Montblanc Permanent Blue

[inkobsessed]

From ISO 14145-2:

Roller ball pens and refills - Part 2: Documentary use (DOC) (ISO 14145-2:1998)

 

4 Requirements

4.1 General requirements

See the general requirements given in ISO 14145-1:1998 (4.1 to 4.3.4, 4.3.7 and 4.3.8).

4.2 Erasure resistance

The surface of the testing paper shall show clear evidence of damage before the line is rendered invisible when

tested as specified in 6.2.1.

4.3 Ethanol resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.2.

4.4 Hydrochloric acid resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.3.

4.5 Ammonium hydroxide resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.4.

4.6 Bleaching resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.5.

4.7 Water resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.6.

4.8 Light resistance

The line shall remain visible when tested as specified in 6.2.7.

5 Test equipment, accessories and solutions

5.1 Test equipment and accessories

Seewithstand.

5.2 Test solutions

5.2.1 Ethanol solution, 50 % aqueous solution (volume fraction).

5.2.2 Hydrochloric acid solution, 10 % aqueous solution (mass fraction).

5.2.3 Ammonium hydroxide solution, 10 % aqueous solution (mass fraction).

5.2.4 Bleaching solution, 3 % freshly made aqueous solution of chloramin T1) (mass fraction).

 

At http://www.nen.nl/pdfpreview/preview_26820.pdf you can read more about ISO 14145-2.

 

I bought the ink. It's dry indeed, but my Parker Latitude with an M nib and my Lamy Accent with MK nib didn't have starting problems. I liked the modest color; there was even some shade. It was completely waterproof ink; it was even hard to wash from my hands. As shown above indeed permanent. So I was getting to like the ink.

 

I didn't fill my Parker Latitude convertor to the end so I had to fill it again after a week. Just out off curiosity I put the convertor in a cup with clear water, wondering if it could be cleaned easily. To my surprise I saw a lot of dark particles. The particles didn’t dissolve; of course not, this was real permanent ink. I decided to clean my Lamy to, (which had the ink in it for two weeks). Same problem; a lot of dark particles that didn’t dissolve. It took three days in lukewarm water with some drops of dish soap to get rid of the particles, (I hope).

 

Before this I used Mont Blanc Midnight Blue IG which was easy to clean. The MB Blue Permanent was meant to be the successor, but I threw the (bleep) through the sink. It’s utterly permanent ink indeed, but never in one off my pens anymore. Both pens I experimented with are going to be filled with the good old Parker Washable Blue and I hope that will clean the last bit of (bleep) out of them.

 

As a matter of facts it all was no surprise reading above which torture this ink must withstand to be rated as ISO 14145-2 but that makes it unhealthy for my fountainpens.

 

Joop

 

[ethernautrix]

I bought the cartridges today, popped one into a 100-Year Historical, and I'm very pleased. Is it a "boring" blue? I don't know. It doesn't have that crazy red outline or flashy sheen, neither of which I'm particularly fond of (not that I dislike it to the point of not using such blue inks). I like this blue. Very much. Next time, I will buy the bottle (if in stock).

[Pterodactylus]

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/202/olt0.jpg

 

(Pelikan 400NN - OB ..... Iroshizuku Asa-Goa)

[Axial]

So, a low chroma Blue with a nice bit of shading, high readability & reasonable manners, but awkward when dancing with 'lowest bidder' copy/print papers.

 

I have tried it in several pens and with several kinds of paper, and I cannot reproduce the "awkward" behaviour on cheap paper. In my hands it performs perfectly fine, and only bleeds on the kind of paper on which almost all inks bleed.

 

I agree that the colour is a bit uninspiring - on white paper. I find it quite pleasant on yellow legal pads.

[Axial]

Does anybody else have problems with this ink (1) drying out in their pens overnight making it hard to start and (2) drying (??) into a 'watery' appearance when left horizontal for a few hours? I want to love this ink, but it isn't working in my pen. Maybe it is just me....

No problems of this kind here. But it does exhibit a rather nasty-looking nib creep in my Lamy Al-Star (no effect on writing performance, though).

[kaisede]

Thanks for your review, i just picked up a bottle of it.

 

It is definitly darker than the MB Royal Blue ink.

 

I like it a lot and didn't find it too dry.

[HamFist]

Any idea what the dry time is?

