Inky T O D - Oh, The Places You'll Go, Or, Waypoints On The Inky Journey

[inkstainedruth]

Today I realized that there is a subset of "Quest for the Perfect (color)", which is "What is the best ink substitute this (unavailable) one?"

For me, first it was trying to find a match for some unknown blue-black that came out of my first Esterbrook when I went to flush the pen out. Up to that point I had no use for blue-black inks. Now, they're amongst my go-to colors.

Then it was trying to match the color and sheen for a dark red violet rollerball ink, on a thank you card. After that (an on-going process) to find a replacement for vintage Skrip Peacock Blue. In both cases, finding ink colors I (now) like....

The current quest is to replace another vintage ink: Sheaffer (Skrip) Brown, in the red box, which is more of a sepia brown. Someone sent me a bottle, only it seems to have developed a leak. I have some in the bottom of a ziplock bag (after salvaging some other, smaller bags of ink samples, along with a Nalgene bottle of distilled water). I transferred the Sheaffer bottle (one of the good ones with the inkwell in the top) to another ziplock, wrapped in a paper towel. Most of the rest of the bottle ended up soaking into the paper towel.... So now I spent way too much time today scanning ink swatches on the usual suspects everyone's favorite e-sellers' websites....

And of course EVERYONE wants a replacement for Parker Penman Sapphire.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[dcpritch]

This is such a great thread!

 

Thanks Arkanabar for the excellent analysis of different ways we approach ink. I have found (and continue to find) myself in nearly all your categories.

 

Cheers, DAVID

[DrDebG]

Right now I am caught; I am caught between "I am on a Quest for the Perfect Color", and "I just want MORE!", and "I am on a Quest for the best ink for the money".

 

In my quest for the perfect color, right now I am working on blue and turquoise inks.

 

Turquoise: I was surprised to find that I have more turquoise inks than any other. Today, my favorite is still Waterman Inspired Blue (aka South Seas), but Callifolio Bleu Pacifique and Franklin Christoph Spanish Blue are tied for second and very close to first.

 

Blue: Currently, the competition is between J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir, Callifolio Bleu Ultramarine, Montblanc Royal Blue, and Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-gao.

 

Blurple or Plue: Pilot Iroshizuku Ajisai is in first, with Sailor Nioi-sumire not far behind.

 

Purple: Callifolio Violet, with several others close behind.

 

Red-Purple: Montblanc Lavender Purple, with Pilot Iroshizuku Yama buds in second.

 

Red-Burgundy: Rohrer-Klingner Alt-Bordeaux is in the lead slightly, with Montblanc Burgundy Red and Callifolio Grenat close behind.

 

Red: The current leader is Callifolio Andrinople.

 

Orange: Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu Gaki

 

Yellow: Pilot Iroshizuku Yu Yake

 

Green/Yellow: Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-rin

 

Green: Montblanc Irish Green, with Rohrer & Klinger Verdura a distant second.

 

Brown: Graf Von Faber Castell Hazelnut Brown is the current leader.

 

Black: None - I'm not fond of black

 

 

"I just want MORE!" - more colors, brands, formulations. My currently list to purchase include several Robert Oster inks including Fire & Ice, Callifolio Teodora, Omi Osun and Oconto, several Diamine inks and a bunch of others. But, this will take a while I am sure.

 

Oh, yes, and I am also at the stage where I don't want to waste any more time trying to convince myself that I like an ink that I really don't like. The ink may have gotten great reviews, but I just don't like them. This includes all the shimmer/pearlescent/glitter inks, and even certain brands because I don't like the formulation of them (I.e. Noodler's, Private Reserve). They have awesome colors, but I just don't care for the formulation. And I have some inks that just don't really do it for me. So, I may be making these available for PIFs in the future.

[bigkahuna]

This is a great topic and awesome thread! Since getting into the FP hobby a few months ago, I've only hit a few of the waypoints:

• Brightest Colors EVAR!!
  

I briefly considered finding an obnoxiously retina-searing ink, primarily to entertain or annoy certain coworkers. Heard about BSB and started researching... I determined that BSB's downside risks outweighed the upside potential for me. The idea still tickles me, however, and if a safe BSB alternative comes to market I will certainly consider it. Current not-quite-brightest-EVAR favorite: Iroshizuku Asa Gao.

