Aurora's New Blue-Black

[gregamckinney]

[i couldn't find an existing thread on this, so I'll start this one]

 

What are folks' experience with the new Aurora blue-black so far?

 

I have been extremely disappointed. Admittedly, Aurora Black and (to a lesser extent) Aurora Blue are near-perfect inks in my experience, so their B-B had a high bar to clear. However, it crashed face-first into that bar.

The ink has a terrible problem drying out between uses. Even on pens with caps that seal well, I have to dip my nib to get B-B going again- even after just a few hours. Once writing, it is extremely dry, even by the standards of blue-black inks.

The color is ok, but the behavior is so bad I'm not sure if I'll be using it much.

 

I'd be interested to hear what other people have experienced.

 

Best Regards, greg

[JefferyS]

My current go-to black and blue are both Aurora, and it was just last night I was contemplating ordering the Aurora Blue-Black (I think it is back-ordered on Gouletpens). There are several decent blue-blacks out there, and I don't like their tendency to be dry.

 

I'm interested in hearing some opinions here.

 

Jeffery

[mrjustice]

Well darn-was thinking of trying it. May now just start with a sample from Goulet when they get it in stock.

[ParkerDuofold]

My favorite blue-black is Diamine's... great flow and lubrication and a beautiful classic color; albeit with a slight green tint.

 

That said, I was still going to get a bottle of this because I love their black so much, but after reading this, I think you might have saved me $20 or so.

 

- Anthony

[gregamckinney]

I forgot to add in my original post: I've found it to bleed a little on some papers.

Regards, greg

[The Good Captain]

I've recently received a sample here in the UK and will be posting a short review of it shortly.

In the meantime, I've found it a great ink, with no issues that I can see.

[Sandy1]

I've recently received a sample here in the UK and will be posting a short review of it shortly.

In the meantime, I've found it a great ink, with no issues that I can see.

 

Ahoy!

 

 

With great respect for Member gregamciknney, I hope that you somehow got it wrong mate - bad / preliminary batch? But if you're right, you're right as rain.

__

 

TGC: We look forward to your Review.

 

I do wonder how it compares to P4BlBk : just a cuddle buddy on a lower shelf or a go-to ink?

 

Cheers!

S1

Edited March 20, 2017 by Sandy1

[The Good Captain]

 

Ahoy!

 

I look forward to your Review.

 

I do wonder how it compares to P4BlBk : just a cuddle buddy on a lower shelf or a go-to ink?

 

Cheers!

S1

You'll soon see, Sandy! I've just posted this...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/320469-new-aurora-blue-black-a-uk-short-review/

 

Your comments are always appreciated, especially about the nectar that is 4001B-B!

[Queball]

Sorry to hear Greg your not happy with the ink, Ive sold 50++ bottles of it with no complaints, that said I haven't had anyone say it's the end all for BB ink either. I have been using the Aurora BB ink in my MontBlanc 149 and Omas Paragon with great success. A lot of my inked pens do sit for long periods so I almost expect to goose the nib a little to get the pens to write, but I have not noticed this any more with the Aurora BB ink.

 

Bertram's Inkwell does have the Aurora Blue/Black ink in stock.

 

Bert

[gregamckinney]

Hmm... All this positive response to ABB does make me wonder if I got a bad bottle.

 

Thanks to everyone.

greg

[eharriett]

Sorry to say I too am disappointed.

 

It feathers.

It dries/skips.

It looks more like a gray (watery black) than a blue black.

 

I'll grant you my preferred fountain pen B-B tends to be more of a green B-B and I accept this one was never supposed to be. But it looks more like ash than anything else. I'm not too experienced with Aurora blue, but I love their black and this surprised me with its mediocrity.

[pararis]

I think it's the best true blue-black color I've ever seen, love that. However, I've tried it in two pens that are very wet writers, and the Aurora BB dried them right out.

 

My first experience was with a Sheaffer Legacy (M) nib. With other inks, it writes like a broad and generously. With the Aurora BB it writes like a fine. I tried it in a TT Gist (M) titanium nib that flowed like Niagara Falls with other inks. The Aurora BB turned it into a standard medium nib that sometimes hard starts. I think my bottle is going off to live with my fleet of moth balled pens.

[TSherbs]

Seems like too much money for iffy performance.

[Sandy1]

Hmm... All this positive response to ABB does make me wonder if I got a bad bottle.

 

Thanks to everyone.

greg

 

Hi,

 

It wouldn't be the first time.

