Noodler's Bad Blue Heron

[mhphoto]

I LOVE this ink! Definitely one of the most well behaved inks I've ever trued. Pretty darn pleasing color, too.

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronMedium_zpsb2e957d9.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronPensUsed_zpsc781ec22.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronHunt_zps6b537f32.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronObservations_zps621cd560.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronComparisons_zps9dc70921.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronShading_zps715500d4.jpg

[terminal]

How does this color compare to R&K Verdigris? From this scan it sort of looks like what I expected Verdigris to be...?

[mhphoto]

I found Verdigris to be a big let down. It's much more of a dark blue-green rather than (rather unsaturated) dark blue like BBH. But I have to agree, they're similar on the page (Verdigris being more green, of course). Here's my review of R&K Verdigris.

[The Good Captain]

Another great review but considering the problems of getting some of the Noodler's range here in GB I'll stick to N's Prime of the Commons and Blue-Black, along with R&K Verdigris and Salix. For that sort-of colour range.

[fiberdrunk]

You always have the most gorgeous reviews!! Thanks for sharing them. They're always a joy to admire.

 

This is my main go-to blue. It's about as permanent a blue ink as you'll find. A friend of mine calls it "peacock blue" whenever I write her a letter with it.

[XiaoMG]

I haven't tried this ink very long, but other than the smell I think I like it. It might just be my imagination, but it seems to write a bit wider with my fine nibs. I get that with Kung Te Cheng and a number of other waterproof inks even on super-smooth papers. Anyone else find that?

[fiberdrunk]

I haven't tried this ink very long, but other than the smell I think I like it. It might just be my imagination, but it seems to write a bit wider with my fine nibs. I get that with Kung Te Cheng and a number of other waterproof inks even on super-smooth papers. Anyone else find that?

 

I do find it to be quite a wet ink, so yes, you probably are getting a heavier line.

[mhphoto]

Thanks for the compliments, everyone.

 

I haven't tried this ink very long, but other than the smell I think I like it. It might just be my imagination, but it seems to write a bit wider with my fine nibs. I get that with Kung Te Cheng and a number of other waterproof inks even on super-smooth papers. Anyone else find that?

 

I know exactly what you mean and I agree. I've found that those three all share that quality in fine nibs.

[fourseamer]

Another great review, mhphoto! Bad Blue Heron has been a regular in my rotation over the last year, and it is an excellent dark blue. It does have a strong odor, but I'm not deterred by it. The biggest negative for me is this ink's propensity to dry out in any pen I fill with it. If the pen is unused for more than a day, I can count on it being a reluctant starter. After 2-3 days, I often have to rinse the nib/feed under water or even twist the converter down to resupply the feed with wet ink. I've experienced this with a Lamy Safari, Edison Nouveau Premiere, and TWSBI 540. I may try BBH with a Noodler's Ahab which tends to be a wetter writer.

[mhosea]

The biggest negative for me is this ink's propensity to dry out in any pen I fill with it. If the pen is unused for more than a day, I can count on it being a reluctant starter. After 2-3 days, I often have to rinse the nib/feed under water or even twist the converter down to resupply the feed with wet ink.

 

If I have a pen inked, I make a point to use it just a little bit every day, so I have not seen the hard starting issue, but I have noticed the properties of the ink change as it concentrates in the feed. I adapt by loading only about as much as I will use in a few days. Nothing, it seems, is perfect.

[fiberdrunk]

The biggest negative for me is this ink's propensity to dry out in any pen I fill with it. If the pen is unused for more than a day, I can count on it being a reluctant starter. After 2-3 days, I often have to rinse the nib/feed under water or even twist the converter down to resupply the feed with wet ink. I've experienced this with a Lamy Safari, Edison Nouveau Premiere, and TWSBI 540. I may try BBH with a Noodler's Ahab which tends to be a wetter writer.

 

What a bummer! I use this ink in a Platninum Preppy, eyedropper style, with a medium .05 nib. It's always been a wet writer and has never dried out. I don't think I've even had to flush the pen in over 4 months!

[dunhamsa]

Thanks, this is a helpful review and discussion.

[haldane3]

Very nice!

 

Do you notice any nib creep? I have some bad belted kingfisher which I like, but the nib creep gets to me...

 

Dan

[mhphoto]

Very nice!

 

Do you notice any nib creep? I have some bad belted kingfisher which I like, but the nib creep gets to me...

 

Dan

 

I honestly can't remember if this crept out. I've sort of come to expect nib creep from Noodler's inks, so it doesn't really grab my attention when it happens nowadays. :embarrassed_smile:

[terminal]

I found Verdigris to be a big let down. It's much more of a dark blue-green rather than (rather unsaturated) dark blue like BBH. But I have to agree, they're similar on the page (Verdigris being more green, of course). Here's my review of R&K Verdigris.

 

Thanks!

[mhphoto]

Here's a picture of the slight sheen of this ink.

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersBadBlueHeronShading2.jpg

[hsianloon]

thanks for the impressive reviews showing all the shading possible with this one. I have a Sailor Sei Boku which though waterproof, is a lot lighter than I thought it would be, and this seems like a perfect candidate to replace it ! Great effort mate...

[mikehodgman]

Wow! Nice handwriting. I love this ink and it writes so nicely in my Sheaffer 300. Smelly ink though...

[DrChumley]

Very nice!

 

Do you notice any nib creep? I have some bad belted kingfisher which I like, but the nib creep gets to me...

 

Dan

 

Hey Dan,

 

I have this in my Edison Beaumont (Medium Steel Nib) and the nib creep is really bad for me. I've not experienced any of the drying out that others have (even after several days of not using it), but I feel like I use about 1/3 of each fill up by trying to wipe off/clean off the nib. I'm a little neat-freak about it. Haven't tried this ink out in any other pens yet, but yeah, for me, anyway, the nib creep is a bit of a mess.

[TULIP]

 

Hey Dan,

 

I have this in my Edison Beaumont (Medium Steel Nib) and the nib creep is really bad for me. I've not experienced any of the drying out that others have (even after several days of not using it), but I feel like I use about 1/3 of each fill up by trying to wipe off/clean off the nib. I'm a little neat-freak about it. Haven't tried this ink out in any other pens yet, but yeah, for me, anyway, the nib creep is a bit of a mess.

 

I've had this ink in a Lamy Vista for a couple of months, and nib creep was bad, but that doesn't bother me, really. What bothers me is that if I don't use the pen for an hour or more, startup is horrible. It's worse overnight. I wet the pen under the faucet to get it going for the day, but even when I'm checking off time cards at work and lay the pen down uncapped between tick marks--and I'm talking ten seconds or so--it takes the pen a bit to get going. Feathering is bad, too, but I use my pens at work and have to suffer standard office paper which can be hit and miss. I now have Waterman Serenity Blue in the Vista, and it's back to writing well.

 

The ink is now in a Waterman 52V. Creep is still there but isn't as bad in the Waterman; however, startup is worse. I really like this ink and wish I could find a pen in which it worked properly. The startup is killing me.