Diamine Asa Blue

[dizzypen]

This review along with all my others can be found at The Dizzy Pen.

 

Here is the review card for Diamine Asa Blue

 

(Click to enlarge and sharpen the photo)

 

http://dizzypen.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/dia-asa-blue-card.jpg

 

This review is part of a large set of reviews about Iroshizuku and its alternatives. I think Diamine Mediterranean Blue and Diamine Asa Blue might make wonderful alternatives to Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. If you'd like to see the full length comparison please visit my blog post: Iroshizuku Kon-Peki v. Diamine Mediterranean Blue v. Diamine Asa Blue.

 

I received this bottle of ink for review from the good folks at Diamine. I am not otherwise affiliated with them.

[tawanda]

Thanks Dizzy.

 

I've looked at your blog, and I have to agree with you about Noodler's Eel Blue being a good alternative to Kon Peki. But, as you rightly point out Iroshizuku inks do havean elusive WOW factor and are so very well behaved its impossible to find an alternative that ticks all the boxes, esp for our beloved Ku Jaku!

 

Unfortunately, in giving us more intesely coloured inks Dimaine have also brought along other unwanted attributes, feathering andbleedthrough being common culprits. Shame.

[dizzypen]

Thanks Dizzy.

 

I've looked at your blog, and I have to agree with you about Noodler's Eel Blue being a good alternative to Kon Peki. But, as you rightly point out Iroshizuku inks do havean elusive WOW factor and are so very well behaved its impossible to find an alternative that ticks all the boxes, esp for our beloved Ku Jaku!

 

Unfortunately, in giving us more intesely coloured inks Dimaine have also brought along other unwanted attributes, feathering andbleedthrough being common culprits. Shame.

 

Tawanda you are quite right. Iroshizuku inks really do have a certain "it factor" that most others are missing, and the behavioral characteristics seem to blow many other brands out of the water.

 

You are also right about the increase in feathering and bleeding, which comes with the higher saturated inks. It is a shame, but not much of an issue for me as I tend to use feather and bleed resistant papers to begin with.

[777]

Great review dizzypen!

 

I'm really wanting to try a bottle of this myself so I can see in person how it compares to Kon-Peki. Whatever the result it's still a beautiful color.

 

Regards,

777

[fabrimedeiros]

Thanks for the review. Asa Blue is one of the most beatiful Diamine colors. Sapphire Blue is another of my blue choice. It will be nice a comparative review.

[Lava Fountain]

Hi Dizzy,

 

Good review of a Very Lovely Ink. I Love Diamine Inks in general andd have more than a few favs.

 

2 Question for you.

 

Where do you get the Ink Review Forms that you use for these? ... as I would like to get a Pad or some sheets of it to do a Review myself.

 

I will try & pose the following to a few of the other major ink reveiw contribuaters here as well.

 

Apologies in advance if this has been done before as I'm not aware of it ... but, I think it would be an invaluable experiment for you or some others that have access to large amounts of different manufactuers inks that many people think seem to think or feel are very similar to the Iroshizuku Ink meaning doing a Double Blind Test or something to that effect.

As so many people are enamoured with the Iro Ink myself included with the Big Wow Factor in part being the Gorgeous Bottle being the intial breathtaking impression and then being swept away by the actual color itself.

 

My question is as many reviews have been done by yourself and a few of the other significant reviews here comparing a few of the Iro Inks esp the Blues, it occurs to me & I am thinking there might be [more than ?] just a bit of Psychology in the Overall Presentation with it than just or of the ink itself.

 

So as with a DB in Audio to test peoples response fo different audio components if you did this in person amongst a group of your FP friends or club members, if the Iro was poured out of the beautiful Jewel style bottle it's in that everybody is smitten with into a generic bottle and do the same with with a number of liekwize colors into similar generic bottles & then let all try to test the colors & see which inks & what order they end up in.

 

Or for this Forum, you can do the same, take 1/2 doz or so of the comaprable inks & do the ink review without the names attached to them & then let people choose. Obviously many of the people that already have/use the Iro Ink would or should pick it out if the Lineup, some might not, but then many of those that haven't seen it or used it already most might not not having the advantage or the Luxury of seeing the Iro Ink presented to them in person in front of their face beore they dip their pens & stroke the paper & Go AHHH That IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INK I'V EEVER SEEN !!! :|

 

They've done this not only with High End Audio Components [even lower end ones as well] as well with top tier Vodka with some amazing & shocking results b4 n after the shots/test drinks were presented poured straight from thier beautiful presentaion bottles & then from generic bottles in almost all cases the myth of the best tasting drink from the Beautiful Bootle disappeared so it seems this kind of test/experiment might prove some similar or very interesting results.

