Jump to content

Iroshizuku Substitutes


Margana

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Margana

    10

  • Jimmy James

    3

  • dizzypen

    3

  • indigirl

    3

V-mail inks

 

Conventional inks with classic water resistance and classic flow...at a standard Noodler's price, far from $35 a bottle (and calculate on both volume and/or weight cost per oz etc...). You can use the savings to buy a nice crystal ink well with a silver top if the bottle is "too American" for you... :thumbup:

 

Mixing them can replicate the entire range (though GI Green was recently changed to a darker 1938 replica target based on customer feedback).

 

I mention it because of a flow of about two dozen e-mails on this subject and the name constantly being put forth. If anyone can't get the color they want in a mix of the existing v-mail line, send me a note and a possible 10 ml sample of whatever you are looking for - then give me some time and I'll do my best to keep the ink not only better than the sample, but in the standard cost range of the average 3 oz Noodler's (these are conventional inks, mind you...& the markups some people expect are not reasonable from the rational perspective - but I gave up trying to figure that out a long time ago).

 

 

I would love to have something that is close to Edo-murasake. Unfortunately I don't have a sample to send. I tried to order, but was too late. If anyone out there has a sample they'd send so that a similar color could be obtained with Noodlers inks, I'd gladly pay for the sample ... and then buy a bottle of the resulting ink!

ginigin

Gini

 

Out of my mind. Back in 5 minutes.

 

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Found another good substitute this week. Rohrer & Klingner Magenta works very well color-wise for yama-budo. In the nib I tested, it shaded quite well so Magenta may appear less saturated than yama-budo. If you like shading as much as I do, Magenta is the more suitable choice.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

As for the hefty Iroshizuku bottles, yes, they are attractive but I don't buy ink for the bottle. After a fill all bottles are returned to the original boxes. Better for the ink and better for my overly crowded desk. What I do appreciate is that there is little likelihood that I will tip over an Iro bottle. That's the plus for me.

 

The base of the Iroshizuku bottle is thick, and it's not that easy to tip over :)

 

In my experience, Yama-budo is just a tad darker than my Diamine claret. I also have Kiri-same, Tsuki-yo and Yu-yake - and while there may be other inks approximating them in color, they might not match flow or behavior. I thought the purchase was worth it! But of course I also enjoy other brands for their own merits.

"Luxe, calme et volupte"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Now the JetPens has been forced to join the Pilot US price hike ( :glare: ) I thought it might be useful to bump this topic back to the top.

 

I'll add a few of my own. NB: I'm only saying these inks are similar. They are not exact. If you want the exact color you'll have to buy the Iroshizuku. There are properties of that ink that simply don't exist with any other ink on the market. This particularly applies to their green-blues and blue-greens.

 

If you like x, then you'll probably like y:

 

If Ku-Jaku, then ND turquoise (standard line)

If Yama-Budo, then ND Saguaro Wine or PR Plum

If Yu-Yake, then CdA Saffron

If Fuyu-gaki, then ND Dragon's Napalm or Diamine Coral

If Kon-Peki, then Diamine Kensington Blue (in a wet writer)

If Yama-Guri, then R&K Sepia or CdA Grand Canyon

 

I have also tried Shin-Ryoku, Tsutsuji, and Syo-Ro but I haven't tried any equivalent color to those three.

Equal Opportunity Ink and Fountain Pen User.

 

My blog: The Dizzy Pen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For color only...

 

  • For Fuyu-Gaki, Diamine Vermillion works well enough for me.
  • For Yu-Yake, Noodler's Apache Sunset is similar with slightly more red and shading but slower drying time.
  • For Tsuki-Yo, Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris, Diamine Prussian Blue and Private Reserve Ebony Blue are good substitutes.

Edited to add that my bottle of Prussian Blue is several years old and the ink may have darkened over time. This definitely happened to a bottle of Waterman Blue Black stored in the same cabinet. Newer bottles of Prussian Blue may not be as dark as Tsuki-Yo so YMMV.

