Workhorse Inks: TWSBI Blue-Black

I’ve been doing more ink reviews lately, probably because I’ve been doing more writing (including a heck of a lot of writing on cheap paper). One of my most frequently used “workhorse” inks has been TWSBI Blue-Black, a modern iron gall blue-black ink in the tradition of classic Pelikan Blue-Black, Lamy Blue-Black, and old-formulation Montblanc Midnight Blue.

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Admittedly, this isn’t a flashy ink. The blue-black color goes on dark and dries to the steel blue color that you may recall seeing on vintage business documents. The big advantage is that iron gall inks tend to perform quite well on even the cheapest recycled copy paper and legal pads. I’ve managed to use this ink in a broad nib at work with decent results, whereas most fountain pen inks are unusable on our stock office paper. Iron gall inks also show good water resistance, so you’re writing will be protected against water (and coffee) spills. See below for an example of how well the TWSBI Blue-Black does after a dunk in a glass of water.

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I think TWSBI describes this ink as “water-resistant” out of an abundance of caution. I soaked this writing sample in a glass of water for 5 minutes. I would consider this, in my own personal terminology, “waterproof”. This is HP 28lb copy paper.

But Won’t Iron Gall Inks Hurt My Pens?

One persisting “myth” of pendom is that iron gall ink will corrode your pens. While it’s true that you should exercise caution with vintage and homemade iron gall ink, as well as some of the stronger calligraphy formulations, most modern inks made specifically for use in fountain pens are safe to use provided you practice decent pen hygiene and flush your pen periodically. Even then, I’ve had TWSBI Blue-Black loaded into this Diamond 580 ALR Nickel for a couple of months, and there has been no clogging, staining, or corrosion.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

TWSBI Blue-Black has earned itself a place in my rotation as a go-to work/office ink, and I’ve had at least one pen inked with it for the past year or so. At $15.99 for a giant 70ml bottle, you’ll also get your money’s worth. You can purchase TWSBI Blue-Black ink, as well as other TWSBI products, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Recently, we added the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in “Prussian Blue,” as well as the new TWSBI ECO Lilac, to our offerings!

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First Look: Introducing Esterbrook Inks!

I’m happy to reveal that Esterbrook inks will be coming soon to your favorite pen retailers, in a range of nine new colors, six standard and three shimmer. (You may have seen these teased on the Esterbrook Instagram account over the past week.) Cary was kind enough to send me samples so that I could publish my first impressions, and so far, so good. While I’ve not had the opportunity to fully test these inks in my pens, I inked up a few this morning and will be putting them through the testing process.

Standard colors include Cobalt (blue), Ebony (black), Evergreen, Aqua, Tangerine, and Scarlet. As shown below, there are also three “Shimmer” inks: Shimmer Aqua, Shimmer Tangerine, and Shimmer Lilac. At first glance, all of the colors are vibrant, and I haven’t noticed any loss of saturation or smearing in the two weeks since I swabbed the sample sheet shown here.

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I chose Evergreen and Shimmer Lilac to test out for the week.

Initial Thoughts and Where to Buy Once the New Inks Hit the Market

I’m liking the color selection here, which strikes a good balance in the sense that Esterbrook has included somewhat offbeat colors such as the tangerine and lilac alongside more standard “pen company” colors such as blue, black, green, turquoise (“Aqua,” which is a shade darker than is typical) and red (“Scarlet”). Even the standard blue is a rich “Cobalt” that I could see getting plenty of use. While I’m not a huge shimmer ink user, I will note that the “shimmer” here isn’t overly glittery, seems usable for everyday writing, and might pair quite nicely with one of the Diamondcast Esterbrook pens.

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Esterbrook chose a more traditional ink bottle design, akin to the classic Pelikan bottles.

The Esterbrook inks are not available for purchase quite yet, but they should start appearing at your pen retailer of choice over the next couple of weeks. I’m almost certain Vanness Pens will have these inks in stock as soon as they hit store shelves. Stay tuned for final details on pricing and for an updated link to purchase.

Disclaimer: Esterbrook provided me with the ink samples and ink bottle featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. This post does not contain affiliate links.

Workhorse Inks: Exploring Iroshizuku, Part II (Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Aji-Sai)

Today I’ll delve further into Pilot’s Iroshizuku line, looking at three more inks from Pilot’s luxury ink brand. One of these, Asa-Gao (“Morning Glory”), has served as a core blue ink for me over the years, while the other two are inks with which I have relatively little experience: Muraskai-Shikibu (“Japanese Beautyberry”) and Ajisai (“Hydrangea”). All three are in the blue-purple family, with Asa-Gao being the most blue, Murasaki-Shikibu the most purple, and Ajisai a hybrid of the two.

