Synergy! When Pens And Inks Just Go...

[Tom Traubert]

Here's my current squad. There are a few more pens not inked and a few more inks not used, but these are combinations I've found to work perfectly.

 

http://i.imgur.com/8WuvXQr.jpg

 

Any questions about either pens or inks welcomed - it's half 5 in the morning here and I've been up over two hours already...

Edited September 16, 2014 by Tom Traubert

[Lou Erickson]

Huh, I don't have any of those combinations...

 

How is the Oxblood to clean out of pens? I've found several of the Diamine saturated reds hard to clean - Syrah and Ancient Copper both. Not impossible, just requiring work.

 

How do you like the Pilot/Namiki red? I have blue and blue-black from Namiki/Pilot and like both of them.

 

I may pick up a TWSBI 580 for BSB, as I have it in a TWSBI Inkwell. Easy to fill.

 

How do you like the Parson's Essential?

 

Have you tried any of the Iroshizuku inks? How do you find they compare to the Diamine?

[Lou Erickson]

Oh... my synergy for "perfect interaction" is a Lamy 2000 with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. Just great.

[Tom Traubert]

Huh, I don't have any of those combinations...

 

How is the Oxblood to clean out of pens? I've found several of the Diamine saturated reds hard to clean - Syrah and Ancient Copper both. Not impossible, just requiring work.

 

How do you like the Pilot/Namiki red? I have blue and blue-black from Namiki/Pilot and like both of them.

 

I may pick up a TWSBI 580 for BSB, as I have it in a TWSBI Inkwell. Easy to fill.

 

How do you like the Parson's Essential?

 

Have you tried any of the Iroshizuku inks? How do you find they compare to the Diamine?

 

I've had issues getting Ancient Copper (and indeed Cult Pens Deep Dark Orange, which is made by Diamine and is very similar) out of pens myself. Like yourself, it just took a bit more work than I'm used to. I've never tried Syrah, but it's on the list... I reckon Oxblood is the happy exception. I honestly believe that, after washable blue Quink, it's my friendliest ink! I may be exaggerating here, but I've got it out of pistol fillers, aeros and standard CCs without any issues at all.

 

Pilot/Namiki red is a funny one. The cartridges look pathetic - more transparent than translucent, but it gives you a bright pinky-red with some shading. I've found that cheaper Pilot CC pens such as the 78g and Plumix don't play well with converters and more saturated inks. Their red cartridges in particular seem to give the best flow. My MR is the British version of the Metro and takes international standard cartridges - it's also way happier with a converter. I don't know how the US Metro flows with a Con-50 or 20.

 

My Parson's Essential is on its second nib. The first was a medium stub, and was the most stubborn, dry, unsatisfying horrorshow I'd ever used. Reviews convinced me I was the exception and, after voiding any chance of an exchange by poking, flossing, filing and generally knackering an already-knackered nib, I bought a broad stub nib unit and haven't looked back. Absolutely glorious - it's smooth and inky and brings out great shading. The cursive stub is very cursive - it gives less line variation than a TWSBI stub, but I can write at lightning speed.

 

I haven't tried any Iroshizuku inks, although I'd love to. The price keeps putting me off. I wouldn't have sprung for the Edelstein, except it came free with my M600. I certainly don't think it's worth four times the price of a bottle of Diamine! That said, I'm really taken with the J. Herbin and that's a bit pricier so I could be tempted...

 

In reference to your second post, I've not tried any standard Pelikan inks, although the Brilliant Brown is piquing my interest. Would you call them wet or dry?

[Pentulant]

For me...

 

MB Heritage 1912 + Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun

[Tom Traubert]

I should add Pelikan M200 Cognac italic with Diamine Ancient Copper. Crikey.

[VivienR]

I have two kind of perfect match:

J. Herbin Perle Noire or Platinum Carbon Black with Parker Sonnet Metal and Pearl

Diamine Imperial Purple with Parker Sonnet Matte Black GT

 

This is my most loved combinations

[Lou Erickson]

 

I haven't tried any Iroshizuku inks, although I'd love to. The price keeps putting me off. I wouldn't have sprung for the Edelstein, except it came free with my M600. I certainly don't think it's worth four times the price of a bottle of Diamine! That said, I'm really taken with the J. Herbin and that's a bit pricier so I could be tempted...

 

In reference to your second post, I've not tried any standard Pelikan inks, although the Brilliant Brown is piquing my interest. Would you call them wet or dry?

 

Thanks for all the details on the inks and pens. I keep dithering over a Parson's Italix; they sound like nice pens, but I am not grabbed by the look. I will probably pick one up anyway.

 

The Iroshizuku inks are lovely and well behaved. They are unusual, pretty colors, and I enjoy them. I admire more colors frequently, but have only two full bottles right now, Asa-Gao, and Momiji. Asa-Gao is a beautiful blue, but also usable as a daily writer. In a P51, people think you're using a ballpoint. Momiji is a slightly orangey salmony red. Clearly red not pink, but not a fire-engine solid red. It is quite bright, and would mark up other things quite notably. Many people prefer Kon-Peki to the Asa-Gao as their go-to blue. Kon-Peki is almost a turquoise - very pretty, but too light for my daily writing. Neither are water-resistant in the slightest.

 

They're expensive, though, and I can't say they're so good you must, must, must go get some. Samples will be your friend to see if you love it.

 

Everyone tells me the Pelkian 4001 inks are dry, and I guess the Brilliant Black is a little dry. It's the first ink I put in my Lamy 2000 and the two just sing together. I've tried others, and they're not as great. They work - I haven't had any trouble with the 2k not writing - but the Brilliant Black is just perfect. I have many other inks to try in it, though, so probably will, eventually.

 

I wanted an ink from a pen manufacturer, so got the Pelikan. The Namiki Blue (also a nice ink) and Iroshizuku came later.

 

I bought a bunch of the 30ml bottles from Diamine as a way to get a wide selection of their colors. I'm in the US, so no VAT, and the flat-rate shipping means "buy many bottles at once". The little bottles are not expensive, but a much bigger dose than a sampler. Lots of fun and a great way to try new inks. I'll have to try some Oxblood next time I get a hankering and order some. They're about $5 USD each, plus a little shipping. The Goulets want $1.25 for a 2ml sample... If there's a chance I'll like it, the bottle is a better deal. I bought mostly browns, and the ingredients to make a faux parker penman, which I still haven't tried.

[Sailor Kenshin]

So that's that it's called. Why, yes.

 

I am becoming a one-ink-per-pen user/collector.

 

When I find an ink that absolutely LOVES a particular pen, I tend not to want to use other inks in it. Which means I need a lot of pens, in case one 'claims' a particular ink.

 

You may think the combos are laughable. An expensive ink in a knockaround pen? Works for me, though.

 

'Golden pairs' so far include:

 

Blue Lamy Safari M and MB Midnight

Haolilai Goldenpen and MB Leonardo Red Chalk (no other pen shades this ink so well)

Red-swirl Parker Frontier M and JHerbin Terre de Feu

MB Generation (no clue what nib but it's wide and wet) and Diamine Beau Blue

Sailor Progear Black Velvet MF and Waterman Havana

Lamy Safari Neon Coral 1.1 and...Lamy Neon Coral. Naturally.