Diamine Matador

[Edjelley]

Hello all, here's another handwritten review, this time for Diamine Matador.

 

There's a few more images, and a little text writeup on my website, click any of the pictures to check it out.

Diamine Matador - Handwritten Review on edjelley.com[

http://edjelley.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/handwritten-review-019.jpg?w=640&h=511

 

http://edjelley.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/handwritten-review-020.jpg?w=640&h=511

 

http://edjelley.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/handwritten-review-022.jpg?w=640&h=480

 

Thanks!

[Uncle Red]

Nice review. I thought this was a nice, well behaved ink.

[Edjelley]

Nice review. I thought this was a nice, well behaved ink.

 

Thanks! I agree, it just wasn't anything overly special IMO.

[notbob]

The more I use Matador, the better I like it. Yes, it does nothing exciting, except be red. In fact, that's one of the things I like about it. No pink, no orange, no purple, jes dead ahead red. You say "not really" with regards to shading. Maybe I misunderstand that phenomena. No, it doesn't shade from orange to red, or pink to red, tones that would make it more exciting, but it does shade from red to red. I can see it, even in your example. Different papers shade differently. It shades marginally better on CF than Rhodia. You are correct when you say it is a "real" red. Maybe a tad bit dark, like some black in it, but it's certainly in the hunt with other true reds.

[Edjelley]

The more I use Matador, the better I like it. Yes, it does nothing exciting, except be red. In fact, that's one of the things I like about it. No pink, no orange, no purple, jes dead ahead red. You say "not really" with regards to shading. Maybe I misunderstand that phenomena. No, it doesn't shade from orange to red, or pink to red, tones that would make it more exciting, but it does shade from red to red. I can see it, even in your example. Different papers shade differently. It shades marginally better on CF than Rhodia. You are correct when you say it is a "real" red. Maybe a tad bit dark, like some black in it, but it's certainly in the hunt with other true reds.

 

Totally with you there with being in the hunt for a "true red".

 

What I meant by shading was not necessarily different colors, but more so shades. Most shaders that I have go from lighter to darker, and this did ever so slightly. I'll check it out on one of my Clairefontaine pads later!

[tandaina]

I got this in the most recent ink drop and I'm actually loving it. Here's a little sample. Sorry, the photo is slightly too brite, actual ink on page is a bit darker.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8069/8282393052_0e7a8a56fc.jpg

Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

 

This is in my vintage Montblanc 244G with flexi nib. Maybe it is the flex, but I find quite a bit of shading? I'm finding this ink to be a LOT of fun. Wet, flows well (pen has never rail roaded with it), dries pretty quickly, and shades nicely. And I just really like the color. I'm not allowed to buy a bottle since it is on my Christmas list, but if it DOESN'T end up in my stocking I WILL be buying it.

[m0rr1s]

Edjelley, thank you for the review. I have been looking for the right red. This might be it!

[Edjelley]

Edjelley, thank you for the review. I have been looking for the right red. This might be it!

Glad I could help, finding the right ink can be a pain in the neck.

[Edjelley]

I got this in the most recent ink drop and I'm actually loving it. Here's a little sample. Sorry, the photo is slightly too brite, actual ink on page is a bit darker.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8069/8282393052_0e7a8a56fc.jpg

Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

 

This is in my vintage Montblanc 244G with flexi nib. Maybe it is the flex, but I find quite a bit of shading? I'm finding this ink to be a LOT of fun. Wet, flows well (pen has never rail roaded with it), dries pretty quickly, and shades nicely. And I just really like the color. I'm not allowed to buy a bottle since it is on my Christmas list, but if it DOESN'T end up in my stocking I WILL be buying it.

 

Weird, it looks totally different for you than it does for me. Almost looks like they swapped out a sample of Noodler's Tiananman or something. Or more likely, maybe that was the De Atramentis Oriental Red?

 

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/zecn7.jeyr6/v/vspfiles/photos/DA1015-2T.jpg?1352980631

 

 

Mine was a much more vibrant, true red with no shading, even with the italic nib.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Edjelley

[notbob]

Mine was a much more vibrant, true red with no shading, even with the italic nib.

 

Mine is darker, like her's, but shades nowhere near that much, even with a very wet 1.5mm pen/nib and on the same paper.

