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  1. I was inspired by raving reviews of this ink. Maybe because it’s too much like Royal Blue, or maybe it’s the Sharpie scent, I didn't feel the quickening of the heart. Nevertheless, it's a rich blue for blue lovers. It has a faint sheen and very well behaved in general, on the downside, it's not for lefty over-writers nor for those who use cheep papers with gusher pens Let's start with the chroma, am I blue or what? Writing Samples: This is a difficult colour to scan. The beauty emerges truly with M/B/Flex nibs. It mostly ghosts on Hammermill and if you use a gusher like the Waterman, you'll be in trouble Here you can see the richness of the colour, the sheen and shading, thanks to a vintage Waterman W2 flex nib Comparison: As usual the excess inks washes off, held 10 seconds under running water after 24 hours on Mnemosyne notepad. And finally an art work, homage to the magnificent blue whale, with our intrepid team of explorers I only used a Pentel brush nib for the contours. The rest is done slowly with the ink. Note the richness of the blue... · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub), Waterman W2 flex · What I liked: It really wrote well out of the Kakuna. I also enjoyed it with the medium nib and flex. Cleaning was easy. · What I did not like: Smell. I love the colours for washes it's that type of blue... · What some might not like: Long dry times, Doesn't like thin copy paper. · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: Faint on copy paper. · Bleed through: If I press hard on copy paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Ok · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Rich blue · Shading Potential: Yes depending on nibs. · Sheen: Hint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes on the vintage Waterman · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Quite easy for a bulletproof ink. · Water resistance: Excellant · Availability: 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  2. namrehsnoom

    Noodler's Zhivago

    Noodler’s Zhivago Noodler’s was established in 2004, and is probably the smallest ink company in the world. Nathan Tardiff’s mission is to provide us affordable fountain pen inks with a decent colour selection. Most of his Noodler’s inks are bullet proof – meaning fraud proof and waterproof. The focus of this review is on Zhivago, a saturated green-black with a faded look. Zhivago comes in the typical no-nonsense Noodler’s packaging: a simple 3 oz bottle, filled to the brim. The ink is advertised as bullet proof. I personally don’t care about the fraud proof aspects, but appreciate the strong water resistance when using this ink in my EDC pens. As always with this type of ink, pen hygiene is important: regular cleaning of your pen can help avoid nasty surprises. The ink’s colour is a nicely saturated dark green-black. Almost black in fine nibs, but more of a murky green-black when used in broader nibs or dry pens. I personally like the washed-out look of this ink, especially when used in a dry Lamy Safari with a B / 1.1 nib. With this combination, the ink looks gorgeous. Zhivago is perfect for the workplace: a serious looking colour, and almost 100% waterproof. And the green undertone makes it look more interesting than a standard black ink. The ink itself writes a very saturated line with good lubrication in my Lamy Safari test pens. The dark colour and strong saturation make it an outstanding ink for EF/F nibs. Shading is almost absent in finer nibs, but with broader nibs the ink gains some depth, and becomes less one-dimensional. The ink has a fairly limited dynamic range, without much contrast between light and dark areas. To illustrate this, I did a swab where I really saturated portions of the Tomoe River paper with ink, pooling it on. With the right pen/nib combination, you can coax some great-looking soft shading from this ink. I personally love Zhivago’s looks when used in a Lamy Safari with 1.1 calligraphy nib. On the smudge test – rubbing text with a moist Q-tip cotton swab – there is quite some smearing, but the text itself remains crisp and clear. Water resistance is near-perfect. A bit of the green disappears, but all text remains undisturbed on the paper. Even with longer exposures to water (30 seconds under running tap water), the ink remains firmly attached to the paper. A waterproof ink indeed! The chromatography confirms this: the dyes remain firmly attached to the paper in the bottom part. You can also see that the coloured dyes in the mix are most likely to detach from the paper. I’ve tested the ink on a wide variety of paper – from crappy Moleskine to high-end Tomoe River. On each scrap of paper I show you: An ink swab, made with a cotton Q-tip 1-2-3 pass swab, to show increasing saturation An ink scribble made with a Lamy Safari M-nib fountain pen The name of the paper used, written with a Lamy Safari B-nib A small text sample, written with the M-nib The source of the quote, written with a TWSBI Micarta v2 with F-nib Drying times of the ink on the paper (with the M-nib Safari) Zhivago looks equally good on white and more creamy paper. It is a near-perfect writing ink: across my test set of paper types, I noticed no feathering, and very minimal bleed-through or show-through. The Moleskine paper forms the litmus test: no visible feathering, and even on this horrible paper there is only a tiny amount of bleed-through. Excellent technical behaviour! Drying times are around the 10 second range with the Lamy Safari M-nib. This Noodler’s ink not only looks good, it can also handle any paper you use. This includes typical copy paper you find at the office. As such, I can really recommend this ink for use in an EDC pen. I’ve used Zhivago in my Kaweco Liliput with F nib for the past month, and found the ink perfect for use at the office. At the end of the review, I also show the back-side of the different paper types, in the same order. Since scans alone are not always enough to give you a complete picture of the ink, I also provide you with a few photos for an alternative look at Noodler’s Zhivago. In this case, I think the scans capture best the way the ink looks in real life. Writing with different nib sizes The picture below shows the effect of nib sizes on the writing. Zhivago manages to look good in all nib sizes from EF up to the 1.9 calligraphy nibs. The ink writes a very saturated line, and as such works great in even the finest nibs. Shading is not the ink’s forte – you need dry pens with broad nibs to coax some shading from Zhivago. For my EDC pens, I don’t care too much about shading. For work settings, I appreciate Zhivago’s waterproof aspects, and the off-black faded green looks. Related inks To compare Zhivago with related inks, I use my nine-grid format with the currently reviewed ink at the center. This format shows the name of related inks, a saturation sample, a 1-2-3 swab and a water resistance test – all in a very compact format. I have a number of green-blacks in my collection, and they all look different. Zhivago is the only one though that shows true water resistance. Inkxperiment – Ghostwalker With every review I try to do a single-ink drawing that shows what the ink is capable of in a more artistic setting. The most fun part of every ink review: I really enjoy brainstorming the drawing’s setting, and the experimentation with different techniques. I’m constantly amazed at the broad range of hues/tones that one can coax from a single ink. Almost unbelievable. For this inkxperiment I used an A4-sized piece of HP photo paper. I taped out the tree trunks, and sponged in the background using a dish-washing sponge and heavily water-diluted Zhivago. For the sun, I used more concentrated ink applied in a circular pattern. Once dry, I removed the tape, and painted in the tree trunks with a piece of cardboard and pure Zhivago. I finally used a brush with pure Zhivago to add the figure of the ghostwalker. I was fairly surprised by the amount of green buried within the almost black looking Zhivago. Hadn’t expected this! Conclusion Noodler’s Zhivago is the perfect office ink: well saturated, can handle crappy paper with ease, is totally waterproof. And it looks great too! I like the washed out faded green undertones that are present in what appears to be a black ink at first glance. Highly recommended for use in an EDC pen. Technical test results on Rhodia N° 16 notepad paper, written with Lamy Safari, M-nib Backside of writing samples on different paper types
  3. yazeh

