Need Help. Blue Or Black Ink

[Bella87]

Welcome, Bella87!

 

If it were me, I'd use a water-resistant ink - because I can't control whether the teacher sloshes something on the page.

 

And I think I'd use blue-black. You're right about a lot of the blues being rather pale, but the contrast between black and the white paper might cause more eye strain over time. Strictly my opinion, but I'd go down the middle with a nice, water-resistant blue-black. And the only inks I've used for any length of time in that category are Pilot Blue-Black, and Sailor Sei-Boku. (Though I have 4-5 more standing in line waiting for me to try them.)

 

If you're not worried about water-resistance, Diamine Denim is indeed a nice dark blue.

[Bella87]

Thank you. Yes, I worry about my paper getting sloshed with any liquid.

 

You are right about black; that it might strain the eyes of our good old examiners. Considering the fact that they are going to check manually about 7,000+ booklets. Blue-black sounds like a good candidate for an ink.

 

I appreciate your suggestion!

[Checklist]

Another problem I have is I am a leftie. I tend to smear what I just wrote if I'm not careful. Any suggestions on quick dry inks?

 

The Noodler's Bernake series are specifically formulated to dry quickly; this can cause them to feather on more absorbent papers. It sounds to me like the paper won't be that absorbent, so Diamine inks in general may take too long to dry. I use Noodler's Q-Eternity, their quick-drying blue-black, as my everyday ink to avoid smearing; its color is nothing special (mine is almost black), but it will dry before you can smear it. It's slightly more waterproof than Diamine, but it won't survive a splashing. Noodler's 54th Massachusetts (or most of their bulletproof inks) also dries quickly and is waterproof, but it can be a hard starter or even the opposite extreme; I've seen both.

 

Filling from the bottle doesn't make a huge mess, usually. I'm clumsy, but I rarely get ink anywhere other than one or two fingertips. It also only takes a minute or two. Finding an ink with a good color in a cartridge that fits your pens will take much longer. Diamine cartridges don't come in Denim (but Midnight and Oxford Blue are good options), and they won't fit the Lamy; I don't know if your Parker will take them, either.

 

As far as where to find all this, I would recommend the Goulet Pen Company (https://www.gouletpens.com/). I just checked, and they do ship to the Philippines.

[katerchen]

Black. I suggest Sailor Kiwa-Guro for its superior writing characteristics and water resistance, with one caveat : it's a nanoparticle ink that needs regular maintenance. (Eg: regular refill or flush)

 

- or -

 

One of the Königsblau inks. Probably Pelikan's 4001. I wouldn't want to use some flashy blue with various undertones on an exam, only a super-conservative blue.

 

-k

 

(Good luck getting a consensus on this )

[Carrau]

Bella, if you have any empty cartridges, you can easily refill them from ink bottles, and they may hold more ink than a convertor will. Brian Goulet from Goulet Pens has quite a number of How To videos on YouTube, and I Have supplied a link below to his video. It's amazingly simple to do using a syringe ( which can be obtained from Goulet Pens and probably other web sites as well-I have no connection to any websites). Diamine Blue Velvet is more of a Royal Blue, and has been a well behaved favorite blue for me, but is not water resistant.

 

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2012/07/fp101-refilling-ink-cartridge.html

[Honeybadgers]

A full converter of ink should last you 5-10 pages with a M or F nib. Also, a great opportunity to get a visconti traveling inkwell. Makes fillups on the go really convenient.

 

My vote is pilot blue black. Good performance, dirt cheap, good color, very water resistant. That or something super blue like noodlers liberty's elysium for a super clean, waterproof blue.

 

One thing you'll learn in law school is that original documents shouldn't be signed in black. A blue or BB color is ideal because that way you know what is an original and what is a photocopy.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Honeybadgers

[Arkanabar]

Pilot inks ought to be available in the Phillipines. I suggest Pilot Blue-Black. It's inexpensive, reliable, businesslike, has good water resistance, and performs well on a broad array of papers.

As others have said, iron-gall inks are water-resistant and perform well on cheap paper. They tend to write dry, so they can give your pen extra feedback. If you'd rather have an IG ink, you can choose from Platinum Blue-Black and Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black, in addition to Rohrer and Klinger Salix.

But if you're using a Safari, and you want to use cartridges, you're stuck with Lamy T10 blue-black cartridges (part number LT10BKBL). Sandy1's review is definitive.

