Sapphire Is Gone, What's Your Favourite Blue Ink?

[79spitfire]

There is no substitute!!!! I may run out one day but not too soon.....

 

 

For those of you with a weak heart - don't scan down!

 

 

 

 

Indeed... all I can say is .. However my stash of carts will last me quite a while.

That's a stash all right!

 

I actually have all I need of PPS, acquired during the "Great Cartridge Rush" from Hong Kong. I have a 30ML bottle sitting here, plus plenty of carts for my Parker 45s. I have so many varieties of ink at this point I think if I did come across a stash, (a fresh 6 pack or so) I would likely sell it here to help pay off my mortgage!

[PAKMAN]

I forgot to mention the 20 cartridges I have left. They are especially fun now that I found out how well they work in the Lamy Safari!

[sadiemagic]

With apologies to those who will disagree, Iro Asa-Gao, while an exceptionally lovely ink on its own merits, is not a substitute for PPS.

 

I have had a lifelong love affair with PPS, and am down to my last 2.5 bottles. I have looked long and hard for a convincing substitute and have purchased every ink listed above by posters, with the exception of the Topaz, as well as some not listed. I think an acceptable PPS substitute is dependent on many factors, including the nibs you use, your writing pressure and your paper of choice. I use B, BB, and stub nibs 90% of the time, with M nibs making up the rest of my note-taking, and my nibs are tuned to be wet writers.

 

After many dollars dropped on inks and samples, I have found the following to be closest:

 

Private Reserve American Blue (a tad too light)

Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue (the closest, in most of my pens)

Private Reserve Electric DC Blue (a tad too dark)

 

Some honorable mentions:

 

Noodler's Eel Blue (noticeably lighter but there's enough closeness that I use it frequently)

Diamine Sargasso Sea (wish it behaved better in pens, though - it becomes hard to start after a while)

DeAtramentis Xmas Sapphire Blue (in wet broad nibs, it's a passable substitute).

 

I have also had success with a mixture of PRAB and PRDCSSB - 75% PRAB and 25% PRDCSSB gets me pretty close to a PPS stand-in. I have yet to try DC Waites Faux Penman Sapphire recipe.

 

None has that indefinable quality of flow, sheen and color variability that I get out of PPS with my pens. And many of the inks listed by fellow members are beautiful in their own right and good performers. But at least the PR inks and my mix come pretty close in terms of saturation and hue.

Edited October 21, 2012 by sadiemagic

[Dark Side]

My two favorite blues are Noodler's Ottoman Azure and Eel Blue, Ottoman Azure is on the dark side of medium blue and Eel Blue is very bright/vibrant medium blue.

[EKE]

I've been using a lot of Diamine Denim lately. It's exceptionally well behaved in all the pens I've used it in, and it dries pretty fast. It's a really nice medium-dark blue. Very professional for note taking and signing stuff, yet lively enough to add a bit of spice to the day. I love it.

 

I've really come to respect the Diamine line. All that I've tried have been easy writing, easy on the hardware, and the colors are lovely. Great to draw with. I just sampled Sherwood Green - its very nice, will be great for the holidays.

[2GreyCats]

Your batch of Asa-Gao is considerably brighter looking than mine. I found it to be a very ordinary blue (and very wet in some pens -- to the point of being drippy). I'm also not enamored of the blues that lean too much towards turquoise.

Colorwise, my favorite is probably Noodler's Liberty's Elysium. Although I'm still trying to make up my mind about Upper Ganges Blue. For dark blues, I rather like Diamine Sargasso Seas, but it tends to clog pens if you're not careful. And Private Reserve American Blue is underrated -- I really should put it in something again....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

 

I agree with Ruth on the American Blue. You should also try their "DC Super Show Blue"--a bit hard to find, but it is a great blue ink.....Second only to Baystate Blue in my humble opinion....

So do I, regarding American Blue. It's far away my favorite of all blues. Sheaffer and Waterman blues look to me anemic in comparison. I have it in about 3 -4 different pens. I would like to try PR's Supershow Blue, though. It looks interesting.

[PAC 1957]

With apologies to those who will disagree, Iro Asa-Gao, while an exceptionally lovely ink on its own merits, is not a substitute for PPS.

 

I have had a lifelong love affair with PPS, and am down to my last 2.5 bottles. I have looked long and hard for a convincing substitute and have purchased every ink listed above by posters, with the exception of the Topaz, as well as some not listed. I think an acceptable PPS substitute is dependent on many factors, including the nibs you use, your writing pressure and your paper of choice. I use B, BB, and stub nibs 90% of the time, with M nibs making up the rest of my note-taking, and my nibs are tuned to be wet writers.

