On a scholarship application letter, I was for the first time in my life forced to use black ink to sign my name... It was horrid. I asked my mother if I could use my British Racing Green and she said no.....

On a better note, I am doing a pro-Latin article for the Catholic Spirit (for a scholarship, no less), and found the Vatican's resident Latin Lover, Carmelite Fr. Reginald Foster. He's wickedly interesting!

I think the classic combination of black ink and white paper has something to be said for it,
and there are occasions (mostly solemn) when it is necessary, but for social correspondence,
I also do not choose it. It seems a bit too serious. And it generally lacks the shading, so one cannot always tell it came from a fp.

Aurora black is beautiful to look at while drying!

Alejandro

I like black ink...

I don't normally like black ink. But for me it's the combination of the pen and ink together... I have one pen that I can't imagine using anything BUT black in.

Petra

I have two bottles of black ink - Waterman (came with a pen) and Noodlers. I've used one converter full out of the Noodlers and the Waterman I use as a test ink (only way it'll get used).

If I need something very "professional" looking, I go with one of the tried and true regular blues, typically Gulfstream Blue as it's waterproof and won't smear even if it gets wet (which looks very unprofessional). In other words, I don't use black ink. Blue-Black, now that's a different story.

But that's the one of the great things about FPs, so many different inks - plenty for everyone to choose their favorite, even black inks.

I keep my work notes in white brilliant white, acid free paper notebooks... and write on them with Aurora Black and a fine nib. The look is spectacular.

For personal things, I tend to use blue and colors.
But for things that must endure the test of time, or must look ultra-serious... black and white it is.

It's not that I don't like black, I do like the look of it; but it doesn't look like a fountain pen could have written it... It was Aurora black - my first black, and the second bottle of ink I've bought. Ever...

I understand your point on black looking like it could have been written by any other type of pen, that's why I go for blue and brown inks.

Not if you use an italics/flexy/stub nib.

For many years, I used nothing but black ink. Since most people used blue or black BP, there was no way that anything written with a FP could be confused with marks made with the BPs. Even my EF Parker 51 imparts "something" to the writing that is lacking when using a BP of RB.

What black inks? In (I think) chronological order: Quink, Sheaffer, Pelikan, and currently, both Waterman and Aurora. Waterman is very good (close enough for [fill in the blank] work) and Aurora is, well BLACK.

Hope the comments help.

i'm using both Waterman Black and it is VERY similar to Quink Black. When ink on the paper is still wet, the color is black with a bit blue. when it dried, the color changes to black, with a little yellow - orange. and if i pour some drops of waterman black ink and quink black into blotting paper, there is a yellow area around the ink blot.
Even the smell of waterman black is also similar to quink black...

I rarely use black ink, but find that when I do I rather like it.

It does not supprise me in the least. When I upturn my bottle on Parker Back Quink it clearly has the word "FRANCE" cast into the bottom.