Blue Black Comparisons

[Jared]

I've been long in search for the perfect blue black ink, and have amassed quite a hoard of different brands, thanks to the KCat Ink Sample Exchange and Pear Tree Pen Ink Samples. I am still hoping to get samples of Noodler's Prime of the Commons and Noodler's Ellis Island. Please PM me if you can help.

 

This is part 2 in my comparison of blue blacks, applied with a small watercolor paintbrush on Clairefontaine ruled A4 paper. Labels are written in Noodler's Heart of Darkness ink. For more blue blacks, see part 1.

 

Part 2:

Montblanc Blue Black

Caran d' Ache Blue Night

Parker Quink Blue Black (vintage)

Diamine Indigo

Sheaffer Blue Black

Pelikan Blue Black

Sailor Blue Black

Noodler's Midnight Blue

Noodler's Legal Lapis

Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris

Lamy Blue Black

Diamine Registrar's

FPN Starry Night

Edited March 29, 2009 by Jared

[WendyNC]

As someone else who'd like to find the ideal blue-black, I greatly appreciate your comparisons.

[Margana]

Great job, Jared! It's so helpful to see them all together.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Thank you for these comparisons -- they are a great help!

[Tony the Tiger]

I would strongly suggest including PR Black Magic Blue in the comparison.

[Viseguy]

I would strongly suggest including PR Black Magic Blue in the comparison.

It's in Part 1.

[Pravda]

Thank you so much for the comparisons.. I have always been looking at different blue-blacks and this is mighty helpful May I ask about the MB blue-black though it does not look quite right

[Jared]

Thank you so much for the comparisons.. I have always been looking at different blue-blacks and this is mighty helpful May I ask about the MB blue-black though it does not look quite right

 

I received the MB BB from a sample trade. It had sat in my desk drawer for over a year. I'm not fond of it, but I'm not quite sure what it was supposed to look like.

[Gran]

Thank you very much for posting this. It is helpful to see these.

 

My Montblanc blue-black is a bit more blue than what I see here. Mine is quite a few years old, though. I like this ink very much.

 

Hero blue-black is a nice one, too.

[drifting]

Thanks for the comparisons! I love looking at scans like this. And it helps to know I'm not the only ink obsessive out there!

Ryan. quietly moving Tahitian Pearl and Starry Night from "maybe" to "definite" on The List. <sigh>

[tawanda]

Hey Jared!

Thank you for that. To see such a comprehensive side-by-side review is great. I'm a big fan of BB inks and Pel BB in particular. I also have Starry Night, Diamine BB and samples of a few others.

 

Now I want Prussian Blue and Waterman BB...

[lensassaman]

My Stipula Calamo blue-black arrived today; it's a color they only sell in the Asian markets, apparently. It reminds me a lot of the vintage blue-blacks, particularly Sheaffer's.

[Ed Ronax]

Great comparison, thanks.

[jomielll]

Thank you, I had FPN starry night and was just wondering how Pelikan and Sailor compared against it.

[Thornton]

Blue-Black is my favorite ink color. Tons of variations as is apparent in this review. I'll definitely have to check out R&K Verdigris. It's helpful to see it right next to my favorite BB, Legal Lapis. Thanks so much for posting this.