New Arrivals: Two Ink Series by Taccia

We’ve been sitting on this release for a couple of weeks - not because we’re holding out on you, but simply because it’s taken us this long to swatch, photograph, and list nearly 30 new Taccia inks, including both the standard line and the gorgeous cult favorite Ukiyo-e line, inspired by the work of four different traditional Japanese artists. All of these inks are now listed online and available to ship immediately!

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Uguisu is one of the more interesting greens that I’ve used, featuring a lot of depth. Great lighter green colors can be hard to find.

I’ve long been a fan of Taccia Ink, as the colors are vibrant and the ink demonstrates excellent flow. Of the standard line, the blues and greens really shine (particularly Uguisu), and of course from the Ukiyo-e series, Sabimidori steals the show, with the blue-grey Ainezu another personal favorite. If you enjoy these types of colors, be sure to check out the Teranishi Guitar Inks as well, which feature similar ink formulations and 16 more interesting colors.

Sabimidori is loved for its color shift from blue to green/grey as it dries.

An update on shipping: Many thanks to all of you who supported us during our first Thanksgiving Weekend as a brick-and-mortar retailer! The new space has definitely made shipping more seamless, and orders are currently shipping within 48 hours. That said, we don’t have control over carrier processing and delivery speeds, so if you need something by a specific date, give yourself plenty of time by placing orders earlier rather than later.

Ask TGS: Permanent Inks for Artists and Attorneys

Whenever I get asked about permanent inks, it's typically a question from an artist or an attorney. Many artists enjoy inks that allow them to draw a dark line and then wash over it with ink or watercolors (or both), whereas the attorneys are typically concerned about permanence of a signature on a legal document and preservation of work product.

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This writing sample shown above was soaked for approximately 20 minutes in a sink full of water. This is the result. The paper wrinkled and started to fall apart more than the ink bled.

So what are my recommendations? While I'm not an artist, nearly all of my artist friends recommend Platinum Carbon Black as a drawing and sketching ink of choice. Carbon Black is a pigment ink, similar to other inks such as Sailor Kiwa-Guro "Nano Black", Noodler's Bulletproof Black, Tom's Studio Pigment Black, among others. These inks are formulated differently than most fountain pen inks, in that they rely on pigments that dry quickly and bond to the paper rather than water-based dye, and therefore have very fine particles that can potentially clog your pen if left to dry out. That's not to say they are "unsafe" - these inks are very much intended for use in fountain pens, but they do require periodic maintenance in the form of a thorough cleaning, especially when changing ink colors. The upside? I can say that these inks are absolutely "waterproof," not just water-resistant. (In addition to the photograph shown here, I posted a short video to YouTube demonstrating how I soaked this piece of paper in standing water and how the ink barely moved at all.) And if the ink does end up drying out and clogging your pen, a simple flush with water should fix the issue.

Water-resistant, but not waterproof: Caran d’Ache Magnetic Blue, a blue-black that was also soaked in the sink for the same amount of time.

For attorneys - and speaking as one myself - I would say that you have a bit more leeway. If you need absolute permanence (i.e., for a signature on a contract), you can of course use a pigmented ink or a ballpoint. But if what you're concerned about is preserving handwritten notes or marked-up documents, or simply avoiding losing work product due to spilled water or coffee, there are other suitable options to serve that more limited purpose. For example, certain blue-black inks such as Pilot Blue-Black, TWSBI Blue-Black, Pelikan Blue-Black, Caran d'Ache Magnetic Blue, etc., are highly water-resistant to the point that most writing will survive a simple spill, especially one that is cleaned up quickly. Similarly, any ink that contains iron-gall will have high water-resistance, including the line of Platinum "Classic" inks. (As with pigmented inks, you should clean your pen thoroughly to avoid mixing iron gall inks with standard fountain pen inks, which could result in clogs.)

