Iron Gall Ink

[shawndp]

Curiosity has got the better of me and I would like to try and iron gall ink but seem to be at a loss for options. I understand MB's Midnight blue is but have read there is a non-IG version? I bought a bottle today from Paradise Pen but am not sure which version I have. What's a relatively common IG ink? Thanks!

[Icywolfe]

Diamine blue black registrar's

[wallylynn]

MB midnight blue used to be iron gall. they changed to a non i-g formula about a year ago. (Lamy changed their blue-black a little before that too)

 

Diamine registrar's is probably the most common of the remaining. Though ESS registrar's ink isn't all that hard to order.

[carlos.q]

R&K Salix and Scabiosa are two common IG inks.

[Randal6393]

Don't forget Chesterfield Archival, a re-packaged Diamine Registrar's ink.

 

Enjoy,

[RudyR]

Here is the Identification number for Montblanc Midnight Blue - iron gall version (now discontinued):

105194

 

If you find you like it, be sure and buy as much as you can because it will disappear shortly.

 

another Iron Gall ink still produced commercially is Platinum Blue/Black. This will not probably be discontinued in the foreseeable future since Platinum seems very proud of it.

 

http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/e_about_ink.html

 

[AllenG]

Akkerman has an iron gall too.

It will be my next iron gall because the bottle is friendly to my oblique nib holder.

[wallylynn]

I didn't know Platinum Bl-Bk was i-g. I'll have to look for some.

[shawndp]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I've got a couple of Preppy pens prepped and ready to go. The whole idea has me intrigued - if all goes well I can try IG in the group buy too. Now I need to take a trip to Wonderpens and get some R&K first.

[antirealist]

Now I need to take a trip to Wonderpens and get some R&K first.

Just make sure you give them a call before you go!

[Vlad Soare]

I understand MB's Midnight blue is but have read there is a non-IG version? I bought a bottle today from Paradise Pen but am not sure which version I have.

 

Look at the identification number on the box, next to the barcode. The old iron gall version is item no. 105194. The new, regular one is 109204.

[shawndp]

Thanks for pointing out the MB number... Alas, I have the 109 Non-IG version - going to use it today in my Waterman Harley though.

[kwzi]

I think that Pilot Blue - Black is also IG.

[shawndp]

@KWZI - I signed up for the group-buy on your ink - two IG's - you make some amazing colours!

[carlos.q]

I think that Pilot Blue - Black is also IG.

 

Pilot blue-black is not IG but has great water resistance:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/193348-pilot-blue-black/

[cellmatrix]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I've got a couple of Preppy pens prepped and ready to go

the platinum preppy blue black has platinum iron gall ink in it

[kwzi]

@KWZI - I signed up for the group-buy on your ink - two IG's - you make some amazing colours!

 

Thank you for kind words - I try my best

 

Pilot blue-black is not IG but has great water resistance:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/193348-pilot-blue-black/

 

Around two years ago I was looking for information about IG inks and came upon a note that came from someone from Pilot Pen Company - that their Blue Black ink use IG component. It's hard for me to find a source of this information now, but I'm almost certain I found this info on one of Pilot retailers site.

IG ink does not always darken over time - there are dyes that contains fragment similar to that found in gallic acid which reacts and binds to iron, and after oxidation this is highly water resistant composition and color shift after oxidation is very low. I have 3 dyes that have this ability but I know that there is at least 5-7 more known.

[shawndp]

the platinum preppy blue black has platinum iron gall ink in it

 

 

Wow! I never knew...I ordered a B-B randomly as I use the Preppy for bulk-loading ink and usually forget about the cartridges that come with them.

[inkstainedruth]

I like Akkerman's IG ink much better than the Diamine Registrar's Blue-Black. I know people have claimed that Diamine is making the Akkerman inks -- but I have found those two to be noticeably different. Unless I just got a bad batch of the Diamine.

The Akkerman (#10 IJzer Galnoten) oxidizes considerably darker than the Diamine, which ended up as a washy blue-grey color on pretty much every paper I used it on.

I haven't tried ESSRI, so I can't add anything to the discussion there. I do have Salix (which stays bluer) and Scabiosa.

I also have some of the iron gall inks made by FPN member Pharmacist, which I like (but his activity level for brewing waxes and wanes). In particular I like Turkish Night (listed as cyan-black but in reality cyan-green). Also have bottles of his original formula Terra Incinerata (greenish tinged sepia -- he has apparently since reformulated it) and of Darkening Absinthe (green-black), and was able to get a sample of Urkundentinte (his blue black IG ink) from someone at a pen club meeting a couple of years ago.

Sadly I did not see the posts about the FPN group buy of the KWZI inks in time yesterday. Some of those are iron gall inks and they look very interesting.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[tinta]

Organic Studio has one called Aristotle. I recently got a bottle, but was not that impressed with the final colour when oxidized. A wishy-washy blue black at best.

My favourite ferrogallic inks are Akkerman # 10 (for a dark b/b), Salix (fo ar light b/b) & Scabiosa (for a lovely shade of dusty purple).