EFNIR: Ohto Black

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Ohto Black

This is review #315 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: This was a gift from a generous FPGeek.  The cartridge came with an Ohto Rook pen. The cartridge had lost almost half its content, so I'm not sure how accurate this review will be, but I'm doing it anyway. Also, I was wrong about availability - I did find it as cartridges in the US.

This black has a strong purple undertone.  I don't know if that's to do with age or if that's just how it is. On the slide, and as the remains went down the sink, the purple turned to blue-black.  Lubrication started out below average, but quickly normalized to average (took a day or two).  Shading is rare and hard to see, but on the right paper, with the right nib, it was a nice subtle feature of the ink.

In test, the dry time was 15 seconds.  During filming, it was 32 seconds (from the unedited video and what smeared). I can only assume the difference is due to the difference in feed saturation...  I'm using the longer dry time.

Cleaning was very quick and easy.  The ink is black.  The images look black...

Zoomed in photo

 

Screenshot

 

Scan of Completed Review

Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper)

Line width (The "I" in "Ink:". Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. The line width for this ink is roughly 276µm. With 315 inks measured, the average line width is 297µm.) (You can see a tiny bit of sheen in there.)

Microscope image (100x. Colors are close, but a little too dark.)

Void Comparison (The void wins again! :D)

Void Blooper (Smoke was feeling left out.)

Previous Review: Jinhao Sunny Orange.

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

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

View a list of my inks, complete with review results in a google sheet.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh? Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[yazeh]

Thanks @LizEF, Klaw and Smoke for such a lovely family review 👍 

I didn't know about this japanese brand. 

Love the microscopic art, which complements the touching family thread thematic in your story. 

 

Love the dynamic between your boys. Thanks for making this grey, freezing rain/ rainy day,  bearable 🙂🙏🙏🙏

[Sailor Kenshin]

Oooo, is that squeak coming from an excited Etthri?  😜 And an Oracle?  Wow.

 

Love the 'Kitteh Swatch!'  And the Fireworks Micro.

 

Yes, this ink is black all righty, but in the line micro I do see a touch of coppery sheen.  Do I need a black ink with Eternal Dry Time?  Given that I have what, nine black inks already?  
 

Possibly not.

 

(Write about family secrets with a possible broken finger?  Hmmmm….)

 

@LizEF, thanks!  You do make Tuesdays magically fun... I always look forward to the review and story.  Even when I am low enough to fish for sympathy.

[LizEF]

16 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Thanks @LizEF, Klaw and Smoke for such a lovely family review 👍 

You're most welcome! Mrrow! Puurrr.

 

17 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I didn't know about this japanese brand. 

Me either, until I was gifted the pen.  In the US, JetPens carries the brand.

 

18 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Love the microscopic art, which complements the touching family thread thematic in your story. 

 

18 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Love the dynamic between your boys.

It looks sweet, but in reality it was:

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

Smoke: What's that?  Why does he get the card?  I want the card!

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

 

 

18 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Thanks for making this grey, freezing rain/ rainy day,  bearable 🙂🙏🙏🙏

You're most welcome!

[LizEF]

20 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Oooo, is that squeak coming from an excited Etthri?

 

20 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

And an Oracle?  Wow.

 

21 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Love the 'Kitteh Swatch!'  And the Fireworks Micro.

 

Yes, this ink is black all righty, but in the line micro I do see a touch of coppery sheen.  Do I need a black ink with Eternal Dry Time?  Given that I have what, nine black inks already?  
 

Possibly not.

Unless you're using a dryish stub to see the strong purple undertone, or a really wet nib to see the sheen, I can't imagine needing this ink. Of course, I can't imagine having nine black inks...

 

22 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

(Write about family secrets with a possible broken finger?  Hmmmm….)

  There are secrets, and then there are secrets.

 

23 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

@LizEF, thanks!

You're most welcome!

 

23 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

You do make Tuesdays magically fun... I always look forward to the review and story.  Even when I am low enough to fish for sympathy.

Thanks!  Hope things start looking up soon!

[lapis]

I like it 'cuz it reminds me of D's Eclipse.

[Sailor Kenshin]

3 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

 

Unless you're using a dryish stub to see the strong purple undertone, or a really wet nib to see the sheen, I can't imagine needing this ink. Of course, I can't imagine having nine black inks...

 

  There are secrets, and then there are secrets.

 

You're most welcome!

 

Thanks!  Hope things start looking up soon!

Thank you!  And make that a possible 1 1/2 broken fingers…

[knarflj]

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

It looks sweet, but in reality it was:

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

Smoke: What's that?  Why does he get the card?  I want the card!

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

 

And an oracle!  Can't wait to see where the story goes, even if you do have to use black ink to tell it.  Thanks for another Tuesday boost of the spirits, @LizEF!

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, lapis said:

I like it 'cuz it reminds me of D's Eclipse.

This is darker, and a different shade of purple, but yeah, similar vibes.

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thank you!

You're welcome!

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 And make that a possible 1 1/2 broken fingers…

[LizEF]

15 minutes ago, knarflj said:

And an oracle!  Can't wait to see where the story goes, even if you do have to use black ink to tell it.

Thanks!

 

15 minutes ago, knarflj said:

Thanks for another Tuesday boost of the spirits, @LizEF!

Gladly!

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

It looks sweet, but in reality it was:

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

Smoke: What's that?  Why does he get the card?  I want the card!

Klaw: You woke me up for a card?