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Though pigmented black inks and blue-black inks with iron-gall content get the most attention (probably because they have been around the longest), companies do make other colors of permanent inks. Shown here are Platinum Pigment Blue cartridges (which we carry in our shop), and other options include the Kakimori pigment inks, Noodler’s “Bulletproof” inks, and Sailor Storia line, which come in a wide array of colors.

I personally don't worry much about permanence with fountain pen inks. In nearly 20 years of using fountain pens, I can count on one hand the number of times I've completely lost a piece of writing due to a spill, none of which ended up being of any importance. That said, I will regularly use low-viscosity ballpoints such as the Uni Jetstream whenever permanence could be at issue. You can even use pencil, which is both water and fade-resistant, though documents that must be permanent for legal reasons generally require ink.

Do you have a favorite permanent or water-resistant ink? Drop a comment!

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Diving into Diamine Inkvent for the First Time: Days One and Two

2023 marks the first year that I’ve acquired a Diamine Inkvent Calendar and had my stuff together far enough in advance to play along here on the blog. This “project” is pure fun for me and a bit out of my comfort zone for the blog, not being known for ink reviews and also as someone who’s admittedly a bit “boring” in terms of the inks they use on a daily basis. So how’s it going? So far, so good, and as expected about 1/3 of the inks have turned out to be colors that I would use semi-regularly.

Note: In order to allow myself adequate time to photograph and video each ink, I’m currently working about five days ahead. So even though we’re technically only on “Day Two” of Inkvent, I’ve already opened and swatched through Day 5.

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How Does the Diamine Inkvent Calendar Work?

Like a typical Advent calendar. You receive a box that has 25 numbered “doors” punched into it. If you use the calendar as intended, you open one door for each day of Advent. The calendar contains 25 bottles of different inks behind each door: 24 15ml bottles and one 30ml bottle, with the latter intended to be a “special” ink opened on Christmas Day. Diamine claims these inks are all unique for each year’s Inkvent, and they have started releasing the inks in full bottles about six months later.

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What Inks Are In and Inkvent Calendar?

Diamine includes 25 different ink samples featuring “Holiday-themed” inks from across their various lines, including standard ink, Shimmer Inks, and even “Chameleon” inks (shimmer inks that change color depending on the light). This week, Door No. 1 included “Fortune’s Gold,” a gold ink with gold shimmer that leans yellow-green in different light. Door No. 2 contained “Cashmere Rose”, a dusty pink that’s more my style, and will probably end up inked soon as I have several pens getting ready to run dry and will need a refill.

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This year, I plan to use a large Col-o-Ring Folio pad to swatch all 25 inks side by side. Many thanks to my friend Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk for supplying the large Col-o-Ring!

What Are You Going to Do with All That Ink?

Probably keep the ones I like and give away the ones I won’t use, including most of the Shimmer and Chameleon series. It’s not that I don’t enjoy playing around with these inks - I might use them to jot quick holiday messages to friends and family - but afterwards will probably pass them along since inks containing shimmer or heavy sheen don’t receive much long-term use from me.

How to Follow Along with Inkvent 2023

I won’t be posting regular Inkvent updates here on the blog - there’s simply too much ink to do individual reviews, though I might do a general overview at month’s end. I will, however, be doing daily - or as close to daily as I can manage - posts over on Instagram and YouTube, as well as posting more detailed thoughts on the inks on the Patreon Channel. If you’d like to follow along in person with your own Inkvent Calendar, we still have a few available in the shop. Enjoy the holiday season!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re looking for gift ideas, check out our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide!

Proprietary Ink Cartridges: Endearing or Annoying?

It doesn't take long for new fountain pen users to recognize that all fountain pen ink cartridges aren't created equal. While there is such a thing as a "standard international" ink cartridge and converter, it’s neither “standard” nor particularly “international”, as that term has essentially come to mean that the standard version "fits pens with JoWo, Bock, or Schmidt nib/feed assemblies." Nearly all of the Japanese brands, as well as some European brands like Lamy, use their own proprietary cartridge/converter format. Today I'll talk a bit about why I tend to prefer the Japanese-style cartridges to the standard international format.

Note: Whenever you buy a new pen from a brand you haven't previously used, ALWAYS check whether you also need a specific converter and/or cartridge to go with that brand.

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Pilot pens such as the Custom Heritage 912, the Custom 74, and the Vanishing Point all take the proprietary Pilot Cartridge.

Pilot Makes My Favorite Ink Cartridge, Followed By Platinum

Why these two, you might ask? Capacity. While each format is unique to each brand, these cartridges hold a LOT of ink. Moreover, the "wide mouth" format of the cartridge both ensures better ink flow than the typical international cartridge (which has a narrower opening) and makes the cartridge easier to refill with ink of your choice using a pipette or small eyedropper rather than a syringe. Of course, part of the reason why these cartridges tend to work so well may be due to the proprietary nature itself, with the cartridge engineered to fit the brand's specific nib and feed.

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Pilot cartridges are among the easiest to refill, so there’s even an “aftermarket” for things like these small rubber stoppers if you want to refill a full set. (Search eBay or your online marketplace of choice.)

As an aside, there has been a lot of speculation as to why Pilot recently released the Iroshizuku Inks in cartridge form, and why they believe they can price these cartridges at the relatively high price point of $14 for six. Personally, I think it's because a large portion of users write with fine or extra-fine nibs (if not finer). Given that Pilot cartridges hold a decent volume of ink, six of these cartridges could last someone up to a year, especially if they don't write extensively by hand and, for example, use their pen to make occasional notes in a planner. (Standard Pilot cartridges are much less expensive, as are Platinum cartridges, and are sold in boxes of one dozen.)

While Sailor cartridges also feature a proprietary format with a wider opening similar to Pilot and Platinum, and work just fine, they don't hold as much ink. On the other hand, I find that Lamy cartridges have narrower openings similar to the Western-style Standard International cartridge. As a result, the ink doesn't flow quite as well, and Lamy cartridges can be difficult to puncture to the point where I sometimes worry I'm about to break the pen.

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Don’t be like me. Use your cartridges.

Takeaways and Lessons Learned Over the Years

At the end of the day, the proprietary systems of cartridges and ink converters can be both a pain to navigate and part of the charm of using fountain pens. Sure, it would be much more convenient to have a single universal format for all brands, and to not have to worry about stocking refills from multiple brands, but over time I've just come to accept that "the cartridge singularity" is not going to happen and learned to love the different shapes and peculiarities of each cartridge. My own opinion is that the Japanese pen companies make better cartridges than Western manufacturers. Not only do I get better performance - mainly ink flow - when I use these cartridges, but the cartridges seem to last longer on the shelf. My insanely busy week/weekend of work saw me cycling through several cartridges on the fly, and the number of half-evaporated cartridges I discovered in my office desk drawer stash (mostly standard short international) reminded me that these things don't last forever. Use 'em if you got em'!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

The Gentleman Stationer's Favorite Fountain Pen Inks, Inaugural Edition (2023)

While I publish an annual list of "Best Pen" recommendations, inks are far trickier, made especially difficult by the dozens of brands and thousands of different colors now available, which wasn't the case when I first started TGS. Over the years, I've done a few lists of my favorite inks for specific purposes, such as office use and annotation, but have shied away from anything more categorical. Then I had the idea: What if I made a list of my current preferred ink for each color category, which I could easily update over time? Here are the rules I came up with:

1. The ink has to be available. No limited editions that are impossible for people to find because that's no fun to read. (Those can have their own list, if people are interested.)

2. Broad color categories only with no sub-categories. Keep it simple. Here, I've organized this initial list with 12 slots that loosely tracks the major colors that pen companies typically include in their lineup.

3. I have to have used the ink in multiple pens over the past year. Some of these inks have been used more than others (brown and yellows don't actually get much time in my rotation), but generally, frequency of use + simple joy determines whether an ink makes the cut.

