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I'm currently reviewing some of my favourite Diamine inks. This one is from the Flowers Gift Set and is called Pansy. Water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink, but it's better than some.Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink dries reasonably quickly.It flows very well and lubricates the nib very well. No start-up problems noticed.It is currently available in the gift set in 30ml glass bottles that are stable and user friendly.It's also now available in 30ml plastic bottles as refills.Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.

I'm currently reviewing some of my favourite Diamine inks. This one is from the Flowers Gift Set and is called Cornflower. As Blues are my favourite colours I'm reviewing Blues first Water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink, but it's water resistantBearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink dries fairly quickly.It flows very well and lubricates the nib very well. No start-up problems noticed.It is currently available in the gift set in 30ml glass bottles that are stable and user friendly.It's also now available in 30ml plastic bottles as refills.Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.

I'm currently reviewing some of my favourite Diamine inks. This one is from the Flowers Gift Set and is called Iris. Water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof inkBearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink dries quickly.It flows very well and lubricates the nib very well. No start-up problems noticed.It is currently available in the gift set in 30ml glass bottles that are stable and user friendly.It's also now available in 30ml plastic bottles as refills.Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.

Does anyone know if these inks can be purchased separately from the set? If so where could I purchase them? I can't afford the entire set, but I am quite smitten with these two! Thanks!

First the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=313B_IBAtqI Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg Vivaldi isn't joyful ink. At all. And yet I like it. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9861/rUPwuB.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img909/6564/Q0sUCo.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img661/2839/OkErkf.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img631/5900/Pbj0Hx.jpg Oxford Recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, zakraplacz, B http://imageshack.com/a/img661/396/xSC6fo.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img661/5042/KwWLza.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img633/7347/jYzPr3.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1811/F9sitA.jpg Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img912/3586/x9yQtF.jpg

First the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXcYlZ_a0kU Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg I don't like Schubert music. I don't like his color either. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img538/89/jIBWZf.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img910/6500/D5UREH.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img540/779/ZnBjbN.jpg Color range http://imageshack.com/a/img913/5456/IEyBaM.jpg Oxford recycled, Kaweco Sport Classic, B http://imageshack.com/a/img912/1829/cyeT8r.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img633/6189/S5RPLU.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1125/iNuJsL.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7675/M1GB1b.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6681/4hMTCx.jpg Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1364/sNExLS.jpg

Firtst - the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSAd3NpDi6Q Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg handel is interesting ink - the color is quite complex and the way we see it depends on thew light: in artificial light it appears almost brown or salmomn like (depending on the light you use() and in daylight it looks violet though it has some greenish accents to it (on the edges of letters). Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img537/8963/NxsMyi.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img911/2292/r0lSrl.jpg Chromatografia http://imageshack.com/a/img913/1120/TuDds6.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img661/1215/j2F5nU.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img901/4576/7eDNge.jpg Oxford Recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, zakraplacz, B http://imageshack.com/a/img673/3443/QAOZM9.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img911/3307/vhWd05.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/3466/g6wV7Z.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/1710/CO7ngU.jpg Sheen? http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5945/GF7v9v.jpg I used 6500 K degrees lamp, so the color is different than on scan. Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img912/3586/x9yQtF.jpg

First the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oip1FwYLSwk Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg Strauss is even OK. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img538/7420/dC1yHN.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5082/QQ0JQw.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img908/2663/rK5W68.jpg Oxford Recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, zakraplacz, B http://imageshack.com/a/img661/4519/Pni5V0.jpg Oxford recycled, Kaweco Sport Classic, B http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5913/ziNXDH.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/2100/WLzb2h.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/8420/toPvE6.jpg Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img912/807/qrqgpZ.jpg

First the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi8vJ_lMxQI Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg Mozart looks nice, not really special in any way but decent all way through. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img903/2659/Q8vEG9.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/8973/xShn9X.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img673/5171/R6AkEE.jpg Oxford Recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, zakraplacz, B http://imageshack.com/a/img912/6039/WZ2Npy.jpg Oxford recycled, Kaweco Sport Classic, B http://imageshack.com/a/img911/8592/dRbywJ.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9503/RtrhId.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/9969/HzVXHQ.jpg Porównanie http://imageshack.com/a/img912/807/qrqgpZ.jpg

