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Tintenlabor Basalt Ink Review # 220 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that the iron content is disclosed. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Meister, David. Basalt is a grey-purple ink that oxidizes into a dark grey. It has a 4 g/L iron content. The highest iron content is 6 g/L and the lowest is 1 g/L. I’ve had the privilege of testing many versions of this ink and appreciate the work that goes into developing it, so I may be biased. Ink has excellent lubrication with a caveat. For example, it was cushiony with an EEF Osmiroid Copperplate nib, but slightly scratchy with a Kaweco EF nib. However, with a light touch, the Kaweco EF resistance went away. It is ironic, as the Copperplate nib is needle-nosed with minimal tipping. As it uses the same stabilizing base purple as other Tintenlabor inks, there’s the possibility that this ink will have a longer shelf-life than other iron gall inks. This is one of the best inks for copy paper. Ghosting is faint and there’s minimal bleed-through with only BB, 1.9 nibs. It’s best to use iron gall inks in well-sealed pens that are used regularly and can be taken apart. Cleaning was simple. A few flushes and the pens were clean. However, as I test and review many inks, I added a pinch of pure ascorbic acid powder in the water and then ran it through the pen jacuzzi (ultrasonic cleaner). Never use ammonia-based cleaners with iron gall inks. After having used many pigments, iron gall, shimmer, and dye inks, I can say that the most difficult pens to clean are those with a fixed feed, combined with heavy dyes (purple, pink, blurple) and not IG or pigment inks, so if you’re afraid of IG inks bear this in mind. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) 1. “The stones of the earth speak slowly.” — Willa Cather (1873–1947), American novelist. 2. “Geology gives us the story of time written in stone.” — Victor Goldschmidt (1888–1947), Swiss–Norwegian mineralogist; pioneer of modern geochemistry. 3. “Nothing is built on stone; all is built on sand—except our need for stone.” — Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986), Argentine writer and poet. 4. “What we call chaos is just patterns we haven’t recognized yet.” — Douglas Adams (1952–2001), British novelist. 5. “Stone is more eternal than any human work carved upon it.” — André Malraux (1901–1976), French novelist and art theorist. Rhodia / Iroful Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews. I made a mistake with the Borges quote and had to correct it digitally. Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb No scan of the back side of the page. No show-through and minimal bleed-through with very wet pen at parts only. 📸 Photo Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Wet ink Closeup after oxidation While not visible in photos, the purple tinge is visible to the naked eyes. 🔍 Comparison Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Bliss Inspired by a photo of cat by a dear friend. 🙏 Talens Mixed Media Square Pocket Notebook. The Lady and the Hummingbird A nostalgic piece inspired by the myth of Huitzilopochtli, The Aztec god, who returns fallen warriors as hummingbirds to their lovers... Note the beauty of Jacques Herbin inks in contrast and the purple hue of Basalt in washes. Tintenlabor Basalt, Jacques Herbin Rouge Amarante & Vert Cactus. Uniball Signo White Gel pen, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. Gangham Style Party! I've been working on this for some time, playing with different shades of grey. Note how with the wash technique I exposed Diamine Earl Grey’s purple, whereas I kept Basalt’s purple undertones in check by letting it oxidize. Before Cat got to know Mouse, she was a K-pop backup dancer! Tintenlabor Basalt iron gall ink (black), Diamine Earl Grey (purple), Jacques Herbin Gris Galet (background), Lennon Tool Bar Cat General, Pelikan Edelstein Apricot Achat, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. --- - Pens Used: Osmiroid EEF Copperplate flex, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1). - What I Liked: Gorgeous color wet, elegant when oxidizes, waterproof, sketching. - What I Did Not Like: Writing with EF Kaweco nib. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall ink. Maintenance. - Writing Experience: Excellent. - Pros: Gorgeous dark purple-grey, well-lubricated, excellent on copy paper. - Cons: Tariffs. It might seem boring for writing on good paper. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes. - Ghosting: No. - Bleed Through: None, or very faint on copy paper. - Flow Rate: Wet. - Lubrication: Excellent. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Oxidized to a lovely dark grey, black depending on paper. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): No. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Easy, unless forgotten in pen. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - Available directly from the vendor in 30 or 50 ml bottles. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/basalt --- 💬 Closing This ink has been an eye-opener. Maybe because I went through many variations of it and used it both for writing & drawing. If you’re looking for a dark grey-black ink that can handle different types of paper, this could be the one. For those of you who love sketching and drawing, this ink can bring a different flair to your work. It oxidizes quickly on most papers and in washes, one can extract the lovely nostalgic purple from the grey. I was sorry to let this go and hop on to the next review. It is ironic that I who disliked dark greys, have been using and reusing this ink immoderately. Drawing and sketching give a different meaning to fountain pen inks. If, however, you tend to forget your inks in your pens, this ink is not for you. No fountain pens were hurt in preparing this review. Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.