Inks That Grow On You?

[alanshutko]

Have you run across inks that you didn't think you liked, but ended up growing on you?

 

For me, that's two inks I've come across recently. I got a sample of J. Herbin Rose Cyclamen and this is not an ink I'd usually like. I'm a fan of inks in the blue-green spectrum, and this is as far from that as possible. My first thought was "Ok, that's an ink I don't need to think about." But I've been writing with it to empty my pen out, and I'm really growing fond of it. It just leaps off the page. I love high-contrast inks because I'm often in places with iffy lighting, and this is great.

 

Another I wasn't predisposed to like is Edelstein Smoky Quartz. I got it at the Pelikan Hub last year, and didn't even bother to open the bottle for a few months. My thought was "Why would I ever want a brown ink?" Eventually, I decided I should put it in something and use it, and it still isn't one of my favorite inks, but it's nice. It's dark, but subtly different from a dark black.

 

Sample (and they are both 2018, I just didn't remember what year it was on the Smoky Quartz)

 

[inkstainedruth]

For me it was the original formula of J Herbin Rouge Hematite (with the big flakes of gold material, rather than the dust. The issue for me wasn't the stuff floating around, so much as the underlying color (which is a dark brick red). But there was so much discussion of the ink on here, that I got a sample just to see what the fuss was all about. And even though I don't like orange-leaning reds normally, that ink just hooked me.

Another one is Noodler's El Lawrence. I saw a review someone did of it a few years ago, and at the time thought "That is one weird*ss color!" But somehow I kept staring at the posted images, still muttering the same thing under my breath, for the longest time. But I ended up loving the ink -- it's dark enough to pass for black when black ink is required (my old bank required either blue or black ink on checks). But isn't black -- which makes it sneakily subversive.

I keep meaning to try Rose Cyclamen. I had tried Rose Tendresse, but discovered that one had this weird tint to it that sort of sets my teeth on edge. Rose Cyclamen looks a lot prettier.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[chromantic]

I'd have to say Kana-cho Midnight. I'd been looking for a blue-black, mainly just to have one, but all the ones I saw were too light and/or too blue. Then I saw a review for Kana-cho - not only very, very dark like I wanted, I was intrigued by the green sheen so I decided to try it. Blue-black never struck me as a particularly exciting color - I mean, it's 'just' blue-black - so I'm surprised at myself that this has pretty much become my EDC. It's usually in one of the two FPs I take to work and the one I most take with me when I go out on my off days.

Edited January 20, 2018 by chromantic

[migo984]

I'd have to say Kana-cho Midnight. I'd been looking for a blue-black, mainly just to have one, but all the ones I saw were too light and/or too blue. Then I saw a review for Kana-cho - not only very, very dark like I wanted, I was intrigued by the green sheen so I decided to try it. Blue-black never struck me as a particularly exciting color - I mean, it's 'just' blue-black - so I'm surprised at myself that this has pretty much become my EDC. It's usually in one of the two FPs I take to work and the one I most take with me when I go out on my off days.

I completely agree. Kobe #51 is a wonderful ink.

[dcwaites]

For me it is Noodler's Liberty's Elysium. I didn't like it originally because it spread sideways, and looked washed out. However, when put in an Extra Fine nib, that is set to be a bit wet, it is a lovely blue in the Parker Penman Sapphire class.

[senzen]

Since I usually can't see them in person I have to research inks exhaustively online, most of them have gone from "nice" to "spectacular" once I find the right pen for them, which is usually a long process. Lie de Thé in particular is a pleasure to use but required a long rotation, the pen that most likes it is a cheap but nice Muji, it never got along with much more expensive Watermans, a Pelikan, Parkers. Rouge hematite looked awesome from the get go but not every pen can withstand being clogged so often, or be easy to clean; Verdigris was perfect on its first pen, a Sonnet. My one mistake / what was I thinking moment was Violette Pensée.

[MightyEighth]

From a slightly different perspective, I'm waiting for Iroshizuku Kon-peki to grow on me. For such a popular ink, it's just not right for my eye. I got a whole bottle on spec before I got wise and starting buying samples.

 

- Marc

[RoyalBlueNotebooks]

I've already posted the picture in another thread, I hope it's okay to re-link it here.

 

So, on the far left is Pelikan 4001 Brillant-Braun which is still kind of 'meh' for me. But the violet is Pelikan 4001 Violett and on the right is Diamine Sepia, and boy I wasn't in for liking these two.

 

Violett was an impulse buy with Braun at a local store. Sometimes it's a dark purple, sometimes it's a lilac, it depends on the wetness of the pen. It's not a great shader, but something about the color variation depending on the wetness and on the light gets to me.

 

Sepia is the true surprise. I dipped a pen into the sample thinking 'whatever, it's a light brown' but wow guys. It's like this ink is alive. Sometimes it's in the mood for ocre, sometimes it's brown, sometimes even dirty yellow! I look like a lunatic everytime I use the pen inked up with this. I look like I'm waiting for a shooting star or something amazing like that. Every line is a surprise, every line I think "what color is it going to become now?"

