Caran D' Ache Storm

[Sandy1]

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Grey Scale:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/INK576-1-2.jpg

_ - ⁂ - _

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/ccc258be.jpg

Figure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

IMG-Thumb:

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_bafbff23.jpg

Pens:

L → R: Estie, Rotring, Safari, Waterman, Insignia, C74.

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

Ruling: 8mm.

 

Figure 3.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/607abec5.jpg

Figure 4.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/57ee0a31.jpg

 

Figure 5.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/fd746fa1.jpg

 

Figure 6.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/0a1a0634.jpg

 

Figure 7.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi use.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/dcf54a26.jpg

 

Figure 8.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/09d08e4b.jpg

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 9.

Smear/Dry Times

Wet Tests ☂

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/2d8196f0.jpg

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Presentation:

• Bottle.

Availability:

• Available when Topic posted.

Daily writer?

• Not so much.

A go-to ink?

• When a luxurious high-performance purple ink is desired.

USE

 

If using a Blue, Blue-Black, or a [neutral] Brown as a daily writer ink, CdASt may do well as a complementary colour.

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• As with other inks with a significant Red component, CdASt might be as 'shouting' or as inappropriately personal. Please consider your corporate culture and its protocols when using this beautiful ink.
• I would not be comfortable using this as my primary or default ink; and I would not want to see the expression on my face if I received more than a single sheet note written in CdASt.
• The colour may be considered as lacking in gravitas; definitely not for upward communication or for dour topics.
• May well be limited to inner-circle colleagues, hence reserved for sub rosa subjects.
  
• CdASt has a stable vibrancy on the page, and a great performance profile, making it worthy of consideration for those who routinely use an array of inks.
• Should be OK for mark-up, editing or grading of assignments - so long as the colour is not submerged.

Illustrations / Graphics:

• Another welcome addition.
• Use in pens or from watercolour brushes seems most inviting.
• CdASt seems very much itself at various densities, including modest dilution.
• Written Sample line quality is high, and better than most on the hard textured G Lalo. However, the usefulness of the line quality is compromised by this ink's high propensity for shading.
• Tight lines of uniform density, (e.g. diagrams, labels, crosshatching), are best allocated to another ink.

Students:

• If one's primary ink needs to be water resistant, then the water-resistant CdASt is a good pick for mark-up or editing.
• Good for slightly emphasised text, cross references, etc.
• Not sure about study notes - is it too animated to support confident concentration?
• As there is some risk exposure to bleed- show-through, a dry-ish writer may be needed on lesser papers.
• Likely unsuitable for hand-written assignments.

Personal:

• Without a doubt!
• Definitely a 'personal' personal ink.
• Once again, the recipient will know that I picked this ink on purpose, (with lots of hand-wringing), as it is not one of my usual Blue-centric inks.
• Good choice for invitations to casual come-as-you-are occasions.
• Not in my top ten twenty fifty one-hundred for pro forma personal business writing - I would use whatever defaut Blue that is to hand, or try to use-up the Lamy Green.
• I have found that it takes some time & effort for me to pick just the 'right' nib, (more hand-wringing). With the high potential for shading, I tend to steer clear of wide Sharp or Cursive Italics, though a rather narrow CI or a wide Stub or Asian MS is grand.
• Billets doux are well within scope, so I carefully consider the recipient to avoid sending mixed messages.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• Genenerous.
• Controlled.

Nib Dry-out:

• Not seen.

Start-up:

• Immediate.
• With confidence.

Lubrication:

• Luxurious.

Nib Creep:

• Not seen.

Staining:

• Not seen after three days' contact.

Clogging:

• Not seen.
• Seems unlikely

Bleed- Show-Through:

• HPJ1124: C74.
• Royal: C74.
• Staples 20lb: Waterman.
• Could not use both sides of the sheet from the C74 on HPJ1124 or Royal.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Some from the 'ink pools' from the C74 on the Royal.
• (See HiRes scans below.)

Smell:

• Sweet-citrus.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not noticed.

Clean Up:

• Quick and thorough with plain water.

Mixing:

• No stated prohibitions.
• I see no reason to mix into this ink.

Archival:

• Not claimed.

Smear/Dry Times and Water Resistance:

• See Figure 9 above.

THE LOOK

 

Presence:

• Comfortable.
• Smooth and supple.
• Reminiscent of a person I would love to order my meal in their favourite restaurant.

Saturation:

• Moderate.

Shading:

• Oh yes indeed!

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • More than expected.

  [*]Papers used:

  • Slightly less than expected.

  [*]Malleability:

  • Quite high.
  • The wily practitioner is likely to choose their writer first to set the overall appearance, then choose the paper to fine tune the Look - especially the nature and extent of the shading.
  • If one uses a single daily writer, Storm will appear to be much itself across a range of papers.

