The Perfect Black Ink

[Brianm_14]

Judging inks -this is a subjective exercise, and strongly influenced by ambient light, your surroundings, and what inks you have viewed before the one you are judging now. It is hardly an exercise in absolutes. This is psychology of the senses, and not the operation of a spectrophotometer in your head.

 

Is there a perfect black, one which fulfills the requirements under all lighting conditions? I have made my nomination for one ink in general known, but I suggest that there are more likely several "perfect" blacks. One which will be superior under natural daylight with white clouds in the sky, another in direct sunlight, and still others under various forms of indoor lighting. Each of these lighting conditions presents the ink in question with a different spectrum of wavelengths in terms of intensity and kind. The retina, and finally the brain, will evaluate each differently.

 

In the end, the search for perfection will be frustrated, because there is no consistency of conditions. The problem is misunderstood, and this assures defeat. There are better and worse black inks, but perfection is an illusion, except when the exact ambient lighting conditions are specified.

 

Yet more windmills, yet more tilting, I am afraid.

[silverlifter]

Judging inks -this is a subjective exercise, and strongly influenced by ambient light, your surroundings, and what inks you have viewed before the one you are judging now. It is hardly an exercise in absolutes.

 

If your only criterion of "perfection" is colour, sure. If you consider other aspects of performance, then there are objective factors that can be weighed up: water resistance or proofness would be one, price per ml another (even as that varies across markets), bleedthough on various papers, etc.

 

Many of the ink reviews here go to some lengths to cover as broad an array as possible of these factors, subjective and objective, in order to give people as much information as possible to make informed judgement, and comparisons, about inks.

[nibtip]

Judging inks -this is a subjective exercise, and strongly influenced by ambient light, your surroundings, and what inks you have viewed before the one you are judging now. It is hardly an exercise in absolutes. This is psychology of the senses, and not the operation of a spectrophotometer in your head.

 

Is there a perfect black, one which fulfills the requirements under all lighting conditions? I have made my nomination for one ink in general known, but I suggest that there are more likely several "perfect" blacks. One which will be superior under natural daylight with white clouds in the sky, another in direct sunlight, and still others under various forms of indoor lighting. Each of these lighting conditions presents the ink in question with a different spectrum of wavelengths in terms of intensity and kind. The retina, and finally the brain, will evaluate each differently.

 

In the end, the search for perfection will be frustrated, because there is no consistency of conditions. The problem is misunderstood, and this assures defeat. There are better and worse black inks, but perfection is an illusion, except when the exact ambient lighting conditions are specified.

 

Yet more windmills, yet more tilting, I am afraid.

[bayindirh]

Currently my favorite black ink is Lamy Black. Easy to find, pH neutral, behaves well on papers I use, sufficiently wet and shades too. It also has baseline water resistance, which is enough for most cases. For archival stuff, there's always Noodler's Bulletproof black.

[tim77]

I'm going to put in a word for Pilot Black, because it is surprisingly lefty-friendly:

 

It dries fast, not by being very volatile (which would lead to dried-out nibs) but by absorbing into the paper. Somehow it does this even on smooth Clairefontaine paper, and still avoids feathering on cheap paper. Once dry it is very resistant to smudging.

 

For years I have avoided black inks completely, because even the smallest amount of black smudging is very obvious and ugly. I only tried this ink because I bought a Pilot pen and didn't have any other cartridges to hand.

 

Righties seeking super-deep blacks or any kind of sheen won't be impressed. For the rest of us, it could be the start of a faithful relationship.

[XYZZY]

I'm going to put in a word for Pilot Black, because it is surprisingly lefty-friendly:

 

It dries fast, not by being very volatile (which would lead to dried-out nibs) but by absorbing into the paper. Somehow it does this even on smooth Clairefontaine paper, and still avoids feathering on cheap paper. Once dry it is very resistant to smudging.

 

For years I have avoided black inks completely, because even the smallest amount of black smudging is very obvious and ugly. I only tried this ink because I bought a Pilot pen and didn't have any other cartridges to hand.

 

Righties seeking super-deep blacks or any kind of sheen won't be impressed. For the rest of us, it could be the start of a faithful relationship.

Thanks for that. I'm not currently seeking blacks, but it's always good to read a "+1" from a fellow lefty. Edited June 18, 2020 by XYZZY

[Brianm_14]

If your only criterion of "perfection" is colour, sure. If you consider other aspects of performance, then there are objective factors that can be weighed up: water resistance or proofness would be one, price per ml another (even as that varies across markets), bleedthough on various papers, etc.

 

Many of the ink reviews here go to some lengths to cover as broad an array as possible of these factors, subjective and objective, in order to give people as much information as possible to make informed judgement, and comparisons, about inks.

Good points, certainly. I was only addressing color.

[SpecTP]

I've been trying out Noodler's Black Eel and I think it's even darker than Platinum Carbon Black

[A Smug Dill]

I've been trying out Noodler's Black Eel and I think it's even darker than Platinum Carbon Black

I don't think Platinum Carbon Black is all that dark. Sailor kiwaguro is darker when the viewing angle is perpendicular to the page surface (but not so when viewed from the side, because of the ink's graphite-like sheen). Hero 234 carbon ink is darker than both of them, from what I've seen so far.

