Private Reserve Sonic Blue: an Uncharacteristic PR Ink

[Gran]

Thank you very much for your review! The Sonic Blue is lovely.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Yes, this does look like a classic blue-black, which I would not expect from the name.

[bphollin]

I picked up a bottle of Sonic Blue based on this review and MDI's comparison scans. I've seen this on the shelf at a B&M but passed it up because, as Peter from Sherwood Park points out, the name suggests something other than a classic blue-black.

I really like it, and as you write, QM2, it is a very well-behaved PR ink. Avacado (sic) and DC Supershow Blue are both too wet for my tastes and turned me off to PR, but Sonic Blue has won me over. Thanks for the recommendation and great review!

[aupoint]

My frame of reference is old stock blue and blue black by Waterman and Sheaffer through triumph nibbed Sheaffers. I recently bought

a bottle of PR Sonic Blue thinking it is in the blue to blue black range. It goes on drier than the above mentioned inks and looks gray

blue to me. It is dull and not translucent. In a few places where it does go on wet it is vibrant, but that is usually at the end of the first

word written after it has sat uncapped for a few minutes as it hesitates laying down a line after sitting and the initial ink flow is heavier

for just a bit after the delay. I am undecided whether I will refill with this ink, but I don't like it because: dull, dry line; dries on nib when

sitting uncapped for 2-3 minutes.

[QM2]

My frame of reference is old stock blue and blue black by Waterman and Sheaffer through triumph nibbed Sheaffers. I recently bought

a bottle of PR Sonic Blue thinking it is in the blue to blue black range. It goes on drier than the above mentioned inks and looks gray

blue to me. It is dull and not translucent. In a few places where it does go on wet it is vibrant, but that is usually at the end of the first

word written after it has sat uncapped for a few minutes as it hesitates laying down a line after sitting and the initial ink flow is heavier

for just a bit after the delay. I am undecided whether I will refill with this ink, but I don't like it because: dull, dry line; dries on nib when

sitting uncapped for 2-3 minutes.

 

You are right, the ink does have a grayish look to it. Unlike most other Private Reserve inks, it is not a vibrant colour and not a wet ink. However, if you try the modern Sheaffer Blue-Black, you will discover that it is even more on the gray side. I have not tried the old stock Sheaffer Blue-Black, so I cannot compare. If you want a more vibrant blue-black, try PR Midnight Blues. It is a gorgeous, luscious navy blue colour with generous flow.

 

I have had no problems with the PR Sonic Blue drying out in any of the pens I've tried it with so far (about 4, all from different brands). It might be the specific pen&ink combination you are using, rather than this ink itself.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2009 by QM2

[bphollin]

...I recently bought a bottle of PR Sonic Blue thinking it is in the blue to blue black range. It goes on drier than the above mentioned inks and looks gray blue to me. It is dull and not translucent. In a few places where it does go on wet it is vibrant...

In the month I've used PR Sonic Blue, I notice it is more vibrant on cream colored papers; on white paper the ink can be dull like you say. I like to use cream paper more, and I write with a "wet" pen--a combination that produces pleasing results with PR Sonic Blue.

Edited February 1, 2009 by bphollin

[PenTieRun]

I've had great fun in the last six weeks moving back and forth between Sonic Blue and Aurora Blue (without cleaning) in my Krone. A little touch of SB with the Aurora adds a nice dark dimension to the Aurora before it turns the regular color. Now it's time to switch from the Aurora back to the SB. It's the perfect blue rotation.

[DarkfireSG]

Sonic Blue is my first, and so far only, bottled ink. I picked it by luck, but I turned out loving it, and your replies make me feel even more satisfied about my choice. Although, if other Private Reserve inks behave so differently than this one, I may not be sampling other PR inks as much as I had anticipated.

[hoche]

My regular blue black is the MB one, it's a iron gall ink,

I got a bottle of this ink after read this review, just want to try some non iron gall BB inks.

It's not a dark blue black. but it still good. I like it.