Best And Favourite Inks!

[sxs]

What are you best/favourite inks?

based on:

- colour

- quality

 

Simon

[Arkanabar]

Oh, jeeez.... nobody around here has a simple answer to that question.

 

My own experience with ink is actually startlingly limited. I have some writing inks I really like: Noodler's Borealis Black and Noodler's Red-black, diluted about 4:1 or 3:1 or 2:1 with water. Both are very legible, flow reliably, and dry pretty quickly on the cheap-ass paper I use.

 

I also have a couple I am willing to use for markup: Sheaffer Skrip Turquoise, Visconti Sepia (I topped up the bottle with water after it dropped about 15-20%, probably from evaporation, and now it's a dull orange, rather like pumpkin pie filling), and with a sufficiently fine line, Waterman Violet. All contrast a great deal with paper, laser print, and my writing colors. They also all flow reliably and dry quickly.

 

The ones I've used but didn't list here are classic Quink Black with solv-x, some middle-aged MB Black with SuperCleaner SC21, Waterman Black, Waterman Brown, Waterman washable blue, Levenger Raven Black, Levenger Cobalt Blue, Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black, Sheaffer sidewell washable blue.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Arkanabar

[SujiCorp12345]

Some of my favourites include: (I haven't tried nearly enough inks to try identifying the best ones...)

Blues- Waterman Inspired Blue, Iroshizuku Kon-peki, Sailor Sky High, Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue, Baystate Blue

Red- Red Dragon

Brown- Montblanc Toffee Brown, J. Herbin Lie De The

Purple- Rohrer and Klingner Cassia, Diamine Imperial Purple

Black- Aurora Black

Orange- Iroshizuku Yu-yake

Green- J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage, Iroshizuku Shin-ryoku

[aardvarkbark]

Favs: Diamine Denim, Ochre, Oxblood

[Hallel]

I'm fickle and this list changes week by week.

 

J. Herbin Pousseire de Lune

Someone once described this ink as 'mysterious' and that's a wonderful description of it.

 

Sailor Jentle Sky High

Too bad it's discontinued. I find myself reaching for this one more than I reach for Kon-Peki.

 

Noodlers Apache Sunset/old BSiAR

I love both for their glorious shading properties. They're like party inks.

[SeeksAdvice]

Whatever works on whatever I'm attempting to write on. Beyond that, Sailor Sei-Boku is the best, IMO, permanent blue-black that I've tried. I have not tried mixing MB perm inks or playing with DeA's document line.

Most of my inks rotate through pens. Unless it's some horrid, simply awful ink, at which point it just sits on the shelf and gets cursed at periodically.

[sarahfar]

Iroshizuku Yama Guri, Omas Blue Roma, Visconti Blue, Diamine Red Dragon and lots of others.... bunch of Iros and Omas even some of J Herbin......

[Kuhataparunks]

I have Iroshizuku TakeSumi and it has never given any problems in a custom heritage 912. Pretty nice ink but NOT worth the US markup.

You can find on ebay for $20 a bottle with shipping.

J. Herbin Perle noire is okay, pretty dark and saturated, definitely an underrated ink. Too bad I'm scared to put non-pilot ink in my $150+ pilot pens, haha

Asa-Gao has been in many of my pens for a while, and it's a really nice all-around dark blue ink. I just got tsuyu kusa which is quite annoyingly dry, but it's kind of growing on me, especially when used on Rhodia paper because its a very refined, soft yet not too soft blue. I'm so excited to use kon peki, but I haven't gotten a chance to fill up on that just yet.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Kuhataparunks

[lgsoltek]

I'm gonna vote for Sailor Sei-boku.

[Chrissy]

I'm also fickle and change my preferences a lot.

 

I currently like De-A Steel Blue, although I only ever had a sample and all I have left is now in my Parker 45

I always go back to PI Syo-ro because I love the colour and the fact that it means Dew on a Pine Tree which is a perfect description of the colour.

I love Waterman Violet which is the old bottle. I assume the latest purple is the same

I also regularly write with GvFC Cobalt Blue because it behaves very well.

[kidde]

My favorite is dependent on pen, paper and purpose.

Pilot Black is great for fine nibs, mediocre paper and notes/sketching.

Diamine Oxblood in a broad pen, decent paper for personal messages.

Sheaffer Skrip Blue/Black (old 1950's-60's) vintage pens, good paper for everything. Easy to clean, shades and just looks "right" in an Estie/Balance/DuoFold/Blackbird/120.

Quite a few colors to choose from. Just remember that it can appear different depending on pen, paper and even light source. Fluorescent lighting can make an ink look completely different than sunshine.

Enjoy your journey.

 

Paul

[XiaoMG]

I like Seiboku, Noodler's Black, Kiwaguro, Scabiosa, Ancient Copper, Kaigan Stone Grey, Noodler's Navy, DC Electric Blue, and Eel Blue.

 

Am trying to like others like Yama-dori, Doyou, Urkundentinte, Maya Lapis, and Diamine Twilight.

[siopaopei]

My favorite would be a custom mix of Dark Olive from Diamine.

 

 

Next would be Diamine Oxblood and J. Herbin's Lie de The.

[kestrel]

It varies with pen, paper, and mood. Today it is Bad Belted Kingfisher, Van Gogh Starry Night, Ottoman Rose, Visconti Blue, Penman Sapphire, and Tsuki yo. Blakwa and Yama dori are a slight notch below. I make a custom mix of Noodlers Violet Vote and Noodlers Purple that is also a favorite.

 

So many inks, so little time.

[tmenyc]

I don't keep what doesn't become a favorite ink for at least one of my pens. So, Noodlers Black/OMB/House of Darkness; Pelikan black and blue-black; Waterman's black, vintage blue-black, vintage Bleu Nuit; Diamine Registrars, Deep Dark Blue; Montblanc Midnight Blue (IG) are all bests and favorites.

[klundtasaur]

Private Reserve Blue Suede. It's a misleading name--much more of a blue-ish green than a true blue. Though, to my dismay, it looks like PR has changed the formula--the most recent bottle I bought was much more of a true blue with a hint of green. I'm hoping it was just an accident on their part.

[FountainPenCowgirl]

Too many favorites; but I'm madly, deeply in love with:

 

Yama-Dori. In a juicy M Lamy nib, it's deep, rich, shiny and glorious,

 

BSIAR version 2. Sigh. I love this one, and it have only one bottle. Color is a personal favorite, and shading in my Pilot Falcon is a true pleasure. A perfect match.

 

PR Electric DC Blue. An eye-popping blue with a fantastic red sheen. In a TWSBI 580 M nib to being out all of my favorite qualities.

 

Diamine Sherwood Green. Finally hit its full glory with a Lamy M nib. Rich, dark green (dark enough to read) with, yes, a fantastic sheen.

 

Hmmm, there seems to be a theme there...