Kwz Chicago Blue (Le)

[white_lotus]

KWZ inks are my favorite inks after Sailor. And last year I had the chance to snag a bottle of the Chicago Blue LE from the Chicago Pen Show. Woo-hoo! Only recently did I get to open the bottle and try it.

 

I first loaded up an Edison Menlo, and the ink was so wet it simply flowed from the nib when pointed down. That was unexpected. So I switched pens and filled one of my Edison Beaumont pneumatics. Not as wet as the Menlo, useable. But still it was very very wet ink. Placing the nib on absorbent paper caused a spreading blob of ink on the paper. That doesn't happen with other inks. They may leave a dot, but ink flows when you write. Another unexpected behavior.

 

Because of this behavior it dried instantly on absorbent paper, but with lots of heavy show through and some bleed through. Quite a bit of spread. No shading on MvL, but decent on Tomoe River and Rhodia, though over 30 seconds dry time on the Rhodia.

 

The color is a nice rich blue. Now if you have a really dry pen...

 

This is the only KWZ ink that ever disappointed me in its behavior. Someday I'll have to give it a go in my Aurora or a fine nibbed Pelikan and see it this ink can be tamed. It'll probably be pretty nice in that case.

 

 

 

[whichwatch]

My experience has been a bit different than yours. I agree it is a wet ink, but I haven't had the sort of issues you describe. I even used the ink in a very broad wet writing Sailor with a zoom nib, and in normally wet writing Pelikans. No problems.

 

I especially like KWZ Chicago Blue in my broadest nibs. It has become one of my favorites.

 

I'm not sure what explains the difference in our experience. It will be interesting to hear from others.

[white_lotus]

Well the Edisons are known to have very efficient feeds, so that could be the issue. I'll give the ink a try sometime soon in one of my Pelikans or the Aurora and see if I have a difference. Good to hear that it's working for you.