Noodler's Brown

[Ruminator]

Some time ago, I decided I'd like to use a few different colors of ink. The availability of inks was one of the reasons I started using fountain pens once again, after many decades away from my old-school Parker (?) with the watery-blue cartridges. After reading the accolades of Noodler's #41 Brown, I bought a bottle some months ago, only to find it is the 2012 formulation and not up to the original standard. So, I'm still looking for a decent brown.

 

One of the samples on my shelf was Noodler's Brown. Yep, just plain old (standard) brown. I noticed that there have been no recent reviews of this (perhaps nondescript) ink. I had an empty (Noodler's piston) pen, so I loaded it up and have been writing with it the last few days. If the scan does the ink justice, the red component is evident in this well-saturated ink. I like the flow although the lubrication isn't as good as some other inks. Drying time is a little on the longish side, but it works OK on my normal papers.

 

The ink didn't withstand my wet-finger rub. It's water-resistant, but not waterproof. The red component is really obvious in the water test. I like the color and character of this saturated brown ink and it's still on the possibles list. I'm going to test samples of Noodler's Walnut and Polar Brown before I settle on which bottle to buy.

 

Enjoy!

 

-=d

[Greebe]

Thanks for the review. I have been trying to decide on a brown ink for a while now. I will check this one out.

 

Greebe

[JamesTheBard]

Appreciate the review. I'm still looking for a sepia/brown ink to start rounding out my collection. Perhaps I shall order a sample...

[ethernautrix]

Thanks for the review. I'm interested to know the differences or similarities between standard Brown and Walnut - in vibrancy and shade (meaning red or dark or whatnot, not whether the ink shades).

 

Actually, I want to find Schreibtinte Braun, a Noodler's exclusive to a Zurich stationer that no longer carries it (I checked their website yesterday).

[PenTieRun]

Noodler's standard line inks are really under-appreciated as everyone focuses on whatever-proofness of the specialty ones. Brown looks real nice, just like standard Green, Burgundy, Blue, Violet, Purple, etc.

[mrt77]

This ink looks nice, maybe I should order a sample.

 

I really love Noodlers Kiowa Pecan. It's probably my favorite brown ink, with #41 coming in second. Noodlers Walnut is pretty nice, but a bit too dark for my tastes. YMMV.

[Ruminator]

Thanks for the review. I'm interested to know the differences or similarities between standard Brown and Walnut - in vibrancy and shade (meaning red or dark or whatnot, not whether the ink shades).

 

Well, wait no more. I'm going to post my review of Walnut this evening and I have a comparison with the standard Brown on the sheet.

 

Actually, I want to find Schreibtinte Braun, a Noodler's exclusive to a Zurich stationer that no longer carries it (I checked their website yesterday).

 

I have not seen that one, but would love to see it too. I'm finding that I like brown ink. Perhaps it's the warm earth tone that works for me. I don't know (but will think about it).

 

OABTW, that's an interesting change of avatar you have there. You change avatars like some folks change... shoes!

 

-=d

[Ruminator]

Noodler's standard line inks are really under-appreciated as everyone focuses on whatever-proofness of the specialty ones. Brown looks real nice, just like standard Green, Burgundy, Blue, Violet, Purple, etc.

 

 

This ink looks nice, maybe I should order a sample. I really love Noodlers Kiowa Pecan. It's probably my favorite brown ink, with #41 coming in second. Noodlers Walnut is pretty nice, but a bit too dark for my tastes. YMMV.

 

@PenTieRun I agree. The standard inks are interesting and colorful and deserve more attention. I would have no problem using them here at the house in a journal that I had no intention of ever leaving the house. However, for those pens that move about with me and are used in various environments, I like have a little more confidence that if my notebook happened to get wet I wouldn't lose my notes. So, I prefer an ink that's at least water-resistant.

 

But I do like standard Brown. It's very warm and appealing.

 

@mrt77 I also have a sample of Kiowa Pecan that I want to try. I should have inked my P51 demi with it before I wrote my next review. That would be my bad. So, I guess I'll have to ink the pen and write up a review of Kiowa Pecan this week for posting while I still have browns running in some of my other pens.

 

The 2012 variant of #41 Brown seems a little thin to me. It's also a bit of a hard-starter and dry writer in my Parker 51 with a medium nib. It's seems to be marginally better in the Estie with the 9668 nib, but only a bit. You're right about the Walnut being a darker ink.

 

More on that in a bit. Thanks for reading.

 

-=d

[ethernautrix]

I want to thank you again, Ruminator, for posting your review. Because of it, I ordered a sample of the ink (along with a few other browns and a coupla other inks) from Todd (isellpens.com), and it arrived today, and while I've only been able to paperclip-dip it as a test, I already love the color. So, thank you!

Edited May 11, 2012 by ethernautrix

[tenney]

After reading the accolades of Noodler's #41 Brown, I bought a bottle some months ago, only to find it is the 2012 formulation and not up to the original standard. So, I'm still looking for a decent brown.

How does one tell whether it's the 2012 #41 or not?

 

Well, wait no more. I'm going to post my review of Walnut this evening and I have a comparison with the standard Brown on the sheet.

MMMMM... Gotta find that post...

[Ruminator]

I want to thank you again, Ruminator, for posting your review. Because of it, I ordered a sample of the ink (along with a few other browns and a coupla other inks) from Todd (isellpens.com), and it arrived today, and while I've only been able to paperclip-dip it as a test, I already love the color. So, thank you!

 

You're welcome, ma'am! I'm considering ordering a bottle of the standard brown as well. My troubles with the #41 continue. Yesterday I pulled out my copper Estie J and it was clogged. The ink... Noodler's #41 Brown, of course. That ink gave me trouble in a P51 as well.

 

For grins, I uncapped the Noodler's standard fountain pen (I have one of them) that was loaded with the standard Brown sample. It's still writing.

 

I think you've encouraged me to buy a bottle of the standard brown and I'll probably buy some samples of a few other colors as well. I think I'll ink up one of my pens with the sample of Kiowa Pecan I have and write the review for that one.

 

Enjoy!

 

-=d

[2GreyCats]

Looking at the Goulets' swabs, Noodler's Brown seems to be a warmer dark brown, and Walnut looks very similar, but "colder".

 

That standard Brown seems really appealing to me. Hm. Wonder if Meininger's has it... I might have to get some of that.

[Ruminator]

Looking at the Goulets' swabs, Noodler's Brown seems to be a warmer dark brown, and Walnut looks very similar, but "colder".

 

That standard Brown seems really appealing to me. Hm. Wonder if Meininger's has it... I might have to get some of that.

 

That's not a bad assessment of the differences between the two colors. I think Standard Brown has a bit more red in it and perhaps a little less black. I love the color of Standard Brown and it behaves reasonably well on Moleskine paper. Walnut, OTOH, bleeds a bit, at least in a relatively wet writer like my P51.

 

Enjoy!

 

-=d