 

I'm beginning to think there is a much greater inconsistency between same color/brand ink batches than most of us realize. I have a bottle of MB Alfred Hitchcock that's dries closer to brown than any imaginable red. We all assume that in this day and age of computers and mechanization, inks will be very consistent from batch to batch. I'm beginning to believe this may not be the case.

[Edjelley]

Maybe the wetness of the nib is having some effects on it. I'm only using a Lamy 1.1, with no flex, whereas you guys have wider, wetter, and flexy nibs.

 

I'm sure there are inconsistencies too. The first sample I tried of J. Herbin's Rouge Hematite was COMPLETELY different from the bottle I order about a year later. I guess it kind of illudes to the fact that there are people behind the manufacture of ink (not always robots), which in a way I like.

[tandaina]

I got this in the most recent ink drop and I'm actually loving it. Here's a little sample. Sorry, the photo is slightly too brite, actual ink on page is a bit darker.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8069/8282393052_0e7a8a56fc.jpg

Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

 

This is in my vintage Montblanc 244G with flexi nib. Maybe it is the flex, but I find quite a bit of shading? I'm finding this ink to be a LOT of fun. Wet, flows well (pen has never rail roaded with it), dries pretty quickly, and shades nicely. And I just really like the color. I'm not allowed to buy a bottle since it is on my Christmas list, but if it DOESN'T end up in my stocking I WILL be buying it.

 

Weird, it looks totally different for you than it does for me. Almost looks like they swapped out a sample of Noodler's Tiananman or something. Or more likely, maybe that was the De Atramentis Oriental Red?

 

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/zecn7.jeyr6/v/vspfiles/photos/DA1015-2T.jpg?1352980631

 

 

Mine was a much more vibrant, true red with no shading, even with the italic nib.

 

I checked and double checked. The only red I inked from that drop was the Matador, the others I dipped, but no inking. So the fact that one is empty makes it pretty obvious. So unless it somehow got labeled wrong (which I'm sure COULD happen, but the Goulets are pretty good at not)...

 

We're so used to factories and mass production that I suspect these inks, many of which are hand made, have a little more variation than we're accustomed to. I sort of like that, has more soul, less machined. But it could be frustrating.

 

However, I also think it has a LOT to do with the pen and nib. My 244 is wet, wet, WET. Wet enough I have to be careful what paper I use it on. Writing without flex the nib is pretty dry and well behaved, you start flexing and it just never stops pumping out ink. It is an enthusiastic pen. I love it, and it basically makes any ink I put in it shade but I think that's more the PEN than the ink.

Edited December 18, 2012 by tandaina

[georges zaslavsky]

great looking red thanks for sharing

[mrcharlie]

I've inked up my Ink Drop sample of this as well, and it has "handled" (good flow/line quality) well for me and in that sense I like it, but it is sadly too dark for me (I have defective eyes, probably "Protanomaly", one effect of this is that dark reds don't look right and are difficult to distinguish as red).

 

I'm beginning to think there is a much greater inconsistency between same color/brand ink batches than most of us realize.

I have some inks that are quite different looking on the same paper from different pens, and on different papers from the same pen. There are a lot of variables in the equation, especially with inks that are not "over-saturated" as I understand the term. The consistency of the ink is the last variable I'd consider, after seeing the wide differences caused by paper and different flows characteristics of different pens.

 

Not that ink batch inconsistency isn't there; ink manufacturers admit that they have to change ingredient suppliers and even ingredient recipes from time to time because of what is available and legal/toxic substance regulations reasons. Water source quality/chemistry changes (see the sticky about the STIB problems Herbin had). Even if the manufacturers were perfect in lab technique and measurement there would be some inconsistency over time.

[Bhavna]

Great review of a beautiful red. I love the shading, thanks to all who have added their own little sample. I need to get some!

[mhosea]

Weird, it looks totally different for you than it does for me.

 

I wouldn't say so. There is enough variation in ink density in your review to show that the ink should shade well under some circumstances or other. The difference in appearance is, to my thinking, within normal variation for pen, paper, and imaging equipment. A little flex does indeed go a long, long way to providing darker shading. I observed that last night when I un-inked Noodler's Nikita from my fine Parker VS and put the ink in my Namiki Falcon. Both are "wet", but flexing the Falcon makes a huge difference in the degree of shading.