Cyber6 - thank you for the sample of this great ink. Wagner behaves really well and it looks great. It dries ages but it doesn't bother me. It's a pity it can't be bought outside of the Diamione Music Set. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img904/6795/TAKuM4.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img540/2296/x9DQa1.jpgSoftware ID http://imageshack.com/a/img540/2871/RsXkN9.jpg Color range http://imageshack.com/a/img912/4127/1HztuB.jpg Calendar - Visconti van Gogh, medium nib http://imageshack.com/a/img537/2647/IHg6k5.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img661/4230/FKxXS9.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9154/FKseLj.jpg

Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx Diamine offers interesting ink gift sets. The idea is nice but I'm not interested in full lines of inks, rather in colors I enjoy. That's why I'm pleased to say Diamine will offer all of their inks also in 30 ml plastic bottles. A friend of mine send me the samples of Music Set inks. I'll review them here. Bach Beethoven Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Strauss Tchaikovsky Vivaldi Wagner http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diamine-music-set.jpg Tchaikovsky is quite nice. It does have some sheen. Very little, but perceptible. Ink Splash http://imageshack.com/a/img907/5676/hwDV3L.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img538/8348/D4m4B3.jpg Software ID http://imageshack.com/a/img661/8430/AWzNN1.jpg Oxford Recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, zakraplacz, B http://imageshack.com/a/img673/804/R8Q4gg.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1456/47kq8C.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img901/8816/MrnYW1.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img911/1146/V7q3mi.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img538/5875/I1KJ8y.jpg Sheen? http://imageshack.com/a/img633/7471/xLSG5x.jpg Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1364/sNExLS.jpg

My samples of Purple inks are coming in, but let's proceed on to my goal to collect the rainbow. So how about blues? I don't like blues with hints of purple. I need something like a royal blue. I will be using Claifontaine tablets. I may use an italic nib/medium, so shading is a bonus. Thanks!!! -Franky

Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx As I've mentioned few times I have mixed feelings about Diamine inks, however I tend to use them from time to time. They have some amazing colors. Last year Diamine inks introduced their 150th anniversary inks in triangle bottles: http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/BB_TerracotaL.jpg http://www.stilografica.it/writable/Oggetti/Inchiostro%20boccetta/Diamine%20150th%20Anniversary%20Collection%20Ink.jpg There are eight colors in this series of inks: Blue Black Blue Velvet Carnival Regency Blue Safari Silver Fox Terracota Tropical Green Tropical Green is nice but boring green ink. Ink splash http://imageshack.com/a/img538/4395/DRZoHi.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img903/4000/xmkTmG.jpg Software ID: http://imageshack.com/a/img913/4669/ihCjMJ.png Color range http://imageshack.com/a/img661/8276/bMEjSu.png Oxford recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, eyedropper, B http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6065/kS8Vse.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img904/8167/V9KnsX.png http://imageshack.com/a/img673/8527/GgFawB.png http://imageshack.com/a/img538/5116/NHyIzV.png Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img540/611/Vg02lr.jpg

Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx As I've mentioned few times I have mixed feelings about Diamine inks, however I tend to use them from time to time. They have some amazing colors. Last year Diamine inks introduced their 150th anniversary inks in triangle bottles: http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/BB_TerracotaL.jpg http://www.stilografica.it/writable/Oggetti/Inchiostro%20boccetta/Diamine%20150th%20Anniversary%20Collection%20Ink.jpg There are eight colors in this series of inks: Blue Black Blue Velvet Carnival Regency Blue Safari Silver Fox Terracota Tropical Green Silver Fox is quite nice. http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9566/Nzo34k.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img661/741/f7qrq8.jpg Software ID: http://imageshack.com/a/img673/6466/tuM8Jk.jpg Color range http://imageshack.com/a/img538/7659/4u6bLB.jpg Oxford recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, eyedropper, B http://imageshack.com/a/img903/962/vg3CDY.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img908/518/82DLSu.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img901/1750/tPnJgj.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9641/HOCmH7.jpg Comparison http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8611/rnYo4x.jpg

Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx As I've mentioned few times I have mixed feelings about Diamine inks, however I tend to use them from time to time. They have some amazing colors. Last year Diamine inks introduced their 150th anniversary inks in triangle bottles: http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/BB_TerracotaL.jpg http://www.stilografica.it/writable/Oggetti/Inchiostro%20boccetta/Diamine%20150th%20Anniversary%20Collection%20Ink.jpg There are eight colors in this series of inks: Blue Black Blue Velvet Carnival Regency Blue Safari Silver Fox Terracota Tropical Green Carnival is nice. http://imageshack.com/a/img911/8148/NeUUZw.jpg Drops of ink on kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7646/Rwces4.jpg Software ID: http://imageshack.com/a/img537/1299/Q1IyWp.jpg Color range http://imageshack.com/a/img911/2240/mtAVPO.jpg Oxford recycled - Kaweco Sport Classic, eyedropper, B http://imageshack.com/a/img631/3937/eKSfnp.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img910/2217/zt0GKR.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img911/8528/Om5kxc.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/5944/sn1rL6.jpg Comparison (photo) http://imageshack.com/a/img903/2165/rXNGwT.jpg