Here we Go! Fountain Pen Inks of Choice by Color (2023)

Blue: Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-gao. I sometimes go far too long without using this particular ink, but whenever I use it to fill a pen I wonder why I don't just keep a bottle of it on my desk. A bright royal blue that borders on "electric," but is still professional enough to use at the office. It reminds me of Waterman blue that doesn't fade to a duller color after drying.

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Black: Lamy Black. When choosing a black ink, some go for the darkest line possible, but not me. I prefer some shading and undertones, especially the purple cast that Lamy Black has when it dries, which gives the ink added depth.

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Blue-Black: Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo. The name translates as "Moonlight", and though I can't exactly explain why, it fits this shade of ink perfectly. Tsuki-Yo leans more blue on the blue-black scale, and exhibits a slight red sheen on some papers. As one of the longest-running inks in my collection, which at the moment I have loaded into three pens, Tsuki-Yo might be my favorite of the Iroshizuku Inks and one of my favorite inks of all time.

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Turquoise: Kaweco Paradise Blue. Some of you may be surprised to see two Kaweco inks on this list, but I absolutely love Kaweco's ink offerings and find them extremely underrated. The inks are vibrant, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, and the fact that they come in both cartridges and bottles ensures that you can use them in your Kaweco Sports as well as your piston fillers.

Green: Kaweco Palm Green. I consider Kaweco Palm Green to be of the most underrated inks of all time, not just in the Kaweco lineup. It’s a beautiful rich color that I use regularly even if it can take a bit of time to dry.

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Red: Dominant Industry Romania Red. If you were going to have a blood-red vampire-themed ink, it would be this one. This bold, rich color flows well, dries quickly, and doesn't create nib crud. Vampire-themed inks cannot be “pink”, which seems to be a hot topic of conversation these days. Fight me ;)

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Burgundy: Montblanc Burgundy Red. The hardest color for me to choose (since most of my favorite burgundy inks are limited editions). I finally went with standard Montblanc Burgundy Red. Though perhaps not as vibrant as some of Montblanc's special edition burgundies, it's a consistently good performer that's a favorite standby.

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Orange: Laban Apollo Orange. This orange has been making its way through my orange and yellow TWSBI demonstrators for the past six months. Inspired by the Greek God Apollo, whose symbol traditionally is the sun, this is a “pure orange” ink with a slight tinge of red to help with the legibility.

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Yellow: Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow. The first yellow ink I've found that's truly legible, due to its gold/goldenrod hue, American Goldfinch Yellow can be used for actual writing in addition to highlighting and annotation.

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Brown: Laban Demeter Brown. A dark brown, but not quite a brown-black. For my brown inks, I tend to enjoy the darker browns and sepias, because they take on a vintage look as they dry.

Purple: Waterman Violet. Not "Tender Purple" or whatever they're calling it these days. Violet. Be warned that of all the Waterman inks, this one has a tendency to stain, so be sure you don't mind your converter (or clear demonstrator) having a slight purple tint long-term. (Definitely do not use in light-colored celluloid pens.) That said, it’s one of the most vibrant purple inks out there, and when I want my writing to stand out, this is my choice.

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Grey: Scribo Grigio. I've been on a massive grey ink kick over the past year, and I keep returning to Scribo Grigio. While some might argue with me on this point and call the ink more of a blue-black, I'm going with grey here and the blue tint is what makes it interesting.

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Pink: Laban Aphrodite Pink. This final color is extremely difficult, but at the end of the day I have to go with Aphrodite. Some would say this isn't a pink ink at all, but the criteria here dictate that I have to stick with an ink that I've actually used over the past year. In the pink category, this is the clear winner.

Some of the aforementioned inks we sell directly in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, where we are running a Memorial Day Weekend Promotion (10% Off) with the code “SUMMER23” at checkout. Otherwise I have linked to retailers who are friends of mine. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.