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Two Caran D'ache Blues


dneal

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On a whim, I added a bottle each of Caran d'Ache Idyllic and Magnetic Blue. I say whim, because they are quite costly and the scans/samples on the Goulet website aren't exactly inspiring...

 

I am actually pleasantly surprised though, and they have made their way into two pens for regular use. Here are some scans and thoughts. The thoughts are in another ink I ordered, De Atramentis Black-Brown. Perhaps a review will follow, but I like it a lot.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Ink/CarandAcheSample_zpsa7d32443.jpg

 

This is my running quick reference for blues. The smears are done with a wet fingertip, after the ink has dried, to test water resistance.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Ink/Blues1_zpsc69a0faf.jpg

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Ink/Blues2_zpsf52c1095.jpg

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Ink/Blues3_zpsd9b60135.jpg

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Thanks for the good review. I have them too but also find that they are outrageously expensive. They have excellent properties (like flow and maintenance, and the bottles's caps arer unsurpassed) but I doubt that many of us will ever buy them... just due to their price. E.g. a lot of other blues -- which you kindly included as a comparison -- are just as "good", if not even better -- but for half the price or less, I'll take any bottle and/or cap.

 

Mike

Life is too short to drink bad wine (Goethe)

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Great comparison. Thanks dneal.

I too bought Magnetic Blue on a "whim" but like it so much that I'll no doubt buy another if it ever runs out.

 

It lives in my fine nibbed Pilot Custom 91 and produces a beautiful sharp crisp line with really subtle shading.

Flows like a dream and starts every time, first time.

 

http://www.taskyprianou.com/custom_91_tsuki_yo.jpg

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Thanks for your review. I bought Idyllic Blue as well, because I love blues, and I LOVE the ink. The color, flow, everything is really great with the ink. Even better: My brick and mortar nearby pen shop sells them for a really affordable price. I don't know how he does it.

I will definitely buy another bottle of Idyllic Blue once mine runs out. Except if I decide I like MB Royal Blue better... Oh well, I will just buy both bottles again once I run out.

"La libre communication des pensées et des opinions est un des droits les plus précieux de l’Homme : tout Citoyen peut donc parler, écrire, imprimer librement, sauf à répondre de l’abus de cette liberté, dans les cas déterminés par la Loi."

 

https://www.instagram.com/penultimatepost

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Really glad I acted on impulse and ordered a bottle of Idyllic Blue. Color is vivid and lovely, flow is butter-smooth. So far, it's behaving nicely. Destined to become a standard in my line-up.

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I'm reassured by this. The colour for Idyllic Blue looked pretty generic and boring on Goulet. If I pay that much for ink I want to actually be able to use it on a regular basis. I'm impressed.

 

Thanks for this!

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Great comparison. Thanks dneal.

I too bought Magnetic Blue on a "whim" but like it so much that I'll no doubt buy another if it ever runs out.

 

It lives in my fine nibbed Pilot Custom 91 and produces a beautiful sharp crisp line with really subtle shading.

Flows like a dream and starts every time, first time.

 

I will agree that this is the one that is the most tempting. It moved straight to the top as my favorite blue-black.

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Bought a bottle of this today at a brick and mortar. They said it doesn't play well with other inks because it was "chromatic" and that one should have a dedicated pen/nib for it. Sounds strange. Any thoughts?

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Bought a bottle of this today at a brick and mortar. They said it doesn't play well with other inks because it was "chromatic" and that one should have a dedicated pen/nib for it. Sounds strange. Any thoughts?

 

Thebroadnib27,

 

I have personally used the ink after and before other inks (MB Royal Blue, Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo and Namiki Blue to name them) and have had no issues whatsoever. My pen wrote very well. I do not think the "chromatics" has anything to do with the ink's properties.

 

Cheers,

Martin.

"La libre communication des pensées et des opinions est un des droits les plus précieux de l’Homme : tout Citoyen peut donc parler, écrire, imprimer librement, sauf à répondre de l’abus de cette liberté, dans les cas déterminés par la Loi."

 

https://www.instagram.com/penultimatepost

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Bought a bottle of this today at a brick and mortar. They said it doesn't play well with other inks because it was "chromatic" and that one should have a dedicated pen/nib for it. Sounds strange. Any thoughts?

 

Some inks are troublesome (especially with cleaning) due to overly saturated colors/dyes, but these don't seem to have that affliction. The word "chromatics" is just marketing.

 

The general rule of "don't mix inks" is always applicable, but I see no reason to have a dedicated pen for this ink.

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Bought a bottle of this today at a brick and mortar. They said it doesn't play well with other inks because it was "chromatic" and that one should have a dedicated pen/nib for it. Sounds strange. Any thoughts?

Yes, that what your CdA rep said is bull tweed.

 

Mike

Life is too short to drink bad wine (Goethe)

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Thank you for taking the time to complete such an extensive comparison. This is really good information.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. - Mark Twain

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  • 2 years later...

I believe some people call this ink ---- Blue-Black! --- Is there something wrong with my eyes? To me, it is just a beautiful shade of blue ink! C. S.

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  • 8 months later...

I don't know what I was thinking, with my September 2016 "post!" This ink is now my LEAST favorite ink! I must remember not to buy ink just to get the bottle! C. S.

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