Parker Quink Blue-black Review

[ThirdeYe]

Here is a review of the newer formula of Parker's Quink Blue-Black fountain pen ink. It was purchased on Amazon for only $8.25 shipped. For a larger scan of my review, feel free to visit my blog: here. I didn't want to clog up the board with a huge scan. One thing I should mention beforehand is that the color of the ink most represents the "close-up" scan at the end. The other pictures made it look lighter than it really is, IMO. By the way, I made a "typo" in the review. The nib on the Esterbrook is a 9550, not a 9668. I got it mixed-up with the 2668 on my other Esterbrook I bought at the same time.

 

Without further ado, onto the review...

 

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1237/scan0007ig.jpg

 

Ink blots on paper towel:

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2624/scan0006h.jpg

 

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9007/pc230186.jpg

 

Close-up:

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/57/closeupau.jpg

 

In conclusion, I really enjoy this ink. I have read other reviews stating that it had no water-resistance, but it does appear to have a little bit of resistance. Most of the ink washed away, but there was still enough to read what was written even after I rinsed it once, swabbed it, rinsed it again, and swabbed it again and let it dry. I also read in reviews that it was more of a dark blue than a blue-black, and while it looks that way before it dries, I found that after it dries it turns into a nice, true blue-black. A great ink for under $9 shipped. Recommended!

 

Any questions or comments are most welcome.

 

-Derek (ThirdeYe)

Edited December 24, 2010 by ThirdeYe

[mwc1]

Thanks for the great review Derek, I've been thinking about branching out from waterman florida blue- this stuff might be the one. It looks very dignified.

-Mary Ann

[PAKMAN]

Good review. I really like this ink, it's a good ink to try out new pens with.

[Leftytoo]

Thanks for the nice review. My favorite ink color is blue-black, and my favorite blue-black is Quink. Its "sister" Waterman blue-black is very close in color, just slightly more black. Quink BB is the standard ink I use to compare all my pens on Clairfontaine paper.

 

I guess blue-black inks, the teal-colored ones at least, bring me back to my youth when I was in charge of filling up, from a 1 quart bottle with a tube spout, the ink wells on each student's desk.

Bob :ltcapd:

[mholve]

Very nice. I just picked up a bottle of Waterman Blue-Black myself - quite similar. Definitely more understated than Florida Blue (which I find a bright blue).

[ThirdeYe]

Thank you for the comments everyone. I made a correction in the original post, if it matters to anyone. I miswrote what type of nib was on the Esterbrook, and made a correction in the text before the image.

[AlanE]

Yes, this is my go back to ink. I put a tad of Quink Black in it to darken it a bit, but this ink really hits the spot.

 

Alan

[ThirdeYe]

Alan,

perhaps what I would like to do in the future is add a tad of noodler's bulletproof black to it to give it a bit more permanence.

[corniche]

Hello Derek,

 

Yes- I love the Quink inks, (Watermans too); you cant beat them for flow, lubrication or just general performance. Ive used Private Reserve, Diamine, Sheaffers, J. Herbin and a couple other brands- but I always keep going back to Quink and WM. Mind you, I havent tried Noodlers yet- Im waiting for my bottle of Eel Blue as we speak, (I was around for their rocky debut a few years back and Ive shunned them ever since- but Ive decided to give them a second chance based on their wide popularity here).

 

Quink blue-black is one of my favorites; if you ever want a sample of my all-time favorite- Quink Permanent Blue- just lmk. Nice review- I like the paper towel blot specimen- thats original. I also see where Parker changed their box and bottle label AGAIN. Love the blue Estie.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited December 27, 2010 by S. P. Colfer

[corniche]

Alan,

perhaps what I would like to do in the future is add a tad of noodler's bulletproof black to it to give it a bit more permanence.

 

Hello again Derek,

 

Do this on a experimental basis to start with- Noodlers is pH neutral, (and waterproof); while Quink Blue-Black has a low pH- the two may not blend well together. Mix a small batch and then let it stand for a week or two, (then check the smell, viscosity and general appearance), before you load into any pens. It will probably come out great; however, sometimes, lower and higher pH inks do not always mix well together- always do this on a case by case basis.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited December 26, 2010 by S. P. Colfer

[Parker Quink Turquoise]

Nice ink and colour.It is the only Blue /Black ink I have ever used.

[M@rtin]

Nice colour. A little 'green', but i like it .

[lws]

Was formerly one of my favourite inks, until I went back to look at some things I'd written on cheap paper...

 

http://www.penwatch.net/pix/inks/Faded%20Parker%20Blue-Black.jpg

 

 

It fades very badly over time, especially on cheap paper, going a light blue-green. The sample above is about a month old (with some fresh ink for comparison); I have samples from about a year ago that are much, much more faded than this, but this is the only example I have to hand (the rest of my uni notes are 1000km out of reach right now. )

 

I love the colour, but I wouldn't use it for anything important.

 

- Lewis.

[ThirdeYe]

Thanks for the fading evidence. I figured this would happen, so as you suggested, I use my more permanent Noodler's inks for writing important things that need to last and using the other inks I have for simply making notes or writing correspondence. I noticed that a note I wrote in Waterman Florida Blue faded pretty good in a matter of a month or so.

[corniche]

Was formerly one of my favourite inks, until I went back to look at some things I'd written on cheap paper...

