What Is A Good Iron Gall Ink?

[lectraplayer]

What is a good iron gall ink to put in my fountain pens? Also, while we're here, here, what should I expect from my pens with iron gall inks? I have looked int experimenting with making some, but either I don't know what I am looking for in the tree, or the oaks in Alabama aren't getting bit by the bugs that do it on a regular basis. What would be a good ink to experiment with?

[Scrawler]

Akkermans #10 is good (personal opinion). There are lots of others, and I am sure that you will soon be inundated with suggestions from others. Somewhere here in FPN there are write ups and recipes from peoples experiments.

[Bemo]

ESSRI. In a fatter nib it's almost magical watching the first word of the sentence darken as you're writing the fifth word.

[The Good Captain]

Scrawler is spot-on. I've yet to get Akkerman No 10 but use R&K Salix and Scabiosa; Montblanc Midnight Blue and ESSRI. My Lamy Blue-Black is the iron-gall version too but it is on the dry side and a little pale when it starts off. I like the Salix for that reason actually: it stays blue.

[RudyR]

My favorite Iron Gall ink, and, I feel, the best beginners Iron gall, is Montblanc Midnight Blue. It seems to be a relatively mild form of Iron Gall while still retaining the best characteristics of a stronger formula. My other favorites are R & K's Salix and Scabiosa. The R & K inks have a stronger amount of IG in them (at least it seems like it to me).

 

What to expect: A dryer writing ink overall and but not overly dry. Good Reliable water resistance. Will write on just about any paper with out feathering.

A good formula will be legible and visible centuries later. Dries relatively fast depending on the paper. It will require a good pen flushing (according to Montblanc literature) at least every three months. Never let any ink dry out in your pen and that goes even more so with an Iron Gall ink.

 

The best ink to have after a zombie, asteroid, nuclear or space alien apocalypse.

[lapis]

+1 on MB. Best colour, best maintenance, best flow. IMO.

 

Mike

[demeter]

Pharmacist on this network makes excellent iron gall inks, and very reasonable prices.

 

I bought three colours from him, and they are all exquisite.

 

Andrew

[Felix1]

+2 on Montblanc Midnight Blue. Beautiful black when it goes on the paper but after it fully oxidizes it takes on a slightly gray hue. Still, very well behaved and I always keep a pen inked with it. Very low maintenance for a ferro-gallic ink.

 

Might I also suggest reading Jamie Grossman's blog on UV light effects on various inks. Unfortunately, she didn't test the Montblanc IG offering. Some eye-opening results on R+K and Diamine Registar's permanent inks.

 

http://hudsonvalleysketches.blogspot.com/search/label/lightfastness%20tests

 

You might also enjoy perusing the Iron Gall Ink website.

 

http://irongallink.org/

[hoppes no9]

I agree with the previous posters -- I really enjoy these three:

 

MB Midnight Blue -- dark blue

R&K Scabiosa -- deep blackish purple

R&K Salix -- medium blue

[SeeksAdvice]

+2 on Montblanc Midnight Blue. Beautiful black when it goes on the paper but after it fully oxidizes it takes on a slightly gray hue. Still, very well behaved and I always keep a pen inked with it. Very low maintenance for a ferro-gallic ink.

 

Might I also suggest reading Jamie Grossman's blog on UV light effects on various inks. Unfortunately, she didn't test the Montblanc IG offering. Some eye-opening results on R+K and Diamine Registar's permanent inks.

 

http://hudsonvalleysketches.blogspot.com/search/label/lightfastness%20tests

 

You might also enjoy perusing the Iron Gall Ink website.

 

http://irongallink.org/

 

I personally don't intend to leave my writing out in the sun for 5 months

 

That being said, score some for the "carbon" inks. Too bad Goulet's doesn't sell Sailor anymore :/

 

Kind of shocked at the fade on the I-G stuff.

[WOBentley]

Pharmacist on this network makes excellent iron gall inks, and very reasonable prices.

