Diamine - Havasu Turquoise

[Sandy1]

Please take a moment to adjust the brightness & contrast of your monitor to accurately depict this Gray Scale.

As the patches are neutral gray, their colour on your monitor should also be neutral gray.

Mac LINK http://www.wikihow.c...te-Your-Monitor

Figure 1.

Gray Scale.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/INK576.jpg

Figure 2.

Swabs: Waterman Florida Blue. Diamine Havasu Turquoise.

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK757.jpg

Figure 3.

NIB-ism LINK

Depicts nib line-width and pens' relative wetness.

(The Sonnet seemed to be a little drier than expected.)

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES: Moby Dick

 

Row Widths:

Narrow nibs: 6mm.

Other nibs: 8mm.

 

Figure 4.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK762.jpg

Figure 5.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK764.jpg

Figure 6.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK765.jpg

Figure 7.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK766.jpg

OTHER SAMPLES:

 

Figure 8.

• 'HAPPY!' on Glossy Card.
• Smear/Dry Time on Glossy Paper.
• Smear/Dry Time on HPJ1124.
• Wet Tests on HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20-%20Havasu%20Turquoise/INK758.jpg

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

 

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Daily writer?

• Not a chance - has performance issues.

A go-to ink?

• No.

USES:

 

Business:

• No: Has performance issues that may embarrass those who use this ink.
• Might be OK for for mark-up / editing, but not so zippy.
• Does not suit error correction or grading of assignments

Illustrations / Graphics:

• May do as a substitute for Medium Blue.
• Would provide good differentiation if Royal Blue is used instead of Dark Blue.
• High quality paper mandatory.

Students:

• Nope - too many performance issues.

Personal:

• Possible.
• If one is using a high performance paper and a dry-ish writer, then this ink may be acceptable, sort of, to some, some of the time not all the time. Maybe.

_______________________________________________

***If you stop reading here, that's OK, I'll understand.***

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS:

 

Flow Rate:

• Modest.

Nib Dry-out:

• Not noticed.

Start-up:

• Immediate.

Lubrication:

• Adequate, a little lean on the G Lalo.

Nib Creep:

• None.

Staining:

• None after 2 days.

Clogging:

• Not seen.
• Seems unlikely.

Bleed Through:

Yes:

• Some on the Pulp with the 440. LINK
• On the HPJ1124: 440, Waterman, P99 & Safari. LINK
• Detail: LINK

Show Through:

• Yes: Some on the Pulp and the HPJ1124.
• It would be desperation to use both sides of the sheet.

Smear/Dry Time (Figure 8)

• Glossy: 2 - 5 seconds.
• HPJ1124: 7 - 10 seconds.

Water Resistance (Figure 8)

• -2- on the 4S Scale.
• "Over half is legible.
• May provide basis for 'best guess' restoration. (Think Dead Sea scrolls.)"

Feathering:

Sort of on the Pulp and the HPJ1124.

The lines became very wooly where the amount of ink increased. LINK

Smell:

• Very faint inky esters.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• None noticed.

Archival:

• Not claimed.

Clean Up:

• Fast and thorough with plain water.

Mixing:

• No stated limitation.

THE LOOK:

• The sloppy twin of Waterman South Sea_ Blue.

Saturation:

• Strangely incapable.

Shading:

• Not really.
• When it does, it is inconsistent, and does not strike me as attractive. LINK

Variance depending on pen+nib combos used:

• Given the range of writers, this ink maintains fairly good consistency.

FIDELITY:

 

Is the name appropriate?

• According to Wiki, 'Havasu' is a body of water in the USA, with a reputation as a Spring Break destination. Connotations (and Wiki images) include low-rent hedonism, substance abuse, and women who don't know how to wear the least to their best advantage.
• So the name 'Havasu' is perhaps appropriate only if limited to the body of water, not the shenanigans.
• As for 'Turquoise': not a chance - it's a Blue with a tinge of Green/Acqua.

Are swatches accurate?

• No swatch on bottle.
• Reasonably consistent with online Diamine swatch. LINK http://www.diaminein...s.aspx?catID=14

SIMILAR COLOURS:

• Very much like Waterman South Sea_ Blue.
• Comparison LINK
  

PAPERS:

 

Lovely papers:

• Upper-tier brilliant white paper.

Trip-wire Papers:

• Anything that might cause feathering or show-through.

Tinted Papers:

• Will do well with anything that Blue will run on.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Mandatory.

OTHER THAN INK:

 

**Note: A friend noticed that I was using Turquoise ink, so loaned this bottle to me for a trial run. As the box was not passed to me, there are no Comments about the box.

 

Presentation :

• 80 ml. bottle.
• No HazMat warnings.

