Omas Blue

[bphollin]

Omas Blue ink Review // Lamy Safari XF // Rhodia No. 16 Paper

 

Here's a scan of my new favorite blue. I've tried to maintain the color fidelity while not having huge JPGs for our friends with dial-up and slow DSL. I haven't done any color correction. What I'm looking at in Safari on an iMac looks accurate to the sample in front of me. Your mileage may vary if you aren't on the same machine . Transcription below if you can't make out my chicken scratch

 

Scanned at 300dpi, resized to 600 pixels wide

 

Scanned at 300dpi, full size, cropped header

 

I received a vial of Omas Blue in a trade, tucked it in my ink box, and promptly forgot about it until last week. I put it in a neglected Safari on a whim, and hooo buddy, haven't been using anything since! The color is very close to DC Supershow Blue--vibrant and downright fun. What's more, Omas dries much faster than DCSS, and is better behaved on most papers. There's only slight feathering with this pen and ink on a naughty Moleskine, so much that it is serviceable again (the Moley, that is). When the vial is done, I think I'll order up a full bottle!

 

Additional thoughts: As others indicate below, this is a really vivid color, on par with PR blues. One plus is that Omas Blue has a much shorter drying time (good for the lefties, I hear). Apparently there may be some concern over the pH level and some corrosive behavior. I've not heard of any Baystate Blue-like explosions though. To be on the safe side, you may want to keep this out of demos and irreplaceable vintage pens.

 

Also, I just graded a stack of student writing journals in all varieties of paper quality. Omas Blue held up like a champ and only feathered on paper towel-like awful notebooks. No bleed-through on Rhodia, some on cheap-o notebooks.

 

For me, I likie and will keep using in my XF Safari. I switched to Lamy Blue-Black carts and it has me kind of bummed. Omas Blue gives me that extra zip I need on a winter's day.

 

Enjoy!

 

^{Edited to add additional thoughts and better scan}

Edited February 6, 2009 by bphollin

[bossy]

Looks close to pr american blue too.

[jmw19]

Thanks for the review, and especially for noting the drying time. Inquiring lefties want to know! Looks like my wish list has another ink.

[Martok]

Doesn't this ink stain a lot?

 

 

I heard it can permanently stain the window on pens.

 

 

Can you please describe your experience?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martok

[Triplet Mom]

I've just recently discovered OMAS Blue, myself, and LOVE IT! It quickly became my favorite blue for how quickly it dries, the beautiful blue color, and how lovely it shades when used in my flexible nib pens.

 

Warmly,

Lynne

[Douglas]

I remember an earlier thread where Richard commented that Omas Blue is acidic and potentially harmful to pen parts (pH below 2). I have a bottle of Omas Blue and like the color but I stopped using it after Richard's caution. See link below:

 

Click here

Edited February 6, 2009 by Douglas

[bphollin]

Well, Martok, it looks like Douglas has answered your question with the thread he links. I've only pumped a converter's worth of Omas Blue through a Lamy Safari, so I haven't had any experience with staining, nor with the potentially damaging high pH count. In either case, those parts are easily replaceable ($5 converter, $10 nib) for me. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

Lynne, the dry time and vibrant color is exactly why I like this ink! I haven't tried it in a broad nib, but I trust it looks great in your flexi.

Edited February 6, 2009 by bphollin

[Will]

Omas blue is a fantastic ink - I picked some up last summer in Florence. When using it I find it similar to the Visconti Blue - much better behaved than the DC Supershow blue. Love the ink - what I think a true blue ink ought to be.

[fjf]

It looks similar to the (famous) baystate blue. Is it as vibrant?.

[RoyalKooparillo]

I recently picked up some Omas Royal Blue...which is the only blue ink I can find that's made by Omas. So to be honest, I'm not sure if it's the same thing as what has been reviewed above and in the other Omas blue reviews. But my bottle is much less vibrant (softer), and quite a bit more purple than the above scan. So, just FYI if you pick up some "Royal Blue," you might find that it looks a bit different... :hmm1:

 

Edit: Just checked my bottle and it's marked "blue" whereas the outer carton is marked "royal blue." Hmph.

Edited March 8, 2009 by RoyalKooparillo

[Soulmaker1]

This is my favorite color ink to use in a stub or italic nib. Very nice shade of blue.

[RevAaron]

Omas Blue is my default blue. Flows well without being too wet, like PR and Noodler's ink do. It is a similar shade as PR American Blue, but doesn't have the more turquoisey shading that AB does, which sometimes bugs me. A nice rock solid blue, especially when the purple tones of Florida Blue or the greener tones of Noodler's blues overpower me.

[absent_minded]

I recently picked up some Omas Royal Blue...which is the only blue ink I can find that's made by Omas. So to be honest, I'm not sure if it's the same thing as what has been reviewed above and in the other Omas blue reviews. But my bottle is much less vibrant (softer), and quite a bit more purple than the above scan. So, just FYI if you pick up some "Royal Blue," you might find that it looks a bit different... :hmm1:

 

Edit: Just checked my bottle and it's marked "blue" whereas the outer carton is marked "royal blue." Hmph.

I think you bought a very old bottle of the stuff. I have such a bottle myself, from the first half of the '90s, I would guess, and it is exactly as you describe, and completely unlike the current incarnation people describe.

 

Cheers,

 

absent_minded

[Doug Add]

I have used Omas Roma Blue, and the standard production blue that is very similar to Roma, which replaced the older, paler blue. I have never had any problems with staining, or any material degradation.

 

If anyone chooses not to use this ink and wants to part with it, please let me know.

[dickens]

I, too, recently bought Omas blue. The box and bottle are marked "Blue." The color is really not too much like that shown above, however. It is instead a good bit grayer and not nearly such a vibrant color as shown here.

[RevAaron]

dickens: perhaps a comparison is in order! PM me if you'd want to do a sample trade. My Omas Blue looks like the one reviewed. I'd be curious if yours is funky/old style in new bottle/bad batch or if it's the pens we use.

[cappio]

I recently picked up some Omas Royal Blue...which is the only blue ink I can find that's made by Omas. So to be honest, I'm not sure if it's the same thing as what has been reviewed above and in the other Omas blue reviews. But my bottle is much less vibrant (softer), and quite a bit more purple than the above scan. So, just FYI if you pick up some "Royal Blue," you might find that it looks a bit different... :hmm1:

 

Edit: Just checked my bottle and it's marked "blue" whereas the outer carton is marked "royal blue." Hmph.

I think you bought a very old bottle of the stuff. I have such a bottle myself, from the first half of the '90s, I would guess, and it is exactly as you describe, and completely unlike the current incarnation people describe.

 

Cheers,

 

absent_minded

 

I also have old bottles of Omas Blus and Omas Roma 2000 and can report the same; these inks are much, much purpler than what others report, almost as purple as Aurora Blue, which I dislike intensely. The formula must have changed substantially. So much for being ahead of the curve!

[jbn10161]

Omas blue is a fantastic ink.... When using it I find it similar to the Visconti Blue....

OMAS black, which is a fantastic ink IMO for those who do not require a super-saturated black, is to my eyes the exact same color as Visconti. I would say that the OMAS black is more lubricated than the Visconti, but in all other inky respects it seems identical.

 

[HenryLouis]

This scan is almost exactly what it looks like on paper for me

[LexieS]

I just ordered a bottle from Goulet Pens. At least I only plan on using it in an Al-Star and not in a pricier pen. I could care less if it stains the converter, it will just be my "Omas Blue" dedicated converter. I will just have to keep reminding myself not to put it in my L2K :blink: