Most Lubricated/velvety Ink?

[Mongoosey]

Hello,

 

I like smooth ink. I don't prefer dry ink.

 

I even prefer to use ink to tune my nibs, or in other words, I use wetter/more lubricated ink to smoothen out a nib and the writing experience.

 

I've found it useful for upgrading pens/nibs instead of purchasing new pens, even if that means purchasing expensive ink.

 

I can also write more quickly with less effort, thus increasing efficiency, decreasing hand fatigue, and increasing enjoyment for the writing experience while being able to keep up with any emergent fast paced workload.

 

I also gain that pleasure of using fountain pens with a practicable indulgence.

 

I've found that such inks are typically those that are velvety or also described as dreamy, or silky, and typically due to a healthy amount of lubrication.

 

Right now, I am using a Pilot Metropolitan with Bungubox Silent Night, which costs 4x the pen, but I will say I am very happy with it and it has beaten out well tuned nibs by nibmiesters using popular inks.

 

**So, to finally get to it, I was wondering if anyone has suggestions of other similar inks that provide a lubricated, silky, velvety, and/or dreamy feel as well and if so, what ink?**

 

And I am especially interested in more vibrant, saturated, and/or dark ink that pops out for easier legibility. I don't like grays or grayish inks, nor light colored inks, nor soft or pastel inks.

 

And I do prefer at least some water resistance even if it be a little, but I would be open to suggestions that may not quite fit that bill, though I personally prefer something to at least survive a spill and quick paper towel after.

 

I did start off preferring the colors of Noodler's Inks and that idea of waterproofness, but the ones I have at least trend towards a dry or chalky feel (if not temperamental) that sadly caused me to shelve them, but also to leave my fears of water fastness behind unless i truly need a permanent ink for letters or fraud protection.

[OCArt]

I love writing with Iroshizuko Yama-Budo ink. The color (close to magenta) may not be for you but it is very smooth. In fact most of the Iroshizuko inks are very good writers including the black Take-Sumi.

[minddance]

I find Sailor Jentle Oku Yama, Diamine Midnight, Chocolate Brown, Green-Black, Sheerwood Green in a wet pen, Herbin Rouge Grenat providing the sensations you described.

 

Special Mention: Diamine Midnight and Jentle Oku Yama absolutely nibmeistered my pens, with good flow and perceptibly good lubrication.

[aurore]

There is a plenty of similar threads. Like the one I started myself:
https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333863-good-lubricating-ink-for-very-fine-narrow-nibs/

Beside Sailor (and many brands Sailor makes inks for incl. Bungubox) I have got a very good writing experience with Aurora Black, Diamine Midnight and Edelstein Tanzanite.

Edited November 6, 2018 by aurore

[Honeybadgers]

The most velvetey ink I've ever used is hands down diamine blue velvet. It's uncanny, nothing else compares.

 

Second is Noodlers dark matter.

[Mongoosey]

I love writing with Iroshizuko Yama-Budo ink. The color (close to magenta) may not be for you but it is very smooth. In fact most of the Iroshizuko inks are very good writers including the black Take-Sumi.

 

You know, I was really surprised by that with Iroshizukus.

 

I just acquired Yama-Guri and have just christened my bottle of Take-Sumi, and they are quite lovely with that. I really wasn't expecting that from those inks.

 

The added expense is worth it, IMO. They aren't as water resistant as their basic inks, but they're not bad if you need a quick wipe up.

 

I find Sailor Jentle Oku Yama, Diamine Midnight, Chocolate Brown, Green-Black, Sheerwood Green in a wet pen, Herbin Rouge Grenat providing the sensations you described.

 

Special Mention: Diamine Midnight and Jentle Oku Yama absolutely nibmeistered my pens, with good flow and perceptibly good lubrication.

 

I do like Diamine Midnight.

But those inks have terrible water resistance. Those inks are gone if you have an accident, but if that's not a fear to you, then it's an interesting ink.

 

Oku Yama looks lovely:

 

I put Sailor Jentle Miruai on a 1.1 and it's now the only way I'll use a stub/flat ended nib. That was the first time I felt an ink "nibmeister" my nib. I like the way you described that .

