Kwz Ink Igl Aztec Gold (Iron Gall Light)

[crahptacular]

IGL Aztec Gold is an ink from KWZ that is classified as “Iron Gall Light.” Konrad’s website specifies that these are IG inks that have lowest iron gall content of his lineup. As a result, they are easier to maintain, but have less of the color-change/water resistance properties that are usually associated with IG inks. Instead, the IG content is meant to “increase the depth of written text” by enhancing the “saturation of colour and shading of [the] inks", but should still display a “clear change in the color of ink.” I’ve read that IG inks can oxidize while in the bottle, so an older bottle might have less drastic color change compared to a fresh bottle, on account of the ink being partially oxidized. My bottle is around two years old, but I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference over time.

 

Aztec Gold is a yellow-brown color that indeed changes appearance as it dries due to its IG content. As far as “gold” goes, I think the ink is aptly named—it brings to mind old, tarnished gold. The base color is already of moderate darkness, and after oxidation, the ink can become quite dark depending on how wet of a nib you use (the flex writing is nearly black to my eyes). Some similar-ish inks include Noodler’s Rome Burning (slightly lighter and yellower) and KWZ Honey (yellower). As far as behavior goes, it is not highly lubricated, but it flows well—I never have problems with ink starvation, but I can feel it when I use a dry nib. As an IG ink, I’ve never left it for extremely long periods in any of my pens, but it’s stayed in steel-nibbed pens for a month or two without issue. The color-change is noticeable, but is reliant on using wet enough nibs; in the dry Lamy nib, there was very little difference before and after oxidation. In the review, the top smear is freshly dried and the bottom is several days old. Water resistance is on the low side for an IG ink, but still serviceable (if blotted, a legible line remains, but if rubbed, the line eventually disappears). I like this ink quite a lot, but usually avoid putting it in too dry a pen (in fact, after doing this review I finally got fed up with my Lamy's nib and adjusted it, so the very last sentence of the FC sample shows closer-to-average-but-still-on-the-dry-side wetness).

 

Flow/Lubrication: Moderate

Shading: Moderate

Sheen: None—it does reflect light when pooled, but with no discernible color of sheen

Water Resistance: Moderate-low (In the review, I let the left side dry for 10 minutes before testing; on the right side, 2 days. The difference is slight.)

 

Paper: Tomoe River (68 gsm/white/loose-leaf)

Pen 1: Pilot Falcon (SF/quite wet)

Pen 2: Lamy LX (B/moderately dry)

Dip: Zebra G

Brush: Escoda Reserva size 4 travel brush

 

Inaccurate Image(s) Disclaimer: The scan has a little too much contrast in the light areas, but in the mid ranges (such as the writing) it's fine. Comparison inks are not great: Rome's Burning is too green, but reasonably close; Shinkaichi is far too green; Yamabukiiro is far too orange; Honeycomb is not yellow enough; Honey is reasonable.

 

Scan:

 

Comparison inks from left to right (big smear is the featured ink):

Noodler’s Rome Burning

Sailor Nagasawa Kobe #22 Shinkaichi Gold

Kyo no Oto Yamabukiiro

Franklin Christoph Honeycomb

KWZ Honey

 

 

Writing Samples (scans; some color correction), from Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment

 

Maruman Mnemosyne:

 

Midori MD:

 

Franklin-Christoph:

[lgsoltek]

A most gorgeous ink, and an equally amazing review! Thank you!

[ca49reber]

I got this ink when it 1st came out & I really like it. I haven't used it for a while so will have to get it out & use it again.

[Ghost Plane]

Uh oh. Now you’ve got me looking at the Kobe.

[Barkingpig]

Uh oh. Now you’ve got me looking at the Kobe.

 

If you are looking @ the KOBE, you might also like their Ginza Gold Sepia, which I just received from VANNESS. I had tried a sample when the bottle was out of stock & after signing up for their "notify when back in stock," recently was happy to find it available again.

[Ghost Plane]

If you are looking @ the KOBE, you might also like their Ginza Gold Sepia, which I just received from VANNESS. I had tried a sample when the bottle was out of stock & after signing up for their "notify when back in stock," recently was happy to find it available again.

I’ve been a whole 2 days since my last shipment of inks from them. (Got a little carried away with the Kyoto TAG colors) think it’s too soon?

[Barkingpig]

I’ve been a whole 2 days since my last shipment of inks from them. (Got a little carried away with the Kyoto TAG colors) think it’s too soon?

 

Heavens, NO!

 

Those nice folks @ Vanness wouldn't say a word about your ordering more ink.

[Ghost Plane]

Heavens, NO!

 

Those nice folks @ Vanness wouldn't say a word about your ordering more ink.

I was more worried about the budget. But a look at my body confirms I could do with a leaner food budget. I’m calling it the Ink Diet.

[Cyber6]

 

Aztec Gold is a yellow-brown color that indeed changes appearance as it dries due to its IG content. As far as “gold” goes, I think the ink is aptly named—it brings to mind old, tarnished gold.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much, I named this one...

 

 

LOVE YOUR SKETCHES!!!!!

 

 

 

C.

Edited August 16, 2018 by Cyber6