Country of origin:

• UK

Container:

• A squat square-based, clear glass, slope shouldered bottle, 65mm tall when capped.
• The centred round opening seems snug: 20mm in diameter.
• Single tank, no sediment collector, no filling aid. Tsk Tsk ... Tsk.
• The bake light screw cap has adequate grip.
• The cap is not child-proof.
• The cap seal seems to be some sort of plastic-coated card. (>_<)

Box:

• Not seen.

Eco-Green:

• OK.
• All should be recyclable or benign.

Availability:

• A generous but ill-informed friend.
• Common from online retailers or directly from Diamine.
• Likely some back street pen shops and high street stationers.

ETC:

 

Majik:

• Never happen.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• None.

Yickity Yackity:

• Get WSSB, and solve it in a stroke.
• This is a really good example of what can go wrong when buying an ink based on manufacturer's reputation and ink colour/swatch.
• Ah kushbaby, too bad. And I was so optimistic when I made the swabs.

*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'*"*'

 

MATERIEL USED:

 

To be relevant to most members, I make an effort to use papers, pens & nibs that are readily available, for which I paid $100 or less, and are 'factory stock' - not customised.

 

Pens:

 

• Sheaffer 440 + steel XF.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN343.jpg

• Pilot Prera + steel M.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN723.jpg

• Pelikan P99 + steel M.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN753.jpg

• Waterman + 18K M.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN441.jpg

• Lamy Safari + steel B.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN659.jpg

• Parker Sonnet + 18K Italic B.

http://i783.photobuc...cans/PEN344.jpg

For lines & labels:

• Pilot Penmanship + XF inked with Noodler's Lexington Grey.

On these papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia, Pad 18.
• G Lalo, 'Verge de France' white.
• Pulp.
• Glossy paper.
• Glossy card.

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 150 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted other than straightening using iPhoto on a MacBook, but most went straight to the file sharing thingy.

-30-

 

Edit - To add LINKS.

Edited July 23, 2010 by Sandy1

[lovemy51]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

[Fuddlestack]

Congrats on your assiduity, especially in testing an ink that must pretty quickly have seemed less than thrilling.

 

I'd have given up a lot sooner.

[Sandy1]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

The comparison is quite stark. Even though Diamine seems to assign some problematic names to their inks (e.g. Indigo) they have essentially described Turquoise as Turquoise and Blue as Blue. Though Turquoise is tricky, especially as some practitioners may not differentiate Cyan :: Blue. And names such as 'Peacock Blue' seem to surface.

 

But let's cut to the chase:

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/Comparison%20-%20Diamine%20ASA%20Blue%20TO%20Havasu/0e835025.jpg

 

On the Left, we have Havasu; on the Right, ASA Blue.

 

Both samples are from Western B nibs: L: Safari, R: Phileas.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Congrats on your assiduity, especially in testing an ink that must pretty quickly have seemed less than thrilling.

 

I'd have given up a lot sooner.

Hi,

 

Thank-you.

 

One of my personal objectives of doing Ink Reviews is to convey enough information that the reader may make an informed decision about an ink when/if it comes time to use the subject ink. (Or read my IRs as a cure for insomnia, recipe ideas, etc.)

 

I have, over time, worked-up a template that allows me to capture and convey information about an ink in an orderly fashion, and to do that task quite quickly. Performance matters are quite easily captured & conveyed; the subjective stuff takes longer, and can be readily disregarded by the reader more readily than the documented performance. Some Members have expressed dissatisfaction/dismay with my descriptions, but until a Moderator requests that I make changes, I plan to persist.

 

Even the fiasco with R&K Helianthus provided some information, even though the ink almost defied sampling. Ink Link

 

Bye,

S1

[dcwaites]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

 

As you can see from Sandy's scans, the ASA blue is much darker.

I made a blend I call Majestic Havasu, which is 9 pts Diamine Majestic Blue to 50 pts Diamine Havasu. This blend is very similar to ASA blue.

 

 

[Sandy1]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

 

As you can see from Sandy's scans, the ASA blue is much darker.

I made a blend I call Majestic Havasu, which is 9 pts Diamine Majestic Blue to 50 pts Diamine Havasu. This blend is very similar to ASA blue.

 

 

 

Ah Hah!

 

The jig's up! I'm not the only one to have Havasu!!

AND not the only person to assign it to mixing limbo.

 

Salvage at its best!!

[dcwaites]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

 

As you can see from Sandy's scans, the ASA blue is much darker.

I made a blend I call Majestic Havasu, which is 9 pts Diamine Majestic Blue to 50 pts Diamine Havasu. This blend is very similar to ASA blue.

 

 

 

Ah Hah!

 

The jig's up! I'm not the only one to have Havasu!!

AND not the only person to assign it to mixing limbo.

 

Salvage at its best!!

 

Not only that, but I bought two more 30 ml bottles so I could make lots of Majestic Havasu.

 

Have you made and posted any interesting blends? The reason I ask, is that it is probably rude to review my own blends. I think (as if we don't have enough other inks to review) that some of us should make up (or swap by snail mail) some other FPN'ers blends and review them.