I’d like to offer a Group Buy, but with small volumes. I’m thinking of placing two orders for the end of January: one from Diamine (or possibly Cult Pens), and one from Fountain Pen Hospital. Let me know how much you would want of which inks, and if enough people want enough of an ink to complete a bottle, I can guarantee you a vial with exactly the amount of ink you want without having to get a whole bottle. Unfortunately, I’ve got a limited budget, so if I can’t make up a full bottle’s worth, I can’t make any promises. I will add as many inks with partial requests as I can, and you’ll get first dibs on the amount you want. The focus for the order from the UK is Diamine ink. That potentially includes their full “regular” line, as well as the 150th Celebration Inks, the Music Set inks, and the Flower set inks. If I go via Cult Pens, the Deep Dark series becomes a possibility as well. Pricing is a bit of a catch-22: there *might* be a discount on shipping at a certain level, but they need to know how many bottles I’m buying, and it’s hard to know how many bottles will be bought without pricing info. My guess is that the normal Diamine inks will be ~12-13 cents/ml, depending on order size, the Music/Flower set inks will be ~19-20 cents/ml, and the 150th Anniversary Inks will be ~28-29 cents/ml. The focus of the Fountain Pen Hospital inks is Montblanc and the FPH exclusive Noodler’s inks. If there’s another ink with a lot of interest that would be great. Shipping prices depend on order size, but the normally priced Montblanc inks will probably be ~35 cents/ml, and the Noodler’s ~15 cents/ml. Normal costs for vials (24 cents for each 5 ml and 37 cents for each 30 ml vial) and shipping would apply. So take a look at the Diamine inks and the Fountain Pen Hospital Site, and then let me know what you’re interested in. There’s a form here and here with the ink options. I’m going to try to put in the order at the end of the month – not before the 25th, and probably more like the 31st. Orders should start going out mid-February if everything goes well: no customs issues or blizzards or illness or work crises anywhere between here and the UK for the next month. You know what, let’s say orders might start going out the end of February. As some of you know, I’m also selling ink at cost in smallish volumes. (Classified ad with details is here.) Edit: Made links go to the right place.

This is the second round of ink testing that I am doing - the first is already three months in and you can find those posts on my blog. I figured that for this one I would start from the beginning on here and post updates as I go along. Eek! I am so excited about this. After taking nearly a month to fill up a new page full of inks (partly because I went on vacation for a week), it’s finally ready: As with my first epic ink test, I will have four tests running in parallel: a control which will be kept in a plastic sleeve in a notebook, an ambient light test which will hang on my fridge, a water test, and a sunlight test which will hang in my bedroom window. The ambient and sunlight tests are already in place, so let’s meet our contenders for this round, shall we? Just in case you cannot easily read my handwriting, here are the inks that will be tested: Pilot Varsity disposable pen in black Diamine Salamander Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses Pelikan Edelstein Aventurine Iroshizuku Tsutsuji Private Reserve Shoreline Gold Paradise Pen Turquoise Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku Fisher Space Pen, black ink Yoobi gel pen Organics Studio Gregor Mendel Diamine Poppy Red Standard Sharpie marker Noodler’s Sequoia Green Organics Studio Edgar Allen Poe Noodler’s El Lawrence Pilot G2 in purple Sharpie pen in purple *The test indicator was written in a black sharpie pen* This is sad because it also shows you just how far behind I am on posting reviews. I will eventually post reviews for all of these inks except probably the Sharpies… Anyway, I am very interested in seeing how these inks perform because a lot of them are not marketed as being “bulletproof” or “archival” or “eternal” - they are just regular inks. The paper used is Staples bright white 24 lb inkjet paper and the pens were mostly a mix of M and B nibs. Right away I can share the results of the water test: To do this test I submerged the paper in a bowl of cool tap water and let it soak for a few minutes. I then pulled it out, gently blotted off the excess water with a paper towel, and allowed it to air dry on a metal rack. I would say the following inks “passed” my water test, in that they would be easily still readable by someone who did not do the original writing: Pilot VarsityDiamine Salamander (this is weird, because as I noted in my review I saw some water resistance there but then retested on different paper and it was not there, but this is the same paper I used in the review so…?)Noodler’s BSiAR and El LawrenceIroshizuku Ku-Jaku (I saw similar performance on the water test which will accompany my review)Fisher Space Pen and Yoobi gel penOS Gregor Mendel and Edgar Allen PoeBoth Sharpies The rest of the inks I would say are not terribly water resistant. Obviously this is my opinion and you might feel differently, but a lot of them washed out just a bit too much for me to write anything that needs to be permanent. So, that’s where I will leave this for now. In a month I’ll update on how the other two tests are coming along and in the mean time I’ll start working on the page for round 3! :-)