    Noodler's Akhmatova

    Noodler's Akhmatova Named after the great the Russian poetess, Anna Akhmatova. Famous and beloved before the Revolution hounded after, until death of Stalin. On a trip to Paris, she befriended an unknown and impoverished Modigliani, who drew her several times. She was famous for her signature shawl, even in the height of poverty, she managed to stay regal... The ink harbours a deep melancholy, recalling that of coniferous forests in the deep of winter under a grey day. It reflects well Akhmatova's soul. For the sake of this review, I have cropped pages, to give a hint of the dynamic of this ink and not my musings.... Chroma Comparison: This is one of the best, if not the best eternal ink I have ever tried. The ink is so will lubricated that beckons you not to force the nib but let the pen glide. I could buy this ink for the tactility of it, only. Ink is eternal/ bullet proof/ fluorescent. The shading is best experienced on white and bright paper. Dry time is super fast. Cleaning nothing was left. Water test: On Hilory one of the most absorbent papers I know: On Peter Pauper Paper (Thick absorbent paper) On Hammermill Multipurpose Paper 20 lb On Midori The ink is so smooth that I wrote a whole page with a reverse Lamy broad.... (midori) Tomoe River classic Tomoe River 68 gr (thicker) A couple of sketches... • Pen used: Noodler’s Ahab / Lamy Safari Broad/ Jinhao Medium • Ghosting: None • Bleed through: None. • Flow Rate: Wet • Lubrication: Out of the world. • Nib Dry-out: Needs a well-sealed pen. • Start-up: None • Saturation: Murky and dark. • Shading Yes. • Sheen: No • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None. • Nib Creep / “Crud”: None • Staining (pen): It doesn’t stain. Very easy to clean. • Clogging: Nope • Water resistance: Waterproof/ Eternal/Fluorescent. • Availability: Only in bottle 90 ml bottles.
  4. yazeh

    Noodler's Bad Green Gator

    Noodler's Bad Green Gator, belongs to the warden series (4 inks). It’s forgery proof. There are inks that are love and first write, this was one of them, maybe because I have a thing for Gators. But it’s a bad, bad ink. If I didn’t have a bottle of Polar Green, then this would’ve been my go-to green ink. But thankfully it isn't. Confusing, eh? 🇨🇦 It made the Osmiroid pen, which is dry, write like a dream and no ink normally does, (the pen has flow issues) But would I recommend it? absolutely not. It’s one of the most difficult inks that I’ve ever cleaned out of a pen. More difficult than Kung Te-Cheng and Polar Green, which are low maintenance compared to this thing. The ink sticks to everything. I had to let it soak in a pen solution twice for long hours. It'll make your Ef and would bleed the bejesus out of any paper. I didn't test it on copy paper, it's pointless when it bleeds through Tomoe River 68gr paper (the thick one_ I would recommend this only for cheap pens with a great seal, and with a F nib on Midori/ Rhodia/ Maruman papers. Or alternatively on thick absorbent papers. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test (Left side was under water for 10 second, nothing budged) And finally an artwork: Inkotober yearly challenge - Sing Other inks used: Anderson Pens' Oshkosh Denim Platninum Carbon Black Super5 - Delhi (orange ink) Pen Pébéo Gold Marker Lierre Sauvage Mixed with a hint of Kuretake Black ink.... · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B, 1.1), Osmiroid Copper Plate · What I liked: It made the Osmiorid write like a dream, ultra fast dry times, waterproofness, name. · What I did not like: bleed through, limited use, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, · What some might not like: Almost everything about it  · Shading: Non-existent. · Ghosting: On most papers. · Bleed through: same as above. · Flow Rate: Very wet · Lubrication: Above average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Dismal · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): It sticks to everything. It's like the Baystate Blue of Greens · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: High maintenance. Needs pen flush and multiple rounds of it. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 3 oz /90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  5. yazeh

