Noodler's Kung Te Cheng, First Impressions

[Yoda4561]

Not purple. Everyone calls it purple, but to my eyes this ink is 100% cobalt blue, with maybe a slight hint of violet once dried on some papers. The darkness and saturation can be misleading, but looking at the ink on bright white paper or with a bright light shining through the bottle, there is no puple there. Regardless of the purpleness, or lack therof, it's a fantastic color. I'd have to go and call it my ideal blue color, hopefully the 4.5 oz bottle lasts a long time.

 

I've heard some folks say that the Violet Vote looks almost identical when it's used in a pen, and I saw a swab that made it look to be the same color, just a shade lighter, so it's now moved to the top of my inks to get list. I really don't want to run out of this KTC, so hopefully Violet Vote works out similar, or Nathan figures out a way to make the same color without those impossible to get rare ingredients.

 

It seems to behave really well on newsprint, and copy paper. No bleedthrough or feathering. On an old ampad gold fiber notebook it does exhibit some bleed through and feathering, but then again even bulletproof Black has showthrough on that paper. Time to smearproof has ranged from instant on the ampad and other absorbent papers, to around 5 seconds on a particularly slow drying generic mini-notepad I have. Very little shading, though it is noticable on very shiny papers.

 

The ink is rated bulletproof, a soak in water doesn't affect it at all. A quick spritz of tilex (same concentration as household bleach, and I think they threw some other goodies in it) causes the color to slowly run and spread, but the writing is still legible. There was no seperation of different colors, the writing stayed purple as did the runoff. The ink only had about 10 seconds to dry, I'll do a more thorough bulletproofness test later, but for now it passes.

 

Here's a couple pictures, as always the ink looks much more "vibrant" in real life. This image is tweaked about as good as I can manage without spending an hour adjusting stuff. Pardon the chickenscratch, this is from my personal ink notebook and my handwriting is generally atrocious unless I'm writing something important. Lamy Safari with an F nib. Ampad Gold fiber notebook.

 

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r54/Yoda4561/Pens%20and%20Ink/KTCbottlecolor.jpg http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r54/Yoda4561/Pens%20and%20Ink/kungtecheng.jpg

Edited June 13, 2010 by Yoda4561

[bookworm2109]

I totally agree. I don't see any purple in it at all. Kung Te Cheng reminds me a little bit of Levenger Cobalt Blue.

Edited June 13, 2010 by bookworm2109

[Alexandra]

It's definately a blue ink and GORGEOUS! I also have Violet Vote and they're not similar. To my eye Kung Te Cheng similar to Diamine Majestic Blue. I do hope the bottle lasts a long time even though I'm using it regualarly. I also hope that Nathan will make something similar because it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

[SamCapote]

...it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

 

A beautiful woman similar to the one shown in your avatar to deliver it?

[Yoda4561]

Alexandra, do you have any Baystate inks to compare to?? Regarding the smell and staining properties mostly. I noticed that KTC has a much stronger chemical odor than my Peartree samplers of "conventional" bulletproof inks. I've been testing out Kung te Cheng's "cleanability" and it's a VERY fast drying and tenacious ink compared to the other noodler's I have.

 

A large drop of those will stay wet overnight, and even if I smear Bulletproof Black/#41/ or a custom mix ( 6:6:1 Hunter green, polar blue, Black) around and let it dry in a thin film they still wipe off pretty easily and wash off with tapwater a day later. The KTC sticks though, and plain tapwater or dish soap doesn't touch it once dried(rubbing alcohol is also ineffective), and rubbing it with a finger under running water has only minor effect.

 

Ammonia and bleach will dissolve it quickly so I'm not too worried about clogging. I'm just hoping right now that it doesn't share the anti-Lamy chemistry of baystate blue, I kinda loaded it into a safari as soon as I recieved it, :blink: . Won't stop me from using it, but I'd probably recommend folks stay away from putting it into collectible or hard to clean pens.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Yoda4561

[watch_art]

you could always cut it with some water.

[Alexandra]

...it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

 

A beautiful woman similar to the one shown in your avatar to deliver it?

 

Maybe you'll luck out and get a really cute UPS lady! :roflmho:

[Alexandra]

Alexandra, do you have any Baystate inks to compare to?? Regarding the smell and staining properties mostly. I noticed that KTC has a much stronger chemical odor than my Peartree samplers of "conventional" bulletproof inks. I've been testing out Kung te Cheng's "cleanability" and it's a VERY fast drying and tenacious ink compared to the other noodler's I have.

 

A large drop of those will stay wet overnight, and even if I smear Bulletproof Black/#41/ or a custom mix ( 6:6:1 Hunter green, polar blue, Black) around and let it dry in a thin film they still wipe off pretty easily and wash off with tapwater a day later. The KTC sticks though, and plain tapwater or dish soap doesn't touch it once dried(rubbing alcohol is also ineffective), and rubbing it with a finger under running water has only minor effect.

