Just got a lovely cranberry colored Levenger TrueWriter from their bargain bin. It came with a cartridge of their Cardinal Red, which is far too pinkish for my taste. I'm looking for this to be my "red ink" pen, for editing and notating things. I'm looking for something much more red than pink, but not so maroon that it essentially looks black. Thoughts & opinions?

How about Diamine Monaco Red? A nice, rich red IMHO.

I like Waterman Red.

Waterman and Sheaffer reds are bright, vivid reds if that's what you're looking for. Visconti Bordeaux is deeper and very nice.

Levenger Fireball red

De Atramentis Carmine Red is now my red of choice, especially for marking and editing. I find that many of the other reds change too much on drying.

Peter

I've used, and like, Private Reserve Dakota Red.

Sounds like you're looking for Private Reserve Fiesta Red. It's a dark cranberry color. A couple shades lighter would give you the Visconti Burgundy, and if you want to go fire engine, classic teacher grading red then you want Sheaffer red.

Thanks for the great suggestions! Looks like there are several choices that will fit the bill ...

FYI - - If you are interested in the Fireball red from Levenger's, you had better get a good supply of it as it is one of the colors that will be discontinued in the late fall.

I do not usually like red inks, especially fire engine red. I use J. Herbin Rose Cyclamen for editing, but, as the name indicates, it is not red but a rich rose color. I also like Visconti Bordeaux as a subtle red.

I keep two reds, a Waterman Red for bright, fairly transparent and flashy red, and PR Arabian Rose for a deeper look.

That's my favourite red ink, too.
Visconti red is also nice.

Yes Diamine Monaco red is the only red for me...besides Antietam red.


Kurt

Noodler's Nikita Red....

Widowmaker

Another vote for Nikita red here.

Montblanc Season's Greetings 2007. But it's scented, and pricey for what you get. That said - a really gorgeous, rich red.

Noodler's Nikita Red. For me, the search for red ink is over.

Caran d'Ache Sunset

Sheaffer's red has the combined charms of being relatively inexpensive, widely available, and a very true and stricking red indeed.

As much as I like all inks Waterman, their red doesn't cut it for me. It's orange-y. The brightest, baddest, reddest red currently on the market is Sheaffer's Skrip Red (the stuff made in Slovenia). No orange undertones, no blue undertones, just eye-popping RED. Diamine Monaco Red is nice, but it's not as brilliant. Parker Quink Red is nice, but it's not as brilliant, and it's a tinge orange-y (but not as much as Waterman). Levenger Fireball Red is discontinued (here we go again, à la Penman...). Caran d'Ache Sunset is a little on the magenta side. There are some high-maintenance reds that approach closely enough that you could use them instead of Skrip, but since it's a better behaved ink, why would you want to?

Diamine Passion Red is pretty good by these criteria, IMO.....I don't have Skrip, but it looks so close that it's not worth getting until I finish this small bottle!
(There are enough really different inks to try first )

Pendimonium was out of Skrip Red, so I caved an bought Dakota Red from Private Reserve. I do not recommend this Red. Gunk city.

I'm thinking I'll give the Skrip a try.... sounds like what I'm looking for. May just see if I can find a cartridge or two before I spring whole hog for the bottle. I do have a cartridge of Levenger Fireball that came for free, so I'll probably try that quickly too.

Private Reserve Dakota Red - fully pigmented, writes well

I used to like OMAS Vespucci Red. They don't make it any more, so i make do with Herbin Rouge Fuchsia.

Enthusiastically seconded. This is the reddest ink I've personally seen. Even more so than Waterman Red. No pink tone, no purple tone, just in your face, fire engine siren red!

I happen to think this fits the "The brightest, baddest, reddest red currently on the market" bill better than Sheaffer's Skrip.

When i need a good red, i dip into my rOtring Brick Red........ oh yea....

The new Sheaffer Skrip Red, PR Dakota Red, Diamine Passion Red, and Noodler's Nikita Red are the eye-poppers for markup or for short notes that grab the eye. A whole pageful of writing in Skrip Red is unpleasant to read, so I assume the same for the other two.

Skrip Red is well-behaved in many of my pens but a poor starter in my Platinum Preppy (because the feed and comb let too much air in?). It is also the best-behaved red I've found for any grade of paper that is intended to be machine-printed or handwritten upon.

Noodler's standard Red (not water-resistant) is well-behaved in my pens and on paper (almost as good as Skrip Red on paper). It is a little darker than Skrip and Waterman without going too far from the center of red, which makes a pageful pleasant to read. It started better in my Hero 100 (before the thing leaked!) than Skrip Red did.

Levenger Fireball Red!

I use Nikita when using a conventional red. That may be because of Russian customs recent bad behavior...yet, the ability to produce this red with this intensity and contrast at the most competitive cost per volume - with perfect conventional flow properties...and stick it to the communists on the label with a free demonstrator eyedropper pen included with every bottle? It just makes me smile.

PR Plum

You know, I thought about this at the time - that you do anything but endear your yourself to the communist politic. Between Nikita and Year of the Golden Pig, well, some people might say you had it coming. But I love it, keep it up!

You know, I ordered Nikita Red from Peartree in the 1 ml test kit. I've yet to order a larger bottle, but I will. I had no idea Nikita came with the demonstrator pen. When I heard Baystate Blue came with the pen I check all the suppliers to see which were advertising as such to ensure I bought a bottle that included the pen. None of the distributors advertised the free pen.

Nathan, where can we learn about your promotional items? I don't believe your distributors are doing a very good job advertising your promotions. I know nothing about them unless I catch wind of it here.

I'm very glad you are a contributing member here on this forum and keep us informed.

The ink is just as important as the pen, in my humble opinion.

Noodler's Antietam is really nice.

Of all the reds I've "tried out" and/or tested, I like Skrip the best.

Mike

Diamine Monaco Red is really nice!

Omas red

Another Diamine Monaco Red person here!

Because I'm a pen newbie I haven't used it, but I saw a review for Noodler's Ottoman Rose on the Ink Review forum and I really like the color of it. It's not a bright, flashy red, but more of a subdued, deep red that you might find enjoyable.

+1 i love it

Waterman Red, CdA Sunset, and Diamine Monaco Red for me, and when I want a waterproof one, Noodlers Devil Red (recently renamed Djinn of the Eternal Flame and only available at Swishers)

Another vote for Waterman Red

Where did you buy your Noodler's Nikita Red?

Anyone tried the Penman Ruby Red? I have 2 bottles on the way from Greece. It was all I could get in my pursuit of Parker penman ink at the moment.

Todd

Waterman Red.

Mike

I don't have a bottle yet, but I got something written in Noodler's red-black and it was gorgeous. It's now high on my wish list. Some of the Diamine reds look beautiful too, but I've only seen scans of those.