    Noodler's Park Red

    Pinkish Red ink from Noodler's, made in honour of Park Sang Hak, a North Korean defector now living in South Korea who sends propaganda balloons back to the North. You can watch more about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMQFp9qBCHU&feature=youtu.be The info by Mr. Tardiff is not 100% accurate. I wish I could like this ink. But I don’t. It’s one of those smear inks. I think the best thing is to send this in one of Mr. Park’s balloons over to North Korea. 😛 The only way I could tame this ink was with Peter Pauper Press notebooks with their thick, absorbent paper. If you're looking for waterproof bright red, this not one of them. As of now, Noodler's Fox Red/ Esenin and De Atramentis Document/ Artist Red are the best behaved waterproof inks I know of. Let's start with the watermelon coloured chroma: Writing samples: As you can see I had a bit of smudge disaster all over the place: It didn't like Hammermill as you can see: Photo: Comparison: Water test: I filled an eyedropper with water, and this was the effect. and per usual an art work: Cat & mouse Gangnam style, the grey is De Atramentis Document Urban Grey.... Note how the application of a wet brush obliterates the pink lines and leaves a greyish line. Hope it brings a smile · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Kaweco(EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmioroid Copperplate · What I liked: Writing on thick absorbent paper, history lesson, and drawing · What I did not like: Long dry times, not waterproof and smudges all over the place. · Who might like this ink: K-Pop/ K-drama fans.... · Shading: I doubt it. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap thin paper · Bleed through: Same as above · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good from fine above · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Doubt it. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Kaweco was easy, Osmiroid and Kakuno were slightly more difficult. I suspect if this ink stay a long time in the pen, the pink element might be difficult to clean. · Water resistance: It has some water resistance with a minor spill, but don't count on it. · Availability: 3 oz /90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  6. Noodler’s 1984 This is the regular lineup 1984 and not one of the special edition inks. It’s a fast drying, cellulose loving ink. It absolutely hates Tomoe River 68 gr paper. It does a lot of unmentionable things to it and any cheap/thin papers. What I noticed was that if the feed is primed the ink will bleed through anything, however, if you un-prime the feed, and let it settle it works fine. Noodler’s has many bulletproof purples, which are better behaved than this one, such as Tchaikovsky or even Polar Purple to name a few. But then again, if you’re a fan of Orwell, 1984, you can rein this misbehaving ink. Either with Rhodia, Midori or Maruman, or a thick absorbent paper and a fine nib. Using a gusher is foolhardy What I noticed over the week or so using this ink, that every time, I reached a pen with this ink, I enjoyed writing with it, thanks to its excellent lubrication. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: I didn't bother posting Hammermill. You can see how it affects this paper: Photo on Maruman Mnemosyne Paper with the Kanwrite flex nib. Comparison: Watertest: The nib of the Kakuno Ef was primed. Not a good idea. As you can see how it spread. But afterwards it was alright.... and finally an artwork. Mushroom, I did a wash with this ink, and here you can see the complexity of the ink shining: Paper is a Talens Mixed media paper Other inks are Noodler's Polar Brown / De Atramentis Document Red. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno (Ef, Stub( , Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Kanwrite with Ahab nib · What I liked: Fast drying time, muted purple, perfect for a lefty overwrite, chroma, doing ink washes and the pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: It’s a finicky (read high maintenance) ink. It doesn’t like certain papers at all. I prefer other purples. · What some might not like: Feathering, woolly line and the above. · Shading: Are you kidding me? · Ghosting: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr · Bleed through: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr with some wet pen configuration · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Didn’t notice. · Start-up: Didn’t notice. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Are you kidding me again? · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, on some papers, especially if the feed is primed, i.e. when you fill up your pen. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: A bit · Staining (pen): Surprisingly no. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: I put it in the middle to high maintenance category, ike most purple inks. I let it soak in solution. · Water resistance: Excellent. Nothing budges. · Availability: 3 oz, 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  7. Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia This ink is exclusive to Goulet's and sold in 4.5 oz (128 ml) bottles with a free Charlie pen. I've added links for those interested to read about the creation of this ink. Italics are quotes from Goulet's website. Ink is in homage to Nathan Tardiff's great uncle Reginald Hegarty - who served upon whaleships and whose father was a whale ship captain and Manjiro Nakahama. (photo courtesy of Wikipedia) A fisherman at age 14. he was stranded on an Island (1841) and saved by an American whaler ship who brought him back to the US, (due to Japan's period of isolation) to Nathan Tardiff's hometown. He was "adopted" by the neighbour of the captain and sent to school to study English and navigation. Later he returns to Japan despite the danger of being killed and being one of the rare Japanese who lived in Mainland US, participates in the "opening of Japan" period. He was made a Samurai, later on and his sword was gifted to the Milicent Library Fairhaven, Massachusetts in 1918. While the sword was stolen in 1977, a replica was given back to the library. I would say, this is Noodler's at the best, you buy more than a bottle of ink, you buy a bottle of history, with so many layer. I'm glad it's exclusive to Goulet's and it's such a big bottle. I won't be tempted to buy it (Goulet doesn't ship to my province ) The ink reacts with bleach and creates a magnificent red and supposedly if the bleach is strong enough it'll then become purple. According to the Goulet website: These colors were designed for their symbolic value: sepia brown from 1840s whalemen's ink, red for the color of the Japanese national flag, and purple in honor of Emperor Meiji - for his reasoning affected by Manjiro Nakahama. Ink is a reddish brown, as you can see with the chroma: Writing samples: Quotes are from Herman Melville's Moby Dick, who was also a whaler and sailed from Fairhaven. T The ghosting and bleed through is minimal despite what the scan shows. However, it's best on thicker papers. Photo: Comparison: Watertest: I changed my method and poured some water on the left side of the paper and dried it with a piece of tissue. While it looks washed out I couldn't discern any ink on the tissue paper. I added some bleach and managed to create the red, but couldn't create the purple. And finally and artwork, which I named Creation which is an homage to Herman Melville, Moby DIck: I only used this ink, either in strong concentration or diluted with a touch of bleach to create the red effect. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Extremely pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: I’m nitpicking but maybe the hint of red in the brown, big bottle, and exclusive to Goulet's (though it's a plus, as I won't be able to order it) · What some might not like: Big bottle, exclusive to Goulet’s, tendency to stain transparent sections. · Shading: Faint · Ghosting: Faint · Bleed through: with a gusher, but I’ve seen much worse. · Flow Rate: Nice and wet · Lubrication: Very good. · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: Nope · Saturation: Nope · Shading Potential: Yes. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes. It did stain the transparent section of Kakuno, so you need Doyou or Red Rattler's Eel nearby. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy, like most pigment/bulletproof inks. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 4.5oz ≈ 128 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  8. yazeh

    Noodler's Fox Red

    Noodler’s Fox Red When it comes to red ink, I'm often weary as they are very difficult to clean. I also lprefer Dark reds better than brighter red. However, this ink has wowed me with its performance, it's one of the best inks, I've ever used. It doesn't ghost or bleed through on copy paper. It's a pleasure to use. Unlike other Noodler's inks, it comes into 1 oz/30 ml series. The other inks in this series are La Reine Mauve, Luxury Blue, Periwinkle and Whiteness of the Whale. Apparently the ingredients to make these inks are quite expensive, hence the smaller ink bottle. Let's start with the chroma; there's a hint of yellow in the sea of red. Writing samples: Text is from the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. No ghosting or bleed through on Hammermill. Surprisingly longest dry time Photo Paper is Mnemosyne - Nib is copperplate. Text is in French, same as above. 2 This ink is quite close to Noodler's Esenin. If you use a lot of red then maybe it's a better choice. (Esenin is also a very good red) A bit of the red is removed. But the text is legible: And as usual an artwork: Reunion an homage to The Little Prince. Paper is Canson mixed media paper, 98lb/160 gr Other inks used: Black: Noodler's Polar Black Yellow: J. Herbin Bouton d'or Green: Polar Green Wheat: Diamine Sepia The Sky is a mixture of Herbin's Émeraude de Chivor and Diamine Shimmering Seas, which I created effects by using a glass dip pen dipped in bleach. And finally the planet is done with Ferris Wheel Press, Storied Blue, lovely gorgeous ink for doing washes. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B), Osmiroid Copperplate semi-flex, Jinhao 450 · What I liked: Well lubricated, well behaved. · What I did not like: I’m nitpicking: I wish it were a darker red. · What some might not like: 30s dry time with a medium nib on some papers, Price. · Shading: Nope · Ghosting: None. · Bleed through: None · Flow Rate: Really nice · Lubrication: Great · Nib Dry-out: None · Start-up: None · Saturation: Saturated · Shading Potential: dismal · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Surprisingly easy. · Water resistance: A bit removes but not much. · Availability: 1oz (30ml) Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  9. *comes in a 3 oz glass bottle * it's definitely pink *more of a blue-pink than an orange-pink (the third photo looks the most accurate to me, but your monitor may show it differently) *dries pretty fast, under 5 seconds *highlights over a variety of inks without smearing *not water resistant (that's not a surprise!) The first sheet is the 32 lb HP laser paper - the only part that really shows (obviously) is where I shot the paper with a syringe full of ink! The second sheet is cheap 20 lb copy paper, and I (personally) wouldn't have any trouble highlighting on both sides of the paper. You can see it a bit, but it's really not bad at all.
  10. yazeh