I have mixed feelings about Diamine inks - I like the variety of colors and their intensity but many of them aren't well behaved (they tend to clog pens, cause nib creep / nib crud). Syrah used to be my favourite color. I still like it. http://imageshack.com/a/img538/3784/26v4aq.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img908/6766/buyTsY.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img904/1648/xjHimg.jpg Kitchen towel http://imageshack.com/a/img909/907/6JFCS7.jpg Software ID: http://imageshack.com/a/img661/3533/tRsW1s.jpg Color range Calendar - Hero 9300, M nib http://imageshack.com/a/img540/9799/JqJDia.jpghttp://imageshack.com/a/img537/7041/73MG4Z.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img908/3420/gqqaI0.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img673/3581/dsjvED.jpg

This ink is simply amazing. It has good properties, nice flow, elegant shading and stunning color. I don't expect anything more from ink. Take a look: INK SPLASH http://imageshack.com/a/img537/8971/jve6Zo.jpg DROPS OF INK ON KITCHEN TOWEL http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/539/tJWTJn.jpg CHROMATOGRAPHY http://imageshack.com/a/img631/9686/FuJIkM.jpg SOFTWARE IDENTIFICATION / COLOR RANGE http://imageshack.com/a/img910/8163/wErfYP.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img674/446/DkdBv2.jpg Jinhao X750 on Oxford paper http://imageshack.com/a/img538/9304/PHoiMG.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img537/7069/57apOC.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img902/6809/eZtAc6.jpg Pilot 78G Broad nib in calendar http://imageshack.com/a/img538/6426/MTTGX0.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img745/8914/O8FPFj.jpg DRY TIME http://imageshack.com/a/img537/3198/lCAwc1.jpg UNIDENTIFIED PAPER http://imageshack.com/a/img910/7710/FlNIGU.jpg

I recently picked up a few bottles of Parker Penman ink for what seemed like a bargain price compared to some I'd seen. The deal also included four vintage Pelikan bottles (the ones with the Mont Blanc style tip-fill well), which made it extra sweet. I tried each to see what all the fuss was about and it came down to just loving the Sapphire and Emerald. The Ruby was an odd browinsh color with a lot of sediment, possibly suffering from too much age. The Ebony and Mocha were OK, but not interesting enough and are currently for sale on flea bay Australia if anyone's interested. Wary of their reputation for clogging pens and not willing to risk any of my good ones, I inked up a couple of Chinese pens as testers for the the two I liked. They Sapphire rapidly became my favorite blue, and I tend to favor blues. I'm not much of a green user, but the Emerald is a really beautiful one in my book. My mind immediately turned to finding substitutes, both to conserve what I had and to replace them in the long run. According to what I read online, Diamine Majestic Blue was a good option for the Sapphire, so I bought a bottle. Attached is a side by side comparison, and it's not a bad match. The biggest difference is that the Diamine had a significant degree of red sheen not seen in the Penman. Otherwise the color, saturation and shading seems close. Both samples are with the same pen/nib - A Jinhao X-450 with a broad German Knox nib. The first line with the Diamine was just after I'd id inked the pen, so the ink load is higher than it would otherwise be, but it does show up the red sheen. The sheen is not as evident is subsequent lines. Paper is Rhodia 80gsm. I've attached images, which I home you find useful. My apologies for the chicken scratchings which pass as my handwriting. Mario

http://yoonhalee.com/images-inks/diamine-matador.png http://yoonhalee.com/images-inks/diamine-matator-closeup.png

Buy one of these at $28 + shipping and get one of these FREE ! Buy three of these at $28 and get three of these FREE and FREE shipping in the USA. Call or email to select your colours. Vanness Pen Shop Little Rock Arkansas 501 -353-2362 vanness1938@sbcglobal.net

I’ve had these photos on my phone for almost 2 weeks now and was excited to finally upload them last night, but couldn't get them on the site . After some experimenting, I'm happy it just worked with photobucket, so here it goes! 

