What's Your Fantasy Ink

[MHBru]

My birthday is in a few weeks and it seems as though a nice bottle of ink is in order. I mostly write correspondence for business so I won't use colors that are too far off center.. so pinks, reds and purples are out. Looking for some ideas... if cost is not a consideration what do I get? (Currently using kon-peki)

Edited April 7, 2017 by MHBru

[Connly33]

For me, my fantasy inks would be many of the retailer exclusive Japanese inks that you literally cant get a hold of unless you visit the retailers physical locations. Though in terms of inks that are actually obtainable , I would say many of the colors in the Sailor Kobe or Sailor BungBox lines. Akkerman dutch masters inks would be a close second.

[ENewton]

Many purples are dark enough to be suitable for business writing. I use purple almost exclusively, and most of my inks are more subdued than Konpeki. For example:

• Sailor Shigure is a lovely ink that is a very deep purple.
• Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa is a distinguished looking ink, a dark dusty purple with dramatic shading.
• Probably my favorite ink is TAG Kyoto Soft Snow of Ohara, which is a purplish-blue-grey.
• Robert Oster Purple Rock is predominantly dark grey with purple undertones.
• J Herbin Poussiere de Lune is a dark, dusty, reddish purple.
• Montblanc Lavender Purple is a dark purple that leans a bit toward red.

But none of these is a rare, expensive ink or comes in an especially stylish bottle.

[MHBru]

For me, my fantasy inks would be many of the retailer exclusive Japanese inks that you literally cant get a hold of unless you visit the retailers physical locations. Though in terms of inks that are actually obtainable , I would say many of the colors in the Sailor Kobe or Sailor BungBox lines. Akkerman dutch masters inks would be a close second.

Thank you!

[MHBru]

Many purples are dark enough to be suitable for business writing. I use purple almost exclusively, and most of my inks are more subdued than Konpeki. For example:

• Sailor Shigure is a lovely ink that is a very deep purple.
• Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa is a distinguished looking ink, a dark dusty purple with dramatic shading.
• Probably my favorite ink is TAG Kyoto Soft Snow of Ohara, which is a purplish-blue-grey.
• Robert Oster Purple Rock is predominantly dark grey with purple undertones.
• J Herbin Poussiere de Lune is a dark, dusty, reddish purple.
• Montblanc Lavender Purple is a dark purple that leans a bit toward red.

But none of these is a rare, expensive ink or comes in an especially stylish bottle.

Very interesting ideas.. I will check them out. Thanks!!

[inkstainedruth]

I'll admit that when I saw the topic, I didn't think in terms of "exotic inks that are actually available, if somewhat unobtanium". Although I'm seriously looking at one of the TAG Kyoto inks at the moment the same one suggested by ENewton, in fact!) but also a couple of others, to at least try (and then keep my fingers crossed that Vanness will be able to get them back in stock if I like them).

I actually have most of the other inks ENewton suggested. Didn't care much for Poussiere de Lune; Scabiosa is okay but doesn't get a lot of use, and tried Shigure but it didn't quite meet my expectations. But Lavender Purple and Purple Rock were both "must have" inks for me.

I was thinking more along the lines of "If you could design an ideal ink" -- and for me, the ultimate "fantasy" ink would be the color of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (that deep indigo blue with the purple undertones), and with its legendary water and UV resistance, but with better flow. I was hoping that I'd found it with Shigure, but it was more of a straight dark purple; that is, though, why I'm seriously looking at Soft Snow of Ohara -- in spite of its price and difficulty in getting it here in the US.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[TennesseeTrash]

KWZ Azure #5

[MHBru]

I'll admit that when I saw the topic, I didn't think in terms of "exotic inks that are actually available, if somewhat unobtanium". Although I'm seriously looking at one of the TAG Kyoto inks at the moment the same one suggested by ENewton, in fact!) but also a couple of others, to at least try (and then keep my fingers crossed that Vanness will be able to get them back in stock if I like them).

I actually have most of the other inks ENewton suggested. Didn't care much for Poussiere de Lune; Scabiosa is okay but doesn't get a lot of use, and tried Shigure but it didn't quite meet my expectations. But Lavender Purple and Purple Rock were both "must have" inks for me.

I was thinking more along the lines of "If you could design an ideal ink" -- and for me, the ultimate "fantasy" ink would be the color of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (that deep indigo blue with the purple undertones), and with its legendary water and UV resistance, but with better flow. I was hoping that I'd found it with Shigure, but it was more of a straight dark purple; that is, though, why I'm seriously looking at Soft Snow of Ohara -- in spite of its price and difficulty in getting it here in the US.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Great insight Ruth and thank you... quick question for you though... how do you define "better flow"? I have been writing with kon-peki with my M800 fine point and am quite happy with the way that ink performs but have nowhere near the experience you have. Thanks again!

[senzen]

Right now, the ink reviewed by Lgsoltek here, possibly distinct from all my other blues: Asa Gao, Tsuyu Kusa, Kon Peki, Ama Iro; but what makes it a fantasy is that there is no way of knowing if this is the actual name of the ink, since it appears as a teal in other reviews.

[ENewton]

I'll admit that when I saw the topic, I didn't think in terms of "exotic inks that are actually available, if somewhat unobtanium". Although I'm seriously looking at one of the TAG Kyoto inks at the moment the same one suggested by ENewton, in fact!) but also a couple of others, to at least try (and then keep my fingers crossed that Vanness will be able to get them back in stock if I like them).