    Noodler's Esenin

    I’ve been enjoying this eye searing ink for quite a well. In general, most of the Russian Series ink are some of the best “bulletproof” inks I’ve tried, and Esenin is in that category. Sergei Esenin or Yesenin was a Russian Poet. In his young life he married four times. His 2nd wife Zinaida Reich, a famed Russian actress, was killed in 1939 by Soviet Secret service. His 3rd wife was famed American dancer Isadora Duncan. And his fourth wife a granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy. It is said that his last poem, was written with his blood, as he couldn’t find ink in the hotel room, he was staying. Hence this reddish eye searing colour. The next day, he was found dead in his hotel room, having committed suicide at age 30. Some say, he was killed by the soviet secret police and his suicide was staged. Poem (from wikipedia's translation) on Tomeo River 68gr. The pen is Kawrite Ultraflex. The smudge on the word "die" is intentional. The best way to describe his poetry is a quote from Wikipedia: The Empress told me my poems were beautiful, but sad. I replied, the same could be said about Russia as a whole," The ink with a fine nib has an orange red hue, but with the flex it shares more character. Ink is bulletproof and fluorescent. When I first inked, it, I was sketching foxes..... This is with the fine nib of a Kaweco Perkeo Here is another written text: from the Song of Songs.... this time on thin Tomoe River, pen Kanwrite Ultra flex... Savour the richness of the red... and the delicate chroma: In all this is a delightful red ink, for those who are for looking for an unabashed eye searing red Note the Russian series are more expensive than the other bulletproof inks. • Pens used: Kaweco Perkeo Fine/ Kanwrite Flex • Shading: Quite a bit • Ghosting: Not really. • Bleed through: Depends on paper nib/ combination. • Flow Rate: Wet • Lubrication: Great • Nib Dry-out: No • Start-up: No • Saturation: Eye searing… • Shading Potential: With flex and depending on paper • Sheen: None • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed… • Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes. • Staining (pen): Easy to clean… • Clogging: Nope • Water resistance: Excellant • Availability: 90 ml bottles
  11. yazeh

    Noodler's Polar Black

    Noodler’s Polar Black While Polar inks seem not very user friendly, (they tend to stain and will be stubborn with flow unless your pen is well sealed, and should be used in pens that can be dismantled) they are quite good for permanent inks. This doesn't mean that their difficult to clean. I have two pen permanently filled with Polar Brown and Green. I had no problems cleaning the green one after two year. I thought if Polar Black behaves like the rest of the gang, I’ll have a winner, as this ink is black as tar and a 1/3 cheaper than the ultra black Platinum Chou Kuro. Now first the famous five of the Polar series: 1) Purple/Blue: very wet, muted (or chalky if you prefer 😛), ultra fast drying times. 2) Green/Brown, very fast dry times. Stain transparent feeds /sections but can be easily cleaned by Doyou or Eel Red Rattler’s. Green and Black share the same viscosity. But Black is the sheep here (Sorry of the pun). it has long dry times and the tendency to smudge. Let me explain. This was part of an artwork I did. The ink was let to dry on Canson Mixed media paper for more than 24 hours. However, when I used a wet brush to dilute the Polar Green I was about to apply, you can see the black smudges. It's not a deal breaker but this ink is limited in scope, for use. I would say EF/F nib on Rhodia or a thick absorbent paper and is not recommend for artists. Lets start with the Chroma: Writing samples: Paradoxically, the Ef line looks wider than the fine. I tried finding Inuit quotes, (as it's a Polar ink) this is what I came up with. Good old Hammermill Ironic how longer dry times on this absorbent paper. Photo: Maruman Mnemosyne - Osmiroid Copperplate (the red ink, is Noodler's Fox Red) As you can see it's quite black. Excess ink washes off. As per usual a little artwork, (mixed media (watercolour and ink). Hope it brings a smile to your face. The cat is in Polar Black, his tie and the rose with Noodler's Fox Red, the green is Noodler's Polar Green and the blue butterfly is Noodler's Canyon Blue. And the ladies shirt is FWP Stored Blue. The background is watercolour, so is the black tracings on her dress. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B), Osimiroid Copperplate, Jinhao fude · What I liked: Nice viscous black. Very black. Very agreeable with Ef nibs. · What I did not like: Smudging, long daytimes. · What some might not like: It ghosts on cheap paper. It’s a Polar ink, it might stain, long dry times. · Shading: Why do you want a black in to shade? · Ghosting: Yes on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes on cheap paper if you use wide nibs. · Flow Rate: Wettish. · Lubrication: Excellent · Nib Dry-out: None. Though it didn't like Kakuna or Jinhao. But it loved Lamy Safari. · Start-up: None. This ink works well in well sealed pens. · Saturation: Very Saturated · Shading Potential: None · Sheen: None · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Surprisingly easy. · Water resistance: The excess ink will be removed. · Availability: 3 oz (90ml) Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  12. yazeh