 

After many dollars dropped on inks and samples, I have found the following to be closest:

 

Private Reserve American Blue (a tad too light)

Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue (the closest, in most of my pens)

Private Reserve Electric DC Blue (a tad too dark)

 

Some honorable mentions:

 

Noodler's Eel Blue (noticeably lighter but there's enough closeness that I use it frequently)

Diamine Sargasso Sea (wish it behaved better in pens, though - it becomes hard to start after a while)

DeAtramentis Xmas Sapphire Blue (in wet broad nibs, it's a passable substitute).

 

I have also had success with a mixture of PRAB and PRDCSSB - 75% PRAB and 25% PRDCSSB gets me pretty close to a PPS stand-in. I have yet to try DC Waites Faux Penman Sapphire recipe.

 

None has that indefinable quality of flow, sheen and color variability that I get out of PPS with my pens. And many of the inks listed by fellow members are beautiful in their own right and good performers. But at least the PR inks and my mix come pretty close in terms of saturation and hue.

 

I agree that Asa Gao cannot replace PPS, although it's a nice Classic Royal Blue ink. Thankyou for sharing your interesting Blue ink research and selection to try to replace PPS. All these inks are Very nice. I still think though that, overall, Pelikan Topaz could the best current alternative to PPS. Actually I use it in the same pen I used with PPS ( Parker Duofold Centennial) and it gives me quite a similar general feeling .

Best

Piero

[Garageboy]

Wow, Pelikan Topaz is gorgeous! There's nothing like Penman Sapphire, but luckily, I'm not that attached to it. Would go into hoarding mode if Diamine axed Royal Blue and Tropical Blue/Florida Blue

[leomitch]

It's Aurora Blue ink for me...looks great, dries fast and is kind to most papers.

 

Leo

[daTomoT]

It's not PPS, and I've never tried PPS; but mine is Diamine Midnight. A beautiful dark blue. I'm considering adding a few drops of jet black to check what that does to it!

[Amberjack]

I've tried so many blues to replace PPS, I've lost track.

For me the answer is, there just isn't a direct replacement. I'm using Liberty's Elysium now and will continue to do so, but am always on the lookout for more Penman, in every color but the black.

 

For black, Noodler's is the tops!

 

AJ

[JonSzanto]

For those of you keeping score at home, as of this writing there is a bottle of Sapphire on eBay with one day left on the auction. It currently sits at $70.00.

 

[PaulT00]

I do actually have a bottle (3/4 full) of Sapphire stored in the dark in my office... but it's very rarely used. I love it, but it comes out for special occasions.

 

For 'everyday' blue ink I use either Asa-Gao, Kon-Peki or most commonly Sailor Sei-Boku. The latter is always loaded in at least a couple of pens - I like the colour (nominally darker and a bit more teal-ish than Sapphire, but shades well and varies depending on the nib) and the water-resistance is nice to have for stuff which I can't take the chance on losing.

[Chrissy]

I've tried so many blues to replace PPS, I've lost track.

For me the answer is, there just isn't a direct replacement. I'm using Liberty's Elysium now and will continue to do so, but am always on the lookout for more Penman, in every color but the black.

 

For black, Noodler's is the tops!

 

AJ

I have just done a comparison test between my Goulet sample of Liberty's Elysium and my bottle of PPS and I found them very close indeed. I just happened to have my Bexley ATB filled with Liberty's Elysium and I quite like it.

 

I have stopped thinking about PPS now, as I have plenty of inks that I like instead. I have one PPS and one PP Emerald and probably won't look for any more. I sold my ruby.

[JonSzanto]

Welll, unless you were the person who paid $89.88 + shipping, you just missed out on the bottle of Sapphire on eBay.

[Amberjack]

Ha, yeah I just saw that.

 

A Fool and His Money

 

Simply amazing.

 

AJ

[emiliovillegas]

Blue inks are my favourite! Diamine Sapphire blue is one of the best blues I've ever seen!

[Sandy1]

Welll, unless you were the person who paid $89.88 + shipping, you just missed out on the bottle of Sapphire on eBay.

 

. . . I like to think that will reappear in my Christmas stocking

[nana_kathy]

Welll, unless you were the person who paid $89.88 + shipping, you just missed out on the bottle of Sapphire on eBay.

 

 

Amazing... That's the most I've ever heard of anyone paying for a bottle of ink... I'm sure the seller is jumping for joy.

 

\ Auctions are funny things sometimes.

[WOBentley]

Welll, unless you were the person who paid $89.88 + shipping, you just missed out on the bottle of Sapphire on eBay.

 

 

Amazing... That's the most I've ever heard of anyone paying for a bottle of ink... I'm sure the seller is jumping for joy.

 

\ Auctions are funny things sometimes.

The best part is that the original "Buy it now" was $65 which I thought was too high...surprised it made it that high!