Montblanc Jonathan Swift Ink

[jandrese]

I have read many times in these pages about people in love with Montblanc British Racing Green. With the release of the new Jonathan Swift ink people could not help but compare it to BRG. Since I love off-beat, hard to classify colors including Stipula's Moss Green I picked up Jonathan Swift as soon as I could.

 

Jonathan Swift is a great writing ink. It dries fast, shades like crazy, does not feather, flows easily but too easily, and has some water resistance. The color makes me happy, but it is not lovely. It seems to fade after drying. Write something and come back to it later only to discover its intensity has seemed to diminish over time. Maybe it oxidizes.

 

What color is it? Olive Drab...not exactly. Grass green...no way. Grey...nope. Brown...not at all. Montblanc Irish Green looks positively garish next to it. Hard to classify but easy to like.

 

It is a perfect match for my new Stipula Etruria Rainbow green pen. It loves the titanium nib. I will use this ink often.

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

It Fades... OH, Oh, oh....

 

Mine was scribbled and under halogen lights it was where is a school kid I can give it too, much too gray.

 

The next day in daylight....I decided to keep it.

[tandaina]

That is a strange and mesmerizing color... I shouldn't like it. I don't like ANY of the colors you'd compare it to... But I keep staring at it!

[lapis]

NIce Review. I've already got it. But I'm still getting into it....

 

Mike

[jgrasty]

I have read many times in these pages about people in love with Montblanc British Racing Green. With the release of the new Jonathan Swift ink people could not help but compare it to BRG. Since I love off-beat, hard to classify colors including Stipula's Moss Green I picked up Jonathan Swift as soon as I could.

 

Jonathan Swift is a great writing ink. It dries fast, shades like crazy, does not feather, flows easily but too easily, and has some water resistance. The color makes me happy, but it is not lovely. It seems to fade after drying. Write something and come back to it later only to discover its intensity has seemed to diminish over time. Maybe it oxidizes.

 

What color is it? Olive Drab...not exactly. Grass green...no way. Grey...nope. Brown...not at all. Montblanc Irish Green looks positively garish next to it. Hard to classify but easy to like.

 

It is a perfect match for my new Stipula Etruria Rainbow green pen. It loves the titanium nib. I will use this ink often.

 

 

I quite agree that the ink is lovely, but I don't really understand your comment on fading. I did a review awhile back on Jonathan Swift, and I don't see any fading at all since I did that review. I will note that the ink does change color as it dries, becoming lighter in color, but after that, remains stable as far as I can tell.

[jandrese]

I have read many times in these pages about people in love with Montblanc British Racing Green. With the release of the new Jonathan Swift ink people could not help but compare it to BRG. Since I love off-beat, hard to classify colors including Stipula's Moss Green I picked up Jonathan Swift as soon as I could.

 

Jonathan Swift is a great writing ink. It dries fast, shades like crazy, does not feather, flows easily but too easily, and has some water resistance. The color makes me happy, but it is not lovely. It seems to fade after drying. Write something and come back to it later only to discover its intensity has seemed to diminish over time. Maybe it oxidizes.

 

What color is it? Olive Drab...not exactly. Grass green...no way. Grey...nope. Brown...not at all. Montblanc Irish Green looks positively garish next to it. Hard to classify but easy to like.

 

It is a perfect match for my new Stipula Etruria Rainbow green pen. It loves the titanium nib. I will use this ink often.

 

 

I quite agree that the ink is lovely, but I don't really understand your comment on fading. I did a review awhile back on Jonathan Swift, and I don't see any fading at all since I did that review. I will note that the ink does change color as it dries, becoming lighter in color, but after that, remains stable as far as I can tell.

 

 

Hi, your review was one that caused me to purchase this ink, thanks! Yeah, what I meant by fading was that the intensity of the color diminished as it dried completely. It seems to become smudge proof quickly, and perhaps totally dry a little later so that you don't notice the slight "fade" because you have turned the page. Fade is probably not the correct word exactly. Most inks color is most intense when wet so I bet this effect is partly drying action. Based on the timing and quality of the color change, however, I suspect that it is partly oxidation as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[jgrasty]

I have read many times in these pages about people in love with Montblanc British Racing Green. With the release of the new Jonathan Swift ink people could not help but compare it to BRG. Since I love off-beat, hard to classify colors including Stipula's Moss Green I picked up Jonathan Swift as soon as I could.

 

Jonathan Swift is a great writing ink. It dries fast, shades like crazy, does not feather, flows easily but too easily, and has some water resistance. The color makes me happy, but it is not lovely. It seems to fade after drying. Write something and come back to it later only to discover its intensity has seemed to diminish over time. Maybe it oxidizes.

 

What color is it? Olive Drab...not exactly. Grass green...no way. Grey...nope. Brown...not at all. Montblanc Irish Green looks positively garish next to it. Hard to classify but easy to like.

 

It is a perfect match for my new Stipula Etruria Rainbow green pen. It loves the titanium nib. I will use this ink often.

 

 

I quite agree that the ink is lovely, but I don't really understand your comment on fading. I did a review awhile back on Jonathan Swift, and I don't see any fading at all since I did that review. I will note that the ink does change color as it dries, becoming lighter in color, but after that, remains stable as far as I can tell.

