Ink Review: Platinum Blue-Black

November 26, 2014

Platinum Blue-Black is an undersung workhorse of an ink, and one I use a lot. Some feel that this ink isn't really a true blue-black, since it has a strong blue undertone to it, but it's nice-looking nonetheless. In the U.S., Platinum black and blue-black inks are best known for being the pack-in inks for Nakaya pens; each pen sold comes with 10 high-capacity cartridges . As I've mentioned before, when I first purchased my Nakaya, the blue-black cartridges were the only ink I used in the pen for quite some time.

Platinum Blue-Black Writing Sample Shading

This ink contains iron gall, which can be corrosive to metal parts in pens if the ink is left in there for long periods of time (i.e., months), so take care to use your pens and/or flush regularly. Iron gall, however, is what gives this ink its key properties, from its nice color and shading (pictured) to its performance on (most) cheap office papers without bleedthrough or feathering.

Handwritten review with Aurora Ipsilon Quadra fountain pen, stub nib.

Thanks to Jetpens for providing me with this bottle for review. Platinum Blue-Black is available in 30ml and 60ml bottles, although it appears that Jetpens only stocks the 60ml bottle currently. (link here)

DISCLAIMER: I received this bottle free of charge for review purposes.

Two-For Tuesday: A Couple of Ink Reviews

November 4, 2014

Here are a couple of quick ink reviews on inks that I was using over the weekend. The first, Kaweco Palm Green, was a pleasant surprise, although it's not really a color that I'd find myself using all that often. Like all Kaweco Inks, it's low-maintenance, if not a bit pricy in bottle form. The second is Iroshizuku Asa-Gao ("Morning Glory"), which I really like, though I found it too similar to more economical colors like Waterman Florida Blue in order to justify paying the premium price for Iroshizuku. The most pleasant surprise was the pen that I used for the second review, a Noodler's Ebonite Konrad "Dixie Methuselah," courtesy of PenChalet. A full review will be coming in the next couple weeks, but after some less-than-stellar experiences with Noodler's pens, I'm really enjoying the Konrad.

This ink has a great bottle design.  The bottle is plastic, so I'm not sure how functional it is for long term storage/hoarding of ink, but it's a deep bottle and great for filling pens with large nibs. — This ink has a great bottle design. The bottle is plastic, so I'm not sure how functional it is for long term storage/hoarding of ink, but it's a deep bottle and great for filling pens with large nibs.

Ink Review: Organics Studio's Edgar Allen Poe Raven Red

October 27, 2014

Edgar Allen Poe Raven Red Top View bottle

Those of you clamoring for more fountain pen related content--I've heard you! I do have to say that I'm still (very) engaged in my pencil kick right now, but of course I keep four or so fountain pens at the ready. This morning I inked up my Edison Pearlette with Organics Studio's Edgar Allen Poe Raven Red, from their "Masters of Writing Series." This ink was introduced, I believe, at the 2013 Baltimore Pen Show, where I picked it up directly from Tyler. Raven Red is a very nice well-behaved ink that works well on office/student quality paper, as I understand most of Tyler's ink range is designed to do. The only nit I have with EAP Raven Red is the tendency for the ink to crust up a bit on the nib, which is a property somewhat common to red inks and not at all unique to this one. (Yes, I'm talking to you, Visconti Bordeaux.)

I love the color of this ink--it's reminiscent of Montblanc's Limited Edition Alfred Hitchcock, which is perhaps my favorite red ink of all time. I've added my earlier reviews of MB Hitchcock and MB Bordeaux to the gallery below, for comparison purposes.

Ink Review: Diamine Red Dragon

September 8, 2014

I've never really gotten into Diamine inks, for whatever reason. I think I find the vast array of colors so intimidating that I don't know where to start, combined with the fact that they typically come in a massive 80ml bottle. Back when I was a Goulet Pens Ink Drop member, however, I received a sample of Red Dragon, and I instantly took to this ink. At this year's Atlanta pen show, I picked up this 30ml "mini-Diamine" from the Vanness Pens table, which to me is a great size since I wasn't sure how I would like the ink in heavy rotation.

I think I'll definitely pick up a larger 80ml bottle of Red Dragon once I use up the 30ml.

Red Dragon is fairly saturated, but not saturated enough to smear or bleed a lot. Performance may very depending on paper quality (with very, very cheap paper seeing some bleedthrough), but I have been satisfied. The color is great for a "red ink person" like me: it's not quite "blood red" like some swabs of Diamine Oxblood I have seen, but it's still got a lot of depth and doesn't have the generic "fire engine red" color that you see in other inks, like Skrip (though that particular ink does have its place). Overall, this one has seen regular use since I acquired it, and it will continue to find its way into the rotation.

So far I've reviewed Nioi-Sumire, Miruai, Yama-Dori, Souten, and now Shigure.  I currently also have Oku-Yama, and am thinking about picking up Tokiwa Matsu and Doyou just so I can say I've reviewed the entire line, although those colors intere… — So far I've reviewed Nioi-Sumire, Miruai, Yama-Dori, Souten, and now Shigure. I currently also have Oku-Yama, and am thinking about picking up Tokiwa Matsu and Doyou just so I can say I've reviewed the entire line, although those colors interest me less (at least, without seeing them in person, that is).

Ink Review: Sailor Shigure

September 3, 2014

This shot gives you a pretty good idea of the deep purple color.

For some reason, this ink was incredibly difficult to photograph and get accurate color reproduction. Some of these pictures make the ink look purplish blue-black, but it's really just a very deep purple, which shows more if you are using a broader nib. Of course, here I'm using a Japanese XF, so I've probably caused the issue myself, but oh well.

Sailor apparently has replaced the old Jentle Ultramarine with two purple options: Nioi-Sumire, which is a personal favorite of mine and leans heavily to the blue end of the spectrum with purple undertones, and Shigure, which is a deep purple. I'm not going to bore you with a discussion of the ink properties other than to say that I've found all of these new Sailor inks to be nearly identical in that regard (read: quick drying, no-bleeding, no-feathering, and overall excellent). Next up will be Oku-Yama (the "new" Grenade).