Efnir: Pilot Blue/black

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Pilot Blue/Black

 

This is review #17 in my series, with 100+ to go... Here's the YouTube video:

 

And here is a screen of the final result, for those not interested in the video:

Scan of Completed Review:

 

Zoomed in photo:

 

Screenshots also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap

 

Previous Review: Diamine Salamander.

 

Want to influence the inky sequence? Take the "next ink" poll.

 

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[LizEF]

Yes, I know, Rhodia has an "h" in it.

Also discovered that from a large, wet nib, on Tomoe River paper, this ink "halo sheens" - that is, there's sheen at the outside edges of the strokes. It's kinda cool.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

awesome as usual, thanks LizEF

[XYZZY]

I've always meant to ask, but the video's screenshot makes it clear enough that I'm not forgetting: what is the black thingy that you are typically wearing in your videos?

[LizEF]

I've always meant to ask, but the video's screenshot makes it clear enough that I'm not forgetting: what is the black thingy that you are typically wearing in your videos?

It's a half-glove designed to prevent smudging, or to let your hand glide on a digital drawing pad / device. I use it to ensure my hand isn't leaving anything on the lower part of the page so it doesn't influence the review.

[LizEF]

awesome as usual, thanks LizEF

You're welcome!

[yazeh]

Great job, Liz.

The colour, I'm not so sure....It seems almost too generic...it makes me yawn...

or maybe its my eternal pandemic pyjamas ....I need a nap, now where's my pen-sive fox?

[Tasmith]

Excellent review! Thank you!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Halo-sheening? Ooooo.

[LizEF]

Great job, Liz.

The colour, I'm not so sure....It seems almost too generic...it makes me yawn...

or maybe its my eternal pandemic pyjamas ....I need a nap, now where's my pen-sive fox?

I don't much like the color either, though I remember liking it more from my Metropolitan fine nib... And though it doesn't look it in the photos, it's kind of flat / matte after drying, except on Tomoe River.

 

 

Excellent review! Thank you!

Thank you!

[XYZZY]

It's a half-glove designed to prevent smudging, or to let your hand glide on a digital drawing pad / device. I use it to ensure my hand isn't leaving anything on the lower part of the page so it doesn't influence the review.

 

That's cool! That was my first thought, but I dismissed it since you're a right-handed underwriter. But clearly you're also meticulous with your reviews. I on the other hand am a left-handed over-writer and this could be useful, so thanks!

 

Does wearing that while writing make it weird to write?

[LizEF]

On 6/2/2020 at 1:02 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

Halo-sheening? Ooooo.

I'm gonna try to take a photo... The pen was a Nemosine Fission, with a pretty wet broad nib. The paper is Tomoe River - the dotted pages at the back of an A6 Hobonichi Techo. Personally, I think the nib has a lot to do with creating a halo effect. (Eons later... Man! That was a bear and a half!) You basically have to view the image at full size, but parts of "May" and the start of "Nemosine" show sheen around the edges. A few future inks left in as a teaser...

 

 

ETA: There's sheen elsewhere in the text, I just couldn't get it to photograph.

[LizEF]

 

That's cool! That was my first thought, but I dismissed it since you're a right-handed underwriter. But clearly you're also meticulous with your reviews. I on the other hand am a left-handed over-writer and this could be useful, so thanks!

 

Does wearing that while writing make it weird to write?

I don't wear that other than during the reviews. I've never actually had problems with skin oil messing up the bottom of a page, but thought I'd be safe, just in case.

 

At first, it was really weird, but once you get used to it, you forget it's even there - it's not unusual for me to walk out of the room where I do my reviews and then realize it's still on, take it back, and leave it on the desk there. The tricky part is to get the right size so it doesn't feel too tight or too loose - fortunately, mine fits well. I recall someone saying you can get them dirt cheap on Ali Express (or someplace like that).

[Sailor Kenshin]

I'm gonna try to take a photo... The pen was a Nemosine Fission, with a pretty wet broad nib. The paper is Tomoe River - the dotted pages at the back of an A6 Hobonichi Techo. Personally, I think the nib has a lot to do with creating a halo effect. (Eons later... Man! That was a bear and a half!) You basically have to view the image at full size, but parts of "May" and the start of "Nemosine" show sheen around the edges. A few future inks left in as a teaser...

 

http://paradoxcommunity.com/vps/EFNIR/PilotBlueBlackHaloSheen.jpg

 

ETA: There's sheen elsewhere in the text, I just couldn't get it to photograph.

I can see it! Thanks.

[namrehsnoom]

Appreciate the review, and the honesty of it. I tend to like blue-blacks, but I agree with you that this ink lacks blackness. On my screen, I just see a dark blue ink, not something I would call a blue-black. Personally I find it informative to read about inks the reviewer doesn’t really like ... an unbiased personal opinion is always valuable. The fact that it stains your pen is certainly viable info ... I’ve never bothered giving this any attention before ... I typically clean my pens after each use (and never fill them completely because I like to cycle between inks), so I’ve never had any trouble with staining (well... almost never... Pelikan Edelstein Star Ruby took a while to clean out of my pen, but that’s the only one I can remember).

[LizEF]

Appreciate the review, and the honesty of it. I tend to like blue-blacks, but I agree with you that this ink lacks blackness. On my screen, I just see a dark blue ink, not something I would call a blue-black. Personally I find it informative to read about inks the reviewer doesn’t really like ... an unbiased personal opinion is always valuable. The fact that it stains your pen is certainly viable info ... I’ve never bothered giving this any attention before ... I typically clean my pens after each use (and never fill them completely because I like to cycle between inks), so I’ve never had any trouble with staining (well... almost never... Pelikan Edelstein Star Ruby took a while to clean out of my pen, but that’s the only one I can remember).

I think in some ways, negative reviews are more useful - they can tell you what to avoid. But I have to say, my Metropolitan loved this ink, and it is quite pleasant to write with - the extended "cap off and idle" time is convenient too. So it's one of those "know what you're getting" situations. I would still recommend it to anyone who needed a large amount of inexpensive ink - say for work or college notes - this would be perfect for that.

 

Sailor Nioi-Sumire, the ink I just finished with, also needed pen flush, but just to get rid of a line in the clear section where the converter stops, basically. If the section weren't clear, you'd never know it had left a line. It cleaned up everywhere else easily enough, but that line took a bit of soaking and shaking in a sample vial filled with pen flush. I've discovered that the Penmanship section (sans nib and feed) will fit perfectly into a sample vial filled about half way with pen flush. Makes it easy to clean.

[GreenMountain]

I was just going to say that I think the color is too blue for a blue-black, and also sleep inducing. But thanks for the review!

[LizEF]

I was just going to say that I think the color is too blue for a blue-black, and also sleep inducing. But thanks for the review!

Good to know we have a consensus here. Too blue and a non-addictive sedative. Perfect!

 

And you're welcome!

[A Smug Dill]

It's a half-glove designed to prevent smudging, or to let your hand glide on a digital drawing pad / device.

 

 

I thought that was just a piece of your Harley Quinn cosplay.

 

Thanks for the review!

[mhguda]

I have a bottle of Pilot blue black, and it's nothing like what you're showing here. A true blue black, and I haven't even tried it on T.R. but I love it. It's in my Ahab for now, other pens may follow. What you show seems closer to my bottle of Pilot blue, which was so light I added some black food color, and made it closer to what I think of a nice darkish blue. The blue black though was perfect from the first fill.