Edited June 23, 2020 by A Smug Dill

[Mongoosey]

I've been trying out Noodler's Black Eel and I think it's even darker than Platinum Carbon Black

 

You must have gotten a descent batch. My bottle of black eel was more of a gray black that shaded a lot.

 

I remember trying out Noodler's Air Corps Blue Black on 3 separate purchases (samples and bottles), and I got 3 completely different colors lol.

 

Don't even get me started with 54th Mass lol.

 

 

I don't think Platinum Carbon Black is all that dark. Sailor kiwaguro is darker when the viewing angle is perpendicular to the page surface (but not so when viewed from the side, because of the ink's graphite-like sheen). Hero 234 carbon ink is darker than both of them, from what I've seen so far.

 

I agree. Platinum Carbon Black has a Matte hue to it. It's not muted like a Sailor Jentle ink or dulled like some gray blacks, but it's not as vivid as Heart of Darkness.

 

But I find it's still vibrant, if that makes sense. Like, it's still a true black ink, a black black ink. I say so because I like how it allows me to write in very dim light and candle light (which I like to use for Meditation and associated writing), where it's still very easily legible.

 

I still have Carbon Black inked in my Lamy Vista EF, and I'm loving it. I did have to make sure the tines on that nib were as close together as possible while still having a space between them or else it was too wet, but when I got the tines adjusted properly the ink and pen married harmoniously. That EF nib was a wet nib to begin with, mind you.

 

And where Kiwa-Guro was a tad too lubricated for that smooth of a nib, Noodler's Heart of Darkness wrote too thick, Noodler's Black had a bit more feedback than I liked,... Platinum Carbon Black balanced in between the lot very well. My hand wasn't fatiguing to try and control it, I could hold the pen more comfortably in my hand, my penmanship improved, it became a pleasure to write with and an extension of my hand, I don't have to think about it,

 

And I like Carbon Black because I don't have to worry about what paper I'm using it on. From my 52 gsm TRP, to 20 lb copy paper, to mead paper, it's working well and feels great.

 

It's surprised and impressed me so far. I still have yet to see how pen friendly it is, and though I've heard requirements of high maintenance for it, according to the following review, if you have a good seal on your pen it's a relatively safe ink:

 

https://fountainpenfollies.com/2018/10/11/five-months-an-extended-test-of-platinum-carbon-black-pigment-ink/

[Honeybadgers]

I just keep trying my platinum carbon black and being disappoitned with how badly it feathers.

 

Is kiwa-guro better? Because every time I try a new black, It reminds me that 4001 is, while not the darkest, the most versatile and well behaved I have tried (of about 15-20) not even pilot black, waterman black, lamy black, heart of darkness, perle noir, or anything else I've tried comes close to "no feathering or bleeding, just nice and crisp lines" which matters more to me than anything else.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Honeybadgers

[TheDutchGuy]

Is kiwa-guro better? ... that 4001 is ... the most versatile and well behaved ... "no feathering or bleeding, just nice and crisp lines" which matters more to me than anything else.

 

Thank you for pointing me in the direction of 4001, I will give that black a try. As for kiwa-guro, for me that is not just the best black ink, it’s the best ink, period. And I don’t even like black! I’ve never seen feathering with kiwa-guro, nor bleeding. However, what’s best for me might be junk to someone else.

[MuddyWaters]

I'm just concerned about putting kiwa guro in expensive pens though with all its nib creep. I'm worried I won't be able to remove all the crud without damaging the nib when pulling it out.

[eclectic2316]

Has anyone compared Noodler's Old Manhattan Black (proprietary to Fountain Pen Hospital in New York City) to Blackstone Barrister Black?

 

All thoughts or comments welcome.

 

Kind regards.

[torstar]

Just asking, is black ink your top choice for colour with FPs?

[A Smug Dill]

I just keep trying my platinum carbon black and being disappoitned with how badly it feathers.

 

Is kiwa-guro better?

I already posted a comparative sample, written on an official, standard-issue Customs declaration form, over which I have no choice or control over the paper quality, last November especially for you in reply to your question, including a high-resolution scanned image (hyperlinked from the downsized inline image). You asked again in a different thread, and I reminded you of that in reply, just in case you missed it the first time.

 

Sigh.

 

Here's two more comparative writing samples on paper that was not selected to be fountain pen friendly. The pad of shopping lists was just something I picked up from a bookstore's bargain bin a couple of years ago. The membership application form is just from the stack that was sitting there on the lotteries agent's bench.

 

 

(Parts of the original 300dpi scanned image are hyperlinked from the inline images below, which were downsized to match the resolution on my 13-inch MacBook Pro's screen)

 

 

You can decide for yourself whether Sailor kiwaguro performs better with regard to crispness and (absence of) feathering. I count myself uncommonly picky about feathering, and consider it the greatest 'sin' of a fountain pen ink; and still I'm more than happy enough with how Platinum Carbon Black performs out of a fine nib, such as when reverse-writing with the Daiso-Platinum Riviere's nib that I ham-fistedly reground (to save it from going straight into the garbage bin). At normal reading distance, the tiny bit of feathering falls beneath my notice.

