I tried, really!

I've been using HOD as my main ink for the last few days now. And I think it is a great black. Alas, it is black.

It lacks the pop of colors. The few times I signed with it, it is the same color as the original document.

Filling up documentation? same thing! At a glance, I can't see where I wrote, and where I didn't... too close to the document black.

Visconti blue, Ottoman Azure, MB Violet would all have popped up!

But black does not cut it.

I'm sure once in a while I'll have to retry, or will have a specific need for this. But as my main ink, this color will not be used.

Will flush the pen and try another color this week-end.

nick

I could have written this except that I've yet to even try my HoD.

I love my Heart of Darkness for writing addresses on envelopes and stuff. For me, that's what it's for. Otherwise, the only black that turns me on is Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black, which shines!

Erick

I use black inks (my HoD has yet to be come) mainly for taking up notes to put in a file and collect them till I get something like a self-written book or so. The documents I've written look a type of "official" with black ink, like when my handwriting has been printed. That is what I appreciate. I agree with you that when you have to fill in blankets, black ink is not so good to the eyes as it's hardly distinguishable. But it depends on your handwriting, actually. My handwriting is easily distinguishable from printings.

I used to use black ink all the time for everything and never really considered using any other colors, but then I tried a few I found that I really like Waterman Havana brown for writing in my journals. I use a bright blue for documents and such (although I've not settled on any particular blue just yet) and for signing my signature. Now black just seems too plain. Funny, my first fountain pen was black (a nice matched set of pens in black lacquer) but now I only use brightly colored pens and the black pens sit on my writing desk unused. Hmmm...

- R

I feel the same way. Also, I worked for *years* in a camera dark room - utter pitch black dark room - and I have craved color in my life ever since. So color it is!

For a long time, everything I picked up like this (pens, ink, computers, wallets, belts, anything that could vaguely be an "accessory") was black or white, with silver or gray accents. It's a nice color combination. Very elegant, looks good anywhere.

I'm just bored with it. I still like black ink, but I have greens, purples, and blues now as well. And I am sure that oranges and reds are in my future. It's the same with pens. I just don't really want any more black or silver pens. Gimme some red, a cloudy blue, a swirly green.

My credo:

Life is just too short to write with black ink or ugly pens!

I used black ink for years -- exclusively -- until I got frustrated that my notations did not stand out on black-on-white printed documents, and I couldn't tell my original signature from the copies. For those two reasons, I switched to blue.

I continue to believe, despite the objections of many on this board, that black, blue, and blue-black are the only acceptable ink colors for business use.

I like colors too, but I find black on white stationery most appropriate for formal situations.
So I always keep one black inked pen.

Me too, also using it for any business or financial needs, such as the odd occasion I may write a cheque. I take the view that a good black is just another colour, and Aurora Black is a big favourite here at the moment.

I use Noodler's Black for lab notes and most business writing (there is a very strong preference for black ink in the EPA regulations, a hang-over from when blue didn't photocopy in the 60's, I think), although I will use blue-black once in a while. Probably more when I eventually get a bottle of Legal Lapis, just to distinguish signature originals from copies. Since we now digitize all our documents in B&W, the color won't matter, the originals get shredded, I think.

Ditto for addreses, etc where waterproof ink is desirable. The rest of my writing (letters, journals, personal notes) is whatever suits me at the time. No red or green, usually, but lots of Peacock, Navajo Turquoise, brown, Walnut, El Lawrence, Aircorp, Hero Blue-black, Scrip Blue-black, and so on.

My niece uses PR American Blue for editing, and I gave her some Tuipe Noire this Xmas for the same use. I may get something else vivid for her next year.

But for buisiness use, I'd stick to black, blue-black, and blue -- anything else smacks of excess frivolity.

Peter

I agree... but not completely.

I always have at least one (if not more) inked in blue or blue black. And yes, most official documents will get done with these colors.

But I also have some other colors, that I use daily. Just not on any official documents. Taking notes that I'll type later or my ongoing todo list to name a few examples.

When looking into a blue, how much will it "not stand out in a bad way" is on the factor list. I can have some different blues, but if it starts looking too weird, I'll have to keep another blue inked at the same time...

my 2 cents...

nick

For formal correspondence, I tend to use conservative colors, but 99.9% of my writing isn't formal correspondence.

Does the same rule apply for yarn?

I never use yarn for formal correspondence.

I have about 5 different blues that I use and no blacks