 

 

There is a plenty of similar threads. Like the one I started myself:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333863-good-lubricating-ink-for-very-fine-narrow-nibs/

 

Beside Sailor (and many brands Sailor makes inks for incl. Bungubox) I have got a very good writing experience with Aurora Black, Diamine Midnight and Edelstein Tanzanite.

 

I did see a couple, though they were hard to search for, they didn't address the idea of "ink-tuning" more directly, and they didn't have as many specific recommendations, more of which I will offer. But thank you for letting me know, as such threads helped me build up to making this one.

 

I agree, Edelstein Tanzanite does provide a quality amount of lubrication that made me purchase that ink. Very lovely, and stands out among that line up IMO. It is more on the formal side, though keeps from being boring: A lovely all-rounder, everywhere-er ink. Descent water Resistance

 

Aurora Black was the first ink I felt that Velvety-ness to a novel degree among Noodler's inks and even Diamines. It is a classic and can survive a quick spill despite it's lower water resistance.

 

Though I didn't feel those inks "nibmeister" my nib until I tried Sailor Jentle Miruai.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Mongoosey

[Mongoosey]

The most velvetey ink I've ever used is hands down diamine blue velvet. It's uncanny, nothing else compares.

 

Second is Noodlers dark matter.

 

I haven't tried Blue Velvet, though I'm glad to hear the ink lives up to its name. I like Diamine inks a lot, but they can just wash off the page too easily for me.

 

Noodler's Dark Matter looks interesting, but I'm always a little hesitant with Noodler's in providing velvety-ness.

 

 

I did, and still lean towards heart of darkness, though Bungubox Silent night shelved that, and Noodler's Black isn't bad.

 

I tried Old Manhattan Black, but that was a bit chalky; very saturated.

 

I do have their American Black Eel I'm waiting to give a try in a Jinhao 51a that's on the way. That ink flows well, though is not near as lubricating as something like Sailor Jentle Inks I've tried. I haven't tried Black Eel long enough to qualify it accurately enough, but I found it's a at least a descent ink with excellent waterproofness.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Mongoosey

[Mongoosey]

Ones that have really piqued my interest are:

 

Kobe #51 Kano Cho Midnight:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/300282-sailor-kobe-51-kano-cho-midnight/

 

Kobe #3 Old Foreigner Ward Sepia:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/299024-sailor-kobe-3-old-foreigner-ward-sepia/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/304954-sailor-kobe-3-kyuu-kyoryuuchi-old-foreigners-ward-sepia/

 

Which also, by the way, exhibits some descent water resistance.

[Mongoosey]

I will say that I didn't notice a siginificant amount of added lubrication by American Noodler's Black Eel. A solid ink, but not qualified for this discussion IMO.

 

I did just try the Noodler's Heart of Darkness again in my Pilot Metro and I have to say that this one still impresses me.

 

HOD does tend to write a thick line, so I can't use it in my wider nibs, but it does add good lubrication to a steady flowing pen and HOD dos basically write well in anything I put it in.

 

I have to say that Noodler's HOD is one of my Favorite Inks of All Time. I do love it.

[JoaoFrost]

The most smooth writing inks in my collection are the Sailor pigment inks (Sailor Kiwa Guru and Sou Boku),

closely followed by the similar Platinum Carbon Black ink. These make even the Japanese "feedbacky" fine nibs write smoothly, nothing else I've got comes close.

 

They're not very wet per se, but extremely well behaved on all papers and pens. And all have the bonus of being totally waterproof.

[Ron Z]

I find the idea that the ink itself could make a significant difference in smoothness hard to believe. Flow of ink through the nib yes, with a wetter nib making for a smoother line, but the ink itself? Has anybody done a blind test or double blind test on the perceived smoothness of inks? I won't say impossible, but for me, hard to believe.