Three writing samples compared, top to bottom: Asa-Gao, Murasaki-Shikibu, and Ajisai. All writing samples are done on Midori MD Cotton paper, which is now back in stock in The Curated Shop! Pens used for writing samples include a TWSBI Diamond 580 (Asa-Gao), a PenBBS 456 Vacuum Filler (Murasaki-Shikibu), and a TWSBI Vac 700R Iris (Ajisai).

Asa-Gao (“Morning Glory”)

I’m not particularly subjective here: Iroshizuku Asa-Gao is one of my favorite inks of all time. A rich royal blue that sometimes shows just the slightest hint of purple, it’s the ultimate workhorse ink because it’s not only gorgeous, but a well-behaved, non-distracting color that will look just as good in your journal as it does in the office. I’ve also found Asa-Gao less likely to take on that faded, washed-out look that some basic blue inks adopt as they dry. Though I haven’t made my way though the entire lineup yet, I can’t imagine liking any two Iroshizuku inks better than Asa-Gao and Yama-Budo.

Iroshizuku Asa-Gao: A “safe” blue ink that really pops.

Murasaki-Shikibu (“Japanese Beautyberry”)

The next two inks, Murasaki Shikibu and Ajisai, fall into the category of inks that I’m probably less likely to use on a regular basis, but are still excellent choices if you like the colors and appreciate shading. Murasaki-Shikibu, the “core purple” of the Iroshizuku lineup, offers a less-saturated purple option for those who love purple inks but perhaps don’t love using them in clear demonstrators, where they can be difficult to clean and even have a tendency to stain. (I’m looking at you, Waterman Violet - sorry, “Tender Purple.”)

Ajisai (“Hydrangea”)

Ajisai was a pleasant surprise! Like Murasaki-Shikibu, Ajisai is a softer color that shades nicely. Online reviews and ink swatches unfortunately tend to show Ajisai as much more washed out than the ink actually is. On more absorbent paper, the color is quite legible, to the point where I can see myself using this one regularly. I also have several massive hydrangea bushes in my yard, and can confirm that Pilot absolutely nailed the color match with a blue-purple hydrangea bloom. (Fun fact: Hydrangea blooms are either pink or blue, depending on the pH of your soil, so you can change the look of your garden with additives!)

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In certain light, you can almost detect a touch of double-shading (i.e., when the ink shades in more than one color) in Ajisai. The lighter area of this swab shows the slightest hint of purple.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The deeper I go into the ink line, the more I love Pilot Iroshizuku. Prior to this year, I had never given much thought to Murasaki-Shikibu or Ajisai, and both ended up as inks that I could easily introduce into the regular rotation. One goal of this longer-term project is to evaluate Iroshizuku as a solution for those looking for perhaps not “one ink,” but a single ink brand from which they can select any color and expect consistent performance across the line. So far, so good!

As of 2023, The T.G.S. Curated Ship is able to offer you Pilot pens and inks directly, including the entire Iroshizuku lineup. We currently carry the 50ml bottles of ink, priced at $24.

Further Reading

Check out Part I of this series here, in which I look at Yama-Budo (Crimson Glory Vine), Shin-Ryoku (Forest Green), and Kon-Peki (Deep Cerulean Blue). I have most of the other inks in this series and will be working my way through them as I write my pens dry and need to refill.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We no longer participate in third-party affiliate programs.

Ink Review: Did Scribo Create the Best Ink Bottle Ever?

Scribo (a portmanteau of “Scrittura Bolognese”) launched following the closure of Italian pen company OMAS, helmed by former employees who sought to recreate the same writing experience loved by generations of devoted OMAS fans. While Scribo is not a direct descendant of OMAS (the assets of the company itself were acquired out of liquidation and revived in 2018 under the label “Armando Simoni Club”), many in the pen community have found that Scribo’s nibs are the closest you can get to the feel of OMAS in a modern pen. Scribo, however, makes no attempt to duplicate the look of OMAS, with their pens and inkwells taking on a unique new aesthetic that makes the brand a lot of fun to use. I’m working on a more in-depth review of the Scribo “Feel” fountain pen, which will follow in the near future, but today enjoy this look at the company’s excellent line of inks.

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Scribo inks arrive in what I can only describe as an absolutely gigantic, 90ml glass bottle. While the ink is priced at $39 per bottle, the quantity of ink you receive, presentation, and practicality of the bottle put a lot of other ink companies to shame. I love the look of the square bottle, and the wide opening and deep inkwell allow you to fill even the largest pens with ease. Another feature many have commented on is the ability to “stack” these bottles for easier storage. While you can certainly stack the bottles - the underside is hollowed out to fit over the cap of another - given the weight of these things I wouldn’t recommend stacking them more than 2-3 bottles high. Otherwise things get a little “wobbly.”