 

http://www.penwatch.net/pix/inks/Faded%20Parker%20Blue-Black.jpg

 

 

It fades very badly over time, especially on cheap paper, going a light blue-green. The sample above is about a month old (with some fresh ink for comparison); I have samples from about a year ago that are much, much more faded than this, but this is the only example I have to hand (the rest of my uni notes are 1000km out of reach right now. )

 

I love the colour, but I wouldn't use it for anything important.

 

- Lewis.

 

Greetings Lewis,

 

I know- Waterman's Blue-Black does the same thing. That is why Quink Permanent Blue rates as my Number One ink; it has all the outstanding Quink qualities of excellent ignition, flow and lubrication but none of the fading/color changing of Quink/WM B/B or the clogging of Quink Black.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

[lws]

 

Greetings Lewis,

 

I know- Waterman's Blue-Black does the same thing. That is why Quink Permanent Blue rates as my Number One ink; it has all the outstanding Quink qualities of excellent ignition, flow and lubrication but none of the fading/color changing of Quink/WM B/B or the clogging of Quink Black.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

 

 

I actually find that Quink Permanent Blue fades pretty badly as well, but I don't have any examples of this to hand. I actually like Quink Permanent Black, which fades far less - my notes written 3 years ago in Quink Black are only slightly faded, unlike the ones I wrote in Blue (which in some cases are nearly gone.)

 

 

I still use Quink for everyday writing - but anything which has to last gets written in Legal Lapis.

 

- L.

[corniche]

 

I actually find that Quink Permanent Blue fades pretty badly as well, but I don't have any examples of this to hand. I actually like Quink Permanent Black, which fades far less - my notes written 3 years ago in Quink Black are only slightly faded, unlike the ones I wrote in Blue (which in some cases are nearly gone.)

 

I still use Quink for everyday writing - but anything which has to last gets written in Legal Lapis.

 

- L.

 

Hello again Lewis,

 

MMmmmmmmmmm... this is frightening; I haven't noticed any fading with QPB yet, but I have only been hooked on it for several months, (about 6). Perhaps a few years from now, I'll have a different opinion of it, but for the time being, it remains my favorite.

 

Are you sure the one that is fading on you is the Permanent Blue and not the Washable Blue? I know QWB fades after a few weeks/months, (depending on the environment). If it was the QPB, how bad was the fade- was it comparible to other fountain inks or was it really pronounced, (they all fade with time, except Noodlers)?

 

Do you recall if the original color looked like this, (Washable Blue):

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1547

 

Or this, (Permanent Blue):

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/176780-review-parker-quink-permanent-blue/

 

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited December 28, 2010 by S. P. Colfer

[lws]

I actually find that Quink Permanent Blue fades pretty badly as well, but I don't have any examples of this to hand. I actually like Quink Permanent Black, which fades far less - my notes written 3 years ago in Quink Black are only slightly faded, unlike the ones I wrote in Blue (which in some cases are nearly gone.)

 

I still use Quink for everyday writing - but anything which has to last gets written in Legal Lapis.

 

- L.

 

Hello again Lewis,

 

MMmmmmmmmmm... this is frightening; I haven't noticed any fading with QPB yet, but I have only been hooked on it for several months, (about 6). Perhaps a few years from now, I'll have a different opinion of it, but for the time being, it remains my favorite.

 

Are you sure the one that is fading on you is the Permanent Blue and not the Washable Blue? I know QWB fades after a few weeks/months, (depending on the environment). If it was the QPB, how bad was the fade- was it comparible to other fountain inks or was it really pronounced, (they all fade with time, except Noodlers)?

 

Do you recall if the original color looked like this, (Washable Blue):

http://www.fountainp...?showtopic=1547

 

Or this, (Permanent Blue):

http://www.fountainp...permanent-blue/

 

 

All the best,

 

Sean

 

I've tried both. The washable blue fades frighteningly fast (days/weeks), but the QPB gets a few years in, at least. QPB fades to a dull light blue (still readable); washable blue fades to nearly nothing. The worst of all for me were the little 30ml bottles of Quink I got from the ebay seller "stuffudesire", which I believe was ink made for the Indian market under license from Sanford. That stuff was truly terrible.

 

It bears mentioning that I did most of my writing on cheap lined binder paper and tear-off pads, which were not "high quality acid-free paper" by any stretch of the imagination. (Oddly enough, the cheap tear-off pads were tremendously smooth and an absolute joy to write on.)

 

 

In passing, Diamine Imperial Blue is quite a close colour match for QPB, maybe without the fading. I've only had it in rotation for a few months, so I don't know yet.

 

 

- Lewis,

 

[Orange25]

Was formerly one of my favourite inks, until I went back to look at some things I'd written on cheap paper...

 

http://www.penwatch.net/pix/inks/Faded%20Parker%20Blue-Black.jpg

 

 

It fades very badly over time, especially on cheap paper, going a light blue-green. The sample above is about a month old (with some fresh ink for comparison); I have samples from about a year ago that are much, much more faded than this, but this is the only example I have to hand (the rest of my uni notes are 1000km out of reach right now. )

 

I love the colour, but I wouldn't use it for anything important.

 

- Lewis.

 

:ltcapd: Reminds me of my school days when I used Quink Royal Blue (?) to write my notes in. By the end of the year, when it was time for exams, they had that faded old look too.

[supertinta]

Hello, this is just to know if i can post this way to the fellows interested in permanent inks.

Cheers