', of an ink.

 

When preparing the written samples, a range of pen+paper combos are used. The extent of that range includes extremes, but includes more samples from F - M nibs on papers which I consider to be representative of what an FP user might either encounter in the wild, or choose on purpose. I use my normal manner: a brisk light hand and my normal handwriting style and size; with the exception of instances when I dare to offend viewers with my use of a flexi nib.

 

Lubricity not only influences drag, but feedback as well. I find some drag is necessary to provide a sense of control - no sliding off the page, but must not give the sensation that I am ploughing a furrow. Feedback is difficult to be subjective about, so I focus less on comfort than the ability to keep the nib running on its sweet spot.

 

As ever, I do try to be subjective as possible for aspects under the Physical Performance & Characteristics heading, but realise that without defined metrics, my observations for one ink can best be viewed in the context of other inks that I've reviewed.

 

Bye,

S1

[Nick T]

At this moment in time - Tsuki-Yo is my favorite ink of all time. Does that make sense?

 

It allows so much creative control on paper, reacts wonderfully to my mood, and of course, I loooove the color.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your remarkable experience with Pt-y.

 

I have also had the experience of being captivated by an ink - until I change inks.

 

Bye,

S1

 

You are most welcome Sandy1 - your beautiful reviews helped guide my buying decision on this ink in the first

place so I have you to thank for the great effort you make when reviewing an ink.

 

I live in New Hampshire near the seacoast. When I look out my window I see all the colors and shades that

are in Pt-y. I am sure that is why I love it so much. I should also perhaps mention that I have been a

professional advertising photographer for the past 25 years. My eyeballs are very sensitive to

slight shifts in color and shading. That is another aspect on this particular ink that draws me into

its web. Even though the color is "right on" for me, I doubt I would be so enamored with it if the shading was

not there.

 

Warm Regards, Nicholas

[mhosea]

I certainly agree that if one is using smooth writers on papers such as Rhodia & Clairefontaine, then low lubrication is less of a concern.

 

I was actually pondering whether, for some subtle reasons, the more lubricious ink in that circumstance might not necessarily be the more lubricious ink in another, perhaps because there could be a different optimal viscosity or some other thing. My impressions have certainly not been formed in such a comprehensive fashion. I'll admit if I have an ink that I like on smooth paper and it feels less smooth on some cheap paper, I just blame the paper. I hadn't considered the possibility that I might get a better writing experience on that paper with an ink that seems less lubricious to me on smoother paper. Maybe this is not the case. I just hadn't considered that it even might be.

[akustyk]

Wonderful review, as always. I love this ink and use it in a Pilot Custom 74 with a Medium nib. I love the combination.

[Sandy1]

I certainly agree that if one is using smooth writers on papers such as Rhodia & Clairefontaine, then low lubrication is less of a concern.

 

I was actually pondering whether, for some subtle reasons, the more lubricious ink in that circumstance might not necessarily be the more lubricious ink in another, perhaps because there could be a different optimal viscosity or some other thing. My impressions have certainly not been formed in such a comprehensive fashion. I'll admit if I have an ink that I like on smooth paper and it feels less smooth on some cheap paper, I just blame the paper. I hadn't considered the possibility that I might get a better writing experience on that paper with an ink that seems less lubricious to me on smoother paper. Maybe this is not the case. I just hadn't considered that it even might be.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

Keeping things on a practical level:

• The inks' wetness / flow rate should be considered, and that will vary according to the pen. (That is evident in the NIB-ism image, Figure 2.) So the amount of ink, hence lubricant, is likely to vary on a pen-by-pen basis.
• Paper texture plays a significant role: smoother papers offer a more uniform surface hence greater stability of the amount of ink at the nib-paper interface.
• We also have the speed of ink absorption of the papers: papers such as Rhodia are slower to absorb the ink, so the nib tip is not stripped of ink whilst writing; and some inks really want to be absorbed. So absorption is an ink+paper thingy - takes two to tango.
  
• Not to be overlooked are the coating / sizing of the paper or the lack thereof; the degree of calendering; and the material from which the paper is made, e.g. wood, sugar cane, straw, cotton.

I agree that changing paper alone will result in a change of the smoothness of the writing experience. It would be a rare case that using a given pen with ink of generally low lubricity on a less than smooth paper might actually give a 'better' writing experience than on a smooth paper. Switching from a paper such as Rhodia to a paper such as Original Crown Mill 100% Cotton offers a different yet pleasant writing experience.

 

From a personal standpoint, I am accustomed to low lubricity inks, so if a certain pen+ink+paper combo gives the results I want, I am likely to persist in its use. For example, the Organics Studio Manganate V ink was readily absorbed by the G Lalo Verge de France paper - giving a density & line quality that was a head above most inks on that paper - although there wasn't much ink left for lubrication, so I had the impression there were but inky fumes between pen and paper. Noodler's Bernanke Blue also has the trait of being readily absorbed (to speed drying?), with the trade-off of diminished lubricity.