• My writing shall be preserved for EVAR!!
  

This is the phase I'm in now in regards to signatory inks. I have to sign a lot of documents at work, and I want those signatures to last. I realize that much is made of fraud resistance ("resisting the tools of the forger" and all that) but I'm not overly concerned with anything beyond water resistance and longevity on paper. Iron gall, nanopigment and cellulose-reactive inks are the focus of my attention these days. I'm willing to put in a bit of extra maintenance effort and care to achieve permanence. Current favorites: Pilot Blue Black, R&K Salix, KWZI Iron Gall Blue Black, and Sailor Kiwa Guro.

• I just want it to work!
  

Yep, this is my top criteria. The ink has to be legible and well-behaved on paper, neither too wet nor too dry, not prone to clogging or drying out on the nib, facilitate easy maintenance, yada yada yada. Of all the waypoints, this is home base for me. Any problematic inks will be ritually sacrificed to the stationery gods (or given away, whichever is easier). The ink that I measure all others against here is Pilot Blue Black. I love this stuff.

The other waypoints have not yet beckoned me. Maybe in the future...

Edited March 19, 2017 by Big_Kahuna

[amberleadavis]

If you really want Armageddon resistant, you want KTC.

[bigkahuna]

If you really want Armageddon resistant, you want KTC.

Thanks amberleadavis!

 

I'll go look it up. I gotta admit that "Armageddon Resistant" sounds amazing. Is it a purplish ink?

 

I'm told that depending on which Federal agency/department I'm dealing with, certain documents require certain colors. For example, State Dept. stuff requires black ink and most elements of DoD accept blue/black/blue-black. I need to confirm that these are lawful requirements and not just enshrined organizational myths.

[bayindirh]

My writing life is two pronged. I use fountain pens for daily notes and for my personal journal & project notes. This brings two sets of requirements: Preservation and well behavior.

 

• I want to be able to read my journal & project notes later on. Because of this, I need permanent inks: GvFC claim they are ISO12757-2. Lamy says Blue Black and Black is very permanent if they're not UV bombed and there's always Pelikan 4001 Blue Black (The latest incarnation is IG). Last but not the least, we don't have Noodler's here, but we have a heroic man who makes cellulose reactive inks.
• I also need a well behaving ink. I have lots of paper stock at home. Also I use the back of my print-outs, post-its, 55-70g/m² pocket notebooks, so I need an ink which is easy to find, behaves well, and which can stay put for a week or so.

...and these requirements doesn't have to be in single ink.

 

In the color segment, I'm not a best color ever / perfect color ever person. I actually love Lamy and Quink blues. They have something that tickles me and binds me to them. I actually have a soft spot for Lamy inks, because they behave well, their colors except red (I have not tried it yet) are quite wonderful for me. I love the primary colors: Blue, Blue Black & Black. My markup colors are Red and Green. I have some niche inks too: Edelstein Amber, Lamy Dark Lilac, Lamy Charged Green. On the other hand I always loved subtlety. Maybe it's the color undertone, or the slight and elusive shading. It's a plus however, not a defining point for me.

 

In the shade department I'm neutral. Shading or not shading, sheening or non-sheening; they are equal to me, however shimmering inks are out of scope. Artificial glitter and visible particles are not in my menu.

 

I'm not the blackest black evar person and I don't think I will ever will be. Will buy a bottle of perle noir or aurora black however, just to test it.

 

In the end, I think I know what I want from my inks, however I have a lot of bottles and stock for maybe a decade, but I know most of the inks' properties and I bought them because I love them and the other ones are bought according to reviews and with eagerness of experimentations. All will be used until last drop, I'm sure.

 

Oh, I just want to add that, I don't like to waste ink, so if a bottle is opened, it's used till it's finihsed, so if I open an ink and I like it, I will buy another bottle immediately and use the opened bottle until its last drop continuously.

 

I have that much ink not because I'm unsure, because I like having and using them all!

