Yet another Noodler's Legal Lapis review...

[fenrisfox]

My first handwritten review of an ink - 4 pages, plus a small supplement page using Noodler's Black as a comparison.

 

Sorry that the handwriting isn't better - most people struggle to read my cursive. I tried to slow down a little here...

 

Some addenda that may not have made it into the handwritten review:

 

1.) If I had to choose a single color family to assign Legal Lapis to, I'd assign it to the greens, not the blues or blue-blacks; however, it borders right on the corner of all three of those familes, IMO.

 

2.) Although I first questioned whether I'd like this color, like some other folks here, it's grown on me.

 

3.) Legal Lapis is no worse than Bulletproof Black if a pen is left open for a few minutes - it starts back up pretty easily.

 

4.) In addition to "the moody ink," I've called the variable, hard-to-class color-nature of Legal Lapis "the mysterious ink."

 

5.) These are 300dpi scans; my monitor downstairs sucks, so they may look a bit odd. I have no way of knowing for now.

 

6.) If you don't want to read my cursive, an easier-to-read data-table summary is on pages 3 and 4.

 

7.) Bonus points to anyone who can find my cute embellishments and jokes in there. :embarrassed_smile: (my signature doesn't count - anything I do has my pen name signature. )

 

8.) The supplemental is, of course, not on A5-size paper - it's one of the little pads that comes in the Rhodia treasure box (essentials box), a little bit larger than Post-Its.

 

The main review:

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/fenrisfox/ink_reviews/legal_lapis-01.jpg

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/fenrisfox/ink_reviews/legal_lapis-02.jpg

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/fenrisfox/ink_reviews/legal_lapis-03.jpg

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/fenrisfox/ink_reviews/legal_lapis-04.jpg

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/fenrisfox/ink_reviews/legal_lapis-supplemental.jpg

[jmitchell]

[...]

1.) If I had to choose a single color family to assign Legal Lapis to, I'd assign it to the greens, not the blues or blue-blacks; however, it borders right on the corner of all three of those familes, IMO.

 

Thanks for the review!

 

I just cracked open my first bottle of it this evening. I totally agree -- I find it to be much more of a green tint than anything else. On the various papers that I tried it on, it was definitely more green that what shows up in your scans on my monitor.

 

I like the "antique" look to it but we'll have to see if it really does grow on me like it has so many others. :-)

 

Thanks,

John

[HDoug]

Another thank you for posting the review. I love seeing handwritten posts, especially here on a fountain pen forum. Maybe FPN should ONLY allow handwritten posts.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to relay to others who may be reading this thread that you can get a more accurate idea of the color of Legal Lapis by clicking on the bar above the image to get the original huge image post. For some reason, the color on the big images seems more accurate.

 

I now use Legal Lapis to add some green to blue and blue-black inks. It adds a touch of a vintage look to blue inks, in my opinion.

 

Doug

[FLZapped]

I have personally considered it to be close to an aquamarine-black. -Bruce

[Possum Hill]

(snip)

1.) If I had to choose a single color family to assign Legal Lapis to, I'd assign it to the greens, not the blues or blue-blacks; however, it borders right on the corner of all three of those familes, IMO.

 

(snip)

 

The human eye really likes to see things as green.

 

Most of the time Legal Lapis doesn't look greenish to me. I replaced my Sheaffer Scrip Blue-Black with Legal Lapis. The Sheaffer ink was darker and it seemed greenish more often.

[jmitchell]

(snip)

1.) If I had to choose a single color family to assign Legal Lapis to, I'd assign it to the greens, not the blues or blue-blacks; however, it borders right on the corner of all three of those familes, IMO.

 

(snip)

 

The human eye really likes to see things as green.

 

Most of the time Legal Lapis doesn't look greenish to me. I replaced my Sheaffer Scrip Blue-Black with Legal Lapis. The Sheaffer ink was darker and it seemed greenish more often.

 

Indeed, there are more green receptors in the eye.

 

FWIW, the trick that I've found to get a less subjective idea of the components of the inks is to pour some into a wetted, white sink. The different constituent colors will separate a bit and be easier to distinguish.

 

For me, the strength of green-ness of Legal Lapis depends mostly on the paper. Some show it as more green than others. Of course, I'm only testing with Fine and Medium nibs.

 

Have fun,

John

 

[jmitchell]

[...]

I now use Legal Lapis to add some green to blue and blue-black inks. It adds a touch of a vintage look to blue inks, in my opinion.

 

Does anybody know what it is that gives it the vintage look?

 

Thanks,

John

 

[HDoug]

[...]

I now use Legal Lapis to add some green to blue and blue-black inks. It adds a touch of a vintage look to blue inks, in my opinion.

 

Does anybody know what it is that gives it the vintage look?

John

 

To my eye (both of them, actually), one of the characteristics of vintage ink is a subtle greenishness. But I don't regard colors as "absolute." Inks can be completely different colors depending on the surrounding colors, paper etc. Here's a scan of Legal Lapis with a couple of other "true" blues.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/hdougmatsuoka/images/pen/pasternyiet.jpg

 

Although I no longer use Legal Lapis "straight," it's a critical ingredient in my current (very conservative) mix, New Old Bishop Street Blue-Black.

 

Doug

 

 

[jmitchell]

[...]

To my eye (both of them, actually), one of the characteristics of vintage ink is a subtle greenishness. But I don't regard colors as "absolute." Inks can be completely different colors depending on the surrounding colors, paper etc. Here's a scan of Legal Lapis with a couple of other "true" blues.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/hdougmatsuoka/images/pen/pasternyiet.jpg

 

Although I no longer use Legal Lapis "straight," it's a critical ingredient in my current (very conservative) mix, New Old Bishop Street Blue-Black.