 

edited to add: And while others are right in saying that refilling cartridges with ink is largely trivial with a syringe, sealing refilled cartridges for transport isn't.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Arkanabar

[KellyMcJ]

Two blue workhorses:

 

Pilot Namiki Blue Black- this is inexpensive and a basic "ballpoint blue" in terms of both color and performance when used in a fine or EF nib (It really shows gorgeous character in a medium or broad however!!!). It won't raise any eyebrows, is almost 100% water proof, runs with alcohol (if that matters to you.)

 

Sailor Sei Boku- this is a more expensive nano pigment ink, so it requires more maintenance in a pen. It is permanent as can be (can be removed with fire...maybe. It's possible that the paper will be burned up but the ink will survive) and the color is a blue with real character, but still perfectly suited to a professional environment (so your exam may well stand out just a little, if that's what you want.)

 

Both are stellar performers on poor quality paper when used with fine nibs. I've used both for EDC and continue to do so. My current preference is Sei Boku, because it's permanence lends itself to anything and any environment, and I like the color better. However, Pilot Namiki BB does not come up short in that area either, because you can use it for anything you'd comfortably use a ballpoint for.

[inkstainedruth]

Agree with what Herrjaeger said -- get empty cartridges and refill them ahead of time (some people use glue guns to seal the ends, but I prefer using 100% silicone -- get the type that is used to regrout tile and such in bathrooms if you can, because it hardens but is still easy to remove when you're ready to use the next cartridge).

As for inks, +1 for iron gall inks -- I particularly like KWZI IG Blue-Black or IG Blue #3 (R&K Salix stays bluer, but is also a more washy color when it oxidizes). While I love Noodler's Liberty's Elysium, it's not 100% waterproof. Another choice might be some of the Document inks. I don't particularly like the ones De Atramentis makes (the ones I've tried had a lot of spread) but you might want to have a look at the R&K ones, especially Dunkel Blau (a little flat looking, but Hellblau is probably too light a blue to look serious for something as important as a bar exam. (My favorite non IG blue black is Edelstein Tanzanite, but I don't know how water resistant you'll need, and it isn't particularly.... Just a lovely well-behaved in k otherwise.)

For black inks? Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black is more water resistant than I would have given credit for it being. My go-to "black" black is Noodler's Heart of Darkness, which IMO opinion is faster drying and a little better behaved than the regular Noodler's Black.

Sorry, have no experience with most of the rest of the other ones people have suggested (other than to concur of your assessment of Lamy Blue...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mister5]

+1 for iron gall. Personally I like Diamine Registrar's Blue Black. We had those crappy almost square stapled booklets for my bar exams (NJ & PA) and I doubt things have changed in 10 years. A Preppy with Blue Black (Platinum is also Iron Gall) can be one of your 20 backup pens.

 

FWIW the choice of a pen & ink shouldn't give you too much pause. I got by fine with a couple ball points.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Mister5

[Bella87]

Black. I suggest Sailor Kiwa-Guro for its superior writing characteristics and water resistance, with one caveat : it's a nanoparticle ink that needs regular maintenance. (Eg: regular refill or flush)

 

- or -

 

One of the Königsblau inks. Probably Pelikan's 4001. I wouldn't want to use some flashy blue with various undertones on an exam, only a super-conservative blue.

 

-k

 

(Good luck getting a consensus on this )

[Bella87]

Few days before my exam, I am now settled with Noodler's ink in Baystate Blue. I am satisfied with it as it dries quickly, water resistant, and it behaves well.

[Bella87]

Bella, if you have any empty cartridges, you can easily refill them from ink bottles, and they may hold more ink than a convertor will. Brian Goulet from Goulet Pens has quite a number of How To videos on YouTube, and I Have supplied a link below to his video. It's amazingly simple to do using a syringe ( which can be obtained from Goulet Pens and probably other web sites as well-I have no connection to any websites). Diamine Blue Velvet is more of a Royal Blue, and has been a well behaved favorite blue for me, but is not water resistant.

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2012/07/fp101-refilling-ink-cartridge.html

[Bella87]

I also tried Diamine's Blue velvet. It's a good blue. But I opted for Noodler's Baystate blue. It is cheaper than Diamine, good blue, too, and it dries quickly. Guess I have a go-to blue ink now.

[Arkanabar]

BSB is notorious for three things: fading in sunlight, staining transparent pen parts, and, when mixed with even small amounts of other inks (e.g., the dilute residue that might be left after flushing a pen with water a few times), turning into insoluble glop.

 

Most of its fans dedicate a specific pen to use with Baystate Blue, so as to ensure they never accidentally mix it with anything else.

[Noihvo]