Edited March 20, 2017 by bayindirh

[JakobS]

I am in the "I like Ink!" stage of ink buying, well I have been sitting in this stage for nine years now. If it sheens, shades, saturates, writes dry, or wet,or is permanent, or washes away like a hallucinating memory...okay....but really all I need to know is, does this bottle contain ink? Not even how much ink, or what price( though those $45 bottles are pushing it!), but is there ink in this bottle, and how fast can I get it in my pen? Yes, this pen, in my hand, that already has ink in it, and probably won't be empty for a few days, but never mind that, I need ink!!

Edited March 20, 2017 by JakobS

[elenita]

If you really want Armageddon resistant, you want KTC.

 

 

Thanks amberleadavis!

 

I'll go look it up. I gotta admit that "Armageddon Resistant" sounds amazing. Is it a purplish ink?

 

I'm told that depending on which Federal agency/department I'm dealing with, certain documents require certain colors. For example, State Dept. stuff requires black ink and most elements of DoD accept blue/black/blue-black. I need to confirm that these are lawful requirements and not just enshrined organizational myths.

 

Kung Te Cheng is one of my absolute favorites—a very permanent blue-purple. In fact, speaking of inky waypoints, it ended my quest for a purple.

 

That said, it's definitely high maintenance! Some have had good luck diluting it, although I've never tried.

 

I'm attaching the swab from the Goulet swab shop…

Edited March 21, 2017 by Elenita

[NicolausPiscator]

Wonderful ink-journey... and I think I have visited most of the inky places, too. I'm still taking a rest at some of the stations and coming back to others...

[KKay]

• You mean there's COLORS???!?!?!?? I love colors of all kinds. I am not really into yellow ink, because it is often hard to see. Yellow-orange is fine though. I only have a small bottle of one red ink so far-Diamine-Wild Strawberry. The rest of the colors are pretty much well represented in my inventory.

• Blackest Black EVAR!!

I like dark black, but it doesn't need to be the blackest ever. Aurora-Black, Sailor Kiwa-guro, Noodler's-Bad Black Moccasin are great and so is J. Herbin-Perle Noire.

• Brightest Colors EVAR!!

Noodler's-Habanero & Sailor-Kin mokusei are retina searing for me. I also have some turquoise that some may consider retina searing, but I do not think it is. This is not my most abundant category. I also like KWZ-Grapefruit. I'm not sure if that falls in this group or not. Diamine-Sunset was close to the ink Sailor-Amanita muscaria. Now I loved that Sailor ink and only had a sample. I searched high and low for an ink that was close. Amanita muscaria may be considered retina searing. It is reddish-orange and I adore that color.

• My writing shall be preserved for EVAR!!

I don't have to have all of my inks preserved for history, but it would be nice. I don't want them to fade quickly even if they are gorgeous. I also like water resistance if possible. At times I want solid bulletproof inks.

Noodler's-Lexington Gray, Bad Black Moccasin, Bad Belted Kingfisher are the ones that come to mind first. Sailor Kiwa guro also fills a need here. Then I have water resistant inks as well. Most of my ink will wash right off. I bought them for the color and behavior. When I need more, I pull one of the inks made for that job.

• I'm in love with !

I don't want them all within a certain color range. I don't have the money for that, or the place to keep them. Some colors though...I do have a few representations within that range.

• Quest for the perfect .

I initially went on a mission to find the perfect color for me within the color category. I even mixed blue to find my perfect blue. I went through a bunch of samples, and it only enlarged the inventory around here in the long run. At least I have inks I love, but I always want more. I am quite picky now and which new ones will get the nod though.

• Oooooh, shady!

Almost all of my inks are shading inks. I adore ink that shades. If it has almost a black pooled area against the main color, I like it even more. So I guess that would be an ultimate shading ink for me. The more intense the shading, the better I seem to like it!

• Oooooh, sheeny!

I don't have to have an ink that has sheen. I do have a few, and I enjoy them very much. If they shade plus sheen, without clogging-I am thrilled. These are not work colors, but ink for pleasure. J. Herbin-Emerald of Chivor, Sailor-Yama dori, Iroshizuku-Yama budo are 3 that come to mind, for me.

• Oooooh, subtle!