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The ink itself performs nicely. The insert that Scribo includes with each bottle indicates that the company designed the ink to flow well in their extra flexible nibs, and the ink does writes fairly wet. That said, I’ve found Scribo ink to dry quickly, not smear, and not feather or bleed on fountain pen friendly paper. (It’s a bit of a mess on less expensive office copy paper, as are most wet inks.) Currently, the colors I have tested are: “Blue Cosmico” (Blue-Black), “Rosso Chianti” (a wine red), and “Classico Sepia” (a rich brown).

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Scribo Rosso Chianti. The color is slightly more muted and purple IRL than in the photo, which leans towards magenta. That tone is definitely there, but it’s not as pronounced..

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Scribo Blue Cosmico

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Scribo Classico Sepia

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Scribo offers another good example of how the heritage of beloved former brand can live on in a new company, while still continuing to grow and bring new ideas to the table. I loved the old Omas octagonal ink bottles, but I may enjoy Scribo’s even more, and the ink itself is so good that I’m already looking to add additional colors to my collection.

I acquired these Scribo inks from Appelboom, located in the Netherlands, and international shipping is free on orders over 200 Euros. You can also purchase Scribo inks from Vanness Pens in the U.S. Bottles are priced around $39 U.S, for 90ml of excellent ink.

Disclaimer: I acquired the ink in question from Appelboom, using credit generated through the Appelboom affiliate program. The links in this post are NOT affiliate links, as I am moving away from an affiliate revenue model going forward.

Happy Holidays: A Review of Ferris Wheel Press Peppermint Drop / "Tourbillon de Menthe"

I’m officially declaring post-Thanksgiving “Cyber Week” over (at least for me), and it’s time to get back to business as usual. What better way to kick off December and the holiday season with an ink called “Peppermint Drop,” from a brand I’ve never reviewed before?

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If you spend any time at all on stationery social media, you’ve probably heard of Ferris Wheel Press, a Canadian company based in Toronto that launched on Kickstarter back in 2018. While I appreciated the carefully crafted, vintage look of the brand, I didn't think the products themselves would be for me. I had heard mixed reviews about the initial batch of inks, with reports of feathering, bleed-through, and slow dry times. Ferris Wheel Press also had introduced a fountain pen, the “Brush,” which I found aesthetically interesting but too slim for my taste. Since then, Ferris Wheel Press has expanded their line of products to include more than a dozen inks, notebooks, paper, and other stationery accessories, and apparently they’ve also perfected their ink formulations.

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Yet again, I’m a perfect example for why you should occasionally venture outside of your comfort zone. Lisa Vanness was kind enough to send me a 38ml bottle of Ferris Wheel Press “Peppermint Drop,” (or, “Tourbillon de Menthe”, for the francophones out there). Not only is the Ferris Wheel Press ink bottle exquisitely crafted, but I’ve had nothing but good experiences with the ink itself, and to the extent there have been issues with other colors, Peppermint Drop behaves well and might be the perfect green to use in December. I’d describe it as a “true green” with slight hints of teal, and you may get a minor degree of red sheen in swabs or wetter nibs.

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Again, while the ink itself is quite good, equal attention needs to be paid to the bottle. Ferris Wheel Press originally received a lot of attention and press in the pen world for their larger, 85ml balloon-shaped bottles, but they have since introduced a smaller, 36ml bottle reminiscent of a vintage perfume bottle (or even a flask). Each bottle has a brass cap, which combined with a rubber interior seal should be durable and minimize leakage. The flat profiles on these bottles also makes them easy to store.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m glad that Vanness sent me this ink to review, because Ferris Wheel Press is one of those brands that I probably would not have chosen to review myself. I suspect a lot of pen enthusiasts have taken a pass due to the brand’s conscious branding and social media promotion, which they take as a sign that these accessories aren’t for serious writers. That’s not the case. Peppermint Drop is an excellent ink that dries quickly, even on coated paper like Clairefontaine, and doesn’t feather or bleed at all. I could easily use this ink as an everyday writer and I’m interested to see if the other options in the Ferris Wheel Press lineup follow suit.

Our friends and sponsors at Vanness Pens carry the full line of Ferris Wheel Press inks, including the ink featured in this review. As I mentioned above, Ferris Wheel Press inks are available in two different bottle sizes: a larger 85ml bottle and a smaller 38ml bottle, priced at $36 and $18 respectively.

Disclaimer: The ink featured in this review was provided by Vanness Pens free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Vanness for making this review possible!