Klaw: Why did you put it upside down?

Smoke: What is Jinhao?

Efnir: You two can read?

Klaw: Duh!

Smoke: What about some cheeseburgers?

Klaw: What about including us in your story.... 

[LizEF]

5 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Klaw: Why did you put it upside down?

Smoke: What is Jinhao?

Efnir: You two can read?

Klaw: Duh!

Smoke: What about some cheeseburgers?

Klaw: What about including us in your story.... 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

What? You didn't run paper chromatography on your ink sample? Probably the first thing I'd do if I wanted to know what made a given FP ink tick.

[LizEF]

2 minutes ago, hbquikcomjamesl said:

What? You didn't run paper chromatography on your ink sample? Probably the first thing I'd do if I wanted to know what made a given FP ink tick.

The reviews take long enough without even more work.  Chromatography is sometimes fun, interesting, and/or informative, but for regular writing (as opposed to art or mixing), it doesn't tell me anything useful, and since I'm only trying to fill the Japanese EF niche, I'll leave it to some other reviewer to take a deep dive and do the water test, many papers, chromatography, ink mixing, and artwork!

[InesF]

Oh!, to be a shading Black ink that can't decide to form either long needles or some fluffy strings under the microscope doesn't require an oracle, only the repetition of: "ah, yeah, it's black 🙄" seems to be necessary.    

 

Thank you, @LizEF, for digging through your cartridges and not even stopping at black inks. 

Yes, I see, there is this strong void cat giving order we poor humans have to follow.   You have my empathy!  

In this context: I'm looking forward seeing all black inks reviewed by you! 

 

[InesF]

10 hours ago, yazeh said:

Klaw: Why did you put it upside down?

Smoke: What is Jinhao?

Efnir: You two can read?

Klaw: Duh!

Smoke: What about some cheeseburgers?

Klaw: What about including us in your story.... 

 +1 👍

[LizEF]

7 hours ago, InesF said:

Oh!, to be a shading Black ink that can't decide to form either long needles or some fluffy strings under the microscope doesn't require an oracle, only the repetition of: "ah, yeah, it's black 🙄" seems to be necessary.    

 

7 hours ago, InesF said:

Thank you, @LizEF, for digging through your cartridges and not even stopping at black inks. 

You're most welcome!

 

7 hours ago, InesF said:

Yes, I see, there is this strong void cat giving order we poor humans have to follow.   You have my empathy!  

All hail the kitty!

 

7 hours ago, InesF said:

In this context: I'm looking forward seeing all black inks reviewed by you! 

I'm afraid the next one will be a disappointment - I forgot to photograph the card with Klaw for yesterday's black ink review (I recorded one yesterday as well as posting this one).  So my next black ink will not include the void comparison (spoiler, it would have lost, just like all the others).  This season is killing me - not sure why this year is worse than last, but it is.  Maybe by the time I'm ready to post it, I'll have found the time and energy for a photo, but it's too late to add it to the video.

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

This season is killing me - not sure why this year is worse than last, but it is. 

I'm so sorry to hear that. But boy I get it. This year, I want to crawl in a cave and wake up mid January  

 

3 hours ago, LizEF said:

Maybe by the time I'm ready to post it, I'll have found the time and energy for a photo, but it's too late to add it to the video.

SMOKE: Hey, she might do another photo shoot.

Klaw yawns and starts licking himself.

SMOKE: it'll give me a chance to slink in the room and do an "ink review" myself and maybe play with the Carene. 

Klaw: You must be out of your mind. 

Smoke: She loves me. 

Klaw: Not that much. She might have you exchanged. 

Smoke: No way.

Klaw: I've heard that happens to bad cats. 

Smoke: I ain't bad mister. I'm cute, cuddly and lovable. 

Klaw: That remains to be seen. 

Smoke: But I need to get into that room. 

Klaw: If you go into that room, you might fall on Makhabesh.

Smoke: What now?

Klaw: He's like us,  but bigger and has got wings. 

Smoke: you're lying. 

Klaw: I hear them wings flapping all the time. 

Smoke curls in the ball. Life ain't no fair. 

Klaw: Isn't. 

Smoke: Whatever. ...

 

I think I'm a bit delirious  

 

[LizEF]

7 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I'm so sorry to hear that. But boy I get it. This year, I want to crawl in a cave and wake up mid January  

Thanks!  And yes, that sounds like a lovely idea.  Maybe with occasional hot chocolate.

 

8 minutes ago, yazeh said:

SMOKE: Hey, she might do another photo shoot.

Klaw yawns and starts licking himself.

SMOKE: it'll give me a chance to slink in the room and do an "ink review" myself and maybe play with the Carene. 

Klaw: You must be out of your mind. 

Smoke: She loves me. 

Klaw: Not that much. She might have you exchanged. 

Smoke: No way.

Klaw: I've heard that happens to bad cats. 

Smoke: I ain't bad mister. I'm cute, cuddly and lovable. 

Klaw: That remains to be seen. 

Smoke: But I need to get into that room. 

Klaw: If you go into that room, you might fall on Makhabesh.

Smoke: What now?

Klaw: He's like us,  but bigger and has got wings. 

Smoke: you're lying. 

Klaw: I hear them wings flapping all the time. 

Smoke curls in the ball. Life ain't no fair. 

Klaw: Isn't. 

Smoke: Whatever. ...

 

I think I'm a bit delirious  

Wonderful!  Thanks, @yazeh!