 

Here's why I ask. There was a double blind test done back in the 80s with Monster Cable VS ordinary #16 zip cord or 14 gauge wire. The argument was that the Monster Cable made for a cleaner, clearer signal. In the test neither the person managing the test, nor the listener, knew what wire wire was carrying the signal from the amp to the speakers, just that a change had been made. The amp, the speakers, the signal source and program content remained the same. What they found was that there was no discernible difference in audio quality delivered between Monster Cable and #16 zip cord or #14 wire. The listeners were unable to guess which one was being used. The only time the cable made any difference was when you got down to #20 or #22 wire because the smaller wire couldn't handle the same amount of power as the larger gauge wire.

 

I do wonder if the same kind of bias based on brand and or color comes into play here. Suggestion is a powerful force.

 

The writer would pick his pen, and then the pen would be loaded with ink from an unmarked bottle by someone else, and the pen handed to another person in the room who did not watch the pen being loaded, and finally to the test subject. The pen would be flushed and spun in a centrifuge between inks. Block the writers direct view of the paper, and use a black and white monitor so that they can see what they are writing, but would see no color or receive any other clue to what the ink might be. It would be interesting to see if they can really feel a difference between inks and colors of a specific brand with no input except feel, or if its imagination.

[Mongoosey]

The most smooth writing inks in my collection are the Sailor pigment inks (Sailor Kiwa Guru and Sou Boku),

closely followed by the similar Platinum Carbon Black ink. These make even the Japanese "feedbacky" fine nibs write smoothly, nothing else I've got comes close.

 

They're not very wet per se, but extremely well behaved on all papers and pens. And all have the bonus of being totally waterproof.

 

I agree. That's good input .

 

 

It does reduce the feedback. "it is the business" and I agree with Mike Matteson with how Kiwa-guro can tame a broad/wet nib. I honestly like Kiwa-guro as much as I do HOD, and I use it as a compliment. They are both rich black inks.

 

I use Kiwa-Guro in pens/nibs that HOD writes too widely/wet with and I use HOD with pens that Kiwa-Guro writes too dryly with.

 

I have yet to try the Sou-Boku, but it's on my list. I'm glad they came out with a more "true Blue-Black"

[VivaTerlingua]

I think Bungubox Dandyism may interest you.

[ErrantSmudge]

I find the idea that the ink itself could make a significant difference in smoothness hard to believe. Flow of ink through the nib yes, with a wetter nib making for a smoother line, but the ink itself? Has anybody done a blind test or double blind test on the perceived smoothness of inks? I won't say impossible, but for me, hard to believe.

 

 

I immediately noticed a difference in smoothness with Noodler's Heart of Darkness when I loaded it into a pen, with no prior expectations of the ink to bias me one way or the other. In fact, it was the ink that made me aware of the difference in lubrication between inks.

[pararis]

I miss Vitta and her excellent reviews. She was the best.

[Noihvo]

I will say that I didn't notice a siginificant amount of added lubrication by American Noodler's Black Eel. A solid ink, but not qualified for this discussion IMO.

 

[…]

 

[Mongoosey]

I find the idea that the ink itself could make a significant difference in smoothness hard to believe. Flow of ink through the nib yes, with a wetter nib making for a smoother line, but the ink itself? Has anybody done a blind test or double blind test on the perceived smoothness of inks? I won't say impossible, but for me, hard to believe.

 

Here's why I ask. There was a double blind test done back in the 80s with Monster Cable VS ordinary #16 zip cord or 14 gauge wire. The argument was that the Monster Cable made for a cleaner, clearer signal. In the test neither the person managing the test, nor the listener, knew what wire wire was carrying the signal from the amp to the speakers, just that a change had been made. The amp, the speakers, the signal source and program content remained the same. What they found was that there was no discernible difference in audio quality delivered between Monster Cable and #16 zip cord or #14 wire. The listeners were unable to guess which one was being used. The only time the cable made any difference was when you got down to #20 or #22 wire because the smaller wire couldn't handle the same amount of power as the larger gauge wire.

 

I do wonder if the same kind of bias based on brand and or color comes into play here. Suggestion is a powerful force.

