Tono and Lims Hiiragi ((柊 )

[yazeh]

 

This is my first pigment ink from this brand. 
According to Shigure inks website: Tono & Lims is a Japanese brand whose inks are a collaboration with South Korean ink producer, Lim's Lab. 

The inks are made in Korea. 

This is a pigment ink belonging to the Tono & Lims Fixation Line, for fountain pens. 
It comes in cute glass bottles, which is very appealing. 

The name of the ink (柊 Hiiragi) is only in Japanese. 

柊 (Hiiragi) from what I gleaned from google, is Osmanthus heterophyllus, or false Holly a lovely shrub with dark holly shaped leaves with fragrant flowers.

I’m guessing the colour corresponds to young shoots or a certain cultivar with yellowish green leaves.

At my first try, I was ready to throw the ink down the drain. However, leaving the pens for a while, some feeds got happy (The Kanwrite Ebonite/ and the Jinhao 440) 
Ink is vaguely lubricated and depending on feed it can be wet. Like a blob of spinach juice 
Check the Chroma

 

I rarely have had so much frustration and cursing at an ink and I’m very tolerant of naughty inks. But then again, if any members like a challenge, with waterproof, pigment, unsaturated ink, go for it! (you know who you are )

 

I would say it could be used for sketching or writing passive aggressive letters in an EF/F nib to someone you don't like 😆

I have no ink even close to it:

Writing samples 
I used a Pilot Kakuna Medium as a replacement for a European Fine nib and used the reverse to recreate the EF.

Rhodia

Midori

TR 68 gr

 

Maruman

 

It does  like cheap paper very much from Front:

 

And not so much from behind:

 

• Pens used: Pilot Kakuna M/ /Jinhao 450 (medium)/ Kanwrite Ultra flex /TWSBI – Go Stub
• Shading: I let you be judge...
• Ghosting: No
• Bleed through: Depending paper
• Flow Rate: Dry. But with time and the right feed, it becomes better. Not recommend for Ef/F nibs, unless you use super abosbent paper....
• Lubrication: Nonexistent
• Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. 
• Start-up: Regularly…I would call it the runt of ink litter. 
• Saturation: Pale, almost illegible. But with time and evaporation it becomes better. 
• Shading Potential: See for yourself. 
• Sheen: None
• Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed
• Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes. 
• Staining (pen): I doubt it. 
• Clogging: No. But flow is iffy. 
• Water resistance: Good.  Some colour is removed when rubbed with Q-Tip.  
• Availability: 1 oz/ 30 ml bottles

I apologize in advance,  if I don't respond to all comments, but know that they are most appreciated 🙏

[lapis]

Hi and thanks for your honesty. Thusly, you won't respond to my comment which is not much more (i.e. nothing more positive) than your own here. First off, before getting down to the real McCoy below the holly (pun intended), I see nothing more than a washed out juice after thawing out the frozen spinach. Oh well....

[yazeh]

@lapis

Scan makes it even more washed out:

Here are some photos from the Rhodia:

It is legible. But I won't recommend it for taking notes, because reading it after is a pain...

 

 

[Paul-in-SF]

Inks like this always remind me of the Victorian "esthetics" movement (I think it was called) as ably satirized in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Patience. 

 

These ink colors seem to be very popular with the Japanese ink ladies. If you have seen videos by Inky Rocks you probably know what I mean. I have no patience with them myself. 

[lapis]

Right on! Gilbert and Sullivan, especially their "Patience", as you say, or maybe even The Mikado or The Pirates of Penzance would have utilized this ink most meritoriously. Wait, I'd vote better yet for Monty Python!!!

[LizEF]

  Thanks, @yazeh!  After seeing this review a second time, I'm looking forward even more to trying this ink.    Who knows, maybe mine will be the EF it likes. 

[yazeh]

19 hours ago, LizEF said:

  Thanks, @yazeh!  After seeing this review a second time, I'm looking forward even more to trying this ink.    Who knows, maybe mine will be the EF it likes. 

You never know, Makhabsh might like it too

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

You never know, Makhabsh might like it too

  It's almost guaranteed Essri will - green is his favorite color, you know.