I wanted to do this comparison for two reasons. First, because green olives are a big guilty pleasure of mine (I ate around 20-30 of them while writing this review last night ) and second, (and more importantly) I read in a couple threads that people were asking how the Montblanc Daniel Defoe Palm Green ink compared to other "olive-ish" greens. So, I thought I would add the samples I have to the wonderful comparisons that amberleadavis and dcroe05 already did! The inks tested are: Diamine Salamander, Stipula Verde Mushiato, Sailor Tokiwa-Matsu, Montblanc Daniel Defoe Palm Green, Rohrer and Klingner Alt-Goldgrun, and J. Herbin Vert Olive.

 The samples were done on Rhodia using a 1950s 146 and a Pilot Custom 74 B nib ground down to a smooth stub by Mike Masuyama.



 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo1-2copy_zps78c4ed9d.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo1copy3_zpsf99fb482.jpg?t=1413835720 (group shot in indoor lighting) Closeups: (done in sunlight only - I find these photos truer to the color on paper) http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo3-1_zps3186c004.jpg?t=1413835721 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo3-2_zpsdbc43397.jpg?t=1413835722 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo5-1_zpsdb35c6a5.jpg?t=1413835722 http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo1-2_zps4dfa8c03.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo1copy2_zpsdcfc475b.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo4-1_zps2f6eade9.jpg?t=1413835721 Tokiwa-Matsu Sheen Closeup: (indoor lighting) http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo1-1_zpsa96f77fd.jpg Ink Swabs: http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo2copy_zps8039db56.jpg?t=1413838161 Ink on Paper Towel: http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f99/emrys1221/photo3_zps34c025f5.jpg?t=1413838161 Top Row: Diamine Salamander, Stipula Verde Mushiato, Sailor Tokiwa-Matsu Bottom Row: Montblanc Daniel Defoe Palm Green, Rohrer and Klingner Alt-Goldgrun, J. Herbin Vert Olive Salamander is probably my favorite shade of “olive” in this group, because its color is difficult to pin down. It’s not a green, brown or grey (and maybe not even an olive) but all three combined and the mix makes for a unique shade that is great for someone looking for a more exciting alternative to black that could be used in an office environment. My biggest complaint with this ink is that I wish that the flow and smoothness were both stronger. (But, I should note that I like very wet and smooth inks, so please do not let that discourage you from trying it.) On a side note, if you’ve tried a smooth wet ink that is very close in color to Salamander please let me know!

 The Defoe ended up being my second favorite shade of olive from the bunch (another amazing Limited Edition color from MB!), but I have yet to pick up a bottle. I am on the fence about whether I will get one or not, because, although, I love its color, as with most of my MB inks I wish it felt a little smoother under a flexi nib and given the heavier pressure I use while writing. (Though it felt smoother to me than Salamander.) 
Tokiwa-Matsu is by far the most interesting ink of the ones compared because of its spectacular reddish sheen. It's not my favorite shade of "olive", but it is my favorite ink to use out of the 6. I highly recommend it if you are looking for an ink with that special factor that makes you do a double-take every time you use it. Alt-Goldgrun is the closest in color to the Defoe. I loved the shade and shading when I first got a bottle, but I find myself using it less and less. After testing the Defoe, I much prefer it for note-taking since it is less yellow and a little darker.

 Verde Mushiato is an ink that I’m on the fence about, because I wish that, in my pens, it looked closer to some of the writing samples I’ve seen where it has more green mixed into the brown. Don’t get me wrong; the ink is a beautiful color, but I just don’t enjoy using it for a full page of notes, so my bottle doesn’t get much use. Performance wise, the ink has a different but pleasant, slightly powdery-soft feel under the nib which makes for a pretty smooth writing experience. 

Vert Olive is another nice shade but too light for me to use as a daily ink. Which is your favorite of the six?

Hello fellow pen people Just wondered how many suitable basic dyes are out there to make ink with. It seems that there are so many inks out there, though i would think there are a set number of suitable "ink" dyes out there. That would mean that one could calculate how many possible combinations are possible, including combinations that might not be aesthetically pleasing. Are new dyes being created at all?