Hi-Res Scans:

As I do not wish to earn the sobriquet 'Regina dei Banditi di Larghezza di Banda', these are IMG-thumbs only.

Estie on HPJ1124

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_dda931cf.jpg

Safari on Rhodia

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_4494ca42.jpg

Waterman on G Lalo

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_c2232f5b.jpg

C74 on Royal

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_c38ab80c.jpg

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• The Cd'A site invites one to "Protest in Storm". LINK Really! How goofy is that?
  
• The 30ml bottle seems an unlikely place for Thor to stow his hammer.
• Please feel free to chime-in with helpful / playful suggestions as to this inks' alt name.

Are swatches accurate?

• Not so much.
• Fit for purpose, only if that purpose is to differentiate between inks in the Cd'A 'Colors of the Earth' series.

SIMILAR COLOURS

 

Below we have swabs of CdASt interlaced with Herbin Larmes de Cassis [L], and Diamine Damson [R], in densities from three, two and one passes.

IMG-thumb:

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Caran%20dAche%20Storm/th_c20c0d27.jpg

 

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• Crisp pure white.
• Natural à la G Lalo.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• Those which are prone to bleed- show-through.

Tinted Papers:

• It seems that even though the ink is not opaque, the colour remains quite constant / persistent across different base tints.
• May do well on Champagne and Ivory, or a pale to medium Blue.
• If a dusky rose tint could be found, it may be very nice.
• Buff to Brown tints have no appeal.

Pre-Printed Papers:

• Forms, etc.
  • OMG don't do it! Use up the Diamine Indigo!!

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • The colour makes it attractive, but the shading makes it unlikely. (Use up the Everflo™ Orchid.)

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Rather.
• High-end papers may well be in the mix if one wants to exploit the line quality, (especially from very narrow nibs), and/or is intent upon a specific manner of shading.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• Very possible.
• Sufficiently robust and malleable.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• C74+MS on HPJ1124.
• The nib width and wetness generate a high % coverage, which CdASt can manage without getting bogged down or appearing clunky. The exquisite shading is emphasised by those characteristics, and is well depicted by the paper.
• With the combo of wide wet nib and a high lubrication ink, the slight bit of tooth of the HPJ1124 was chosen to give me more control than a smooth paper such as Rhodia. (One may also consider the maruman P143 report pad.)

Yickity Yackity:

• Have something of interest to write about when using this ink - otherwise the reader may only remember receiving a letter written in a beautiful ink.
• Ah kushbaby, so very appealing. Could almost make one forget about the Zombie Apocalypse.

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

 

Pens:

IMG-thumb:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/Pen_Scans/th_2d9e8c04.jpg

• Esterbrook J + steel 2550 XF
• Rotring 600 + steel F
• Safari + steel F
• Waterman + g-p steel M
• Parker UK 51 Insignia (?) + 14K
• Pilot C74 + 14K MS

• For lines & labels: R&K Sepia from a Pilot Penmanship with EF nib.

______

 

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Pulp. One-a-Day Calendar page.
• Staples 20lb. multi use.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• NIB-ism was scanned at 400 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted post-capture, so went straight to Photobouquet.

______

 

Densitometer Readings (FWIW)

HPJ1124:

• Red 158
• Grn 121
• Blu 171
• Lum 138

______

 

Fine Print

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff in the bottle I used, and that you may have.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

-30-

Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Caran d'Ache Storm 3S Sandy1

Edited October 28, 2011 by Sandy1

[padams2359]

Great review. This was the first violet I purchased, along with Delamere Green. I only had one black and one blue/black before this purchase. I spent several hours looking and comparing shades before deciding on this one. I wanted something that was obviously purple, but not a neon shade. It is a good first choice when moving away from the basics.

[Uncle Red]

What a lovely shade. I'd love to see a review of the CdA Carbon. Thanks Sandy, your reviews are great.

[Sandy1]

Great review. This was the first violet I purchased, along with Delamere Green. I only had one black and one blue/black before this purchase. I spent several hours looking and comparing shades before deciding on this one. I wanted something that was obviously purple, but not a neon shade. It is a good first choice when moving away from the basics.

Hi,

 

Glad you liked the review!

 

I think you made a good pick choosing this one when "moving away from the basics" - this ink having good manners, and works a treat on the page with its good line and persistent shading.

 

As for Delamere Green, I have no experience on that one.

 

Bye

S1

[Sandy1]

What a lovely shade. I'd love to see a review of the CdA Carbon. Thanks Sandy, your reviews are great.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I don't use Black FP inks, so a Carbon review just isn't going to pop-up on my To Do list.

