Alternative To Platinum's Blue Black

[TheDutchGuy]

Sailor's pigment inks work well on any paper I've tried them on, if you're worried about feathering and bleed-through.

Definitely. Postcards made from cheap absorbent cardboard? No problem! Regarding the OP's question, personally I would not hesitate to put Platinum BB in any modern pen. But I'd shy away from putting it in precious vintage pens, especially vintage piston- or vac fillers.

[dave321]

although this is an old post (~ 1 yr), if I want absolute permanence my 2 go to inks are

 

KWZ blue-black (IG), and

 

Sailor Souboku Blue-Black.

 

i have used the kwz in a twisbe eco for over a year with only 1 clean of the nib , with no other problems

 

the souboku i have used in a Lamy Safari, again for over a year with no problems.

 

i think it helps if the pen is a wet writer and puts down a fair amount of ink to give saturated colours

 

both the above inks are rock solid with water imersion and light fastness test,

 

if you want a bright deep blue ink, the Rorer and Klinger Documentus Dark Blue is also rock solid,( being a nano pigment ink like Souboku.). I generally use this in a cheap Parker Vector with medium nib, which is also a wet writer.

 

hope this helps anyone looking for quality permanent inks.

Edited June 14, 2020 by dave321

[Paganini]

Thanks for pointing out this old thread! Somehow I missed it when it was current, and it is right up my alley. I wish I had found it when I was reading up on IG inks last year. I think the OP has a great selection already, and the Good Captain's comparison photo with the soak test is on point.

 

The one ink I'd mention that isn't already in the thread is LAMY Blue Black. It was formerly IG, but is now dye-based. It is a little, but not very, water resistant. I don't think there's any teal hint in it; it's a grey-leaning blue-black. It seems to hit on all the factors the OP is looking for. LAMY inks seem to be all around unfussy good basic inks.

 

- N

[stephenchin]

btw, wanted to mention an issue with Platinum Blue-black in cartridges.

 

This ink was used exclusively in a NOS vintage Platinum short pen for several years--but only infrequently (when travelling). The pen was always rinsed out when not in use (tap water), but not the cap. Over time (and probably less than 10 cartridges) the gold plating has begun flaking away on the gold-band/clutch at the end of the section--with some pitting and corrosion underneath.

 

There are some (Daniel K) that warn us to avoid all pens with gold-plated rings at the end of the section, as many inks will corrode it eventually.

 

However, just wanted to dispel the oft-repeated myth that pen manufacturers' ink is always safe, especially in their own pens.

 

The IG content of the Platinum ink, which is the only ink that was ever used in this pen, definitely took a toll on the section trim. And now i'll be trying other inks.

 

The new Parker Blue-Black is much more saturated than the old, washed out classic Blue-black. It's not Iron-gall though, so it may be my new ink for this pen.

Edited June 23, 2020 by stephenchin

[Flaxmoore]

I don't think you have too much to worry about. I seem to recall that somebody around here has kept a Pilot Plumix inked with Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies' Registrar's Ink for the sole purpose of addressing letters for years, both without flushing and without incident. I can just about guarantee that ESSRI is a much harsher ink than any of Platinum's IG inks.

 

 

I also am pretty sure that Tanzanite is from Pelikan's Edelstein line of inks.

 

I've a Safari that only gets Diamine Registrar, and I'm currently 6 months without a flush.

[tinta]

I am a firm & long time fan of Platinum BB.

 

For a good while it was the only Japanese (IG-type) ink available. Other than for keeping a reasonably regular & thorough pen hygiene, you need not avoid using it in any modern pen, particularly if it has a gold nib.

Just use it & don't allow it to dry in any pen.

 

It is that brighter "middle" blue/black that I enjoy in the Platinum. I've tried most of the ferrogallic b/b inks from the big pen/ink manufacturers. Most of them turn much darker when oxidized. Platinum retains that more vibrant shade of blue/black, while still providing good water resistance.

 

I'm probably on my 5th or 6th bottle now. The only thing I find useless is the Platinum filling thinghie.

A hemostat fishes these out.

Edited June 26, 2020 by tinta

[eclectic2316]

I thought a few pictures of some of the 'blue-blacks' I've inked up at the moment might be appropriate, especially my usual sort of soak tests. As it happens my bottle of the Platinum arrived in the post this morning so I thought I'd get them up o here today.

