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Tintenlabor (Ink lab) is a new Swiss ink company specializing in iron gall-based inks. The website is in German, so you must use the translation app in your browser. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products Note how the iron content is marked in each bottle: Inks come in 30 or 50-ml bottles, and some specialty inks are only in 10-ml bottles. Disclaimer: The owner and wizard, Inkmeister David, kindly sent me bottles (with my participation in shipping) to test. He patiently responded to my numerous questions and gripes, and insisted that I be as transparent as possible about my experience. This ink experience has been one of the most fun, challenging, and ultimately rewarding ink journeys. What is special about these inks is that the iron and dye content is known to the user, so that you can choose your ink depending on your risk tolerance, use, and preference. As of this posting, several colours are available in various iron and dye content: Green, Purple, Blue, and blue-black, and two specialty grey and gold inks. I’ll be reviewing these inks in detail for each colour family. I’ve come to realize that each colour family is distinctly different. For example, Dark Green 2 and Dark Purple 2, while having the same iron and dye content, are distinctly different in behaviour. So today, I will give an overview of the green inks and post separate reviews of each ink on the Reviews forum. Over time, I will post my notes on the other inks here. A note about cleaning: Do not use ammonia-based cleaning solutions with these inks. The best way is to use a pinch of ascorbic acid or common lime/ lemon juice (filtered, obviously ) or a ratio of 1/10 vinegar. The lower the iron content, the more user-friendly the ink is for the average user. High-iron content inks are more challenging and require patience and perseverance. Dark Green inks come in three declinations, and in 30/50 ml bottles. 1. Dark Green 1 (High dye, low iron content (3 gr/l). Low maintenance, Excellent flow, good behavior, lovely color, and low oxidation. 2. Dark Green 2 (Low dye, medium iron content (4 gr/l), medium maintenance, Low lubrication, immediate oxidation, from bright green to charcoal. 3. Aprilis Argente (high dye, highest iron content 6 gr/l), high maintenance, low lubrication, sluggish flow. Ink oxidation from medium green to charcoal from 20 seconds to 24 hours, depending on the paper (slowest on Midroi/ and TR 68 gsm) I love all three inks for different reasons. Note: I misnamed the swatches by marking the iron content. You can see the actual dye and how it oxidizes over time. These swatches have oxidized over one month: Col-O-ring paper is very water repellent, so oxidation takes time. (The more water resistant the paper is (think watercolor paper), the longer the oxidation. ) After a month: Dark Green 1 is a gorgeous shade of green. It is easy to use and has lovely shading. Cleaning is easy with modern pens that can be dismantled, but vintage pens are more time-consuming. Everyone can use this ink. Dark Green 2 is a pure Iron gall ink with a low dye content that oxidizes magically into charcoal immediately. Cleaning was easy in most cases. The ink only left some iron deposit on one nib, but it disappeared. This could be remedied by dipping a Q-tip in any solid cleaning paste, (Putzstein, Pink Stuff, Pierre d’Argent etc) and rubbing it on the nib. Aprlis Argentes is a specialty ink made for cheap paper, hence its sluggish flow. It took a lot of pens and testing to find the right combination. I needed to prime some pens regularly. The only analogy I can see is taming and training a wild horse. It was an ink rodeo, rewarding but not for everyone. Paradoxically, it’s the ink I used most (half a bottle). Which ink did I love most? It’s a difficult question to answer. I think I loved them all equally. Which one do I recommend? It all depends on your personality, pens, and risk tolerance. Dark Green 1 is for most people and pens. Dark Green 2 is for those who want immediate oxidation and don’t mind low-lubricated inks. Aprilis Argente is for those who like a challenge and use copy paper. What pens? This is a tricky one to answer. It depends on the ink. The higher the iron content, the wetter the pen should be. Inks range from water-resistant to waterproof. The dye content can be washed away with the lower the iron content. I'm now in the process of testing the purple inks, which are pretty different. In a week or two, I'll post my general comparisons here. And here are several test drawings: Dark Green 1 (Talens Mixed Media paper) S Strathmore Paper Dark Green 2 (Talens Mixed Media paper) and Aprilis Argente Talens Mixed Media Paper and here is a combination of the three. It's challenging to distinguish Dark Green 2 from Aprilis Argente, but whatever, from light grey to near black, can be either of the two. Paper is Strathmore. Final notes: It is my understanding that some of the flow issues might be fixed in the future...