 

Ammonia and bleach will dissolve it quickly so I'm not too worried about clogging. I'm just hoping right now that it doesn't share the anti-Lamy chemistry of baystate blue, I kinda loaded it into a safari as soon as I recieved it, :blink: . Won't stop me from using it, but I'd probably recommend folks stay away from putting it into collectible or hard to clean pens.

 

Yes, I have Baystate Blue and nothing compares to that for staining. I haven't noticed any significant staining, from KTC, probably because of the prior BSB work, but to me KTC smells like paint as do some of the other bulletproofs. BSB has it's own unique smell, of course...it couldn't be otherwise. I haven't done any experiments to see which ink stands up better to soaking, scrubbing, soap or whatever else one does to ink.

[bluemagister]

I see KTC as a definite purple, but I shook the bottle before filling. This ink works well in the preppy that's included, but I also have it in a Pilot VBall Grip rollerball and it's flawless.

[Yoda4561]

 

Yes, I have Baystate Blue and nothing compares to that for staining. I haven't noticed any significant staining, from KTC, probably because of the prior BSB work, but to me KTC smells like paint as do some of the other bulletproofs. BSB has it's own unique smell, of course...it couldn't be otherwise. I haven't done any experiments to see which ink stands up better to soaking, scrubbing, soap or whatever else one does to ink.

 

 

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear. I'm working under the assumption that whatever it is in baystate blue that makes it incompatible with some plastics also gives it the particular smell folks talk about.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Yoda4561

[SamCapote]

...it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

 

A beautiful woman similar to the one shown in your avatar to deliver it?

 

Maybe you'll luck out and get a really cute UPS lady! :roflmho:

 

LOL! Indeed. Actually, I'm very happily married, but was just giving you a thinly veiled compliment.

[Alexandra]

...it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

 

A beautiful woman similar to the one shown in your avatar to deliver it?

 

Maybe you'll luck out and get a really cute UPS lady! :roflmho:

 

LOL! Indeed. Actually, I'm very happily married, but was just giving you a thinly veiled compliment.

Aw, thanks :embarrassed_smile:

[coyotewhisper]

Impressive blue color. Bold and bright could be a great everyday color.

[LeBrusc]

Isn't it a dark INDIGO?

Anyway, this Kung Te Cheng is quite suitable for many use and flows like a dream -or should I say a stream- out of my new Ahab.

As I want an ink that would not be damaged once on the paper, this one suits me well... and the color is just gorgeous.

 

[mhphoto]

Such a beautiful color. I can't wait to get some of this.

[clickiechick]

It's definately a blue ink and GORGEOUS! I also have Violet Vote and they're not similar. To my eye Kung Te Cheng similar to Diamine Majestic Blue. I do hope the bottle lasts a long time even though I'm using it regualarly. I also hope that Nathan will make something similar because it is an ideal ink--beautiful, conservative and therefore versatile, and bulletproof. What more could a person want out of an ink?

 

I love the blue-not-purple color though I was expecting purple. What I wanted out of this ink was formulation that would flow on cue like Noodler's (awesome) Lexington Gray. Didn't happen! I think I'll try the dilution trick others have mentioned to get through the rest of my sample vial, but I had hoped that my wettest writer would be able to handle this ink and I'm bummed it couldn't!

[mhosea]

The scans remind me of Noodler's Polar Blue, only darker.

[mcbender]

I've been wondering if different batches of this ink behave differently, because mine is consistently a true purple on every paper I've tried.

[cedargirl]

I've been wondering if different batches of this ink behave differently, because mine is consistently a true purple on every paper I've tried.

 

I've just purchased KTC and do love it, but I was expecting to see some purple. My bottle, to my eyes, is a deep blue with no hints of purple. I've even walked my writing samples around the house and looked at them under different lights and in sunshine. I still can't see purple in it.

 

But, I also have Private Reserve Tanzanite. I bought that because it was reported to be a purpley blue and showed up as that on some online samples/swabs and reviews. To me it is almost pure purple. I had been wondering whether my bottle of PRT was different to every one else's.

 

Is it that the bottles differ? Or maybe people's eyes have a different capacity to see reds in purple. But, I guess, using that logic maybe I should see KTC and PRT as both blue or both purple and I don't.

[VillersCotterets]

Not purple. Everyone calls it purple, but to my eyes this ink is 100% cobalt blue, with maybe a slight hint of violet once dried on some papers.

 

Colour vision is not something you are fully born with.

 

Due to the words we use for different colours, the brain developes to differentiate colours from each other.

 

For instance, one the following square is totally different from the others, but most English speakers cannot identify it.

 

http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ring1.jpg

 

 

Fascinating BBC Horizon clip shows the link between colour and language, as demonstrated by tests with the Himba tribe of Namibia.

Read more at http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=30670

 

This phenomena is pretty obvious for me. My mother tongue is French. For me, "pourpre" (dark reddish purple), "violet" (highly saturated bluish purple), "mauve" (greyish blue purple) have nothing to do with what English speakers call "purple".

Edited February 25, 2013 by VillersCotterets