Edited by Margana

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about an equivalent for Ajisai? I have never seen it IRL, but based on pictures I have a fantasy of what it might be... or what I want it to be! :cloud9:

 

I filled most of a cartridge w/ Diamine Sapphire, dropped a couple drops of water & a couple drops of Diamine Lavender in it, & called it Poor Girl's Ajisai, but I would welcome suggestions from anybody who has actually seen what the color looks like!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about an equivalent for Ajisai? I have never seen it IRL, but based on pictures I have a fantasy of what it might be... or what I want it to be! :cloud9:

 

I filled most of a cartridge w/ Diamine Sapphire, dropped a couple drops of water & a couple drops of Diamine Lavender in it, & called it Poor Girl's Ajisai, but I would welcome suggestions from anybody who has actually seen what the color looks like!

 

I have the Ajisai but hadn't thought about an equivalent to it. Maybe Diamine's China Blue? The Ajisai has some purple in it, and isn't as light as the box color. I've got a review at the link below with a fairly decent color swatch.

 

http://bit.ly/c7p0Xi

When you reach the Stars, boy, yes, and live there forever all the fears will go and Death itself will die.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about an equivalent for Ajisai? I have never seen it IRL, but based on pictures I have a fantasy of what it might be... or what I want it to be! :cloud9:

 

I filled most of a cartridge w/ Diamine Sapphire, dropped a couple drops of water & a couple drops of Diamine Lavender in it, & called it Poor Girl's Ajisai, but I would welcome suggestions from anybody who has actually seen what the color looks like!

 

I have the Ajisai but hadn't thought about an equivalent to it. Maybe Diamine's China Blue? The Ajisai has some purple in it, and isn't as light as the box color. I've got a review at the link below with a fairly decent color swatch.

 

http://bit.ly/c7p0Xi

 

Thank you for the link. On my monitor your sample shows up w/o any purple at all, although other pix I've seen do show the purpleness. I really wonder if this color is what I think it is! :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Margana, I really appreciate this thread you started! Makes me feel less out of the Iroshizuku loop. :)

--Julie

...writing only requires focus, and something to write on. —John August

...and a pen that's comfortable in the hand.—moi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Margana, I really appreciate this thread you started! Makes me feel less out of the Iroshizuku loop. :)

--Julie

 

Me too... there's probably a lot of us who just can't, or won't, spend that kind of $$$ on ink, & have been watching all the enthusiasm enviously :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, I'm just glad some FPNers found this thread helpful. Iroshizuku really is a fine brand of ink but so are many others. Dare I say that most of my favorite inks are made by other companies? In fact only two Iro colors made it to my top twenty group.

 

If Iroshizuku isn't on your list whatever the reason, there are lots of other great inks to keep you smiling each and every time you see that gorgeous line come from your favorite fountain pen. I promise!

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a fantastic thread! Thanks Margana. I'm really enjoying Ku-jaku. I see some resemblance to Diamine Steel Blue, but sadly I don't have any of the latter on hand right now to do a real comparison.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a fantastic thread! Thanks Margana. I'm really enjoying Ku-jaku. I see some resemblance to Diamine Steel Blue, but sadly I don't have any of the latter on hand right now to do a real comparison.

 

Welcome. :)

 

Good eye! A quick glance at small writing samples of both inks in natural lighting shows Diamine Steel Blue to be slightly more green than Ku-Jaku. Steel Blue looks a bit more saturated and thus more brilliant even with an extra fine nib. Both have good flow, coverage, and are equally well-behaved. Both colors fit the dark turquoise range nicely.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a fantastic thread! Thanks Margana. I'm really enjoying Ku-jaku. I see some resemblance to Diamine Steel Blue, but sadly I don't have any of the latter on hand right now to do a real comparison.

 

Iroshizuku ku-jaku is also very similar to Noodler's Coral Sea. I saw a customer testing a pen next to me and was amazed at how similar the two looked. Not exact, but fairly close.

In Rotation: MB 146 (EF), Noodler's Ahab bumblebee, Edison Pearl (F), Sailor ProGear (N-MF)

In storage: MB 149 (18k EF), TWSBI 540 (B), ST Dupont Olympio XL (EF), MB Dumas (B stub), Waterman Preface (ST), Edison Pearl (0.5mm CI), Noodler's Ahab clear, Pilot VP (M), Danitrio Densho (F), Aurora Optima (F), Lamy 2000 (F), Visconti Homo Sapiens (stub)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...