Tintenlabor Azur Noir Ink Review # 190 Full name: azur noir, dunkelblau / schwarz (dark blue-black) --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Mesiter, David. Azur Noir is the last of the blue inks. According to the website, it has the highest iron content, 6 gr/l, and is best suited for wet pens. Unlike the other reviewed inks, the wet ink is blue-black; however, with time, it will oxidize to black with a tinge of blue. This was most challenging to control with Ahab. Ink leaves a blackish iron residue in the converter and section, and is best used with pens that can be dismantled. Ink ghosted on cheap, thin paper with some nibs, but of the four blues, this and Violet Blue seem best for cheap, thin copy paper (your mileage might vary). Essri and Diamine Registrars are still the best for cheap paper. As with iron gall inks, it's best to clean them directly with a diluted ascorbic acid solution. Pens need long soaking (think spa, jacuzzi ), ideally an ultrasonic cleaner, Q-tip and the rest. Never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo Photos were taken 14 days after the scan. Rhodia, Irofu, Hammermill Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation 🔍 Comparison A full page of 4 tintenlabor blue inks. Comparison of ghosting and bleedthrough of 6 iron gall inks Note Essri seems to be the winner, still. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork She Who Wears the Storm TIntenlabor Azur Noir/Violet Blue, Talens Mixed Media Paper. Boxer pup Inks and paper Oxidation Kitty and pup Tintenlabor Azur Noir and Gold --- - Pens Used: Pilot Elite EF gold nib, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Ahab with a FPR ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Color. Wetness - What I Did Not Like: It could be temperamental with Ahab. With other pens, it was great. - What Some Might Not Like: IG high-maintenance ink. - Writing Experience: Excellent. - Pros: Wet, well-lubricated, lovely dark colour. - Cons: Pain to clean. You’ll have ghosting on cheap paper. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Lovely. - Ghosting: Unfortunately, yes, on cheap, thin copy paper. - Bleed Through: If you insist on writing with a wet pen on the above paper. - Flow Rate: Wet. - Lubrication: Lovely. - Nib Dry-out: If left long enough uncapped, it might need some coaxing to write with. - Start-up: It was excellent on all pens, except Ahab. - Saturation: Dark and profound. - Sheen: Did not notice. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Yes on Ahab. - Staining (Pen): There’ll be a black iron content. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: You’ll need some ascorbic acid, Q-tips, etc to clean. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/azur-noir-dunkelblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing At one point, iron gall fatigue set in, and I found myself wondering—what’s the point of so many variations of blue iron gall inks? It wasn’t until I laid out a full page of the four inks that I understood: each ink oxidizes differently. Some deepen to charcoal, others reveal strands of navy or hints of midnight blue in the black. That’s also why I’ve decided to review Essri and Diamine Registrar’s next—to continue this journey. I hope you won’t mind a few more blue-blacks along the way, as not all blue-blacks are created equal. 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.

Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3 (New Formula) (Eisengallustinte 3, dunkelblau / schwarz) Ink Review # 189 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Meister, David. This is the new formula of Dark Blue 3, a Blue Black iron gall with 5 g/l iron and high dye content. I haven't tested the old formula, so I cannot compare them. But this is a wet ink. On most papers I tested, the ink oxidized immediately from sky blue/petrol blue (depending on the nib width) to blue-black/ grey. Midori was the only exception, which took 12 hours. Ink is almost waterproof from the moment it dries. With a very wet, primed flex nib, I saw feathering on Midori and Hammermill. While there was some ghosting and bleed through on the latter, there was none on my cheap shopping list paper. As with iron gall inks, it's best to clean them directly with a diluted ascorbic acid solution (to make your life easier). Never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. For more information, check this thread, especially our resident scientist @InesF explanations on page 2. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm While it's written Blue 2 on the Tomoe River paper, it's actually Blue 3. Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo Rhodia, Hammermill, Iroful Midori, Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation 🔍 Comparison Tintenlabor Dark Blue 2 vs Dark Blue 3 - Artificial vs natural light Swatches: --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Dragonfly Tintenlabor Azur Noir/ Dark Blue 3 ( it's the background blue black) Paper is Talents Mixed Media. Part of Inktober yearlong challenge 2025. Dragonflies were very important in Samurai culture. Fado Tintenlabor Azur Noir (fado singer), the Portuguese guitar, and the landscape were done with Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3 – Paper is Strathmore. I'm a fan of fado music — a traditional Portuguese genre often played with the Portuguese guitar. It evokes saudade, an untranslatable feeling that blends nostalgia, longing, loss, and yearning. I Don’t want to be Human Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3/Noodler’s Red Rattler Eel A salute to all the cats who’ve had enough of human nonsense — and let their tongues, and their mouse companions, say it all. --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultraflex - What I Liked: Nice wet, decent lubrication. - What I Did Not Like: Nitpicking: With some nibs, the base color was petrol blue, not my favorite colour. - What Some Might Not Like: Cleaning and IG inks. - Writing Experience: Delightful. - Pros: Waterproof. Lovely colours. Small bottle. - Cons: You can buy it only from the website. It's not as good as Essri for copy paper. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Good. - Ghosting: Yes on Hammermill, not on shopping list. - Bleed Through: Flex nib can't handle copy paper. - Flow Rate: Wet, to very wet. - Lubrication: Very good. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Great with most pens. Kakuno was a bit fussy. - Saturation: Lovely - Sheen: Did not notice. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Only with a wet flex primed nib. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): You'll need a Q-Tip. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Like all IG inks, water, a pinch of ascorbic acid, Q-tip and patience is necessary. - Water Resistance: Excellent after oxidation. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle directly: https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/eisengallustinte-3-dunkelblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing This is lovely ink by Tintenlabor. The final question remains: What is the difference between Dark Blue 2 and Dark Blue 3? Both oxidize to a charcoal grey colour. Blue 2 has low dye content, and Blue 3 has high dye content, but both look similar in the end. 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.

Tintenlabor Violet Blue/Black (Eisengallustinte 1, violettblau / schwarz) Ink Review # 187 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss company that specializes in iron gall ink. The unique feature of these inks is that you can choose them knowing the iron content of the ink. Disclaimer: Bottles of ink were sent generously by the Ink-Master David himself. I'll review the four blues, which have an increasing degree of iron from 3 to 6. Violet Blue is gorgeous, royal blue iron gall ink that oxidizes to shades of blue/ black or navy, immediately or over time. The ink has slightly below-average lubrication. Oxidation is longest on Midori and immediate on most other papers. It's slowest on mixed media and watercolour paper. For cleaning, I flush the pen with clear water, then let it soak in a diluted vinegar solution, flush several times, rinse, and repeat. Do not use ammonia-based cleaning solutions with iron gall inks. I enjoyed using this ink. It has a soft, mellow look to it. This ink suits those who need water resistance, use their pens regularly, and like iron gall inks. If you are risk-averse and don't want to be bothered cleaning your pens with vinegar, it won't be a good fit for you. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Check the Midori photo for the correct color. Hammermill 20lb copy paper --- ## 📸 Photo 20 days later, photography Hammermill, Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation in real time (Tomoe River 68 gsm paper) --- 🔍 Comparison I didn't add the old formula swatches for simplicity --- 💧 Water Test After 24 hours. --- 🎨 Artwork Wolf pup Tintenlabor Violet blue 1 (background), Gold Black, and Noodler's Red Rattler's Red. Pup Tintenlabor Violet Blue, Gold Adora-mouse-te Tinten labor, Violet Blue, Gold, and another IG ink --- - Pens Used: Pilot F3A, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Waterman W2 vintage flex - What I Liked: · Colour, oxidation from royal blue to blue black - What I Did Not Like: If I want to nitpick, it's the cleaning. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall ink, lower than average lubrication. - Writing Experience: Excellent with most pens. - Pros: Lovely oxidation, well-behaved, water-resistant. - Cons: Not 100% waterproof. Medium maintenance ink, cleaning, etc. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes. - Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. - Bleed Through: Yes, on thin, cheap paper. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: Decent - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Gorgeous. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining: Did not notice. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: I flushed the pen a few times and soaked it in diluted vinegar. - Water Resistance: Very Good. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 30/50 ml bottle directly from: https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/eisengallustinte-1-violettblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing This is another excellent colour from Tintenlabor; it is elegant, mysterious, and a pleasure to use. 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.

