MontBlanc Blue Black Review

[Sard]

Here is a review of Mont Blanc's Blue-Black. With a look at Sheaffer's Blue-Black and two other iron gall inks. I hope you find it useful, this is one of the nicest inks I've used.

 

[Ann Finley]

I'm not a blue-black user, but appreciate the good review that covers a lot of info about the ink. Thanks!

 

Best, Ann

[Federalist Pens]

MB Blue-Black is a great ink! It looks black when writing.

Dries almost black as well!

[Ondina]

Thanks for the review, I agree is a great ink. It's been used by me for over 20 years without any issues.

[QM2]

Has anybody done a water test of MB Blue-Black?

 

I would really like to know just how waterproof it is. Does it leak when exposed to water? Would you feel confident addressing an envelope using it?

 

Thanks,

QM2

 

 

EDIT: I bought the ink and did a water resistance test -- See here.

Edited February 3, 2009 by QM2

[Blade Runner]

It is difficult to capture it by photography or scanner, but MB blue black does not look black to me.

On my cotton paper it is a beautiful, unsaturated slate blue that has a vintage/weathered look that I love. Perhaps differences in flow may explain the discrepancy. My pens have average flow, not dry or too heavy.

It's within my top 3 favorite inks of all time. It is iron gall, so it's recommended not to let it dry out in your pen and to flush periodically. I flush roughly once a month with cool water, and I've never had a problem.

Once dry, it is quite water resistant, and I use it to address my envelopes.

Edited February 3, 2009 by jeen

[Martok]

In my MB 149 it goes down almost identical with Sailor Blue-Black. How much it will darken, remains to be seen.

 

This ink darkens a lot less over time compared to say, Diamine Registrar's Ink but the MB 149 also is a very wet pen so it lays a lot of ink.

 

 

 

 

Martok

 

 

[Ondina]

Has anybody done a water test of MB Blue-Black?

 

I would really like to know just how waterproof it is. Does it leak when exposed to water? Would you feel confident addressing an envelope using it?

 

Thanks,

QM2

 

 

EDIT: I bought the ink and did a water resistance test -- See here.

 

Very waterproof. I grew up in a very soaked place and MB BB was always around.

[archie001]

MB blue black has been my favorite ink ever. I haven't had any issue with it and it is waterproof and very good for archiving purposes.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

I am just starting to re-explore blue-black inks after not using them for several years (except for some old Parker Quink which I use for writing on wooden plant labels). This is definitely one to try.

[jmw19]

I just got a bottle of this, thanks to the 'Bay. The label says "Made in W. Germany", so I'm guessing it's got a few years on it, but I saw nothing untoward in the ink. The color is very classic, bluer than the scans here appear, even after a few days. Water resistance is pretty good, with a little ink washing off.

 

I was planning on dumping the ink (the auction stated "blue ink") and just using the bottle, but now I've got another blue-black in the collection.

[memphislawyer]

JM: I have an empty MB bottle and would trade the MB bottle and parker quink for your blue black. If interested, PM me. I am also looking for MB blue and would trade the same set up for that as well

[DetlevCM]

I use Blue Black in My Montblanc LeGrand all the day.

 

Gernerally it retains a touch of blue - but turns more sort of very dark grey more than black to my eye.

 

Using it since Srping 07

[chrisro]

I just used the MB blue/black ink in my Starwalker for the first time and it dries dark grey. So far so good.

Edited March 10, 2009 by chrisro

[mana]

I have been using this for over a week now on my rOtring 600 (EF). So far the results have been really good, I like it.

 

It really is a fast flowing ink, you definitely notice this on more absorbent papers. I was a bit surprised by how it behaves on the 110gsm/50lb paper of the Winsor & Newton Wire-O sketchbooks I have moved to using recently. No feathering but the EF line broadened to something like between F and M...

[DetlevCM]

Just one little update.

(I finally read your handwriting - very legible )

 

Its no problem leaving the ink in the Meisterstpck for a week without writing - it has happened to me before, it continues to work.

 

Especially if you have an ultrasonic bath at home you have no problem as you can clean your pen easily onc the inkflow does start to "dry out" a touch.

 

About leaving the cap off - I have had the cap off for slightly longer periods (university lectures for example) and it continued to write in a Meisterstück.

 

Remember too that filling the pen does act a bit like cleaning it too (loosens any "stuff" that dryed onto the internal bits of the pen)

[MiniMaupassant]

A favourite ink of mine, which I consider to be very grown up and mysterious.

A bit of a dry writer, however, so performs best in a wetter pen.

[Gran]

I've used this ink for over twenty years. I will use other inks, and find I come back to this and thoroughly enjoy writing with it. Thanks very much for the nice review!