Looking For An Ink As Good As The Ink That Almost Ruined My Pens!

[jrm27]

Hello all,

 

When I first started with fountainpens a little while ago, I went down to our local art supply store and bought some bottled ink. The ink turned out to be India ink for drawing. After researching it here, I realized my mistake. Many cleanings and soakings later, I was fortunate enough to rehabilitate my meager pen collection. Thanks for the info!

 

However, when I look back at what I wrote with that ink, I love the absolute blackness of the ink. It is unmistakably black... I mean, the term "inky darkness" applies here. The line is sharp and it is completely opaque with no shading. I really really like it. I've purchased some Private Reserve Ultra Black, but it just doesn't seem to get to the same level of darkness.

 

Are there inks out there that have that same feel of a black india ink that wont ruin my pens? Water-proof/resistant and bulletproof would be nice too.

 

--EDIT--

I have searched around the forum, but "best black" and similar terms only bring up a few topics that aren't helping much. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong. If someone would prefer to point me to another thread, that would be great too. Thanks!

 

 

-jon

Edited January 22, 2013 by jrm27

[tmcneil82]

I love that absolute darkness of that ink too. The closest I have been able to find so far is Aurora Black and Noodler's Black. Both excellent ink. There should be a bunch of threads here about the "blackest black" ink that will point out other great suggestions.

[BMG]

I like (and use) Aurora black and Pelikan "Brilliant" black. Both are deep, rich blacks.

[permanente]

Noodler's Black is "The Black" for me !

[kestrel]

I use both Noodler's Black and Aurora Black. Both are wonderful, deep, dark, black inks. Some of my vintage pens write slightly better with one and some slightly better with the other. Noodler's works better with the worst papers and is more permanent. Aurora is easier to clean from a pen. I use (and enjoy) both inks. At the moment, Aurora is in an oversize no-name pen from the early thirties used for journal entries and Noodler's is in an oversize Sheaffer's Balance that is used for correspondence and the Sunday crossword puzzle in my newspaper.

[Uncle Red]

I like Private Reserve Velvet Black, you could also look at Pelikan Fount India, an india ink for fountain pens but not water proof.

[WillSW]

Noodler's Old Manhattan Black. It's been proven scientifically (this is an unproven statement).

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

This is taken from a Pinned Topic:

Lots of Links on the Best/Blackest Inks

http://www.fountainp...best-black-ink/

http://www.fountainp...et-proof-black/

http://www.fountainp...n-aurora-black/

http://www.fountainp...sing-envelopes/

http://www.fountainp...6-need-a-black/

http://www.fountainp...235-deep-black/

http://www.fountainp...very-black-ink/

[jrm27]

Thanks all, and thank you Sandy. I appreciate the links! Must've overlooked those. Thanks!

[PAKMAN]

Platinum Carbon Black is a very dark black.

[cedargirl]

Platinum Carbon Black is a very dark black.

 

This is the ink, I was planning on suggesting. But beware, it is pigmented (ie contains pigments as well as normal aniline dyes). The manufacturer says it is safe for fountain pens as well as for drawing/calligraphy pens. Apparently the pigments are nano sized. You just might want to be extra attentive and make sure the pen is flushed out very thoroughly.

 

It is a lovely silky black ink.

[jrm27]

Anyone have a take on which is darker, Noodler's Black, or Noodler's Old Manhattan?

[Joker4Eva]

I've tried Noodler's Heart of Darkness, and in my Lamy Safari's broad nib, that black is even darker than the Chinese ink I used in brush calligraphy.

[Nick A]

Platinum Carbon Black is a very dark black.

 

This is the ink, I was planning on suggesting. But beware, it is pigmented (ie contains pigments as well as normal aniline dyes). The manufacturer says it is safe for fountain pens as well as for drawing/calligraphy pens. Apparently the pigments are nano sized. You just might want to be extra attentive and make sure the pen is flushed out very thoroughly.

 

It is a lovely silky black ink.

 

I'll second that. The Carbon Black is what you'll be happiest with if you want India ink qualities. I keep it perpetually in an old Rotring 600, which seems to cap tightly enough that it never dries out. If you use your pen daily, and flush it out between refillings, my experience has been that it is just fine. That said, I haven't flushed the Rotring in five years or so, and just keep topping it off, but I would not suggest that for most pens. If you don't use your pen daily, then I would choose to put this ink only in a pen that caps very airtight, or that disassembles easily (including knocking out the feed) for a good cleaning.

[FPFan]

Platinum Carbon Black is a very dark black.

 

This is the ink, I was planning on suggesting. But beware, it is pigmented (ie contains pigments as well as normal aniline dyes). The manufacturer says it is safe for fountain pens as well as for drawing/calligraphy pens. Apparently the pigments are nano sized. You just might want to be extra attentive and make sure the pen is flushed out very thoroughly.

 

It is a lovely silky black ink.

 

I'll second that. The Carbon Black is what you'll be happiest with if you want India ink qualities. I keep it perpetually in an old Rotring 600, which seems to cap tightly enough that it never dries out. If you use your pen daily, and flush it out between refillings, my experience has been that it is just fine. That said, I haven't flushed the Rotring in five years or so, and just keep topping it off, but I would not suggest that for most pens. If you don't use your pen daily, then I would choose to put this ink only in a pen that caps very airtight, or that disassembles easily (including knocking out the feed) for a good cleaning.

 

 

Not only is this the blackest of blacks, it is also THE most Water Resistent. Once it has dried on the paper one would have to destroy the paper to remove the ink. This is a quality one would normally only get with india inks. Other black inks including the Noodler's Bulletproof will sluff off residue of the ink that did not adhere to the paper causing black smears on the paper or into water color painings, if you are into that.

 

The precautions remain: Never allow ink to dry in the pen, flush regularly, use daily. When I use black this is the only one I go to, now!

[jrm27]

Thanks for all the info here! Due to the recommendations of this thread (and my research through the others pointed out to me), I ended up getting a bottle of Noodler's Old Manhattan. I would have gone with a pigmented ink, but I don't use black often and didn't want to allow it to dry in my pen when I don't use the pen for a few days.

 

Old Manhattan is much darker than what I had before... so far, it's just about exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the advice and direction!

 

-jon

[UK Mike]

Here in the UK, Noodlers inks have only one distributor now and the ink can be hard to get hold of.

 

I use Diamine Onyx Black, which I can confirm is very, very black.

[Mafia Geek]

The thing with the India ink is that it's closer to a pigment based ink than a dye based ink, which most fountain pen inks are. Try the Platinum ink as well Sailor Kiwa-Guro Pigmented Nano Black, which I personally like a lot (my favorite black ink). The Sailor ink has a really great writing feel and performs well on a wide range of paper, also less maintenance. I've left a cheap pen that I use once in a while that's been converted into eye dropper and it starts writing immediately, no hesitation even when left unused for a couple weeks and in a Pilot steel XF to boot.

 

Give it a shot, grab a couple samples of the inks to try it.

[luckyseven]

Noodler's Borealis Black for me.

[ndw76]

You could always get a dip pen and use India ink.