The Ubiquitious "i Need A Black Ink" Thread.

[Abner C. Kemp]

I've done some searching around and found plenty of great info but thought I'd start another one of these threads to get some more recent opinions. I currently own a bottle of Noodler's Black and while I like the ink it's tendency to smear even after long periods really annoys me. I've also found it to be a bit finicky in certain pens. Anyway, this is not a thread to poo poo on Noodler's Black because I like the ink but I am looking for something a bit less temperamental for daily use. Preferably something that dries quickly, won't smudge, works well enough on cheaper paper, and at least has some decent water resistance. I do not require a permanent or bulletproof ink but I would like to know that if they was some kind of a mishap, my writing would not vanish into thin air. Of course, I'd also like the ink to be a black as possible without the grey shady undertones seen in some inks.

 

My first thought was to try Aurora Black since I had heard such good things about it. I got a sample and didn't hate it but the ink really doesn't have any water resistance which knocks it off my short list.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by Abner C. Kemp

[AndyYNWA]

Sailor Kiwa-guro is my first thought...

 

Also De Atramentis Document Black is a well behaved ink.

 

Both are water resistant.

Edited March 15, 2016 by AndyYNWA

[carlos.q]

If you have a wet pen you should try Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. If not, try Sheaffer Skrip black. Both are low maintenance and water resistant though not fully waterproof.

[doggonecarl]

Lamy black. Sadly underrated. Waterman Intense Black. And J. Herbin Perle Noire.

 

I've not encountered a smearing problem with Noodler's Black or finicky behavior in any of my pens. May I ask what paper you are using where this is happening? And what pens don't pair well with it?

[MCN]

My faves are Aurora and Perle Noire. I have a sample of Iroshizuku take sumi and it seems really good too but I haven't used it enough to form a solid opinion. But if Aurora wasn't water resistant enough for you, I don't know if the other two would be either.

[Tas]

Have a look at my tuppence worth . . .

 

I think De Atrementis's Archive Black may suit your needs. A lovely, dark, well behaved & water resistant beast.

[dcwaites]

Pilot Black. Waterproof, well-behaved.

Koh-i-noor Document Certified Permanent Black.

[MKeith]

I'm with carlos.q in recommending Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. Good water resistance and drys quick.

[Sasha Royale]

Noodlers and Aurora are black and I like 'em. Many other "blacks" are dark, charcoal grays. If this is okay with you, give a try to Higgins "Fountain Pen India". (Get the name exactly right. The others are not fp inks.)

[haruka337]

OoOoOoh man, I love black ink.

 

I'm not going to fuss with the technicalities of what constitutes a "real" black ink, others can sort the matter out themselves.

 

Here are my favorites:

 

Sailor Nani Kiwa-guro

Iroshizuku Take-sumi

Bung Box Music Black

Nagasawa Kobe #24 Nakayamate

Sailor Jentle Black

Diamine Onyx Black

Cara D'Ache Colors of Earth Carbon

 

Aside from Bungbox and Caran D'Ache, the rest are easy enough to find and reasonably priced. However, only Sailor Nano Kiwa-guro and Nagasawa Kobe #24 Nakayamate are water proof. Neither has grey shading or grey undertones, but Nakayamate does have brown undertones.

[inkandseeds]

I use Noodler's Heart of Darkness with no problems. My experience has been that it dries quickly and doesn't smear. I really like it.

 

I also use Noodler's Red-Black in an Ahab which seems to run a little wetter but behaves well for me.

 

My experience with inks is somewhat limited.

[Buzz_130]

Platinum carbon black meets your characteristics and ties Kiwa Guro for performance on bad paper, deep black, works great in fountain pens, and is nearly indestructible.

 

Buzz

[J85909266]

Noodler's Black has worked very well in every pen I've ever tried it in, and that is quite a few. Vintage, as well. It's also the ink Brian Goulet, of Goulet Pens fame, uses for all of his tests and photo resources, which is a sample size of usage in a variety of pens that destroys what most any member here likely has, and he has nothing but high praise for it. Don't buy into the underlying anti-Noodler's campaign that lurks in a few corners around here. Noodler's Black is well-behaved on all but the worst of papers, isn't washed-out looking, and is waterproof when fully dried and set on the paper.

