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yazeh

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Polar Brown is one of my favorite inks. Ironically, I’m not a fan of the color. It’s somehow bland. It can be a frustrating and finnicky ink, depending the pen used. But in this day age, where the veil on life’s non-permanence and uncertainty has been torn to bits, an ink, as permanent as the paper it bonds with is a source of comfort.

 

20200412_075815.jpg

 

When I first got into inks, being too lazy, I ordered a bunch of mystery samples. There were two Polar Browns. When I inked my pen, I told myself, what have I done to deserve such an ink in double amounts.

But it grew on me, to the point that I bought a bottle, and I always have a couple of pens inked up, just in case, I have to jot down some important information, words of wisdom, sign a check or write a shopping list. Not a pleasant feeling when your painstakingly craft list melts after an impromptu drizzle or stray snowflake……

 

It dries in less than 10 seconds with a wet medium nib, and 3 with a fine on Rhodia dotpad.

On copy paper it’s instantaneous.

However, it takes forever to dry on Tomoe River with a wet nib, but it shades. With a fine nib, 45 seconds, until smudge free…

It is also one of the easiest inks to clean out of a fountain pen. I’ve tried it even in a vintage Waterman and cleaning was a breeze.

 

Personally, this is one of those rare inks that I would not use with a stub/ oblique nib/ fude.

With a wet/ wide combo it would ghost and bleed through unabashedly. Though sometimes I prefer that dark rich brown, haunting the paper, than the mild muted brown it usually is.

 

I’m not sure if it would be happy in a dry pen.

I have had it in a Jinhao 992 for a year with no problem. In a Jinhao 450 with a fude nib, it had flow issues but when I changed the nib to a medium it was much better. When it flows, it’s a joy to write with. And unsurprisingly Polar Brown, loves Noodler’s nib creeper.

 

On Rhodia dot pad

 

PBr - Rhodia-front.jpeg

 

Rhodia Back

PBr - Rhodia-back.jpeg

 

On Tomoe RiverPBr - Tomoe River.jpeg

Swab comparaison

PBr - Swabs.jpeg

 

On Amazon Copy paper - Front

Pb - Amazon copy- Front.jpeg

 

Back

Pb-Copy paper- Compar-BACK 1.jpeg

 

On Hilroy - King of the fountain pen unfriendly notebooks :)

PB- Hilroy fr.jpeg

Back

PB- Hilroy fr back 1.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Yesterday it was raining. So, I decided to do a permanence test....

Note the Black Swan in English Roses was actually Sailor Yodaki...

Before

Torture test.jpeg

 

After 2 hours under rain/sleet/snow

20200409_170621.jpg

 

After 18 hours under constant rain

Torture test 1.jpeg

 

Finally I subjected the visible texts to swabs of alcohol on the left side and bleach to ride side....

 

Torture - Al -Bleach.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by yazeh
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Great review and wonderful comparison test. Thank you so very much, it is most interesting and useful.

If you are to be ephemeral, leave a good scent.

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What a nice review! Thank you so much. I love the look of polar brown on TR! However the amount of bleedthrough and feathering on rhodia is more than enough to make me squirm :yikes:

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Great review and wonderful comparison test. Thank you so very much, it is most interesting and useful.

 

 

What a nice review! Thank you so much. I love the look of polar brown on TR! However the amount of bleedthrough and feathering on rhodia is more than enough to make me squirm :yikes:

 

 

Great review and wonderful comparison test. Thank you so very much, it is most interesting and useful.

 

Most welcome :)

What a nice review! Thank you so much. I love the look of polar brown on TR! However the amount of bleedthrough and feathering on rhodia is more than enough to make me squirm :yikes:

I did that on purpose. A Jinhao 450 with a fude nib, leaves a lot of ink on paper. I wanted to stress upon it.

However, with a medium nib, there's just some minor ghosting....

 

I forgot to add the Back page of Tomoe River, so I'll add it here.

 

PB TM River - Back.jpeg

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