Tintenlabor – Dark Blue 2 – (New formula) (Eisengallustinte 2, dunkelblau / schwarz) Ink Review # 188 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Mesiter, David. This is the new formula of Dark Blue 2, a Blue Black iron gall with 4 gr/l iron content and low dye. I haven't tested the old formula, so I cannot compare them. But this is a wet ink with below-average lubrication. With Kakuno, it was lovely to write with Safari, depending on the nib sizes. On most papers I tested, the ink oxidized immediately from light blue to blue-black/ grey and finally charcoal. Midori was the only exception, and it took 12 hours. As with iron gall inks, it's best to clean them directly with a diluted vinegar solution (to make your life easier). Never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Midori scan is off. Check photo below. Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo 8 days later Hammermill, Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation in real time: Note how the color slowly oxidizes on Midori. Closeup, Rhodia (top) - iroful - 8 days later ) 🔍 Comparison --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Complicity Tintenlabor, Violet Blue / Dark Blue 2, Talens Mixed Media Paper Nap Where do we go now? Lamy Safari Stub 1.1 - Talens Mixed Media Paper --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Noodler's Nib Creaper with a Waterman W2 vintage flex nib - What I Liked: · Colour, oxidation from royal blue to blue black - What I Did Not Like: If I want to nitpick, it's the cleaning. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall ink, lower than average lubrication. - Writing Experience: Excellent with most pens. - Pros: Lovely oxidation, well-behaved, water-resistant. - Cons: IG ink 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes. - Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. - Bleed Through: Yes, on thin, cheap paper. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: Below average, but decent with most pens, - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Gorgeous. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): Iron residue was in the converter and section. Q-tip and vinegar are a must. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Flush dye away, then soak in diluted white vinegar and rinse. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle directly from https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/eisengallustinte-2-dunkelblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing This is another excellent colour from Tintenlabor, a darker, low dye, medium iron content. Excellent choice for those needing nice waterproof ink, like IG inks, who use their pen regularly, and don't mind high-maintenance inks. 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. :)

Tintenlabor Purpur-Schwarz 1 (Purple Black 1 Iron gall ink) Ink review # 184. Background: Tintenlabor is a Swiss-based ink company focused on Iron gall inks. What differentiates these inks from other IG inks is that you know the iron content and can choose your ink accordingly. Disclaimer: I was sent the inks free of charge, and I only participated in the shipping You can find more about this ink here: https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/sondertinte-eisengallustinte-1-purpur-schwarz-probe-a-10-ml https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/sondertinte-eisengallustinte-1-purpur-schwarz You can check @LizEF excellent review here: Overview: Tintenlabor has two purple black inks: 1) Purple Black 1: high-dye, low-iron ink 3 gr/l. 2) Purple Black 2 is medium iron, low dye ink. Both inks use the same dye. Purple Black 1, which I’m reviewing today, is a specialty ink using a unique purple dye that stabilizes the iron content, slowing the oxidation process and logically lengthening the shelf life of the ink. Because the dye is expensive, each bottle is three times the price of, for example, Green Black 1. If you're unsure, you can order it in 10 ml bottles. In my experience, the wetter the pen and narrower the nib, the darker the colour. With M nibs above, the colour is a shade of lavender that slowly oxidizes over time and darkens. The more water-repellent the paper (water-colour paper), the slower the oxidation process and the waterproofness. Ink has below-average lubrication. Writing with all pens was pleasant, pure joy. Cleaning was surprisingly very easy with the Kanwrite. A few flushes, and the pen was clean. The Pilot Elite needed a few more flushes with white vinegar. In conclusion, this is one of the most