I am not too sure about this one. I usually like saturated inks. I did recently fall in love with J. Herbin-Cacao du Bresil. Also I found that I liked the J. Herbin-Vert Empire a lot too. Sampling got me again! Papier Plume-Pecan probably started this off. I have a small bottle of it. I am still impressed by the more saturated inks though. The key though is it has to be legible, and that means dark enough to read well, and readable in fairly dim light. Papier Plume-Caramel is a lovely color, but it is not dark enough for me to read well...so it didn't make the cut. I do love murky greens, green-browns...and that collection is growing. Sailor-Rikyu cha, Noodler's-Burma Road Brown, R&K-Alt goldgrun, KWZ-Green Gold come to mind, but I don't know if I would call these "subtle".

• I just want it to work!

I really enjoy good behaving inks most of the time. I dislike problem inks. I have made rare exceptions, but the color must be outstanding for me to do that. I do not like inks that stain either. I have Sargasso Sea, and that is the most difficult to clean out of a pen. It is a lovely color, and I use it in pens that it doesn't matter if it stains the converter, or not. I prefer inks that clean out of a pen easily. I have Warden ink on hand, but I keep the limit to 8 days in a pen, before I flush it. If I do that, I have no issues with the ink at all. Those inks serve a purpose, so I ignore the short time span. I can flush and refill with the same color if I want, but I usually change colors every time. For 99% of my ink, I want an excellent behaving ink. I hate feathering and bleed through. I also love inks that have more lubrication. I do not care for gushers or inks that are too dry.

[Arkanabar]

I've finalized more of the Six Essentials, the inks I will buy going forward.

 

Black: Heart of Darkness, or Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black.

Purple: 95% likely to be Noodler's original Purple, what Amber wishes Nathan would rename Purple People Eater.

Blue: Noodler's original Blue, or Noodler's Blue Eel.

Green: Diamine Sherwood.

Brown: Diamine Chocolate.

 

That leaves me with only the blue-black to choose. It's likely to be Pilot Blue-Black, or possibly Noodler's Navy. Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo has a shot.

[BayesianPrior]

I've finalized more of the Six Essentials, the inks I will buy going forward.

 

Black: Heart of Darkness, or Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black.

Purple: 95% likely to be Noodler's original Purple, what Amber wishes Nathan would rename Purple People Eater.

Blue: Noodler's original Blue, or Noodler's Blue Eel.

Green: Diamine Sherwood.

Brown: Diamine Chocolate.

 

That leaves me with only the blue-black to choose. It's likely to be Pilot Blue-Black, or possibly Noodler's Navy. Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo has a shot.

 

I am on a similar path as you, Arkanabar, although I am permitting myself two inks per colour IFF there is a recognisable need (e.g. permanence). I've also cheated by distinguishing Blue from Blue Black.

 

Black (permanent): Sailor Kiwa-Giro

Black (transient): Pelikan 4001 Brillant Black

Blue Black (permanent): Rohrer & Klinger Salix

Blue Black (transient): Sailor Jentle Blue Black

Blue: Sailor Jentle Blue or Visconti Blue

Dark Brown: Rohrer & Klinger Sepia or Sailor Jentle Doyou or Diamine Macassar

Light Brown: J Herbin Lie de The

Red: Sheaffer Skrip Red or Diamine Matador

 

And the 'nice to have but not essential inks' are:

Purple: Diamine Tyrian Purple

Dark Green: Sailor Jentle Miruai

Green: J Herbin Vert Empire

 

I obviously still have some way to go...

Edited September 10, 2017 by BayesianPrior

[Arkanabar]

Bayesian Prior, have you seen the fade resistance results for Salix? It's actually surprisingly prone to fading, in spite of being waterproof.

[BayesianPrior]

Bayesian Prior, have you seen the fade resistance results for Salix? It's actually surprisingly prone to fading, in spite of being waterproof.

 

Well jeepers creepers! No I haven't even thought about fading. My criteria for permanence were spill-proof and tamper-proof. Perhaps I should reconsider. Sailor Blue Black can take a little water and still show through...perhaps I've just reduced my categories by one.

[bayindirh]

 

I am on a similar path as you, Arkanabar, although I am permitting myself two inks per colour IFF there is a recognisable need (e.g. permanence). I've also cheated by distinguishing Blue from Blue Black.