 

Thx in advance for your time & patience in reading all this & the considerable time & trouble to do it.

 

Regards

 

Cheers,

LF

[dizzypen]

Lava Fountain,

 

The index card form is just something I whipped out in MS Word to match the line width of my index cards. Nothing fancy there, it just take a bit of trial and error.

 

The long sheet is from FPN. There is a sticky topic at the top of the ink review forum. I'm using the second one.

 

As to the second half of your post, that is a great idea. Perhaps if I find time to do it in the future I will, but at present I am a bit too bogged down with reviews to do and moving and graduate school to give it a go. Perhaps one of the other ink reviewers can do it?

[Lava Fountain]

Lava Fountain,

 

The index card form is just something I whipped out in MS Word to match the line width of my index cards. Nothing fancy there, it just take a bit of trial and error.

 

The long sheet is from FPN. There is a sticky topic at the top of the ink review forum. I'm using the second one.

 

As to the second half of your post, that is a great idea. Perhaps if I find time to do it in the future I will, but at present I am a bit too bogged down with reviews to do and moving and graduate school to give it a go. Perhaps one of the other ink reviewers can do it?

 

Hi Diz,

 

 

 

Thx for your quick reply.

 

As for the Double Blind Test for the Iro, Yeah I think it would be a fairly interesting experiment just for the fun of it.

Just read your blog which I should have done 1st so quite understandable about your work load [ Good luck with your Grad Work & New Life Congrats] preventing you from taking on something as ?convoluted/labourious? as this effort so yeah maybe sometime in the future when you find time to surface, see the sun/breathe some air & can do so.

 

Thx for the reply.

 

Keep up the nice work, thx for the effort, Love it.

 

Cheers,

LF

[Aquarian]

Hi all

Was wondering if anyone has any long to medium term reviews of Asa Blue...

 

I do understand it isn't waterproof but wonder how it fares in the fade test

 

Also wonder if it leaves any pen residue and does it require much pen maintenance

 

Regards

 

Pav

 

 

 

Lava Fountain,

 

The index card form is just something I whipped out in MS Word to match the line width of my index cards. Nothing fancy there, it just take a bit of trial and error.

 

The long sheet is from FPN. There is a sticky topic at the top of the ink review forum. I'm using the second one.

 

As to the second half of your post, that is a great idea. Perhaps if I find time to do it in the future I will, but at present I am a bit too bogged down with reviews to do and moving and graduate school to give it a go. Perhaps one of the other ink reviewers can do it?

 

Hi Diz,

 

 

 

Thx for your quick reply.

 

As for the Double Blind Test for the Iro, Yeah I think it would be a fairly interesting experiment just for the fun of it.

Just read your blog which I should have done 1st so quite understandable about your work load [ Good luck with your Grad Work & New Life Congrats] preventing you from taking on something as ?convoluted/labourious? as this effort so yeah maybe sometime in the future when you find time to surface, see the sun/breathe some air & can do so.

 

Thx for the reply.

 

Keep up the nice work, thx for the effort, Love it.

 

Cheers,

LF

[Garrett1]

Hello

 

Dose anyone know if this ink feathers on cheap paper, and also do you think it would be a good ink for class notes?

 

 

Thanks

[mhosea]

Hello, Garrett1. Welcome to FPN.

 

IMHO, Diamine Asa Blue is middle-of-the-road when it comes to cheap paper. It is not a problem ink when it comes to feathering, nor is it very resistant to it. Noodler's Blue is similar, though arguably feathers ever-so-slightly less on cheap paper. The significantly better inks for cheap paper tend to be less saturated, though this is not a reliable guide by itself, as J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir feathers a great deal more while being a great deal less saturated. I think it would be OK for class notes, especially since you can choose your paper. At work I mostly stick to the Mead 1-subject, college ruled spiral notebooks that we happen to have. Most inks will feather a little bit on this paper, but it is only enough to give a slightly "wooly" look to the edges of the lines, whereas the worst sorts of paper will actually give both feathering and spreading.

 

BTW, an inexpensive ink that excels on cheap paper, IMHO, is Hero #232 Blue-Black. It is an iron-gall ink, and so should not be mixed with other inks, and it should probably be flushed monthly or so. On the plus side, if flushed regularly, it is extraordinarily easy to flush.

[Jdm dc2]

Nice review. Left me with even more options on finding my next blue!