I'm thinking of trying Diamine Grey. I like the slightly purple-y look of it in color swatches a lot.

Any other greys that people love or would recommend before I pull the plug on this?

Not 100% sure it's really a grey, but I like Caran d'Ache Storm. It's supposed to be more a stormcloud colour but I find it looks different in various pens - in some it comes out as a purplish grey, and others more as a greyish purple. Given your comments about 'purplish' that might suit?

I also think Diamine Quartz Black is more of a (very) dark grey than a true black.

I used to very much like Skrip grey - I used to use it in cartridges in a NoNonsense pen for ages - but that was one of the colours which was discontinued. However, you might find some vintage Skrip grey lying around somewhere?

Good luck in your search!

I really like J. Herbin's Gris Nuage, which also has a purple/blue cast to it (not too visible when writing with a fine nib).

Peter

Caran D'Ache Storm is a strong purple/burgundy/eggplant. I don't find it to be grayish at all. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=33211

If water resistance is important to you, try Noodler's Lexington Gray. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=10918

Lexington is very neutral, perhaps a drop of another purple-ish ink would give you the hue you are looking for?

Good luck!

Just came across this thread from a couple of years back: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=7591 . Perhaps some useful suggestions in there!

Regarding Caran d'Ache Storm - perhaps it's just my eyesight? But there again, that review does also describe it as 'aubergine, shading towards grey' so perhaps not...

I was looking for a grey ink too. I came to realize that I didn't really like gray inks though.

For a bulletproof ink, there's Noodlers Lexington gray. For an ink with shading there's Stipula's 'blu della robbia' (deep blue), which for me is gray with subtle purple tones, and could actually pass for a blue-black. Note that, reading the reviews of this ink, it's as though there are two different versions out there. The Stipula looks gorgeous in a flexy writer, I think.

Stephen

You know, thinking about it, I probably still have a few very elderly carts of Skrip grey lying around at home. I feel some quality time with a hypodermic coming on, as I no longer have a working NoNonsense pen to put them in.

But this got me thinking - people still talk about the long-defunct Penman Sapphire ink, and its companion Emerald, and I've seen posts on this board where people have come across small quantities of them from odd corners of the world. Can anybody recollect a sighting of vintage bottles of Skrip grey since it was dropped?

You know... I always use F/XF/XXF pens. It could certainly be that in my typical pens, CdA Storm just looks more saturated than in broader pens. You could well be right about the gray undertones. That's the great things about pens, isn't it? The exact same ink can look very different in different pens and on different paper!

I really like Omas Grey... great shading and gives a really sharp outline with 1.1mm Lamy Italic nib. Probably better in a slightly wetter pen - in a Lamy Safari I find I occasionally have to twist the converter to get the flow going or it ends up a pit too pencil-like.

I don't speak French, but if this translates to grey flannel, then it is the color I am using in cartridge form. A really, really nice soft grey. Doesn't go through a copier very well unless set to the darkest level of contrast, though.

Sharon in Indiana

Joe, go dig up a bottle of vintage Parker Quink Blue/Black. By now, if it's spent any amount of time in the light...it'll be the gray you're looking for.

I was all set to recommend Levenger Smokey until you mentioned wanting purplish undertones.

Great suggestions everyone, thanks!

I think I am going to try the Diamine Grey after all; it seems to have a little more depth of color than the Omas Grey or Herbin Gris Nuage, though they are lovely too. I think I will be happier with something a little darker, and I'd like to try a Diamine ink as that's a new brand for me...

I do love the Caran d'Ache Storm color but it is very close to FPN Tulipe Noir, which I will need to use up for quite a while...it's a BIIIGGG bottle.

I'll have to peek at the Levenger colors, Ryan, I saw someone else liked that color too. How do the Levenger inks flow - similar to Private Reserve?

They're typically pretty saturated, Joe. Remind me next time we get together for a beer (which we're probably due for fairly soon, aren't we?) and I'll bring a bottle or two for you to sample.

Sounds good!

I tried PR Grey Flannel and hated it.
Tried Levenger Smokey and loved it.

"The Writing Desk" translates gris nuage as "cloudy grey" in their compilation of ink scans. Other re-sellers may relabel it differently.

Peter