compelling, elegant purple writing inks I’ve used. It was more challenging to use in artwork. Chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Iroful wet ink last line: The same on Tomoe River 68 gsm: Photo taken a week later: Comparison: The swatch scans were done on March 30th, 2025 Note: When I did the swatches, instead of the name, I wrote the iron content. Tintenlabor Purple Black 1 has 3 gr/l iron content, and Purple Black 2 has 4 gr/l. These scans were done on May 8th, 2025. Note that both inks have oxidized. Water test: Left side (10 seconds under running water, after 24 hours). Note that ink becomes waterproof with time. Art Work: Taurus, part of Inktober yearlong challenge 2025 -- Paper in most cases is Talens Mixed Media. Tintenlabor Dark Green1/2 /Purple 1 Noodler's Polar Brown Faber Castell Turquoise The following two works showcase concentrated ink when I mistakenly opened my eyedropper fountain pen. It goes well, I think with Miss Rebel without a cause The blue ink is Tintenlabor Violet Blue. Of course, the ink dripped on the other page, and I managed to carve a mouse from the Rorschach Inkblot impression on the paper. and finally Adoration with Purple Black 1 and Green Black 1 by Tintenlabor There are many more creations, which encompass purple 1 & 2 below, in case you are interested: https://www.deviantart.com/yazeh1/gallery?q=purple+1 · Pens used: Pilot Elite EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultraflex nib. · What I liked: Writing, drawing, and washes. · What I did not like: I’m trying to look for something. · What some might not like: Fear of IG inks. Price · Writing experience: Excellent. · Pros: Beautiful colour, lovely writing experience. · Cons: Not suited for cheap, thin paper. Price · Shading: Some. · Ghosting: Yes on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes on Hammermill. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Below average with some finer nibs. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Royal purple. · Shading Potential: Excellent · Sheen: No · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, with flex. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Very easy in general with most pens. · Water resistance: Good · Availability: 10, 30, 50ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments. The more the merrier

Tintenlabor Purple Black 2 - (New Formula) Ink Review # 186 --- 🧾 Description Purple Black 2 is a gorgeous, mysterious, dark purple, waterproof iron gall ink by Tintenlabor. David the Ink-Mesiter graciously sent me the new formula, and it was worth the wait. German name: Eisengallustinte 2, purpur / schwarz It has a delicious flow and looks lovely on all papers. However, it's not suitable for thin, absorbent papers like Hammermill. It can feather, ghost, and bleed through to some extent. It uses the same unique stabilizing dye as Purple Black 1, but in a lesser quantity. The iron content is 4 gr/l as opposed to 3 gr/l of Purple Black 1. The oxidation process is slower; it hasn't darkened compared to Green Black 2 and retained the smoky purple colour. Finally, the price is a fraction of Purple Black 1's. I have only cleaned the Pilot Kakuno. After soaking overnight, the pen was clean. However, I had to scrub the section and the Con-40 converter with a Q-tip, and the feed was covered with purple dye, even though when I wrapped the pen filled with water around tissue paper, the paper was clear. I have noticed that many inks, IG or not, like to cling to the plastic component of the Kakuno. Update: Cleaning Lamy Safari and Kanwrite was straightforward. After overnight soaking in water and a little soaking in diluted vinegar, the pens were as clean as a whistle. And as a reminder, don't use ammonia-based fountain pen cleaners with Iron gall inks; white vinegar in diluted form should be ok. It would be prudent to soak the pen in a white vinegar solution as a safe measure. Regardless of this, I enjoyed writing and drawing with this ink. It was as delicious with a Japanese Ef nib as any other nib. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples Rhodia / Iroful Midori/ Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photos The colour is more accurate here: Midori/ Hammermill Oxidation in real time (iroful paper) --- 🔍 Comparison I've kept the old formula swatch so that you can observe their respective oxidation process. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Rock n'Roll Tinten labor, Dark Purple 2 (New formula), Gold, and Violet Blue Unconditional Tintenlabor Dark Purple 2 (New formula, Dark Green 1 Flamenco (Old formula) Purple Rain (old formula) Paper is Talens Mixed Media. Ink has not oxidized over time. A Delicate Balance Pilot Kakuno Ef/ Talens Mixed Media Paper --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Very well-behaved ink, lovely colour, a joy to write or sketch with, nice lubrication. Price - What I Did Not Like: If I want to nitpick, it's the cleaning. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall inks. - Writing Experience: Excellent. Lovely interior colour. - Pros: Stable ink, stable color. Waterproof. - Cons: Cleaning might be a bit more labour-intensive, but not as bad as other inks I've had. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes. - Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. - Bleed Through: Yes, on thin, cheap paper. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: Good - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Gorgeous. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes on this Hammermill paper. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): Pilot Kakuno needed a Q-tip. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: It could be - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 30/50 ml bottles directly from Tintenlabor --- 💬 Closing This is another excellent colour from Tintenlabor; it is elegant, mysterious, and royal—a pleasure to use. 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

Tintenlabor Dark Green 2 (Dunkelgrün / schwarz 2) Ink review # 185 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company that specializes in iron gall-based inks. These inks are unique in that the iron content is known to the user beforehand. You can find more about this ink here. There are three Green inks: Dark Green 1 (3 gr/l) Dark Green 2 (4 gr/l) and Aprilis Argente (6 gr/l). The new formulation of Dark Green 2, a low-dye, medium-iron-content ink that instantly oxidizes from bright green to dark grey or black, even on watercolour paper. The flow is wet, and the lubrication is below average but still pleasant. I will post a comparison review of the two formulas later on here. Other inks with high oxidation rate are Gold Black and Aprilis Argente. This ink can leave black iron residue on some pens and stain nibs. A diluted solution of white vinegar, water, and lots of soaking was necessary to clean. I removed the nib stain with a stain remover (Pink solution) and Q-tip from the nib. Do not use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. 🧪 Chroma ✍️ Writing Samples Rhodia & Iroful Midori & TR68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo Oxidation in real time on Iroful paper (artificial LED light). I wasn't fast enough. Oxidation in real time on TR 68 gsm. The bright green line is the colour going down. 🔍 Comparison Observe how the oxidation process changed the colour of the inks over time. Dark Green 2 (New Formula) oxidized overnight. After application After oxidation 💧 Water Test 🎨 Art Work Black Panther A fun drawing using the Dark Green 2/ Purple Black2 (new formula) on Fabriano watercolor paper. I ain't your taurus Part of the year-long Inktober challenge: Taurus Tintenlabor Dark Green 2 (old formula) Montblanc Origins Coral Funky Fungi Tintenlabor Dark Green2 /Violet Blue, Noodler's Red Rattler's Eel Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1), Vintage Unic wet noodle flex What I Liked: Oxidation, iron gall ink What I Did Not Like: Not easy to clean What Some Might Not Like: Cleaning, iron gall Writing Experience: Pros: Immediate oxidation. Waterproof, Cons: Cleaning could be difficult. You need to soak in white vinegar (not balsamic, obviously ) 🧷 Ink Characteristics Shading: Some shading, especially with M nib and above. Ghosting: Yes on Hammermill Bleed Through: Yes, with wet/ flex pens. Flow Rate: Wet Lubrication: Good Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. Start-up: With most pens ok. Saturation: Delicious and complex Shading Potential: With some pens yes. Sheen: Did not notice. Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice Staining (Pen): Yes. Black iron residue can stick on the converter. Clogging: Did not notice Cleaning: A pain. Lots of soaking in vinegar. Though surprisingly only water with Jinhao X159. Water Resistance: Excellent. 🛒 Availability Available in 30, 50 ml bottles 💬 Closing I enjoyed using this ink, despite its drawbacks. If you want this extreme oxidation, this is the one for you. If you want one with less hassle, TIntenlabor Gold Black could be another option. 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!