Viz.

 

Pt-y on G Lalo: Higher lubricity + Lower absorption:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20tsuki-yo/9db5da2e.jpg

 

OSMV on G Lalo: Lower lubricity + Higher absorption:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Organics%20Studio%20Manganate%20V/0973e0b5.jpg

 

Bye,

S1

 

- - -

 

EDIT - to add:

> Review of Organics Studio Manganate V LINK

> Review of Noodler's Bernanke Blue LINK

 

Edited August 4, 2012 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

At this moment in time - Tsuki-Yo is my favorite ink of all time. Does that make sense?

 

It allows so much creative control on paper, reacts wonderfully to my mood, and of course, I loooove the color.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your remarkable experience with Pt-y.

 

I have also had the experience of being captivated by an ink - until I change inks.

 

Bye,

S1

 

You are most welcome Sandy1 - your beautiful reviews helped guide my buying decision on this ink in the first

place so I have you to thank for the great effort you make when reviewing an ink.

 

I live in New Hampshire near the seacoast. When I look out my window I see all the colors and shades that

are in Pt-y. I am sure that is why I love it so much. I should also perhaps mention that I have been a

professional advertising photographer for the past 25 years. My eyeballs are very sensitive to

slight shifts in color and shading. That is another aspect on this particular ink that draws me into

its web. Even though the color is "right on" for me, I doubt I would be so enamored with it if the shading was

not there.

 

Warm Regards, Nicholas

 

Hi Nicholas,

 

I am flattered that you hold my efforts in such high regard.

 

Here is an image captured from a Pilot infommercial that depicts the inspiration for the ink: the moon in the night sky shining on the sea.

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20tsuki-yo/tsukiyo.jpg

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 4, 2012 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

Wonderful review, as always. I love this ink and use it in a Pilot Custom 74 with a Medium nib. I love the combination.

Hi,

 

Glad you like the review and the ink!

 

Thanks for mentioning your preferred pen to use with this ink.

Pilot pen + Pilot ink =

Bye,

S1

[Bill Wood]

Great review. Thanks Sandy. Just about ready to dip into this ink brand.

[Sandy1]

Erratum - Post № 64:

 

. . . As ever, I do try to be subjective as possible for aspects under the Physical Performance & Characteristics heading . . .

 

Bye,

S1

Kindly substitute 'objective' for 'subjective' in the above Post.

 

I'm blonde, but no heckling, OK?

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 4, 2012 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

Great review. Thanks Sandy. Just about ready to dip into this ink brand.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Wheeee ! ! !

 

Bye,

S1

[pearlbeer]

Great review, thanks.

[Sandy1]

Great review, thanks.

 

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Bye,

S1

[wastelanded]

Sandy, that photo captures the shade perfectly!

 

As for lubrication, PTY makes my stubbish 78G behave most admirably.

[AlejoPlay]

I was hoping this would look like Sandy's scans, but the sample I used to ink up my new (to me) Sailor ProColor came out a chalky pale blue. I will have to try the ink in another pen, but really really surprised at the difference.

 

EDIT: 24 hours later . . . I think I'm in love.

Edited August 25, 2012 by AlejoPlay

[Sandy1]

I was hoping this would look like Sandy's scans, but the sample I used to ink up my new (to me) Sailor ProColor came out a chalky pale blue. I will have to try the ink in another pen, but really really surprised at the difference.

 

EDIT: 24 hours later . . . I think I'm in love.

 

Hi,

 

It must have been such a disappointment to ink-up a new pen+ink combo, expecting a premier writing experience, and to get a 'chalky pale blue'.

 

Great that things are now as expected.

 

Bye,

S1

[bphollin]

(Humanities instructor cap on for this one.)

 

I live in New Hampshire near the seacoast. When I look out my window I see all the colors and shades that are in Pt-y. I am sure that is why I love it so much.

Here is an image captured from a Pilot infommercial that depicts the inspiration for the ink: the moon in the night sky shining on the sea.

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pilot%20tsuki-yo/tsukiyo.jpg

 

There is, one knows not what sweet mystery about this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath... And meet it is, that over these sea-pastures, wide-rolling prairies and Potters' Fields of all four continents, the waves should rise and fall, and ebb and flow unceasingly; for here, millions of mixed shades and shadows, drowned dreams, somnambulisms, reveries; all that we call lives and souls, lie dreaming, dreaming, still; tossing like slumberers in their beds; the ever-rolling waves but made so by their restlessness.

--Herman Melville, Moby Dick, or, The Whale, Chapter 111, "The Pacific"

 

That image speaks to me in the same way this passage does. Shivers!

 

(Humanities instructor cap off.)

[humsin]

Tsuki-yo is beautiful!!

 

My favourite inks are Iroshizuku and Edelstein