 

 

Hi, your review was one that caused me to purchase this ink, thanks! Yeah, what I meant by fading was that the intensity of the color diminished as it dried completely. It seems to become smudge proof quickly, and perhaps totally dry a little later so that you don't notice the slight "fade" because you have turned the page. Fade is probably not the correct word exactly. Most inks color is most intense when wet so I bet this effect is partly drying action. Based on the timing and quality of the color change, however, I suspect that it is partly oxidation as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

 

Thanks, that's very clear, and I agree.

[79spitfire]

Irish Green does look garish next to it! And I like Irish Green, (I'm in a green ink phase right now, must be Christmas!), for how professional it looks, while still being, well GREEN!

 

I also look at this ink and think, God that's an ugly color...but I may need some of that. It reminds me of the beaches of Northern California, when I was young. It's like they got into my minds eye and nailed the exact color of the seaweed that was always present...

[Newjelan]

I have this ink and like it too - although I'm not sure why. My favourite green is Sailor Jentle Epinard (Seaweed), which is similar but a little richer and darker. I do like this too and am enjoying using it.

[goldenkrishna]

Hello jandrese,

 

Thanks for a great review, it's a high quality ink. Yesterday I considered buying Jonathan Swift ink, but instead I ordered MB Winter Glow LE (dark red).

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

[mark e]

i really like this one, and i'm not a green ink fan---i have it in two completely different pens; a waterman's 52 1/2 x-fine #2 flex, and a paper-skatin' pelikan 140 -m- nib---looks really antique and shady(?) with the 52, but more professional w/ slight shading coming out of the 140, and looks good on biz-work forms

 

these 2 pens are such different writing experiences--mine looks like 2 diffrent people's handwriting--but you can easily see it's the same ink--and i agree w/ o-p about fast drying times (even on clairefontaine), not too wet or dry-flowing in either pen, although i have noticed just a slight bit of feathering on the lesser copy papers

 

altogether a really good ink, better than i expected--compares with herbin and vintage american inks i use

 

edit: forgot to mention that it makes great xmas card ink when used along w/ MB hitchcock red

Edited December 4, 2012 by mark e

[Chrissy]

I bought one but I haven't opened it yet. After having looked at these samples I have to say I don't like it at all. I'm going to sell it on... guess where?

 

I much prefer my Seasons Greetings White Forest and I always thought that was a bit dark. However, it's nice for this time of year.

[The Good Captain]

I think I'll stick with Diamine Racing Green, or for something a little bit 'greener', their Evergreen or Noodler's Sequoia.

[seffrican]

I have this ink and like it too - although I'm not sure why. My favourite green is Sailor Jentle Epinard (Seaweed), which is similar but a little richer and darker. I do like this too and am enjoying using it.

 

Glad as I am that you enjoy the Sailor Jentle Epinard, it does not mean seaweed. The French for seaweed is algue. The French word épinard means spinach, which fits with the colour of the ink.

 

Dark green inks feel a little clautrophobic to me, like being in a forest of conifers. It's even worse if one has spiky handwriting.

[jandrese]

I think I'll stick with Diamine Racing Green, or for something a little bit 'greener', their Evergreen or Noodler's Sequoia.

 

 

The Diamine Racing Green is UK only right?

[The Good Captain]

I think I'll stick with Diamine Racing Green, or for something a little bit 'greener', their Evergreen or Noodler's Sequoia.

 

 

The Diamine Racing Green is UK only right?

Not as such. It's only available from Missing-Pen in Germany who are the sole sellers of this ink. I've put a link under their name. It's more expensive than the regular 80ml bottles but Diamine only supply to Rolf there, so that makes it a bit special. It's quite economic to buy it in pairs, for the shipping charges etc. Nice ink too!

[jandrese]

I think I'll stick with Diamine Racing Green, or for something a little bit 'greener', their Evergreen or Noodler's Sequoia.

 

 

The Diamine Racing Green is UK only right?

Not as such. It's only available from Missing-Pen in Germany who are the sole sellers of this ink. I've put a link under their name. It's more expensive than the regular 80ml bottles but Diamine only supply to Rolf there, so that makes it a bit special. It's quite economic to buy it in pairs, for the shipping charges etc. Nice ink too!

 

 

Thanks!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Chrissy

 

One needs a basic set of murky green inks. Herbin Vert Empire is another one.

There is a thread if some one will be so nice to point it out to you for me, of some 30 murky green inks.

 

I don't think MB Swift was out when the thread was done this year. From all my reading on Swift, it is one of the 'better' murky green inks.

 

Of course in daylight much better than an odd gray under halogen lights.

Have you gotten into gray, or purples or other inks that a year or so ago, you didn't like?

 

There are two toned shading inks and vivid monotone inks, one needs both.

 

In having the bottle already, keep it, folks grow and change ink preferences. Green was never where I was heading....waiting for my B&M to get in a bottle of DA Golf Green I ordered. I now have six greens; two or three murky.

Yes I do like MB Winter Forest best...have two and 3/4ths bottles. I find Pelikan Brilliant Green very underrated, but that is a green-green.

 

Just think three years ago no ink in the world was so hated as MB Racing Green, now it is so beloved, after it left. The murky Green that all are measured against.

In only three years, the opinion of so many have changed here...so give your innocent bottle of ink a chance.

[Drone]

This ink is not for dry or fine nib pens, it just doesn't speak without flow. Put this in a nice stub or flex pen and it sings. I'm using it right now in a we-adjusted Ahab flex pen; lovely shading. Here I think Mont Blanc may have been trying to resurrect their discontinued British Racing Green - and it is close, except for the price.

[georges zaslavsky]

Looks like a revival of the MB racing green thanks for sharing