[Axial]

After using it daily for more than two months now, I can conclude that Montblanc Permanent blue is an altogether excellent ink. It is completely waterproof, dries quickly, and does not bleed on most papers I tried it on - in fact it is one of the least bleedthrough-prone inks on cheap paper I have ever used (and I use it mostly with a fairly wet Lamy M nib). I tried several types of copy paper, cheap writing pads and blocks - nothing, no bleeding. The true bleeder like e.g. Diamine Umber happily bleeds though most of those. There must have been something funny with Bigeddie's copy paper.

[adyf]

After using it daily for more than two months now, I can conclude that Montblanc Permanent blue is an altogether excellent ink. It is completely waterproof, dries quickly, and does not bleed on most papers I tried it on - in fact it is one of the least bleedthrough-prone inks on cheap paper I have ever used (and I use it mostly with a fairly wet Lamy M nib). I tried several types of copy paper, cheap writing pads and blocks - nothing, no bleeding. The true bleeder like e.g. Diamine Umber happily bleeds though most of those. There must have been something funny with Bigeddie's copy paper.

 

How about flow and lubrication?

[Axial]

Both are good (in Lamy Al-Star, M nib). Lubrication is visibly better than with MB Midnight blue (hybrid iron gall formulation) or MB Toffee Brown (both are among my regular inks). It does not seem to dry out in the nib easily (unlike e.g. MB Midnight Blue). As mentioned earlier, it shows quite a bit of nib creep in the Lamy.

[Gary1952]

I recently purchased a bottle of MB Permanent blue. I found it to be very dry (poor flow characteristics) in my Onoto Magna (fine nib); however it behaves superbly in my Pilot VP (medium nib) - exhibits excellent flow characteristics and dries quickly (a big plus for me as I am a left hander).

 

I like the colour of this ink - very dignified!

Edited May 19, 2014 by Gary1952

[theverdictis]

Great review, absolute beautiful ink!

[Tonux]

Hi

Thanks for your topic. Because of it I bought a bottle of Monblanc permanent blue ink, white label. It really is permanent because it is waterproof and also alcoholproof. It's safe, for example, to write on envelopes.

It's almost a blue-black or a dark blue ink. I like it and recommend it, despite being a bit expensive.

May I need to take some care with the pen? The ink is corrosive? (I use with it an Waterman with a gold nib)

Edited September 19, 2014 by Tonux

[cybaea]

 

Hi

Thanks for your topic. Because of it I bought a bottle of Monblanc permanent blue ink, white label. It really is permanent because it is waterproof and also alcoholproof. It's safe, for example, to write on envelopes.

It's almost a blue-black or a dark blue ink. I like it and recommend it, despite being a bit expensive.

May I need to take some care with the pen? The ink is corrosive? (I use with it an Waterman with a gold nib)

 

 

I can't imagine it is corrosive, but I do find it moderately hard to clean out so that is one thing to consider.

I am surprised you get such a dark colour - must have a wet nib or maybe they have adjusted the formula...?

[Tonux]

 

I can't imagine it is corrosive, but I do find it moderately hard to clean out so that is one thing to consider.

I am surprised you get such a dark colour - must have a wet nib or maybe they have adjusted the formula...?

 

Hi cybaea

 

Effectively the color ink is a dark blue (even very dark blue), with a medium gold nib, with good flow. Paper is the current fotocopy A4. Even so I like this color.

 

I did an experiment and I had concluded that it is effectively waterproof and alcoholproof.

 

Later I put here a scan.

[Tonux]

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1/Toribeiro/IMG_0565.jpg

 

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1/Toribeiro/IMG_0566.jpg

 

There is my new ink. Not a scan, but photos.

 

An excellent ink, but not for the clothes, I think.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Tonux

[meiers]

Thank you. Your review inspired me to acquire a bottle. It's a great find.

[SamCapote]

I keep trying all the various blues, including this one....and keep going back to PPS, even though it isn't permanent.

[adyf]

Does anybody else have problems with this ink (1) drying out in their pens overnight making it hard to start and (2) drying (??) into a 'watery' appearance when left horizontal for a few hours? I want to love this ink, but it isn't working in my pen. Maybe it is just me....

I've just bought this and I've experienced exactly the same behaviour that you describe in all five or six pens I've tried so far. Did you find a particular pen or brand that works well with this ink?

[ethernautrix]

I did experience a bit of drying out in a couple of pens, and it's a hard ink to clean, BUT it has been working brilliantly in my Montblanc 100-Year Historical. No drying out. I haven't tried cleaning the pen, but then it's a tough pen to clean anyway.

 

For the time being, I'm enjoying this ink in this pen; no plans to change it any time soon.