 

We had the debacle of OMAS Blue, then there was the furore over Visconti Purple, and one artisanal producer seemed to be 'tuning' his ink on the fly, without giving version numbers, and Lamy not distinguishing their I-G BlBk ink from their aniline dye based ink of the same name.

 

By sharing we can get a better grip on things.

(I wonder how many of my 138 Ink Reviews are still 'valid'.)

 

Bye,

S1

Edited March 24, 2017 by Sandy1

[KKay]

I have this ink, and I love it. I found it very well behaved. It was not dry, and it has not skipped, feathered, or been any problem at all. It is smooth, but not quite as smooth as Aurora Black. I am surprised to read some of the issues here that people have had. I put it in a fine nib (closer to an XF), and a stub. I found it to be an incredible ink, and a great workhorse color.

[BillZ]

Checked my B/B inventory. I have 4 different ones(1) Sheaffer B/B cartridge(2)Pilot B/B cartridge(Diamine B/B/ bottled(4) MB Midnight Blue. The Pilot and Diamine are my faves but it sometimes matters which pen I have inked with it. The Diamine in currently in my Conway-Stewart Wordsworth LE with F nib. The Pilot is in my Custom 98 with F nib. The MB and Sheaffer tend to the Black side of B'B while the Diamine strikes the best mix IMHO. Can anyone with the new Aurora compare it to these and let me/us know! I'll be making a pilgrimage to Dromgoole's in mid April and will try it out if the comments warrant it. Thanks you.

[ErrantSmudge]

I have this ink loaded in my Aurora Talentum with a M nib. It flows well and writes smoothly, no starting or skipping issues.

 

The blue component leans purple, as does Aurora's blue ink. I got some red sheening with some drops of ink on Clairefontaine paper.

 

Dry time with Clairefontaine paper was somewhat long.

 

I will likely write a detailed review if I find the time.

[inkstainedruth]

Just checked out the link to The Good Captain's review. It does look like a nice color (too many blue-black inks seem to lean teal). But I'm somewhat concerned by the negative comments. And, well, I already have Edelstein Tanzanite, and some IG blue-blacks. I may try a sample of this at some point, but there appears to be no hurry.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[gregamckinney]

An update: I got a sample from the seller, and it worked extremely well- in line with what most are experiencing. So, I'm going to try a new bottle (thanks to the seller) and see how it goes.

 

greg

[Erik Dalton]

Glad you're going to give it another try Greg. I've had it in two MB 146's, one fine and one medium, for a couple of weeks now and I absolutely love the stuff.

I use Aurora Blue in pens that are gushers. It seems to tame them down. I wouldn't do that with this stuff, the flow is not real wet, but generous. It dries quickly on the page which is helpful since there is less smudging. The finished product cures to a mellow blue black, with a hint of dusty deep purple to it. Something i really love. None of the grays or Teal Greens that we see in other blue blacks.

I've had no issues with this ink. I alternate between the two pens every other day. No hard starts, very well behaved measured ink flow. It's not one of those real wet inks that you have to increase your writing speed to keep up with the ink flow. This stuff just seems to be there when you need it and not make a mess if your hand slows down.

The one characteristic i have noticed is that if the pen has set for more than a day, the first few lines of writing are a much darker color, but after a few lines the regular color comes out and stays strong.

 

The good captain did a pretty thourough review of this stuff which shows it to have a decent amount of water resistance and good handling properties. I would suggest you all check it out.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/320469-new-aurora-blue-black-a-uk-short-review/

 

This ink does not deserve any negative comments. If you don't like the color that's cool, if you don't like how it dries quickly on the page, that's cool too. If you need an ink that gushes all over your paper this isn't it. But if you want an ink that delivers a constant measured ink flow and looks like a blue black should, then this is for you. I'm sure that it will not perform well in some pens. Different pens like different inks. For me, I'm always looking for inks that flow well in my 146's and 149's, my pens are tuned to write on the wet side, but they are fussy about their ink. This stuff seems to be made for them and i just love it. Its so nice to finally have a "safe" blue black ink for our good pens.

 

You all should get some samples. As for me, I've stocked up because i expect it will be hard to get once it catches on. If Goulet runs out, there is always the Fountainpen Hospital and Gold Spot.

 

This Aurora Blue Black, is just one of two fantastic inks that I've recently discovered. The other is Montblanc JFK Navy Blue. Another free flowing ink that is a deep dark blue and now back on the shelves. I got mine at The Fountain Pen Hospital. I think its expensive at $21 for the little square bottle, but I'm glad it's available again.