 

Needless to say, next time I visit Diamine's website in spring I'm getting a bottle of Sepia.

[Runnin_Ute]

This is one I really wasn't sure I would like. It certainly is growing on me that's for sure.

KWZI 150 Confederation Brown. It was the LE ink for the 2017 Scriptus/Toronto Pen Show.

[crahptacular]

I think Kobe Himeajisai was really not my type of color when I first got it, but it's unique and interesting enough that I find myself using it relatively often, and every time I use it I enjoy it more. I still have reservations about its utility, as it's a delicate shade, but I've gone from reluctantly liking it to enthusiastically liking it.

 

I'd have to say Kana-cho Midnight. I'd been looking for a blue-black, mainly just to have one, but all the ones I saw were too light and/or too blue. Then I saw a review for Kana-cho - not only very, very dark like I wanted, I was intrigued by the green sheen so I decided to try it. Blue-black never struck me as a particularly exciting color - I mean, it's 'just' blue-black - so I'm surprised at myself that this has pretty much become my EDC. It's usually in one of the two FPs I take to work and the one I most take with me when I go out on my off days.

 

This is a good choice as well--I thought it was too close to plain black at first, but over time my eyes became more discerning. Plus, the ink just feels so nice to write with!

[odd_soul]

For me, it was Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo and Kosumosu -- two very different inks that I tried years ago and didn't like. I thought Tsuki-yo looked dull and didn't feel as lubricated as everyone else seemed to think it was, and I didn't like Kosumosu because it was too light and too pink. Now they are two of my favorite inks and I don't know what I was thinking back then!

[jmnav]

For me, it was Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo and Kosumosu -- two very different inks that I tried years ago and didn't like. I thought Tsuki-yo looked dull and didn't feel as lubricated as everyone else seemed to think it was, and I didn't like Kosumosu because it was too light and too pink. Now they are two of my favorite inks and I don't know what I was thinking back then!

 

If have to say the exact opposite about Tsuki-yo. I find it basically a copycat to Parker Quink, only wetter -and since my pens happen to be more on the wet side than the dry, that's more a hindrance than a value.

 

So, for me, wasted money.

 

On the other hand, a blue-black that, stealing the words of @chromatic above, should be, well, "meh... blue-black" but has become one of my favourites, I have to mention P.W. Akkerman Veermeer's Kobaltblauw, from their Dutch Masters Color Collection: it's just, and that's not easy feat, what a blue-black has to be -oh, and the bottle is awesome... and I got it as a gift!

[vojtahlad]

For me, it was the Rohrer & Klingner Blau Permanent. I prefer more saturated and darker inks in general. This one was much lighter than I expected after reading several reviews and quite watery. But after writing few lines of text, I realised that I am really pleased when looking at its colour. I can not say why but it feels optimistic to me. So my disappointment was fairly short-lived and I enjoy writing with this ink very much.

 

BTW: The colour seems to be very hard to catch on a photo. Maybe the closest image is in this thread: https://www.penexchange.de/forum_neu/viewtopic.php?t=15999

[Arkanabar]

For me, it is Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku. A few years ago, I was trying to settle on the Essential Brown Ink for Writing, and I had figured that Yama-Guri was a pretty good bet; not having sampled it, it was my front-runner. I told my wife I wanted a bottle, and sent her an Amazon link.

But that link was apparently to several Iro colors, and it defaulted to Ku-Jaku, which is what she got me. Now don't get me wrong; Ku-Jaku is a perfectly serviceable color, but as with Noodler's Red-Black, it isn't one of the Six Essential Colors for Writing, and I wasn't interested.

This Christmas she got me a Pelikan M205 in translucent aqua with a fine nib. It is just about the ideal gift; something I love, use, and enjoy, and would never have bought for myself. It is gorgeous. And Ku-Jaku (diluted about 5:1) is a perfect color match for it, and so I now love it too. I like to leave my wife a little billet-doux on those days when I depart for work before she gets up, and that has become the default pen-and-ink combination for them.

 

As an aside, my first impression on using Yama-Guri was "dead sticks and frozen mud." Diamine Chocolate is now The Essential Brown. But eventually, at 2:1 dilution, I noticed a bit of golden sheen in Yama-Guri, which gives it enough appeal for me to like -- but not enough to displace Diamine Chocolate, which I love.

[Intensity]

Iroshizuku Fuyu-Syogun. Initial reaction: so pale! How can anyone write with this?! Now I just love it and really want a full bottle.

 

Lamy Petrol. Initial reaction: so much like Noodler's ACBB, overhyped, overpriced. But then I used it more on Tomoe River, and I love the shading character and the unusual sheen, particularly with Lamy's 1.5mm nib. I love accenting this ink with an olive ink, like Papier Plume Moss Green.

 

Birmingham Pen Co. Waterfront Dusk. I don't like purple inks, and normally purple is not my color of choice for anything. But this ink is so blue-purple and interesting, I keep coming back to it.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Intensity