 

Also, I noticed that LRHPs are back on some of your grocery lists. I've always felt that a well-placed target quality round (not Tenex or R50, but cheaper) is a better choice than a HP.

[lovemy51]

thx, sandy and dcwaites! i just ordered some asa blue. sandy, from your scan, i think it (asa blue) might be closer to PR naples blue. thx again!

[Sandy1]

thx, sandy and dcwaites! i just ordered some asa blue. sandy, from your scan, i think it (asa blue) might be closer to PR naples blue. thx again!

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I think the ASA Blue is certainly an OK ink, but it brings nothing new to the party. For those who want that colour and performance profile, it now comes in a bottle.

 

I posted a number of comparisons of other inks to ASA Blue; in hindsight, more than were useful / appropriate perhaps.

 

Enjoy!

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

hello, sandy. thx for this review. how does this compare to diamine "asa blue"? i think you have that one too, don't you?

regards,

 

As you can see from Sandy's scans, the ASA blue is much darker.

I made a blend I call Majestic Havasu, which is 9 pts Diamine Majestic Blue to 50 pts Diamine Havasu. This blend is very similar to ASA blue.

 

 

 

Ah Hah!

 

The jig's up! I'm not the only one to have Havasu!!

AND not the only person to assign it to mixing limbo.

 

Salvage at its best!!

 

Not only that, but I bought two more 30 ml bottles so I could make lots of Majestic Havasu.

 

Have you made and posted any interesting blends? The reason I ask, is that it is probably rude to review my own blends. I think (as if we don't have enough other inks to review) that some of us should make up (or swap by snail mail) some other FPN'ers blends and review them.

 

Also, I noticed that LRHPs are back on some of your grocery lists. I've always felt that a well-placed target quality round (not Tenex or R50, but cheaper) is a better choice than a HP.

Hi,

 

I have taken to mixing only the warmer colours. In part that is due to a surfeit of Blue inks - I don't feel the need to mix. However, I'm certainly more than willing to give an ink a nudge. That said, I am doing more dilutions, as my current taste is for inks with more transparency and lower density without becoming wan.

 

And I still have trouble selecting inks with colours in the warm end of the spectrum, so do a fair bit of one-off mixing for a certain pen & paper and occasion. (Ebine comparisons in progress.) The only mixes I use consistently are warm ones: 'Cool Fusion' for the Notorious Pink Safari, and 'Illegal Lipstick' which I like from ye olde ring-top pens.

 

IMHO heavy rounds are too slow, and require too much lead/anticipation of the round on target intersection; one can hear them straining at the oars to get downrange). Horses for courses.

 

Bye,

S1

[Bearcat]

Congrats on your assiduity, especially in testing an ink that must pretty quickly have seemed less than thrilling.

 

I'd have given up a lot sooner.

Hi,

 

Thank-you.

 

One of my personal objectives of doing Ink Reviews is to convey enough information that the reader may make an informed decision about an ink when/if it comes time to use the subject ink. (Or read my IRs as a cure for insomnia, recipe ideas, etc.)

 

I have, over time, worked-up a template that allows me to capture and convey information about an ink in an orderly fashion, and to do that task quite quickly. Performance matters are quite easily captured & conveyed; the subjective stuff takes longer, and can be readily disregarded by the reader more readily than the documented performance. Some Members have expressed dissatisfaction/dismay with my descriptions, but until a Moderator requests that I make changes, I plan to persist.

 

Even the fiasco with R&K Helianthus provided some information, even though the ink almost defied sampling. Ink Link

 

Bye,

S1

 

 

Fantastic work....thanks for posting these!

[mori45]

Thanks for the review & comparison to SSB. Looks like I'll be sticking with Waterman.

[cybaea]

 

Thank you, Sandy1. Your reviews are the best!

[Sandy1]

 

Thank you, Sandy1. Your reviews are the best!

 

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Many thanks for your sample of the ink that's currently in the market

 

As the performance of Havasu was an outlier in the Diamine array, I had blonde optimism that the ink boffins would've ironed-out some of the wrinkles in the ink's performance during the past three years, but such is not the case.

 

Please let us know if you happen upon a pen+paper combo that may rescue Havasu from the Mixing Corral.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited September 14, 2013 by Sandy1

[cybaea]

 

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Many thanks for your sample of the ink that's currently in the market

 

As the performance of Havasu was an outlier in the Diamine array, I had blonde optimism that the ink boffins would've ironed-out some of the wrinkles in the ink's performance during the past three years, but such is not the case.

 

Please let us know if you happen upon a pen+paper combo that may rescue Havasu from the Mixing Corral.

 

Bye,

S1

 

Rhodia works for me, even with the 1.5mm Pilot Parallel. Other papers are at best difficult.

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice and interesting blue which looks close to private reserve daphne blue, thanks for sharing