Saturated Inks With Good Flow- Recommendations?

February 26, 2016

Can anyone recommend any saturated inks with good flow?

I know mostly inks are either saturated and quite viscous, or very well flowing and much more wishy washy.

I'm looking for saturated inks which also have good flow and and relatively easy to clean/ not damaging to fountain pens.

The only one that comes close to me is Iroshizuku Take- Sumi, but I'm sure there must be an even darker black ink, which is still well behaved.

Any recommendations? If they have good shading even better.

February 26, 2016

Check out Sailor inks (except the STORiA line). The Four Seasons inks are relatively easy to acquire.

February 26, 2016

Private Reserve makes a line of highly saturated inks. Most all flow well but one color is known as a gusher-- the Tanzanite. I routinely use DC Super Show Blue, Avocado, a nice floral green, and Fiesta Red. They are also fairly inexpensive on eBay, I highly recommend them

Edited February 26, 2016 by OCArt

February 26, 2016

Check out Sailor inks (except the STORiA line). The Four Seasons inks are relatively easy to acquire.

+1

February 26, 2016

I have a a few Sailor inks but mainly the Kobe Nagasawa/ Bungbox lines. Focussing on these I somehow missed the more obvious ones like Four Seasons, though I do have Yama Dori which I find a great colour, but quite viscous. I had been meaning to try Apricot and Sky high for quite some time, but now understand they are discontinued.

I don't own any Private Reserve but had heard about Tanzanite- will check it out. I understand it's very well behaved.

I also read Noodlers Lexington Grey was saturated- I was really after a grey ink that wasn't too light- I bought a bottle today.

Thanks for the recommendations!

February 26, 2016

Are Aurora not known for their wetness? Never tried them, but you do read about them. And at least the Black is as dark as you can get while still sticking to dye-based inks.

February 26, 2016

Yes I heard Aurora black is very black- but didn't know how safe it was in more expensive piston-filling pens like Omas that I use. I assumed the ink was quite thick. Maybe I'll pick up a bottle and see...

February 26, 2016

I always assumed thicker ink meant it was potentially more damaging to fountain pens, sticking to the insides etc., is this not the case?

I have tended to stick to iroshizuku as a result, though some of the colours- pinks and reds can be quite dry, which I don't like.

February 26, 2016

I use Aurora Black. It cleans out of pens just fine.

February 26, 2016

Private Reserve inks have caused me nothing but problems:

Lake Placid Blue: skipping problems poor flow

Tanzanite: gross slime in bottle had to throw it out

Sherwood Green: rubs off paper even after it's dry

Naples Blue: rubs of paper even after it's dry

Ebony Blue: so thick it clogs pens (although washes out with water, no damage to pen) but the very opposite of "wishy washy" for sure. I recently topped off the bottle with tap water in order to thin it a bit, but haven't used it much after that so I can't tell you if the experiment improved the ink.

Diamine Midnight: this stuff gushes out of pens. If that's what you want, but there's way too much surfactant in there for it to be considered a normal and problem-free ink.

All Waterman colors: super reliable and problem free, but the green and the South Sea Blue are kind of watery looking; the brown is a nice unusual color with shading; Florida blue is a very standard blue that compares fine with the blue found in pilot roller ball pens

Shaeffer Skrip Red: recently acquired and only used in one pen, but seems pefectly fine so far, and a surprisingly saturated red for what they say is a safe and reliable ink

Edited February 26, 2016 by LionRoar

February 26, 2016

I concur with LionRoar regarding Diamine Midnight. I love the color, but it's too wet for all but relatively dry writing pens. I can't use it in my Pelikan. It just soaks the page.

February 28, 2016

Thanks for your recommendations. I love inks that soak the page- I buy fountain pens with custom nibs specifically for that purpose!...1.3mm stub Visconti HS etc...

I think I'll grab a bottle of Aurora as I don't have a very dark black ink. I did have Noodlers Black but had many issues with it- the colour was inconsistent and it was extremely thick. However I recently bought a bottle of Lexington Grey and it is excellent.

I'll heed the advise re: Private Reserve...

Edited February 28, 2016 by kunju123

February 28, 2016

Private Reserve inks have caused me nothing but problems:

Lake Placid Blue: skipping problems poor flow
Tanzanite: gross slime in bottle had to throw it out
Sherwood Green: rubs off paper even after it's dry
Naples Blue: rubs of paper even after it's dry
Ebony Blue: so thick it clogs pens (although washes out with water, no damage to pen) but the very opposite of "wishy washy" for sure. I recently topped off the bottle with tap water in order to thin it a bit, but haven't used it much after that so I can't tell you if the experiment improved the ink.

Diamine Midnight: this stuff gushes out of pens. If that's what you want, but there's way too much surfactant in there for it to be considered a normal and problem-free ink.

All Waterman colors: super reliable and problem free, but the green and the South Sea Blue are kind of watery looking; the brown is a nice unusual color with shading; Florida blue is a very standard blue that compares fine with the blue found in pilot roller ball pens

Shaeffer Skrip Red: recently acquired and only used in one pen, but seems pefectly fine so far, and a surprisingly saturated red for what they say is a safe and reliable ink

Thanks for the detailed info- much appreciated. I'll think I'll give Private reserve a miss.

I'l check out Shaeffer skrip line. I already have a saturated and well behaving Red in Montblanc's Corn Poppy Red, but I love red, so will give it a try.

I wish there was an Ancient Copper that didn't destroy nibs and feeds. Now THAT I would buy.