 

If beautiful, deep, and luxurious is your game, Aurora Black is also very nice. Just be aware that it is expensive, gets destroyed by water and feathers on lower quality paper quite badly.

Edited March 16, 2016 by J85909266

[Runnin_Ute]

I only have two blacks currently: Blackstone Black Cashmere (never made production), Noodler's Black.

 

The only other one I have used somewhat extensively is Levenger Raven Black. (there is a review in the ink review forum) I haven't used it in a couple of years when I finished off the last of my bottle.

[theolu]

Kiwa-guro is easily my favorite black.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Lamy black. Sadly underrated. Waterman Intense Black. And J. Herbin Perle Noire.

 

I've not encountered a smearing problem with Noodler's Black or finicky behavior in any of my pens. May I ask what paper you are using where this is happening? And what pens don't pair well with it?

 

I use mostly Rhodia and Clairefontaine. On Clairefontaine Triomphe I can literally leave it overnight and it will smear the next morning -- obviously not to the point where the text is blurred out but it's bad enough that if I fold a page over or run my finger over a word there will be noticeable smearing. Finicky behavior has mainly been the inks tendency to dry out easily (which is strange since it won't dry on the page) namely in a Levenger pen I own which I haven't had any other issues with.

Noodler's Black has worked very well in every pen I've ever tried it in, and that is quite a few. Vintage, as well. It's also the ink Brian Goulet, of Goulet Pens fame, uses for all of his tests and photo resources, which is a sample size of usage in a variety of pens that destroys what most any member here likely has, and he has nothing but high praise for it. Don't buy into the underlying anti-Noodler's campaign that lurks in a few corners around here. Noodler's Black is well-behaved on all but the worst of papers, isn't washed-out looking, and is waterproof when fully dried and set on the paper.

 

If beautiful, deep, and luxurious is your game, Aurora Black is also very nice. Just be aware that it is expensive, gets destroyed by water and feathers on lower quality paper quite badly.

 

I obviously don't buy into it since I own a bottle of the ink already. I actually purchased my bottle from the Goulet Pen Company. However, the smearing makes this an ink I cannot use everyday.

 

I am thinking of going with the Sailor Kiwa-Guro since I've had excellent experiences with Sailor in the past and it has been suggested quite a few times. Thanks to all!!

Edited March 16, 2016 by Abner C. Kemp

[J85909266]

Check the recent review of Kiwa Guro on Gourmet pens. It smears like crazy with water.

 

I think you have a bad bottle of Noodler's Black. It's definitely not fast drying, but once it is set, I literally can't move it if I try.

[Algester]

Check the recent review of Kiwa Guro on Gourmet pens. It smears like crazy with water.

 

I think you have a bad bottle of Noodler's Black. It's definitely not fast drying, but once it is set, I literally can't move it if I try.

doesnt smear on my side... maybe the paper? is at fault here

for me blacks

Sailor Kiwa-guro (tested A OK)

GvFC Carbon Black (I would like to have but no access to GvFC inks I'd rather not import inks)

if you don't mind lefty problems Pilot Iroshizuku Take-Sumi

and I say I need a water resistant fast drying black because lefty problems...

 

I used water brush on my brush pen test loaded with Kiwa-guro it smears a little but why would you do that in a non artistic scenario?

Edited March 16, 2016 by Algester

[Witsius]

I've noticed a tendency for Noodler's black to smear, sort of. It's more like soot smudging than smearing ink in my experience.

 

I was going to recommend Aurora Black. It's one of my favorite black inks, but it's hardly waterproof. Pelikan Brilliant Black is pretty nice too, but quite dry. I haven't tested its waterproofness.

 

Good luck on your quest.

[DustyR]

I've tried/used several blacks, and currently have bottles of Sailor Jentle, Herbin Perle Noir, Diamine Jet Black and Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black (for wetter nibs). I would say I like each of them equally, even as they are slightly different, but I have noticed lately that when I pick up a pen inked with the Herbin, I like that line a little bit more. Most of my pens have fine med. wet - wet nibs.