 

The writer would pick his pen, and then the pen would be loaded with ink from an unmarked bottle by someone else, and the pen handed to another person in the room who did not watch the pen being loaded, and finally to the test subject. The pen would be flushed and spun in a centrifuge between inks. Block the writers direct view of the paper, and use a black and white monitor so that they can see what they are writing, but would see no color or receive any other clue to what the ink might be. It would be interesting to see if they can really feel a difference between inks and colors of a specific brand with no input except feel, or if its imagination.

That's a very fair statement. I don't have it down to an exact science yet.

 

The qualifier of "Velvety" could be reduced to components such as wetness and lubricity. And I unfortunately have to go by more empirical data gathering consisting of largely subjective data. There may be other factors I'm unaware of.

 

Some of my inks, like Sailor Jentle Doyou, do have a higher amount of lubrication, IMO. I accidentally discovered Doyou, along with Miruai, to be optimal for my 1.1's and stubs, decreasing the frequency of the edges to snag or catch or be obstructive during my writing. They work well to create a lubricated Hydroplane that is smoother than other inks I have like Noodler's Walnut, ACBB, OMB, and such inks that have more of a chalky feel likely due to the high saturation, and such impedes my fluidity, ease of writing, simply getting my work done faster, but also my enjoyment to the point that I'd even rather just use a Schmidt Easyflow9000 in a Tikky Ballpoint (which by the way is a great combination).

 

Some of my inks may simply be wetter, pouring down a more ink and creating a hydroplane that way. I do think Kiwa-Guro is noticeably lubricated, but due to its lack of wetness I find it trickles out of my drier pens with which it fails to eliminate much unwanted feedback.

 

I wanted to wait to respond to this until I received Kobe #51 Kano Cho Midnight in the mail. I inked that up in my Ranga with a rigid Medium Jowo and it's the smoothest writing experience I have. Any feedback that slowed my writing, even when inked with Sailor Jentle Doyou (which is decently lubricated), is now gone and it writes like a dream, nice and dark, and easy now. I'm not efforting to write. It's like using a tuned nib I got from Mike Masuyama. It's well lubricated, but also has decent wetness, and is now married to that Ranga.

 

Kobe #51 steps into @Aurore's territory of potential inks that are optimal for writing with Finer nibs for a smooth effect allowing someone with a preference for broader nibs, like myself, to step into that Finer territory without leaving the comfort zone, IMO and IME. I think Kobe #51 highlights the experience well and magnifies what I'm referring to as "Velvety".

 

I think Bungubox Dandyism may interest you.

 

That has been a contender with Ink of Witch to sample, but I got diverted by Kobe #51 and Kobe #3, especially due to the price. But it is a beautiful deep natural evergreen color I would be remiss to neglect trying.

 

Excellent recommendation

I miss Vitta and her excellent reviews. She was the best.

I miss her, too

 

 

 

You're right. I've found Noodler's Black Eel to not provide significant addition lubrication to the writing experience. It's a Decent Permanent ink, but on the outskirts of my preferences right now. I'd definitely use it in my FPR Himalaya, with that lovely wet Ebonite feed, but I only ever have 2 or 3 pens inked, so it's been shelved for now.

[Maurizio]

You could also adulterate your ink to make it wetter and smoother-feeling:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321641-shocking-ink-adulteration/

[Mongoosey]

You could also adulterate your ink to make it wetter and smoother-feeling:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321641-shocking-ink-adulteration/

That is a possibility. I tried that a little back in the day but didn't pursue it enough, but there are some wonderful instructions of FPN indeed.

[Mongoosey]

One ink that's surprised me is Pilot Blue Black:

 

 

I've known Pilot BB has good water resistance and easy maintenance, but the color can be a bit boring sometimes.

 

But I recently discovered that it's a very smooth ink. I put it in my pens that have HOD and found Pilot BB to produce a significantly smoother writing experience.

 

In my Jinhao x750, a wetter pen, with Tomoe River Paper, the Pilot BB really shines, or rather shades and sheens in a very lovely way and it turns into a whole new ink.

 

I must say that Pilot BB has become one of my favorites.

 

The price definitely belies the quality of the ink, especially that 350 mL bottle.