Tintenlabor – Aprilis Argente - Dark Green (dunkel grün / schwarz) Iron Gall ink Ink review # 183. Overview: Aprilis Argente is the last of Tintenlabor's three dark Green iron gall inks. It has the highest iron content (6 gr/l) and is a specialty ink designed for cheap paper and wet pens. Due to its high iron content, it has a sluggish flow compared to Dark Green 2 (4 gr/l). Background: Tintenlabor is a new Swiss-based ink company focused on Iron gall inks. What differentiates these inks is that you know the dye content beforehand. Disclaimer: I was sent the inks free of charge, and I only participated in the shipping You can find more about this ink here: https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/aprilis-argente-dunkelgrun-schwarz The website is in German, so you must use the web browser translation function, unless you speak German You can check my overview and comparison of the three Dark Green inks by Tintenlabor below: Here you can find the review of Tintenlabor Dark Green 1, the ink with the lowest iron content: In case you're wondering why I skipped Dark Green 2, David, the Inkmeister, informed me that he has fixed its flow issues, so I'm waiting for the new bottles to arrive. Review Aprilis Argente is the last of the three dark Green inks. It's a specialty high-iron (6 gr/l) high-dye ink designed for cheap paper and wet pens. It's not for everyone, so if you're risk-averse, avoid it. This ink is for people who like challenges, wet pens, and iron-gall inks. This ink took me on a journey. It gave me the worst grief, doubting my sanity and everything I thought I knew about pens. Ultimately, it gave me the most pleasure after I tamed it. In that process, I used half a bottle of the ink! This ink is the pickiest about its pen and doesn't follow the dogma of ebonite feed/ vintage pen. I had difficulty using it in a vintage wet noodle, whereas I could easily use it in a Jinaho 163. Go figure. It worked well in Safarim, but I had to rub the converter with a Q-tip and vinegar. Its oxidation is slower than Dark Green 2, slowest on Tomoe River 68 gsm, Midori, Hammermill, Rhodia, and fastest on Iroful. In time, it turns into lovely grey/charcoal black. Cleaning can be a pain in some pens, and you'll need diluted vinegar or lemon juice. Do not use ammonia-based cleaning solutions with iron gall inks. Chroma: Writing Samples: Unfortunately, the scanner deforms Midori's cream color. I checked this ink on a variety of cheap papers. The ink behaved flawlessly on most papers. However, with the vintage flex, there can be some bleed-through. The black spots you see are not bleed-through, but ink that I added inadvertently to the reverse of the scan. This cheap shopping list shows you various Tintenlabor inks/bulletproof & pigment ink with different nibs. Photo: This is oxidation on Iroful in real time. The last word is still wet; you can see the green dye. Here's a photo of Midori. The oxidation process is slower. The first line was written a week before the actual review. A comparison between Dark Green 2 and Aprilis Argente. Comparison: You can see the oxidation process on the swatch cards in one month. Note that I have named the inks by iron content and not the actual name: So the inks are: Dark Green 1 (3 gr/l) - Dark Green 2 (4 gr/l) and Aprilis Argente (6 gr/l) Water test: Left side (10 seconds under running water, after 24 hours) Art Work: Xolotl and the Sun This was inspired by the legend of the Aztec God of lightning and thunder, Xolotl. It is said that each night, the God accompanied the sun through the underworld. Yellow ink is a highlighter. You can still see some dye that hasn't oxidized. Bonjour Tristesse Talens square Mixed Media paper. The wash was done right away. Finally, inspired by @LizEF Quin & Makhabesh's Grey Spot Adventure, with a yet-to-be-written character, Professor Eeneess (many thanks to @InesF), in her lab with her quills, infinity drawer, alembic, etc. This is on a Talens Mixed Media. Re-inventing Colour..... I've done many drawings with this ink; you can find them here: https://www.deviantart.com/yazeh1/gallery?q=aprilis · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR nib, and many other pens. · What I liked: A challenge, the colour. · What I did not like: The challenge, flow issues. · What some might not like: It’s a high-maintenance ink. · Writing experience: Ok. But you will need to prime the feed. · Pros: For very wet vintage pens and copy paper. · Cons: Flow issues, · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: Very good in general. · Bleed through: Very good in general. · Flow Rate: Sluggish, you might need to prime the feed. · Lubrication: Low, but not unpleasant. · Nib Dry-out: It will happen. · Start-up: You might need to prime most pens or have a water brush nearby. · Saturation: Delicious. · Shading Potential: Good. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): It could · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It could be a pain in the feed! You’ll need either pure lemon juice or white vinegar solutions. · Water resistance: Very good. · Availability: 30- 50ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments. The more the merrier