 

Of course, on good paper such as Rhodia Dotpad 80g/m² paper there is no observable feathering.

[SpecTP]

 

You must have gotten a descent batch. My bottle of black eel was more of a gray black that shaded a lot.

 

I remember trying out Noodler's Air Corps Blue Black on 3 separate purchases (samples and bottles), and I got 3 completely different colors lol.

 

Don't even get me started with 54th Mass lol.

 

 

I agree. Platinum Carbon Black has a Matte hue to it. It's not muted like a Sailor Jentle ink or dulled like some gray blacks, but it's not as vivid as Heart of Darkness.

 

But I find it's still vibrant, if that makes sense. Like, it's still a true black ink, a black black ink. I say so because I like how it allows me to write in very dim light and candle light (which I like to use for Meditation and associated writing), where it's still very easily legible.

 

I still have Carbon Black inked in my Lamy Vista EF, and I'm loving it. I did have to make sure the tines on that nib were as close together as possible while still having a space between them or else it was too wet, but when I got the tines adjusted properly the ink and pen married harmoniously. That EF nib was a wet nib to begin with, mind you.

 

And where Kiwa-Guro was a tad too lubricated for that smooth of a nib, Noodler's Heart of Darkness wrote too thick, Noodler's Black had a bit more feedback than I liked,... Platinum Carbon Black balanced in between the lot very well. My hand wasn't fatiguing to try and control it, I could hold the pen more comfortably in my hand, my penmanship improved, it became a pleasure to write with and an extension of my hand, I don't have to think about it,

 

And I like Carbon Black because I don't have to worry about what paper I'm using it on. From my 52 gsm TRP, to 20 lb copy paper, to mead paper, it's working well and feels great.

 

It's surprised and impressed me so far. I still have yet to see how pen friendly it is, and though I've heard requirements of high maintenance for it, according to the following review, if you have a good seal on your pen it's a relatively safe ink:

 

https://fountainpenfollies.com/2018/10/11/five-months-an-extended-test-of-platinum-carbon-black-pigment-ink/

 

that's interesting regarding the Noodler's Air Corp.. I picked up 2 different bottles from pen shows in the local area. I just opened up the second bottle and it looks the same as the first when I inked up my pen with it.

[Mongoosey]

I already posted a comparative sample, written on an official, standard-issue Customs declaration form, over which I have no choice or control over the paper quality, last November especially for you in reply to your question, including a high-resolution scanned image (hyperlinked from the downsized inline image). You asked again in a different thread, and I reminded you of that in reply, just in case you missed it the first time.

 

Sigh.

 

Here's two more comparative writing samples on paper that was not selected to be fountain pen friendly. The pad of shopping lists was just something I picked up from a bookstore's bargain bin a couple of years ago. The membership application form is just from the stack that was sitting there on the lotteries agent's bench.

 

 

(Parts of the original 300dpi scanned image are hyperlinked from the inline images below, which were downsized to match the resolution on my 13-inch MacBook Pro's screen)

 

 

You can decide for yourself whether Sailor kiwaguro performs better with regard to crispness and (absence of) feathering. I count myself uncommonly picky about feathering, and consider it the greatest 'sin' of a fountain pen ink; and still I'm more than happy enough with how Platinum Carbon Black performs out of a fine nib, such as when reverse-writing with the Daiso-Platinum Riviere's nib that I ham-fistedly reground (to save it from going straight into the garbage bin). At normal reading distance, the tiny bit of feathering falls beneath my notice.

 

Of course, on good paper such as Rhodia Dotpad 80g/m² paper there is no observable feathering.

 

+1

 

@honeybadgers, you deserve to try it out : )

 

I still have yet to try it with a Sailor, which I'm looking forward to, cuz with that lubrication Kiwa-Guro has with that feedback of Sailor Nibs OOTB... Hmm Hmm Hmm... I gotta put that outta mind right now cuz I have to wait for it and it tortures me to think about it lol.

[bayindirh]

I just keep trying my platinum carbon black and being disappoitned with how badly it feathers.

 

Is kiwa-guro better? Because every time I try a new black, It reminds me that 4001 is, while not the darkest, the most versatile and well behaved I have tried (of about 15-20) not even pilot black, waterman black, lamy black, heart of darkness, perle noir, or anything else I've tried comes close to "no feathering or bleeding, just nice and crisp lines" which matters more to me than anything else.

Noodler's bulletproof black behaved very well when I used it. Almost wrote like a rollerball. Also X-Feather is extremely resistant to feathering but people say it dries very slowly.

[Intensity]

Edit: snip

 

Posted a pictorial comparison of Pilot Iroshizuku Take-Sumi and Aurora Black here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/354505-iroshizuku-take-sumi-vs-aurora-black/

Edited June 26, 2020 by Intensity