 

Doug

 

Cool, thanks. Perhaps a wee bit of chalkiness helps, too?

 

I don't have Upper Ganges Blue but I do have Luxury Blue so I'll take a stab with that.

 

Though, now I might have to name my attempted mix of Red and Black as "Hotel Street Red-Black". :-)

 

Thanks,

John

 

[fenrisfox]

Another thank you for posting the review. I love seeing handwritten posts, especially here on a fountain pen forum. Maybe FPN should ONLY allow handwritten posts.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to relay to others who may be reading this thread that you can get a more accurate idea of the color of Legal Lapis by clicking on the bar above the image to get the original huge image post. For some reason, the color on the big images seems more accurate.

 

I now use Legal Lapis to add some green to blue and blue-black inks. It adds a touch of a vintage look to blue inks, in my opinion.

 

Doug

 

That's exactly why I do 300dpi scans, when scanning any work I do with fountain pens - you can see an incredible amount of detail and shading. It's almost like having a microscope view.

[fenrisfox]

To my eye (both of them, actually), one of the characteristics of vintage ink is a subtle greenishness. But I don't regard colors as "absolute." Inks can be completely different colors depending on the surrounding colors, paper etc.

(much snippage)

 

This is very true. The "fading" I mentioned on other paper, happens in one of my handwritten journals - it's because the paper allows somewhat more absorption, than Rhodia paper does. Therefore, the colors aren't as strong.

[fenrisfox]

(snip)

The human eye really likes to see things as green.

 

Most of the time Legal Lapis doesn't look greenish to me. I replaced my Sheaffer Scrip Blue-Black with Legal Lapis. The Sheaffer ink was darker and it seemed greenish more often.

 

Hehe - this is why I call LL "the moody ink" - it changes color a lot. :roflmho:

 

Sometimes, it's greener, sometimes more dark blue. I like it, though.

 

As far as the human eye - IIRC, the human eye has the peak of its sensitivity in the yellow-green area of the color spectrum; this is most likely thanks to evolution, which gave us eyes most sensitive to the natural color of sunlight (our pretty yellow dwarf )

 

This is also why many newer fire trucks, are painted a bright greenish-yellow, instead of fire-engine red.

[phe]

Thank for the review, the ink looks lovely, I really want some! Nice cat faces too.

[KG4KAH]

Dear Fenrisfox,

 

Another thankyou for reviewing this fine ink. I keep Legal Lapis in one of my pens permanently. I find it useful in a number of situations where a purer blue might seem to diminish the seriousness of the document, or where one wants to be able to distinguish between a copy and an original. It's also useful for personal correspondence, for addressing envelopes...just a good all around ink. Can you tell I like it? To me, the chameleon like characterisitic is part of the charm.

 

Regards,

 

Wade

[KG4KAH]

Dear Fenrisfox,

 

Another thankyou for reviewing this fine ink. I keep Legal Lapis in one of my pens permanently. I find it useful in a number of situations where a purer blue might seem to diminish the seriousness of the document, or where one wants to be able to distinguish between a copy and an original. It's also useful for personal correspondence, for addressing envelopes...just a good all around ink. Can you tell I like it? To me, the chameleon like characterisitic is part of the charm.

 

Regards,

 

Wade

[KClaw]

I have just tried my first bottle of Legal Lapis. I like the color, but man, it is very pen specific.

I have two DJ "51"s, both made in 1945. One has an XF point, and the other a F. The LL does wonderfully in the XF, flowing with a nice wet line. The F ironically writes a little dry, but still okay for document corrections, notes, etc. I switched to Diamine Imperial Blue in the F, and it now puts down a wet line, similar to the EF. Go figure.

I did not notice any flow problems w/LL, other than being a little dry in the F, nor did I have any clogging in either pen. Interestingly, I noticed the F dried out quicker than the XF if left uncapped for more than a minute or so. It would start up quickly, though.

I see what you mean about it being "moody." It does have different shades and nuances to it from use to use, in the same pen.

[dennisraines]

It's my "everyday ink." I love the way it goes down, specifically on a wet nib.

 

HOWEVER: the creep.... And don't leave that sucker uncapped for long.

 

Good thing I like hooded nibs

[kaos]

I just starting using Legal Lapis as my day to day ink at work. I need my signature to be in other than black and it has to be permanent. Anyway, I like the color, as it seems to have a hint of green. I use only extra fine point nibs. One thing that I have noticed is that it feathers a bit. I have tested it on several types of paper side by side with Noodler's Black, and while the black never feathers, the Legal Lapis does. It does not feather much, and does not affect one's ability to read the text. I have also found that it does not dry as quickly as the black.

 

Sorry I have no access to a scanner to show examples.

 

All in all, I like this ink, as I wanted something different than the standard blue. I had used Pelikan Blue for many years, and while a great ink, it was time for a change.

[Deirdre]

I have a picture of Legal Lapis with a bunch of other colors at this link. Even bigger picture can be found here.

 

It's greener than Squeteague or Navy, but the three colors are otherwise fairly similar.

[Pjake]

fenrisfox...

 

thanks for the review...I just today received my first bottle of Legal Lapis, which I'll take for a test drive tomorrow. I does look like a pretty good blue/blackish ink.

 

 

Deirdre...congrats (shhhh!) on the new job....I found a really nice Italian here at Paradise Pen here in Dallas that may end my quest for perfection. "Handlebar's" review of this beauty is pretty accurate. I might even put some Legal Lapis in it!! It might also be the perfect "Ya Man...I found a new job" pen.

 

Peter