Noodler's G.I. Green

[Mongo]

This is a review of Noodler's G.I. Green. I used this ink exclusively for the past week to learn as much as I could about its behavior.

 

I matched the color in these images as closely as I could with the original pages. This was trickier with GI Green than with the other V-Mail inks I've reviewed so far. On my (profiled) monitor, most of the colors match well. Depending on how your monitor is adjusted, there may be some difference between what I see and what you see.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-Bottle.jpg

G.I. Green is supplied in astandard Noodler's three ounce bottle. The label matches those of the other inks in this series.

 

The color of GI Green is very dependent on the pen, the paper, and how long it's been since the ink was laid down.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-Bagasse.jpg

On Staple's "eco-friendly" bagasse paper, the color of this ink doesn't appear to change over time.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-HP-Permium-Laser-Be.jpg

This image was taken within an hour of when the page was written. Most of the writing is from a wet Levenger True Writer (medium), and that writing is minty green.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-HP-Permium-Laser-Af.jpg

One day later, the writing that was previously "minty" green is now much more of a mossy color. The glass dip pen writing at the bottom of the page has also changed noticeably.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-Copy-Paper-Before.jpg

Writing on cheap copier paper with a glass dip pen, the writing is a very deep green...what I'd call an "Amazon" green.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/GI%20Green/GIGreen-Copy-Paper-After.jpg

Two days later, the writing has changed dramatically. The most interesting change here is the orange that's appeared in some places. It's more easily seen in this image at the top of the "N" in "PEN". Once you see it there, you should be able to pick it out easily in other parts of this image.

 

This change to orange only seems to happen when ink's put down heavily on certain papers. I have samples written a month ago on Staple's bagasse paper with a wet pen, and there's no sign of the orange anywhere. On HP Premium Choice Laser paper, the orange will show up after a few days if there's lots of ink laid down. On the cheap copier paper, I've actually seen orange show up after 10-12 hours.

 

I don't have an image of this yet, but in my Moleskine journal the ink goes down as it does on the HP paper, but the colors don't change over time.

 

Overall, this is an extremely well behaved ink. It resists bleeding through as well as any ink that I've tried, feathering wasn't a problem on any paper that I used, and there's no nib creep in these V-Mail inks. This is not a green that I would normally choose as an everyday ink, but using it exclusively for a week showed that it's an ink with an interesting character. I find the mossy green that it dries to on many papers to be very attractive. The orange shift is just plain interesting.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

 

Be well.

 

-- Dave

[Nellie]

Thanks a lot for this extensive review!

 

[Inka]

Hi Dave,

thank you for this very thorough and informative review.

It was enjoyable to read through this format too, even though it differes from the "norm" or pre-printed forms many of us use.

The patience you've shown to review this ink, the time it must have taken you, is something that is well appreciated.

It is very interesting the changes that take place with this ink, on different paper types and just with time.

I've found something similar with Noodler's Coral Sea Blue-Black, that on Staples sugarcane bagasse it appears a deep turquoise blue-black, while on printer paper [as in my written review] it appears more green.

I bought some Noodler's Hunter Green hoping to use some blue and black inks to replicate Coral Sea but no-joy found in that persuit.

Using Hunter Green Eternal in its raw, pure state looks similar in some ways to the color you got with a glass dip-pen [in 2nd example], then under high intensity UV/black light the edges of Hunter Green glow a bright yellow.

Thanks again, for a job well done!

[lefty928]

Wow! What an excellent, thorough review. Thank you! This color is not one I would have thought I'd be interested in, but the shading and lack of nib creep -- and the less saturated look it seems to have -- have put it on my maybe list.

[MikeW]

Terrific review and detailed explanations - bravo!

 

I hope that everyone on the FPN takes advantage of what you have written - you have provided us with clear examples of the variability of an ink's colour depending on factors like the paper and ink flow as well as how the appearance can also change over time.

 

I'm not a moderator but this should be pinned or otherwise highlighted so that as many people see it as it deserves.

[jantirak]

Thanks for the review! I bought this ink after reading this review and was wondering if you could provide some insight into what pen/paper combination brings out the orange along the edges? Cheap paper+less wet nib? Thanks!

[jantirak]

Ahh...apologies. Just reread the review and answered my own question!

[wackyjacky1]

I've been wanting a green ink for quite some time and haven't been able settle on one. The apparent quirkiness of this particular ink got me to finally crack open my wallet and buy a bottle. Thanks for the in-depth review!

[hsianloon]

Hm, a very complicated ink...I like how you reviewed it with different inks and pens, I'm still on a hunt for my ideal water resistant/proof green, thought the GI Green was nice, and I saw your review...now I have to continue my search !But thanks for the review !

[xiewadu]

I wonder if the orange is a reaction to the PH of the paper... -Jen

[etaylor33]

Indeed this is a very complicated ink. In checking some past pens that have used this, Merlin 33 (F): it was a nice deep green. In two instances where I used it in a Pilot Metro (F) six months apart, one would have thought it was a completely different ink. Very dark, almost black on first use and second use six months later it was a nice dark green but no where near the darkness of the first time. My Pilot Falcon (SF) likes this ink. A nice fairly dark green without being too dark. As mentioned in another posting, an Amazon Green. I like it enough to find it worth ordering a bottle as I think I've gone through two sample vials. So, a nice green to add to my other green from Diamine, the Sherwood Green, another fine green.

[Michael R.]

Love how the color changes and the complexity of the ink after a few days!

 

Cheers

 

Michael