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➤ Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Grey Scale below. As the patches are neutral Grey, that is what you should see. ▪ Mac http://www.computer-darkroom.com/colorsync-display/colorsync_1.htm ▪ Wintel PC http://www.calibrize.com/ http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/27ddb717.jpg ➤ As Photo*ucket has lost the functionality to display linked files as required and includes advertising with linked images, I've embedded the HiRes images. I apologise should that choice slow your display times. = ♔ = Fidelity One may compare the appearance of the ink I used to the depiction on the DeAtramentis site de-atramentis dot com Wiki 'Royal Blue' : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_blue Figure 1. Swabs & Swatch Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK168_zpse3a7ec32.jpg Figure 2. NIB-ism Paper: HPJ1124. Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness. Distance between feint vertical pencil lines is 25mm. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK167_zpsc0b344db.jpg L ➠ R: 45, M200, ATX, 330, Phileas, NNPS. WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick Ruling: 8mm. Figure 3. Paper: HPJ1124. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK175_zps00f35e89.jpg Figure 4. Paper: Rhodia. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK174_zps86df145f.jpg Figure 5. Paper: G Lalo. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK173_zpse209bf2b.jpg Figure 6. Paper: Royal. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK172_zps05c72893.jpg Figure 7. Paper: Staples. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK170_zps83ed0a12.jpg OTHER STUFF Figure 8. Smear/Dry Times & Wet Tests. http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK169_zpsaa430763.jpg Figure 9. Bleed- Show-Through on Staples. (Reverse of Figure 7.) http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK171_zps1781ca41.jpg HiRes Scans 45 on HPJ1124 http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK176_zps73c412e7.jpg ATX on Rhodia http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK177_zpsb8e5c19c.jpg 330 on G Lalo http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK178_zpsa34ac422.jpg NNPS on Royal http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20DeAtramentis%20Konigsblau/INK179_zps5382a385.jpg GENERAL DESCRIPTION Type: Handmade dye-based fountain pen ink.Presentation: Bottle.Availability: Available when Topic posted.Daily writer? On the list.A go-to ink? When a well-mannered slightly snappy Blue is desired. USE Business: (From the office of Ms Blue-Black.) For those who choose to work with an ink that is a side step away from the 'default' Blue through Black inks.As the perceived hue is influenced by value (light - dark), it may take a few trials to achieve the desired balance between animation and gravitas.My personal preference would be to run DKbl at the slightly darker values, (I am sooo boring), which is well within its performance envelope on typical copy/print papers.Well suited to personal work product. We are gifted with a very good writing experience, even with the very narrow XF nib on the toothy copy/print papers; and high readability that suits longer sessions of poring over whatever was scribbled.When run at a medium value DKbl has just enough snap for forms work and the occasional bit of mark-up & editing of material printed in Black.Not nearly enough zap for error correction or grading.Illustrations / Graphics: A fair pick as a not-quite-Blue for both line and area formats. A good foil for Aqua-Turquoise. The low shading potential and good line quality support its use for lines & labels.As a watercolour, this ink retains its hue at all values, not flashing Violet or going mushy. The dye/s seemed to behave in a quite uniform manner, so supports gradients of uniform hue. Overworking with wet media is likely to leave a soft but distinct remnant.Students: Another good pick.With high readability, a pleasant writing experience, good performance on cheap & nasty paper, plus enough water resistance for salvage, DKbl should find its way into the work horse pens of more than a few students.Personal: Of course.An attractive ink that's called upon when there's something a bit different to write about.While unlikely to be conveyed to your monitor, there is an interesting softness that balances the amount of snap of the colour. (Not at all apparent from the Swabs.)The ink seems to reside at the visual plane of the paper, conveying the sense that it is light on its feet.Will certainly do the necessary for pro forma personal business writing; and allows one to use-up their FP-hostile paper without resorting to the iron-gall inks.DKbl brings some personality & sparkle to the page, which would be well suited for personal 'personal' writing, especially to enhance very routine matters.In my hand, shading is near-imaginary, so enlivening the line by use of shaped / flex nibs does not give a jumbled or