As before, I use pretty awful 80/90gsm paper which was already cut into pads for me about a decade ago. This time, I left them soaking for 45 minutes instead of the normal 30, after a rinse under the tap at start and finish.

 

This is before the immersion:

 

 

And this is after:

 

 

Some of the 'old favourites' are there for comparison but I have to say, I'd forgotten how well the J Herbin ink behaved.

Hope these will be of use and I plan to order more of the Platinum ASAP - it is a lovely colour and the slight sheen can be seen even on this paper. It's inked in my Platinum #3776 Chartres Blue with M nib - I always wanted an ink to really suit it!

[Intensity]

btw, wanted to mention an issue with Platinum Blue-black in cartridges.

 

This ink was used exclusively in a NOS vintage Platinum short pen for several years--but only infrequently (when travelling). The pen was always rinsed out when not in use (tap water), but not the cap. Over time (and probably less than 10 cartridges) the gold plating has begun flaking away on the gold-band/clutch at the end of the section--with some pitting and corrosion underneath.

 

There are some (Daniel K) that warn us to avoid all pens with gold-plated rings at the end of the section, as many inks will corrode it eventually.

 

However, just wanted to dispel the oft-repeated myth that pen manufacturers' ink is always safe, especially in their own pens.

 

The IG content of the Platinum ink, which is the only ink that was ever used in this pen, definitely took a toll on the section trim. And now i'll be trying other inks.

 

The new Parker Blue-Black is much more saturated than the old, washed out classic Blue-black. It's not Iron-gall though, so it may be my new ink for this pen.

 

Is it possible the old plating was already compromised and porous in sections and is just flaking off from humidity? Like the chrommed aerometric sac casing in Parker 51s. The latter starts flaking with no presence of inks on the plating, simply water/humidity/time.

[A Smug Dill]

I've tried most of the ferrogallic b/b inks from the big pen/ink manufacturers. Most of them turn much darker when oxidized.

 

 

Have you tried Hero 232?

[bayindirh]

Also don't forget:

• Parker Quink Blue Black (is not IG, new bottles are not teal leaning).
• Lamy Blue Black (nice, neutral blue black).
• Noodler's standard Blue Black (contains bulletproof black).
• Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher (Warden series, no less)
• Diamine Blue Black
• Diamine Midnight.
• Diamine Twilight (Teal leaning blue black)

Already mentioned but:

• Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite (really behaves very well. I'm in love with it).

[stephenchin]

 

Is it possible the old plating was already compromised and porous in sections and is just flaking off from humidity? Like the chrommed aerometric sac casing in Parker 51s. The latter starts flaking with no presence of inks on the plating, simply water/humidity/time.

I can most likely rule that explanation out for two reasons: 1) there's corrosion, not flaking, as the protective layer of gold disappeared, resulting in pitting and corrosion in the pitting underneath (this is different than the flaking on the chrome plated 51 aero sac protectors I have, and btw only happens at the tip of the section which is in direct contact with ink); and 2) other similar pens and similarly used pens but not with the same IG ink have not had the same issues.

 

Ex. 1, a Platinum leather-wrapped pen with no gold-plated section end (but with a gold plated diamond marker inset a few mm back from the nib): the same Platinum BB ink cartridges (from the same boxes) were used over the same period exactly, but there is no corrosion on the gold-plated marker that was not in contact with ink. Ex. 2, a Pelikan m620 with a gold plated ring at the end of the section, which was used more frequently over the same years with non-IG ink (Pelikan 4001 Konigsblau): there is some wear to the plating beginning but nothing like the extensive pitting and corrosion as on the Platinum used with IG ink.

 

I have to stress that the Platinum pen with the badly damaged trim was used relatively infrequently, for 4 or 5 trips of approximately 3-4 weeks duration over the course of several years. I'm usually meticulous about cleaning out pens after use, but it's possible I forgot to do so here with a pen used only for travel.

 

I was shocked when I took the pen out recently to use it, and have hopefully found a donor body to relocate my vintage music nib. YMMV but please exercise care and good hygiene when using IG inks--or highly acidic/basic inks. Even inexpensive vintage pens are survivors which, with rare exceptions, will never be manufactured again!

[stephenchin]

As a replacement for Platinum BB, I use the new Parker Blue-black, and Edelstein tanzanite.

[tinta]

 

 

Have you tried Hero 232?

No I have not, but I'll look up this ink in the FPN ink reviews.

My most reliable source for ink in this part of Canada is Wonderpens in Toronto. They don't carry Hero.