Rohrer & Klingner - 18 Inks

[visvamitra]

Rohrer & Klingner operates since 1892. At the moment it's the fifth generation of the family that manages the company. I guess that after 122 years they know what they are doing.

R&K inks offer amazing quality for amazing price. In my country a bnottle of R&K ink costs 5-6 $. I know it's a bit more expensive in America, yet I believe the price is still reasonable.

I find it interesting that Rohrer & Klingner seems to focus mainly on the content and not on the bottles. Inks come in industrial looking bottle taht is quite handy but there's just nothing fancy about it. It's surprising.

http://www.rohrer-klingner.de/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/schreibtinte_top_03.jpg

Anyway they offer eighteen colors, some stunning, some boring but all have good qualities and are easy to clean.

http://imageshack.com/a/img742/3085/WHCjxM.jpg

Let's check them.

http://imageshack.com/a/img742/4356/PJrxLY.jpg

Helianthus: intense, dark yellow. In broad nib I can see it as a daily writer.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/3449/gDAFEH.jpg

Fernambuk: red with some pink accents. Nice, decent, smooth and consistent flow.

http://imageshack.com/a/img904/921/2Ss5YZ.jpg

Morinda: one of my favourite red inks. I like the hue and great lubrication it provides to my dry writing Pilot 78G with broad nib.

http://imageshack.com/a/img631/8620/rvsLyH.jpg

Alt-Bordeaux: pale and boring in dry nibs, really nice in wet nibs.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7069/qIjHwr.jpg

Magenta: magenta. Intense, eye-catching, but too bright to my taste.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8971/cq9ran.jpg

Solferino: screaming, popping purplish magenta. I like it.

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9591/lJHbRx.jpg

Cassia: decent violet.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7310/gCAFFH.jpg

Scabiosa: waterproof, nice, dusty color. Good choice.

http://imageshack.com/a/img745/1412/2Eswf9.jpg

Blu Mare: lively, saturated blue. Not bad.

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/9058/2RkapU.jpg

Konigsblau nice, decent ink. The thing is there's so many blue inks on the market and there's just nothing special about this one.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1746/Hju3nH.jpg

Blau Permanent: not really permanent but it shows some waterproofness. Good ink, good saturation, nice color.

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/6130/SIeuSi.jpg

Salix: waterproof, famous R&K ink. I don't like the color.

http://imageshack.com/a/img907/4881/C9frH5.jpg

Smaragdgrun: meh. I dislike this kind of greens.

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/9308/A0Mhn1.jpg

Verdura: decent green. But there are better ones on the market.

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/1975/eE8Ceg.jpg

Alt-Goldgrun: great, unique ink. A winner.

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9878/E2RSSw.jpg

Sepia: greyish brown. Calm. I do like it.

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1081/H9TBfj.jpg

Verdigris: greenish blue/black. Nice one.

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/1756/oPZABq.jpg

Leipziger-Schwarz: blueish bl;ack but still black. I dislike blacks and this one won't change my taste.

The review was made with dry writing tool: Pilot 78G with broad nib. You may think that the ciolor are more intense in your notebook. But that's how these pens write.

SWABS (Mondi 90g)

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/5328/GeFHAj.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/4199/oYRedV.jpg

Gems (cut in PS from the photo made in intense sunlight)

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/3681/0YU474.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7862/g3II4P.jpg

DROPS OF INK ON KITCHEN TOWEL

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/2953/wQ5AX0.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img742/7510/Uf6b8l.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/3977/1tGdYC.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img909/9833/NG4eDI.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img905/2186/Vjkgo1.jpg

Edited September 20, 2014 by visvamitra

[visvamitra]

CHROMATOGRAPHY

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/5636/AjXuwJ.jpg

CALENDAR

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1061/Y9n1ak.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/5713/jb7Bkl.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img905/9417/JVbfy1.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/2044/gVBXIj.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/3350/Hh5F7P.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9384/reLihT.jpg

OXFORD PAPER

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/1755/6FnSVe.jpg

RHODIA

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5007/T6zNzd.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/6484/SBzd0x.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/7569/XRCodj.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/4527/vbLpn1.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img908/5478/VozPkU.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/4569/mRYb8h.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img909/5198/uT6EA3.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/756/B2OvqV.jpg

DIP PEN

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/5466/GMstUX.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5028/6iZBD6.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/4397/asvAhy.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img901/6997/IvcinZ.jpghttp://imageshack.com/a/img661/3268/Xs3zvO.jpg

[visvamitra]