over-active result. (I still hope to stumble upon a pen+paper combo that gives some shading.) PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS Flow Rate: Just a bit wet.Nib Dry-Out: Not seen.Start-Up: Immediate.With confidence.Lubricity: Pleasantly high.On the coated Rhodia there was a feeling that the pens were tempted to stray.Nib Creep: Not seen.Staining (pen): Not seen after three days.Clogging: Not seen.Seems unlikely.Bleed- Show-Through: Staples showed a few freckles, but I reckon that wouldn't prevent most practitioners from using both sides of the sheet.All other pen+paper combos were fine for two-sided use.Feathering / Wooly line: Not seen on papers used.Aroma: The bottle released the inviting scent of inky goodness.Not noticed whilst writing.Hand oil sensitivity: Perhaps just a bit. (?)See instances of the Phileas on Rhodia (circled) where the paper didn't absorb all the ink offered by the nib.Clean-Up (pen): Quick and thorough with plain water.For recently charged pens, the use of a pen cleaning solution with dilute ammonia+surfactant did not release any visible residue after my OCD water-only cleansing regimen.Mixing: No stated prohibitions.Archival: Not claimed. THE LOOK Presence: Soft yet snappy.A wink from under a hat brim.Saturation: A well-inked line was typical.Shading Potential: Very low ;(Line quality: Quite high for a simple aniline dye ink.Took the challenge of the hard textured surface of the G Lalo in stride.Variability: Pen+nib combos used:Quite a bit less than expected.Papers used:Rather less than expected.Malleability: Surprisingly little for an ink that appears to have a modest dye-load.The ink looks very much itself regardless of pen or paper chosen, which is very good thing indeed for a daily writer ink.Should one prefer a lighter value, dilution would certainly be an option. PAPERS Lovely papers: With my light hand, I prefer pairing with the slightly toothy / textured papers. Trip-wire Papers: ☠ I suggest run a sample before committing to papers with a slick surface, such as Clairefontaine Triomphe.Copy/Printer Paper: Have at it! Tinted Papers: No particular limitation, other than good taste.As the line is typically well inked, DKbl should retain its native colour on tinted papers.Is high-end paper 'worth it'? Not so much.The penny-a-page HPJ1124 seemed sufficient to bring-out what DKbl has to offer, with the Staples 20lb looking pretty good too.As ever, I'll be toiling with smooth coated papers, trying to winkle some shading. ETC. Majik: 'fraid not, lacks malleability for conjuring.Billets Doux? Not from yours truly, but perhaps an invitation for a workday lunch.Personal Pen & Paper Pick: A bit of a departure - the Parker 45 on HPJ1124.While I seldom pick very narrow nibs, I like the additional lightness that the narrow nib brings when the % coverage is very low. (The nib is of normal wetness.)The slightly cool HPJ1124, with its dose of optical brightening agents, gives a pleasant 'loft' to what's written.Yickity Yackity: A more than satisfying no fuss ink that goes about its business - conveying what's written to the recipient/s with well-mannered confidence and bounce in its step.Ah kushbaby, are you sure you don't need want just one more Blue ink? = ==== = NUTS BOLTS & BOILERPLATE Pens - Written Samples: A. Parker 45 GT Flighter + 14K XF nib. B. Pelikan M200 + g-p steel EF nib. C. Cross ATX (Black) + steel nib. D. Sheaffer 330 + steel M nib. E. Waterman Phileas + two-tone steel B nib. F. Non-Nudist Pink Safari + goosed 1.1 steel nib. - Lines & labels: Omas Turquoise & Sepia from a Pilot Penmanship. Papers: HPJ1124: Hewlett-Packard laser copy/print, 24lb.Rhodia: satin finish vellum, 80gsm.G. Lalo Verge de France: natural white, laid, 100gsm.Royal: 25% cotton, laser/inkjet copy/print, 'letterhead', 90gsm.Staples: house brand multi-use copy/print, USD4/ream, bears FSC logo, 20lb.Other Inks This Review uses the same Written Sample format, atrocious handwriting and some pen+paper combos common to most of my previous Reviews of Blue inks. Consequently, ad hoc comparisons through manipulation of browser windows is supported. Should that functionality not meet your requirements, I welcome your PM requesting a specific comparison. Additional scans may be produced, but the likelihood of additional inky work is quite low. Imaging An Epson V600 scanner was used with the bundled Epson s/w at factory default settings to produce low-loss jpg files.No post-capture manipulation of scanner output was done, other than dumb-down by Epson, Photobouquet, IP.Board s/w, and your viewing gear.Fine Print ◊ The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used. ◊ Ink does not require a label/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc. ◊ As always YMMV, due to differences in materials, manner of working, environment, meteor showers, etc. ◊ Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy. -30- Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Sandy1 De Atramentis Konigsblau Königsblau DeAtramentis Royal Blue 2012 2013