    Noodler's Upper Ganges Blue

    Noodler’s Upper Ganges Blue This is an ink that you would either love or hate. It's a sky blue ink, with very fast drying times and then nothing moves it. It hates Japanese Ef steel nibs, wet pens and flex nibs. It'll almost bleed through anything. Ironically the line was thicker when I wrote reverse with Japanese Ef nib. It's very paper specific, Rhodia, Midori and Maruman Mnemosyne. But don't try writing with a gusher/flex nib combo. It'll eat your paper. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: While the colour of the first three lines look different it's the scanner not ink. It didn't like the TR at all. Look at the bleeding and bleed through with EF, reverse Ef, fine, flex and fude. Ironically it likes only M and B nibs Massacre of Hammermill Water test: It doesn't budge. Comparison: As usual an art work. This naïve work was inspired by Tara Brach's quote: When we trust that we are the ocean, we are not afraid of the waves. The paper is Fabriano Water colour Black ink Platinum Carbon Black The colour is darker, but the phone camera couldn't capture the blue correctly. The dilution effect was created by a water brush before applying the ink. The ink doesn't budge the moment it touches the paper. Note: Like the Russian series, this ink is more expensive than typical Noodler’s ink. Ink is fluorescent. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B), Jinhao with Kanwrite Ultra-flex /fude · What I liked: Super fast daytimes and looking for spiritual quotes · What I did not like: In general, I prefer inks which have better lubrication or more saturated. · What some might not like: Dry ink, the fact it doesn't like cheap papers, plus it needs a well-sealed pen preferably. · Shading: No. · Ghosting: Depending pen paper combo. Doesn't iike cheap paper. It prefer M/B nibs. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Very wet. · Lubrication: It doesn't make your scratchy pen cushion-y. · Nib Dry-out: None · Start-up: None · Saturation: Unsaturated · Shading Potential: Maybe with broad nibs. · Sheen: None · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes on newspaper paper and depending some pen/nib combos. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Depends. · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Surprisingly easy. I put one of the feeds in an cleaning solution. It was clean. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 90 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  13. Noodler’s Mata Hari’s Cordial This is truly one of the classiest inks, I’ve ever used. Noodler's has a knack for this type of shades. Such a pleasure to write with, lovely, elegant, well behaved. I don’t why this colour was used to commemorate the fabled Mata Hari. I doubt this vintage cocktail named after her, will turn into this shade of burgundy. A bit about Mata Hari: She was born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in Netherlands 7 August 1876 . Her father at one point was very rich but lost all his money. He was also a mythomaniac. Mata Hari, married a brutish soldier and went to the Dutch West Indies. Her husband was violent and womanizer. She divorced her husband after the death of her son, and though she gained custody of her daughter, she had to abandon her to him as she had no money. In Europe she became, an exotic dancer, a courtesan, creating a persona and constantly changing her biography, a trait inherited from her father. Her nickname was given by a friend, which means “eye of the day,” in Malay. Photo curtsey of Wikipedia She had many lovers, a penchant for men in uniform. At the onslaught of WWI, she was recruited by both the Germans and French as a spy. While she’s the inspiration of many a Bond girl, she was inept in the art of spying, unlike the famed Josephine Baker. In 1917, she was used as a scapegoat by the French government and executed by firing squad in October, 15, 1917, after 6 months of deliberation. She was 41, Several films have made about her, notably one with Greta Garbo and a French one with Jeanne Moreau. You can read more about her, here: https://www.friesmuseum.nl/en/collection/icons/mata-hari Or see this documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WF3rA8ItmY Now the ink. Lets start with the Chroma: This is delicious burgundy, very well behaved and joy to write with. While it’s advertised as fluorescent ink, I didn’t see any reaction to UV light. Writing samples: (All quotes are by Mata Hari) Dry time varies depending the pen paper. I was a bit lazy, using the Kanwrite, which is very wet, and was slightly primed. Note the different dry times. Note how the ink in a primed feed, turns black. The following poem is from the Song of Songs, translated by Chana & Ariel Bloch, with a fude nib. Photo: Hammermill 20lb copy paper. Back Ghosting is minimal Watertest: It seems this time I put the right side under-running water. The excess ink will remove, as you can see, but your document remain legible. Comparaison: And finally a little sketch, of a cat in uniform in homage to Mata Hari. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna(Ef/Stub) Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B), Kanwrite Ultraflex, Jinhao 450 fude nib · What I liked: Well lubricated, classy, fast dry times, lovely in all pens. · What I did not like: Nothing much. Maybe I can grumble and say, it's water-resistant but not 100% waterproof. · What some might not like: Possible of staining transparent sections, the name · Shading: Yes, especially with wider nibs. · Ghosting: Faint · Bleed through: None · Flow Rate: Nice. · Lubrication: Excellent · Nib Dry-out: None. · Start-up: None · Saturation: Dark · Shading Potential: Depending nibs. · Sheen: None. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Nope. · Staining (pen): Possible · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Normally, this shade of colour is difficult to clean, so having ink cleaning solution is always handy. Pilot Kakuna was very easy, as I could disassemble it, and Q-tip the heck out of it. Lamy needed an overnight soak and a bit more coaxing with the solution. With all permanent inks, the more the ink remains in the pen, the more time consuming it is to clean. · Water resistance: It's not waterproof, like the Polar series. A bit of excess ink will be removed. · Availability: 90 ml bottles / 3 Oz bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  14. yazeh

