Can anyone comment on how well other Private Reserve inks flow in comparison to Tanzanite? I'm looking for something that flows (almost) as freely as the legendary colour. I'm particularly interested in knowing how Gray Flannel and Black Cherry compare, but I'd love to know about other colours as well.

Thanks in advance
Neil

Orange Crush is similar in flow.
Black Cherry and Gray Flannel aren't as free flowing.

Thanks, roisnoir.

Neil

PR Plum (my favorite color) flows like Tanzinite

I would add PR Midnight Blues to the list of ones that flow well. Blue Suede flows reasonably well, as does Fiesta Red. j

Besides PR Tanzanite and Plum, I found that Waterman Violet and Havana and Noodler Blue and Diamine Prussian Blue are very free flowing.

i'm finding Black Magic Blue to be very free flowing. I put it in an italic pen of mine in hopes of seeing some shading. Yowza! Really wet, dark line. Nice.

oh.. yeah, i found black cherry quite dry writing.

I looked for Tanzanite at my Paradise Pen Co., and the young (30s) clerk told me, when I asked for an ink as free-flowing as Tanzanite, that all of the inks were fine.

I wanted to tear my hair out, because while all the inks are 'fine', I want one that is more than 'fine'. That's the second clerk that has told me that all inks are the same. Arggh!!

Am I crazy? General opinion in this forum and online is that there are some inks that flow more freely than others.. or is that myth? Should I believe an no-nothing, $5.25/hour clerk, or established tradition?

not so much that they're no-nothings as they want to sell ink - any ink. all their inks. anything on the shelf. if they admit that they don't know what ink is as free-flowing as Tanzanite, you may not buy any ink. If they do point to one or two, maybe you'll buy them but you you'll never buy any other inks. So.. a good non-committal answer claiming all inks are the same is just protecting their bottom line.

so they think.

what's funny about this is that probably the same person would preach to you to only buy MB ink if you buy an MB pen from them.

trust the people who use the inks. Perhaps ask them (clerk) next time which ink they use. Then ask them why. Based on the level if information given, you can guess as to their actual knowledge about inks. Or perhaps even as to their level of deception.

Auroras are great flowink inks too, btb.

All inks are just "colored water" with bits of this and that thrown in for flow and anti-microbial action. But the amounts of those little bits makes a big difference from one ink to another.

there is another solution for you - if you find an ink you like the color on but feel it's too stingy, there are ways to alter it that will help increase the flow.

and for now - i have to hit the hay so if the topic comes up again I'll put my .02 in on that last bit. but for now this cold is getting the better of me tonight.

Probably the clerk simply meant that the most inks by the major makers work fine in most pens. Most modern pens can handle Parker or Sailor of Private Reserve or whatever.

Now and again some people say they find one ink that seems to work better than others in one particular pen, but that is something only you can decide using your own pen.

Some inks, like PR Tanzanite, seem to flow a bit faster than others. But again, probably the clerk was offering general advice, and he or she was right to tell you that there was no one ink that was somehow better for every pen.

Probably with some experimentation you will find those inks that really go well with your particular pen(s). Enjoy the hunt. J

Thanks for all the tips. All I need to do now is make a decision...

Neil

I was going to mention Plum but it seems you got there first!

Naples Blue is another strong flowing ink but less so that Tanzanite and Plum. Midnight Blues and Velvet Black OTOH probably rank as "normal" (ie non-laxative ).

BTW, this is only based upon my own experience. I'd love to have full details of all of them but with 163 different colours to go through I still need a little more time .

Martin

Thanks, Martin. I'll do my best to work my through your 163 colours.

Neil