I actually have most of the other inks ENewton suggested. Didn't care much for Poussiere de Lune; Scabiosa is okay but doesn't get a lot of use, and tried Shigure but it didn't quite meet my expectations. But Lavender Purple and Purple Rock were both "must have" inks for me.

I was thinking more along the lines of "If you could design an ideal ink" -- and for me, the ultimate "fantasy" ink would be the color of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (that deep indigo blue with the purple undertones), and with its legendary water and UV resistance, but with better flow. I was hoping that I'd found it with Shigure, but it was more of a straight dark purple; that is, though, why I'm seriously looking at Soft Snow of Ohara -- in spite of its price and difficulty in getting it here in the US.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ruth, I am also not as enthusiastic as many people are about Poussiere de Lune, which is redder than I expected it to be.

 

I hope you will enjoy Soft Snow of Ohara. Note that it isn't a deep, dark color. It is nothing like Shigure. It is a medium, intriguingly in-between color with shading. I haven't used KTC.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi MHBru,

 

Congratulations on your BD.

 

My suggestion for a fantasy ink is to jump completely out of the box and get something TRULY unique - like a vintage ink that is no longer made... something special like Penman Sapphire; or perhaps something more ubiquitous like WM blue-black, (the old stuff in the yellow boxes doesn't turn teal like the new stuff does - and their original b/b was/is a very handsome color - I have it in a 16oz refill bottle).

 

You could also consider Quink with Solv-X or really go nuts and try Sheaffer Peacock, (turquoise) or try the old, original Sheaffer blue-black, which I've discovered was/is a very nice blue-black that disappeared when they moved production to Slovenia.

 

Buying vintage inks isn't that risky; the chemicals they used then gave them pretty long shelf lives.

 

Just a thought...

 

- Anthony

Edited April 7, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[MHBru]

Thanks for all of the great ideas and you have all helped a lot... shigure has made the list for sure... close to the KTC without all of the headaches. This thread did get me thinking more in the purple arena than I expected and I think Caran d'ache ultra violet is also on the list.. in addition to the Iroshizuku tsuki-yo I've had my eye on for a while. Thanks again everyone!

[amberleadavis]

I'll admit that when I saw the topic, I didn't think in terms of "exotic inks that are actually available, if somewhat unobtanium". Although I'm seriously looking at one of the TAG Kyoto inks at the moment the same one suggested by ENewton, in fact!) but also a couple of others, to at least try (and then keep my fingers crossed that Vanness will be able to get them back in stock if I like them).

I actually have most of the other inks ENewton suggested. Didn't care much for Poussiere de Lune; Scabiosa is okay but doesn't get a lot of use, and tried Shigure but it didn't quite meet my expectations. But Lavender Purple and Purple Rock were both "must have" inks for me.

I was thinking more along the lines of "If you could design an ideal ink" -- and for me, the ultimate "fantasy" ink would be the color of Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (that deep indigo blue with the purple undertones), and with its legendary water and UV resistance, but with better flow. I was hoping that I'd found it with Shigure, but it was more of a straight dark purple; that is, though, why I'm seriously looking at Soft Snow of Ohara -- in spite of its price and difficulty in getting it here in the US.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Ruth, whenever I use my KTC, I think of you. I think of KTC as Armageddon Resistant. It is going to survive even the Zombie Apocalypse. For me the fantasy ink is a color like BSB, with the Armageddon Resistance of KTC, and the fuss free attributes of Dromgoole's Blue Steel. Oh yes, I want it.

[HalloweenHJB]

Ruth, whenever I use my KTC, I think of you. I think of KTC as Armageddon Resistant. It is going to survive even the Zombie Apocalypse. For me the fantasy ink is a color like BSB, with the Armageddon Resistance of KTC, and the fuss free attributes of Dromgoole's Blue Steel. Oh yes, I want it.

 

 

Add in a touch of Sargasso Sea, and you're all set!

[amberleadavis]

I was worried about mixing KTC, but maybe in small containers....

[inkstainedruth]

Great insight Ruth and thank you... quick question for you though... how do you define "better flow"? I have been writing with kon-peki with my M800 fine point and am quite happy with the way that ink performs but have nowhere near the experience you have. Thanks again!

 

KTC has a tendency to be cloggy, especially if it isn't a daily use ink. And it doesn't behave well if I refill without flushing the pen out in between. But if I refill with distilled water, it dilutes the color too much, and I get more of a straight purple (not the lovely dark indigo blue that I get with it straight out of the bottle).

Some people have described KTC as being more of the consistency of paint than ink. The problem is that the color is fabulous, and its permanence is pretty legendary at this point. It's also one of the only inks I've tried that actually work on those plastic Post-it flags (some iron gall inks work, but aren't UV resistant).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pajaro]

I would like a black purple with a cast of green.

[Cryptos]

A little abstract perhaps, but my fantasy ink would be one that still looked wet after it had dried.

[amberleadavis]

Panjaro, one of these has a green sheen. Would that work?

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/album/2015-11_Ink/slides/2015-11-09-15-02-08.jpg

[amberleadavis]

I can't find the picture, but Nishiksan has a green tint. You can almost see it here.

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/album/2015-Ink/Ink/slides/2015-10-17-19-00-04.jpg