    Noodler's Tolstoy

    Noodler’s Tolstoy Tolstoy on 23 May 1908 at Yasnaya Polyana,[1] Lithograph print by Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky Disclaimer: I’ve been avoiding reviewing this ink, mostly because I dislike Tolstoy. I have read some of his books in my youth and recently watched a documentary about him, preparing this review. I was impressed by his very modern vision of school system (mostly like the modern Finnish school systems) and “liberating” his serfs. The second part of his life, he becomes erratic. The highlight, I believe, was being ex-communicated by the Russian Orthodox church And to deprive his wife and children of the royalties of his books in favour of charities. It left me perplexed as it was his wife who transcribed his undecipherable handwriting of his early masterpieces. There's a 2009 film, The Last Station which deals with Tolstoy's struggle to balance fame, wealth and his ideal of living devoid of material things. However, this is an ink review. 😛 The greatest part of doing this review was discovering the fantastic colour photography by Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky. You can see most of them here: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/ethnic.html So, lets get on with the ink review with the chroma: I don’t like this ink. Filling the pen is torture. The chemical smell is awful and thankfully dissipate with time. But it gave me a headache a couple of sneezes. This isn't a good ink, it has start up issues, it hated pilot Elite, had hiccups with Lamy Safari, until I wrote a few lines, but tolerated well Pilot Kakuna. I recommend it, only to those, who have no sense of smell, love Tolstoy, like a challenging ink, are light handed, use well sealed wet pens and work under UV lights. Writing Samples: Note the difference between the Ef in Pilot Elite and Kakuna. I really had to press hard the Elite to make it write. I didn't bother to scan of the "good papers". But if you're heavy handed, use wet pens, you'll have ghosting and probably a bit of bleed through. Photo: Watertest: Left side was held under water. Kitty was waterproof Comparison: And finally a sketch. I do the yearly Inktober challenge. The prompt was Beard. The black ink is Sailor Kiwa-guro. fluorescence: · Pens used: Pilot Elite/ Kakuna(Ef/), Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B) · What I liked: Fast dry time, spectacular fluorescence (I’m pushing it!) · What I did not like: Name, and chemical stench, bleed through, flow issues. · What some might not like: Same as above, minus the name · Shading: No · Ghosting: On most papers yes. · Bleed through: Depending nib, paper. If you’re heavy handed for sure. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Ok · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: It didn’t like Pilot Elite. Lamy stopped working after a few days of not using. · Saturation: Sort of. · Shading Potential: Dismal · Sheen: No · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Didn’t notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes · Staining (pen): Possible · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Like most permanent inks, the more the ink stays in the pen, the more time consuming it is to clean. I won’t recommend these inks for pens that cannot be fully dismantled and pens that don’t have a great seal. The pilot Kakuna’s transparent section was tainted in a lovely blue hue, and no amount of Q-tip would remove it, but after several hours of soaking, I should be able to remove it. Safari needed an overnight soaking, and 5 minutes in pen cleaning solution, as a safe measure. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 90 ml bottles / 3 Oz bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier
  15. yazeh

    Noodler's Tchaikovsky

    Noodler's Tchaikovsky is a bulletproof/fluorescent, muted purple ink, belonging to the Russian series. It's more expensive than traditional Noodle's inks. A bit about the composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, (7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893), well known for his Swan Lake and Nutcracker ballets. It is ironic that one of the greatest Russian composers was educated for a career as a civil servant as music wasn't a viable option at his time. Even more ironic his music wasn't “Russian” enough for some of his compatriots. I was 11 or 12, when I discovered his violin concerto, by the legendary Nathan Milstein. It remains to this day, one of my favorite concertos. and soon after I discovered his First piano concerto in the electrifying 1941 version, with Vladimir Horowitz and Arturo Toscanini. It is a recording that will never age. I could go on and on about Tchaikovsky, but this is an ink review after all, and to paraphrase a movie quote, I doubt this ink would make classical music lovers fans of fountain pens or ink lovers fan of Tchaikovsky's music 😅 I’m not sure why Mr. Tardiff used this muted purple to represent Tchaikovsky. Like most bulletproof inks it doesn't shade and like most fluorescent inks, it's well behaved and easy to clean. Though it can and will stain demonstrators, which with a touch of Doyou or Noodler's Red Eel, it could be fixed, if you really insist on using this ink with a transparent section :😜 Let's start with the chroma: I really love muted purples, it has a silver haze about it on Tomoe River 68gr: Writing samples: All quotes are by Tchaikovsky. Hammermill Printer Paper, Premium Multipurpose Paper 20 lb paper. Comparison: Excellent waterproofness. Ink didn't budges under running water: And finally a sketch, a homage to Tchaikovsky: And the fluorescence A · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno (Ef /Stub) Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B) / Jinaho 450 with an Ultraflex nib/ Jinhao 450 fude · What I liked: Wet ink, muted purple, with the silver haze, well behaved. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · Shading: Only with fude nib. · Ghosting: This ink is best for coated paper. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Excellent · Lubrication: Excellent · Nib Dry-out: None. · Start-up: None. · Saturation: Muted · Shading Potential: You can’t have it all · Sheen: none. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Didn’t notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): It’s a purple ink, so it would stain. Though a bit of Sailor Doyou/ or Noodle's Red Eel will clean it up. · Clogging: No · Cleaning: Surprisingly very easy · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 3 oz/ 90 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to comment or share your experience with this ink. The more the merrier
  16. I recently spent a few hours working on my good ole' ebonite Noodlers Konrad. I hadn't used this pen for quite a while and wanted to spice things up a bit. The changes I made (and highly recommend) are as follows: 1) the "easy my flex" mod, were you grind a portion off the sides of the nib as seen in the picture. 2) I doubled the depth/width of the feed channel, which managed to eliminate almost all railroading except on very aggressive downstrokes. and 3) I reground the tip to an XXXF needlepoint. I don't know how to measure the actual degree of fineness I achieved with this grind, but ill tell you it is so sharp that I may just use it to sew some new underpants. I don't by any means consider myself an experienced nib-alter-er-er, but it wasn't too difficult to shave the sides and smooth the tip with 8000, 12000 and 16000 grit polishing sandpaper. Anyways, here are some pictures of my work (and first attempt calligraphy); please comment if you have any questions, suggestions or have tried the same thing during your nib-related adventures. Enjoy.
  17. I discovered this ink thanks to one of Nick Stewart’s videos. This is one of the double dye inks, belonging to the same family as General of the Armies and the now discontinued lovely House Divided. This one has a purple dye below the beige/yellow coloured one. To quote Nathan: "Rome Burning” has a bulletproof patrician core color of Caesar’s purple with the colors of the inferno that wash away from it with excess liquidity. As it dries there are shades of brass that can actually shine on some paper grades and can halo the darker core when using the right nib/feed combination. On very absorbent cellulose paper the patrician core can be seen in the center as the fire surrounds it – as if an eclipse of the sun." Here you go, its magic when applied on wet watercolour paper: When smudged with a wet Q-Tip, the yellow component washes away to leave the purple colour: Also when you rinse the pen, the dominant colour in the sink is a rich purple I have nothing like this ink. It’s a wet, fast drying ink on most papers but, Midori/ Tomoe River 68gr papers. With some wide nibs the purple dye is visible for a split second. It’s the type of ink I really like, murky, fast drying and dependable. I thought the purple dye would be difficult to wash out but in the end in the end I used only water. I read that it stains convertors but it didn’t do mine. So be careful if you're fussy about stains It’s a pity Nathan changed the name of this one. It was so evocative. I used quotes from notable Romans, and the infamous Nero, to whom this ink alludes. Writing samples: Rhodia TR 68gr Midori Codex Mnemosyne Apica · Pens used: : Kaweco Perkeo Fine/ Pilot Kakuna Medium, Jinhao 450 /Fude Nib · Shading: Lovely · Ghosting: On cheap paper,depending nib, probably. · Bleed through: depending nib, probably. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed · Start-up: Not noticed · Saturation: Nicely saturated… · Shading Potential: Only with Fude nib on Midori/ TR 68 gr papers. · Sheen: Nope... · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed... · Staining (pen): I’ve read that it can stain convertors, but it didn’t mine. · Clogging: Nope. · Water resistance: The yellow component washes away and leave a purple line · Availability: 3 oz/ 90 ml bottles
  18. Hi, I just posted a review on YouTube of Noodler's Boston Safety pen. Its a very frustrating pen to use, but I still enjoy using it. There is something satisfying about retracting the nib, and when I can get it to write, the nib is quite nice for drawing. I reviewed it on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIfXK7jBMU8wwg1tOS4gfkQ
  19. yazeh