 

Black (permanent): Sailor Kiwa-Giro

Black (transient): Pelikan 4001 Brillant Black

Blue Black (permanent): Rohrer & Klinger Salix

Blue Black (transient): Sailor Jentle Blue Black

Blue: Sailor Jentle Blue or Visconti Blue

Dark Brown: Rohrer & Klinger Sepia or Sailor Jentle Doyou or Diamine Macassar

Light Brown: J Herbin Lie de The

Red: Sheaffer Skrip Red or Diamine Matador

 

And the 'nice to have but not essential inks' are:

Purple: Diamine Tyrian Purple

Dark Green: Sailor Jentle Miruai

Green: J Herbin Vert Empire

 

I obviously still have some way to go...

 

I want to add some information about fading and ink safety, according to my experience.

 

For Blue, I'm very surprised to find my writings with Lamy Blue intact (i.e. without any fading) after five years. Also the Lamy Blue doesn't fade from being left outside. I have a small reminder in my corkboard on a post-it and it gets a fair amount of light (not direct), and it didn't fade considerably.

 

Lamy's blue black is also considerably fade-proof for a non-permanent ink. It doesn't go away unless abused. Also the latest generation of Lamy Blue-Black is reformulated (again). The cartridges with big, non-ink Lamy imprint and latest bottles have a different color (see https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/323425-color-of-lamy-blue-black/).

 

And Lastly, Lamy Black's pH is very close to 7.5 (e.g. Water), which makes it very safe for somewhat picky pens.

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a Lamy Fanboy, just using my leftover cartridge stock first . However, with usage, their pens evolve to wonderful writing instruments and I love their inks more and more with continued use .

[Misfit]

I didn't relate a lot to the first waypoints because I had 2 massive sets of Gel pens (got them at Costco) before I changed over to fountain pens.

 

Perhaps shading, but never darkest black or brightest colors, oh I am close Quest for perfect color.

 

The new ones though I better identify with. Colors not matching the monitor or phone, ink colors matching pens, though I've resisted the bottle one as I have not succumbed to the Graf von Faber Castell yet, and no Akkerman or Caran d'Ache chromatics. I have one bottle of MB, but I really wanted to try Toffee Brown (I like green and brown inks, purple too and turquoise).

 

I do tend to load pens at times with "seasonal" colors mostly Fall and holiday season. I'll used Kosumosu in the Summer because that pink is very summery. But I might have brown in Summer.

[Bluey]

In the beginning there was black.

Tried shed loads of colours in 30ml. Discovered samples. Bought even more shed load of colours. Decided upon my favourites by keeping an ink log and the performance in each owned pen. Currently using up shed loads of colours to dwindle down to my absolute favourites. Will buy more of my favourite inks to use in my favourite pens when I've sold off all excess pens and used up all non-favourite ink.

Will live happily ever after.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Bluey

[AmandaW]

What a great thread! I arrived in the land of fountain pen inks after a long education in fine art which included both formal and intense self-directed study of colour theories (there are so many!). Therefore my tastes were already well into the murky before I got here. Grey is at the heart of every colour-continent - grey-green, grey-brown, dusky purple, muted-reds - I love all of them. Even my blacks have an undercolour of something else.

 

What shocked me was the lack of regard for lightfastness. With paint it's right there on the tube. So I have a preference for those which will last in the light and appreciate any which survive or work with a wash of watercolour.

 

So my home stations are definitely subtle and permanent.

[alanlight]

Here's where I am at the moment, but the journey is always continuing.

 

Black: Noodler's Heart of Darkness and Old Manhattan. I go back and forth on which is darker. But they are both seriously black.

 

Blue/black: Not a fan of traditional blue/blacks. I do use Noodler's Air Corps Blue Black, but that's quite different.

 

Purple: J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune. I can't pronounce it, but it's a great color.

 

Blue: Waterman's Serenity Blue or J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir.

 

Green: Pelikan 4001 Dark Green.

 

Brown: I used to love Parker Penman Mocha, but that hasn't been around since Bill Clinton was President. My new favorite is J. Herbin Café des Îles.

Edited September 19, 2017 by alanlight