I'm Looking For A Nice Red Ink

[MHBru]

This will mostly be for personal use, letters, etc.. I'm not a teacher or editor. I thought I found the one that i like and frankly the Diamine Blood Orange is a great color but the ink is so stinking dry I can't stand it. (Fortunately I only got a sample) Then I found Edelstein Garnet... which looks like a beautiful color but is unavailable. I know these colors are different from one another... I like a little orange in my red... I hate a little pink or brown. Any suggestions? Poorly saturated inks need not apply. Thanks!

Edited April 19, 2019 by MHBru

[Uncial]

Montblanc's James Dean red ink is good, with an orange undertone, if a little pricey. Diamine Red Dragon? Sailor Yodaki?

I have to say, I haven't found Blood Orange to be very dry. What pen are you using it with?

[penzel_washinkton]

Diamine Carnival?

[DrDebG]

3 Oysters Chilli Red

Monteverde Valentine Red

Robert Oster Red Gold

[MCN]

Edelstein Garnet is coming back as a regular production color and is one of my favorites. I would have said Montblanc Corn Poppy Red but people are reporting it is being discontinued. And of course there is always Sheaffer Red.

[eharriett]

My first thought when I read your question:

 

What type of red?

 

There's certain colors I have particular moods for.

 

For pure red (red-red) I have KWZ Thief's Red

Red-Orange: Sheaffer red (modern)

less bold red-red: Vintage sheaffer red

Red with Mauve undertones: vintage Waterman red

Red with a touch of darkness to it: De Atramentis Dante red

 

Just a few off the top of my head

[inkstainedruth]

My batch of D'A Dante Alighieri is a little on the pinkish side. I wouldn't call it "dark".

I tend to *not* particularly like orange-leaning reds, burgundies (for the most part) or blood-reds.

For a red-red, you can't go wrong with Diamine Classic Red. I also really like Noodler's Park Red, if you don't mind a red that leans just a tad pink, because it's pretty waterproof.

You might want to have a look at Diamine Matador, which is a little more orange, IIRC, but still clearly red.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[displacermoose]

Sailor Yodaki is a very nice orange leaning red.

[Karmachanic]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/279273-inky-t-o-d-color-swatches-red-please-post-your-pictures-and-tell-us-your-thoughts/

[Paul80]

Only have one red, Diamine Oxblood, like the colour don't time the ink, fine for everyday use but very prone to going crystalline if not used for awhile

 

Paul

[Maccabeus]

I second Diamine Oxblood. There's something poetic about marking up & grading student papers with an ink that looks like the poor grammar and sentence structure are killing me.

 

if you're wanting a red with a slight bit of orange-ish-ness to it, you might consider Noodler's "Antietam."

[goodpens]

Noodlers Dragon Napalm for an orange-leaning red.

[senzen]

Edelstein Garnet looks nice (at least online) and seems readily available.

[carlos.q]

The only red ink that I have is DeAtramentis Karl Marx red. It doesn't get redder than that.

 

[Carrau]

Noodler’s seems to like orange red inks, as he has quite a few in his catalog. Recently I was sampling reds, and a couple of Noodler’s inks that are in the red orange category would include Fox Red (with bulletproof qualities as well, if you need them), Cayenne, Antietam, and another is Cardinal Kestrel. I’ve attached some links to reviews-one is a link to Goblet as I couldn’t find any other review for Cardinal Kestrel-no affiliation.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/305062-cayenne-noodlers/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/84781-noodlers-eternal-fox/

https://www.gouletpens.com/products/noodlers-cardinal-kestrel-3oz-bottled-ink

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326485-noodlers-antietam-compact-review/

 

There are so many red inks, I’m sure many more could be suggested depending on the shade you’re looking for-I inferred you might be leaning toward red oranges because of Blood Orange.

[ethernautrix]

I love KWZ Flame Red.

[aardvarkbark]

It's all personal preference, I know, but I'm surprised at the suggestions for Oxblood. I have it and like it, but from an EF nib, it produces a brownish line. I've always considered Oxblood to be a good 'dried blood' red, while Red Dragon is a pure rich recently-oxygenated-blood-gushing-from-a-fresh-arterial-wound red. But Red Dragon may not be what you seek. I like it because it has no hint of orange in it, as you say you prefer. It is my favorite holiday card vibrant red, though. If I were a kid, it would be my choice to poor on my wrist to show my teacher to get a hall pass to visit the nurse and avoid the pop quiz.

Edited April 20, 2019 by aardvarkbark

[inkstainedruth]

I don't have it, so I don't know how it would compare, but Akkerman China Town Red looks as if it's more of an orange red (I have Rood Haags Pluche, which is a tad darker IMO than Diamine Classic Red.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[kestrel]

Noodler's Nikita is a good basic red that is well behaved. Antietam is also a nice red with a strong orange component. Buy samples before buying a bottle.

[Patrick L]

It's all personal preference, I know, but I'm surprised at the suggestions for Oxblood. I have it and like it, but from an EF nib, it produces a brownish line. I've always considered Oxblood to be a good 'dried blood' red, while Red Dragon is a pure rich recently-oxygenated-blood-gushing-from-a-fresh-arterial-wound red. But Red Dragon may not be what you seek. I like it because it has no hint of orange in it, as you say you prefer. It is my favorite holiday card vibrant red, though. If I were a kid, it would be my choice to poor on my wrist to show my teacher to get a hall pass to visit the nurse and avoid the pop quiz.

Just like you I am surprised by what some members here consider a true red ink. Red is Red.