    Noodler's Blue American Eel

    This ink was part of blind ink testing on another pen site. It's a happy colour, for people who love blue, shading and use good paper and avoid water I won’t recommend this for sweaty palms or mermaids It’s a great colour for artwork and washes, as you can see on this quick sketch on Apica: Chroma: Dry time is long on Rhodia: on Tomoe RIver 68gr it didn't dry after 3 hours, so I had to use a tissue paper as a blotter, see for yourself: Ink on tissue paper: It loves water as you can see, but something might be salvaged... Writing samples: (My apologies for the low quality of scans) Apica Midori: TR 68gr: Mnemosyne: a bonus sample, on Apica Premium notebook, (a different quote) · Pens used: : Jinhao Medium/ Fude, Jinhao X159 fine, WIngsung 3013 · Shading: Lovely · Ghosting: On cheap paper yes. · Bleed through: On cheap paper yes. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed · Start-up: Not noticed · Saturation: Soft · Shading Potential: Good · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No · Staining (pen): I doubt it. · Clogging: Nope. · Water resistance: Meh! · Availability: 3 oz/ 90 ml bottles
  20. CupAJoe

    Howdy from SEK

    Howdy, I live in SE Kansas and I've been carrying FP's since I bought my first Jinhao x750 in 2016. My current pens I'm carrying are my Noodler's Konrad with a Noodler's flex nib I customized into a 1.6mm stub. It'll flex into a nice 2.9mm line width with my Noodler's Operation Overlord Ink. I also have a Noodler's Charlie with Heart of Darkness, and a Hero 616 with Montverde Malibu Blue. I had and gave away a Hero 729 that I really liked this last weekend and I'm looking to replace it, but I'm wondering about getting a Vacuum filler. My toddler likes to grab my pens out of my pocket and chew or throw my pens across the room before I can grab them out of their hands, so you won't find me buying any expensive pens. this is my third child and they've burned through 2 Konrads, 2 nib creapers, and my Jinhao x750 (maybe some others I'm not recalling at the moment). the Hero Pens are my goto now for letting kids use as they are cheap, have hooded nibs so they don't get ink on their hands and are push cap. My current Konrad nib and feed are the result of my nephew dropping the pen on the nib and bending it. I nipped it off above the bend and smoothed it out and have created my very favorite writing instrument ever! the nib feed combo is going to find a new host soon as I've already had to glue together the finial on the Konrad and it's pockmarked with various teeth marks. I feel like I'm a collector of various filling systems more than anything else so I feel like a vacuum filler is the next one I need. I've watched and read reviews on the Penbbs 268, 456 Wingsun 3013 and others and I think I'd like to try a 268. my question for any of you that have one, is can I put my Noodler's Konrad nib and feed into it? I mostly created this account here to get an answer to this question, so if you know the answer thanks in advance for your help and if not, maybe let me know the best part of the forum to post my question. My humble regards, CupAJoe
  21. I recently got a couple of inks from PurePens, Noodler's Red-Black and J. Herbin Vert de Gris. Also a random ink sample which turned out to be Dominant Industry Royal Azalea (cute pink on it's lighter shades, a bit too much for me on the darker ones). One of the main reasons I had for getting Red-Black was my liking for Oxblood, but wishing it didn't get destroyed by any water droplets (as it already did a few times on my work notes). Here's a slightly not scientific comparison between the two. I'm still experimenting on which types of nibs I like Red-Black the best, but I love it already. The bottles: Comparison sheet (Rhodia 80 g/m²): Red black shows some good resistance to water and bleach since it's at least partially bulletproof. The dry times are long, but that might be because of the nibs I used. The Ahab is very wet even when not flexing, and the Kaweco Sport used is a broad nib. I've seen reviews with lower drying times, so I'll keep an eye out for that as I use this ink more. Both inks look great, but Red-Black has more tone variation and shading, while Oxblood is more homogeneous. Chromatographies: Both inks seem to be formulated in a similar way, having a darker component, a red component, and a yellow. Noodler's red black also has a pink-ish side that shows up along with the red component. When I first inked up a pen with Red-Black, it came out as a bright red, since I had not shaken the bottle and I assume the dark and yellow tones had separated.
  22. yazeh