 

I bought three colours from him, and they are all exquisite.

 

Andrew

I agree on these inks...and you can get several colors too vs the usual Blue-Black. I also have Akkerman#10, the MB and R&K inks mentioned and all are good, but I keep coming back to Pharmicist's inks...decent lubrication on most of them and...again...the colors. He does have a quite nice standard color too, but, did I mention the colors (red, orange, green, terra cotta...) Edited September 8, 2013 by WOBentley

[OldGreyGuy]

I am currently working my way through my last bottle of Montblanc Blue/Black and I have a bottle of Midnight Blue ready for when that one is finished. I have been happily using this in my daily writer for many years.

 

I could be tempted to try a bottle of R&K Scabiosa if I could find someplace that stocks it, although I probably have enough Purple/Violet inks that I am not using. :-)

[DanielCoffey]

Both Diamine and ESS will ship internationally (I think the Goulets stock Diamine Registrars?) but you will probably have to jump on to R&K group buys if you are in the States.

[Bo Bo Olson]

ESSR 110 ml bottle art a good price.

Depends on the paper how soon it turns from blue to black.

Richard said, it takes 24 hours for a good IG ink to finish turining.

 

I'm not heavy into IG inks but often have a pen with ESSR in it.

 

I am going to get 4 Pharmicist's inks, some time.

I do have the two R&K inks....It is onlsy my fault that they are not used more.

Well with 50+ inks some get neglected, including the real good ones.

[athenian]

Diamine Registrars

R&Κ Salix

[Cepasaccus]

MB Midnight Blue is my favourite, but it is not produced anymore. From what I read hear ESSRI might be a good replacement.

[Stylus156]

+10 on support for MB Midnight Blue, and exceptionally performing ink unique in it's color and characteristics. Singularly my favorite ink.

 

I understand that MB Blue-Black was more loved but that is not produced anymore and near impossible to find, Midnight Blue came in as a named replacement...however, I have not heard of Midnight Blue being discontinued...

 

Respects, M.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Stylus156

[The Good Captain]

I note that a couple of Montblanc Midnight Blue suppliers here in the UK haven't got it listed any more. Anyone heard anything about it being discontinued?

[The Good Captain]

Wheeler's Luxury Goods have confirmed in an e-mail, the following:

 

I am sorry but Mont Blanc are in the process of releasing a new midnight blue ink.

 

As of yet we do not have a delivery date, therefore the product has been removed from our site.

 

It will be available again online once the new ink has been released.

 

In the meantime, we only have the ink bottles available in the colours displayed on our website.

 

This would appear to be the same as the Lavender Purple. Lucky I got a couple of bottles of Midnight Blue at the end of last year. I wonder if the new one will have the bit of iron gall?

[cybaea]

+2 on Montblanc Midnight Blue. Beautiful black when it goes on the paper but after it fully oxidizes it takes on a slightly gray hue. Still, very well behaved and I always keep a pen inked with it. Very low maintenance for a ferro-gallic ink.

 

Might I also suggest reading Jamie Grossman's blog on UV light effects on various inks. Unfortunately, she didn't test the Montblanc IG offering. Some eye-opening results on R+K and Diamine Registar's permanent inks.

 

http://hudsonvalleysketches.blogspot.com/search/label/lightfastness%20tests

 

Yeah, but in that test the paper that held the IG inks severely deteriorated to a dense yellow, unlike any of the other sheets (#6 is the closest). I don't know what was different - should ask Jamie one day - but I am not making conclusions based on that particular test. That being said, there is no particular reason to assume that any IG ink can withstand 6 months of NY sunlight

 

amberlea did test the MB ink, e.g. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/215715-how-much-sun-can-my-ink-take/page-4?do=findComment&comment=2396145

 

I used to love MB Blue Black, but Midnight Blue is too black for me. Diamine and ESS are my regulars now.

 

But try them - other than the MB they are not expensive and you can get samples from several vendors.