Bye,

S1

[Uncle Red]

Well, then I'll have to do it myself. You certainly set a high bar with the quality of your reviews.

[Ipno Tizer]

Another one of those inks that would be look more iron-gall than iron-gall if it were darker.

 

I have asperations of owning a bottle, but right at the moment there are other demands on the contents of my wallet. But then again, Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat....

 

What a lovely shade. I'd love to see a review of the CdA Carbon. Thanks Sandy, your reviews are great.

If you have a quick look in the index, you'll find that Djehuty reviewed CdA Carbon some time ago.

 

Chris B.

[BamaPen]

This is a great review. As it happens, I picked up a bottle of Storm on a recent trip. I really like the way this ink performs on most paper, but would not use it for formal correspondence.

[saketb]

As always, your reviews are great and helps in deciding for buying inks. I like the shading very much.

[Sandy1]

Well, then I'll have to do it myself. You certainly set a high bar with the quality of your reviews.

Hi,

 

Go for it!

 

I think 'the bar' has been set by the Topic "Suggestions for what to include in an ink review..." http://www.fountainp...post__p__373585

 

And I have been made aware that this tearaway is not compliant with those suggestions.

 

I think it is a strength of FPN that each member contributes in their own manner.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited October 30, 2011 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

This is a great review. As it happens, I picked up a bottle of Storm on a recent trip. I really like the way this ink performs on most paper, but would not use it for formal correspondence.

Hi,

 

Thanks for the compliment!

 

I'm glad that Storm is delivering the performance that I have noticed.

 

Are there any additional 'trip wire' papers that you could identify?

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

As always, your reviews are great and helps in deciding for buying inks. I like the shading very much.

Hi,

 

Thanks for the compliments!

 

I really like shading for personal writing; and I do like to see a bit of shading for business writing - just enough to show that it is an FP ink, allow good duplication by scanner/copier, and to prevent mimicry by other writing instruments such as gel pens, rollers, etc.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited October 30, 2011 by Sandy1

[Fabienne]

I must say that your reviews leave absolutely nothing unsaid. I love them, I know they are a great deal of trouble but you are so very very good at them.

[tnmike1]

frankly I enjoyed the grocery list. Standing rib roast and shrimp?? Yummy. Anyone solve the Rebus puzzle on the grocery list? Don't like the ink, but loved that list!

[Sandy1]

I must say that your reviews leave absolutely nothing unsaid. I love them, I know they are a great deal of trouble but you are so very very good at them.

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your kind compliments!

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

frankly I enjoyed the grocery list. Standing rib roast and shrimp?? Yummy. Anyone solve the Rebus puzzle on the grocery list? Don't like the ink, but loved that list!

Hi,

 

The roast and the shrimp were used in different meals - I don't do 'surf & turf'.

 

Perhaps by following the Grocery Lists, you may eventually find an ink that you do enjoy!

 

Bye,

S1

[rogerb]

frankly I enjoyed the grocery list. Standing rib roast and shrimp?? Yummy. Anyone solve the Rebus puzzle on the grocery list? Don't like the ink, but loved that list!

 

Yes, roast fore-rib of beef is one of my favourite ... but very expensive here!

 

I think the rebus answer is "Extended Family" ???

 

However, I do like the ink, and the review was up to the usual high standard ... thanks,Sandy.

[nicholasyeo]

I just got this ink. I'm glad I got it! I have always loved purple inks and I was using Sailor Ultramarine for quite some time when I

came across this... It is really lovely... I find it not too attention seeking.

[Sandy1]

frankly I enjoyed the grocery list. Standing rib roast and shrimp?? Yummy. Anyone solve the Rebus puzzle on the grocery list? Don't like the ink, but loved that list!

 

Yes, roast fore-rib of beef is one of my favourite ... but very expensive here!

 

I think the rebus answer is "Extended Family" ???

 

However, I do like the ink, and the review was up to the usual high standard ... thanks,Sandy.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

This ink is certainly a joy to use and looks wonderful!!

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

I just got this ink. I'm glad I got it! I have always loved purple inks and I was using Sailor Ultramarine for quite some time when I

came across this... It is really lovely... I find it not too attention seeking.

Hi,

 

Thanks for telling us of your experience with Storm.

 

I have yet to try Ultramarine, but it certainly looks intriguing.

 

I think the "attention seeking" aspect of Storm, and other similar colours, has much to do with the density: at low density it is a rich but subdued colour, as it become more pale as more assertive [Pink-ish ?] colour is revealed. To me that is one of the attractive features of this ink: it can be used at high density without too too much performance penalty from being too wet; and with its excellent lubrication and high overall line quality, it can be used from a dry writer on a low-absorbency paper and still give a good writing experience and a strong result.

 

Bye,

S1