    Noodler's Polar Purple

    This is a muted , bullet proof purple in the Polar series. Polar series consists of five inks. Black, Brown, Green, Blue and Purple. Comparison: Polar inks were developed for cold regions. In their original iteration they didn’t freeze, but had flow issues, I believe. In this updated version they turn into slush in subzero temperatures. TR 68 gr /Reverse fude #6 While I live in a relatively cold area, I have not found the need to ever use a fountain pen or pen for that matter outdoors. Frankly, I doubt if I can hold a pen in -30°C /-22°F with a gigantic mitt. And frankly I don't see the point of getting frostbite to prove a point. Midori / dry time decreases drastically on this paper, 9 seconds. Nib is medium Polar Blue and Purple are similar in behaviour: they are both very wet, and muted. So, your EF will probably turn in a fine. These i cellulose reactive inks, don’t behave well on cheap/ thin paper, that is they bleed through like there’s no tomorrow. HP 32 Polar Purple doesn’t shade, unless you use a wide nib. It’s a pastel/muted/flat colour. I like pastel. It's not distracting Shading on TR 68 gr/ #6 fude nib - There is shading on this paper. But dry times are above 20s on this paper. Dry time on Rhodia is almost immediate, with Midori is about 10 seconds. Fude nib/ Midori Polar inks have a bad rap in general. They can have some flow issues at time and need the right pen/nib combination. They stain (Green and Brown do) but a bit of Doyou/Red Rattlers and the stain disappears. Thought they are best to be married to one pen and they live happily ever after. I have Green in a Kaweco and brown in Chinese pen. They just do fine. Clairefontaine/ fude Rhodia - Water test. Note the water test was done immediately after writing. · Pens used: Jinaho 450 fude/ medium nib - Reverse · Papers used: TR 68 gr / Midori/ Rhodia/ Clairefontaine /HP32 · Shading: None. Pastel · Ghosting: On thin absorbent paper yes. With pens · Bleed through: on thin papers for sure. · Flow Rate: Wet. · Lubrication: Good · Nib Dry-out: Needs a well-sealed pen. · Start-up: No · Saturation: Muted · Shading Potential: None · Sheen: None · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed. But I’m sure with thin absorbent paper it would feather and fly! · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed. · Staining (pen): I don’t know. · Clogging: None · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 90 ml bottles There is a strong possibility that this ink might stain plastic convertors.
  23. I love everything about the Triple Tail. The largeness. The clearness. The non-smellyness. The plunger filling system. The 308 cartridges I can use. Everything, that is, but the nib itself. It's just too darn much for me. It's finicky, which is bad enough. But even when it does work after heat setting, etc -- and even with an ink as simple as 4001 Royal Blue or Waterman Serenity Blue -- it's like writing with a paint brush. And that's before flexing! Before I return it for a partial refund, I thought I would see if anyone has managed to trade it out for a #6 nib? And it not a basic #6, then something else? I saw someone asked Goulet, and the answer was: "Maybe". Have you done it? How'd it go?
  24. yazeh

    Noodler's Tsvetayeva

    A rich red, homage to the great Russian poetess, Marina Tsvetayeva. Note Nathan Tardiff uses an alternative spelling for Tsvetaeva. Information gleaned from her biography is from wikipedia and poetry foundation. Note: The selected poems are from a translation by Andrey Kneller on Kindle. I've chosen certain lines and not entire poems. Marina Tsvetayeva was born in Moscow 8 October 1892. Her father was a professor of fine arts, her mother a concert pianist, who wanted her to become a musician and not a poet, as she found her poems insipid. She spend most of her life out of use. Don’t mistake these soulful eyes for meekness. Tsvetayeva’s poetry, reads like punctuated bullet shots: an explosion of emotions, imagery, and sounds. She once famously said, “Next time I will be born not on a planet, but on a comet!” A prophetic poem on Midori/ Ahab Note how the saturated feed lightens Some of her poetry is especially apt in the current situation of war. To love a country that does not love you, to be a stranger in exile and in exile in your own country. That was the lot of Marina Tsvetayeva. Tomoe River She and her family paid for it dearly. Her life was mired with poverty, exile, and tragedy. Tsvetayeva married an army cadet, Sergei Efron, who fought in the World War I and during the Russian revolution joined the white army, and after their defeat in 1920, emigrated to Paris. Stuck in Moscow during the great famine, she left her daughters in the care of orphanage, believing they would be fed better. One of them died from starvation. She emigrated in 1922 to Paris and reunited with her husband. In Paris, she was shunned, by the Russian intelligentsia, especially after she wrote to a Soviet poet. From then on she lived from hand to mouth. TR 68gr Her daughter, Ariadna, espoused communist ideals and left for the Soviet Union in 1937, followed by her husband, Efron, who unbeknownst to Tsvetayeva had become a NKVD spy and was involved in a couple of assassinations of Russian dissidents. HP 32 Ironically both Efron and Ariadna were imprisoned in charges of espionage in 1941. Efron was murdered, and Ariadna spend 16 years in the gulag. This is on Hammermill Printer Paper, Premium Multipurpose Paper 20 lb, 92 brightness.... Tsvetayeva moved back to the Soviet Union in 1939. From then on, she lived in abject poverty and hanged herself in 1941. She was 48. To finish the train wreck of her life, her beloved son, volunteered and was killed in 1944. Now for the ink: I thought I had found my dream bulletproof red. But for some reason this ink, like other Noodler’s red, has difficult to dry and depending on the pen/paper/nib can smudge. For example, with a Jinhao 450, it lays a lot of ink that smudges on Midori 30 minutes later. Ironically with Ahab it behaved in a much different fashion. But still, I won’t recommend it to lefties, or those who write copiously on Japanese papers with wet pens and wide nibs. Ironically on absorbent paper it dries instantly. This is an unrelated text. It is a photo to show off the shading with a fude nib.... Though dry times is atrocious... Paper is Apica Comparison Cleaning is a bit like other red/ pink inks, a pain. Though I have had worse, Skrip Red/ Sailor Grenade and Herbin rose cyclamen. But you definitely need a pen liquid wash. This is one beautiful red, and if it didn’t have the smudge problem, I would been buying a bottle. I suspect that a drop of water might alleviate the smudge problem much like Red-Black. Note Russian series inks are more expensive than standard bulletproof inks. Ink is bulletproof, fluorescent. Note the left side was held under water. I didn't wait 24 hour for the ink to dry completely. The excess ink washed away. • Pens used: Ahab/ Jinhao 450 fude • Shading: delightful with wider nib. • Ghosting: a bit on absorbent paper… • Bleed through: No. • Flow Rate: medium.. • Lubrication: average • Nib Dry-out: No. • Start-up: No • Saturation: Deep rich red • Shading Potential: Yes • Sheen: None • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed • Nib Creep / “Crud”: it depends. • Staining (pen): you need to rinse it in a pen wash. But surprisingly it was easier to clean that Rose Cyclamen/ Skrip red. • Clogging: None • Water resistance: Excellent • Availability: 90 ml bottles – More expensive than traditional Noodler’s inks.
  25. Hello Fellow FPNers, I have been away from fountain pens for about 10 years after many years using them almost exclusively. Now that I’m back in the fold, I’m wondering if there are any well behaved, beautiful waterproof inks out there I might not know about. I remember that most of the waterproof or bulletproof inks I used (Noodler’s Luxury Blue comes to mind) tended toward nib creep and were very hard to wash out of pens. I’ve recently received a sample of Noodle’rs Zhivago and have been very impressed by its good behavior, lack of nib creep and good flow. But it basically looks black (barely a hint of green) and I’d prefer something in the blue-teal-green spectrum. MUST be a well behaved ink. Thanks for your insights! GNL





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