DRY TIME

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/8161/DoFnbC.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/5913/sh8M67.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img904/3914/sGbTZf.jpg

POLISH PANGRAM ON LYRECO PAPER

http://imageshack.com/a/img905/7794/SvIehY.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img746/7163/kvsiEO.jpghttp://imageshack.com/a/img540/887/iTrzBQ.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/6269/LgaG3s.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/9766/1ZG1OH.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/779/5FixSR.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/4120/CX6uPF.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/4310/Nv0BFX.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img746/4125/bkzxF3.jpg

WATERPROOFNESS

http://imageshack.com/a/img742/851/701K09.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/2537/q7BpQ8.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7852/yrxVB4.jpg

Before immersion

http://imageshack.com/a/img674/6036/ZVLTx3.jpg

After immersion

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/8194/QQxwBE.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img742/2373/r1AHzo.jpg

SUMMARY

I highly recommend R&K inks. They offer good quality for a) fantastic price in Europe reasonable price in Americas.

My favourites are: Alt-Goldgrun, Helianthus, Morinda, Sepia, Verdigris and Solferino (in small doses).

I dislike Salix, Smaragdgrun and Leipziger – Schwarz.

The rest is more or less fine.

Let me know what you think.

[bstnnyc]

Thank you for another great comparison visvamitra! Alt-Godgrun is my favorite of the R&K inks, and Blu Mare (in a very wet pen) is a close second for me. You made me really want to try Helianthus now so I will need to add it to my sample wishlist!

[swanjun]

Wow, this is amazing. I haven't tried but four R&K inks so far, but Verdigris is my favorite among those. Really looking forward to trying Helianthus and Scabiosa, though!

[Tas]

Their inks are as fabulous as your reviews!

For the record - my faves in order are Leipziger Schwarz, Sepia, Scabiosa & Salix.
Owning seven R&K inks I can see your colour reproduction is spot on.

I predict many will be buying after seeing this collection.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Tas

[dragos.mocanu]

Wow, thanks so much for the review of my favorite ink brand, I've been waiting for this one for a long while! My favorites are Scabiosa, Sepia, Alt-Bordeaux and Magenta while Alt-Goldgrun and Cassia are so-so and the rest I don't find very interesting (I should try Morinda though, though I don't believe it could ever equal Diamine Oxblood in looks and performance). Do you notice any notable difference between Alt-Bordeaux and Diamine Tyrian Purple?

Edited September 20, 2014 by dragos.mocanu

[tinysnail]

Awesome comparison. I have only tried Sepia and Alt-Goldgrün, but I liked both samples enough that I bought a bottle of each before I'd gotten through one fill. I'm impressed by Sepia's water resistance! I had no idea.

[Cyber6]

Wow... another amazing review. I totally agree on your favorites... with the exception of Solferino (too bright)

 

Alt-Goldrun, Verdigris, Sepia.....

[lgsoltek]

Great comparison, visvamitra! I always enjoy your reviews.

I have 8 R&K inks and I like all of them. It's so hard to choose a favourite... Should I get the whole line? Should I?

[SujiCorp12345]

Wow! That's a great comparison of the R&K inks! Thanks.

[visvamitra]

@Igsoltek - if you like them, why not

[alexander_k]

Many thanks for the overview. It helps enormously to see the colours of inks under real writing conditions. I've only tried Blau Permanent so far and I liked it, despite it being rather flat. Now I'm looking forward to a couple of others too.

[lgsoltek]

The inks show their best colour in the dip pen sample. The sheen of Cassia, wow...

[KaB]

Nice work (and a lot of it I guess). Changes my idea about verdigris, THX

[cybaea]

Lovely and comprehensive work - thanks!

I only use the two IG inks but I like the looks of several of the oyhers.

[Jared]

Thank you for the excellent review. I love R&K ink and have used it since I picked up a few bottles in 2009. I'm glad to see that they are more easily available here in the US.

[amberleadavis]

Fabulous WONDERUL and SPECTACULAR!

[amberleadavis]

Wow... another amazing review. I totally agree on your favorites... with the exception of Solferino (too bright)

 

Alt-Goldrun, Verdigris, Sepia.....

 

 

Wow, my favorite is Solferino - it's retinal searing. My next favorites are Morinda and VerdeGris.

[inotrym]

Thanks for the reviews! They 're really helpful. I especially like the gems.

 

Btw, you 've just sold me a bottle of Fernambuk, Morinda, Scabiosa and Verdigris.

I wouldn't even consider them if it hadn't been for this topic.