Iroshizuku Substitutes

[mattjs]

+1 for Diamine's Kensington Blue as a substitute for Kon-Peki.

 

To my eye they are very, very close in color. Not exactly the same, but close enough for me to consider the Diamine as a quality replacement.

[sallywally]

Asa-Gao looks to me more like Herbin Eclat de Saphir than Baystate Blue.

+1

 

Since I already had Eclat de Saphir, I was very disappointed in Asa Gao.

[jgrasty]

Montblanc Love Letter is a pretty good substitute for Iroshizuku Momiji (aside from the smell of roses). If the goal is saving money, I doubt Love Letter will help much.

 

http://bettygrastymd.com/jgrasty/wp-content/uploads/momiji-love-letter-compare.jpg

Edited June 8, 2010 by jgrasty

[Margana]

Lovely writing, Joey. In your photo Love Letter looks like a very good substitute for Momiji plus it sure is easier to find.

[ailleurs]

Asa-Gao looks to me more like Herbin Eclat de Saphir than Baystate Blue.

+1

 

Since I already had Eclat de Saphir, I was very disappointed in Asa Gao.

 

That's where I am right now. There are *some* differences between the two (I find Asa Gao has the slightest of green tinges to it compared to the Eclat de saphir), but not a lot of differences.

[dizzypen]

I've started compiling a list of all these subs on my blog. I'm trying to keep it updated as folks mention others or send me ideas for substitutes. Here is what I have thus far:

 

THE LIST:

 

If you like x, then you’ll probably like y

 

If Ajisai, then ???

If Asa gao, then Visconti Blue or PR Lake Placid Blue or Diamine Sapphire or Herbin Eclat de Saphir

If Fuyu-syogun, then ??? [maybe Dia Prussian Blue in a dry writer. In the wet writer Prussian Blue is more blue than gray]

If Kiri-Same, then ??? [maybe J. Herbin Gris Nuage?]

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

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

If Momiji, then Mont Blanc Love Letter

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

If Tsukushi, then De Atramentis Sepiabraun

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

If Shin-Ryoku, then???

If Syo-Ro, then Dia Teal or Noodler’s Coral Sea, Australian Exclusive

If Tsuki-Yo, then PR Ebony Blue or Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris or Diamine Blue Black or Noodler’s Legal Lapis

If Tsutsuji, then ???

If Tsuyu-kusa, then ???

If Yama-Budo, then ND Saguaro Wine or PR Plum or JH Rose Cyclamen or Diamine Claret or Rohrer & Klingner Magenta

If Yu-Yake, then CdA Saffron or Noodler’s Apache Sunset

 

This list is incomplete. There are several inks I or FPN haven’t found a substitute for yet. As more information becomes available I’ll let you know. If you have any ideas please leave a comment below or send me a Tweet and I will add them to the list!

Edited June 8, 2010 by dizzypen

[Nero]

Another replacement for Yama-Budo could be Caran d'Ache Storm.

 

If Yama-Budo, then ND Saguaro Wine or PR Plum or JH Rose Cyclamen or Diamine Claret or Rohrer & Klingner Magenta

[GreenVelvet]

Another replacement for Yama-Budo could be Caran d'Ache Storm.

 

Wow, those two colors are COMPLETELY different to my eyes!

 

Also, Dizzypen's list suggested Diamine Teal for Syo-Ro - again, quite different colors to me (though not as different as Yama-Budo and CdA Storm).

 

Just goes to show you how differently we all perceive color, I guess.

[dizzypen]

Another replacement for Yama-Budo could be Caran d'Ache Storm.

 

Wow, those two colors are COMPLETELY different to my eyes!

 

Also, Dizzypen's list suggested Diamine Teal for Syo-Ro - again, quite different colors to me (though not as different as Yama-Budo and CdA Storm).

 

Just goes to show you how differently we all perceive color, I guess.

 

Absolutely, and that is worth repeating over and over. "The List" is only a guide to possibility. Also note that I said if you like x you'll probably like y. I suggest that people check via ink sampling or writing samples before they go off to buy a bottle. Many of those suggests are not my own. Some are closer than others. I'm just trying to keep everything in one place.

[Margana]

The key here might be "substitute" as opposed to "duplicate" though I don't think there have been more than a handful of true duplicates between ink manufacturers ever. Add to that the influence of pen and paper on color and the likelihood of two duplicates becomes even more unlikely. Next there are the secret formulas and whatever else goes into creating colors. Sometimes I think we are lucky just to find serviceable substitutes, perfect or not.

[English John]

I have Asa-Gao ,and used up Kon-Peki and had a sample of Ku-Jaku

 

As many have said, the same ink can look damatically different in every pen you use, and every different paper, so similarities between inks are inevitably an art and not a science. Also one "middle aged" mans eyes will see blue, others will see blue-green with hints of ......

 

This variation in results is why we all have so many inks !!!

 

The similar colour to Asa-Gao is , in my opinion , Visconti Blue. Eclat de Saphir has a bit more purple in it.

 

Kon-Peki - tends to be more of a one off , but Diamine Havesu and Kensington blue , but are slightly darker in most pens

 

Ku-Jaku - can look very similar to Blue Suede , and to Visconti Green . I also have a mix I call "Ruths Teal" - from Ondina. I cannot find the mix, but it involved easily obtained Waterman ink. All of these look identical in a dip pen I used, but in other pens....

 

Cheers

 

John

[blopplop]

You can use Noodler's American Eel Cactus Fruit in place of Yama-Budo. The match is almost exact.

 

Dave

[nounia]

Hello!

If Tsukushi, then De Atramentis Sepiabraun

 

I find them really different.

Has anybody another idea?

19$ Shipping for a bottle

[SeeksAdvice]

Accept no substitutes

 

There is a time and place for everything; take it from a guy who tends to be rather frugal.

 

Granted, I have not tried every ink brand out there. However, of the inks that I have tried, I've found that some are better in certain areas than the Iroshizuku inks, and others are not.

 

Having tried: Noodler's; De A; Pelikan Edelstein; MB; Platinum; Sailor; Iroshizuku; and Diamine; I must say that the Iroshizuku inks have some of the best overall behavior of the inks I've tried. For what you get, I find the Edelstein Sapphire to be pretty badly overpriced.

 

Do I use Iroshizuku inks for everything? No. When it absolutely, positively has to stay on the page I go with I-G or Noodler's eternal/bulletproof/warden lines, with Sei-Boku as another possible option. If I'm dealing with really, really terrible paper, I'd probably go with Salix.

 

Do I rotate through inks? Yes. I'm cheap, and I admit it. Unless there's a serious reason not to, I'll rotate through what I've got to finish off my purchases. Though I expect that some inks will probably "go bad" long before they get used up.

 

Am I going to spend $28+ on special purpose colors? No. My red/green ink is from Diamine and is quite nice for what I use it for. But, since I use it for document markup, etc., cannot justify the price of Iroshizuku inks for those things.

 

Long story short: One can always find a "cheaper substitute," but is it truly a substitute?

 

I see posts here, and have made a few myself, about the difficulties of getting certain inks to work with all pens. How much is the time worth that is spent tinkering with those situations? For me, the cost of a couple of bottles of Iroshizuku ink is less expensive than spending an hour trying to fiddle with problematic ink/pen combinations.

 

It's like a car battery in the winter in the North. You can buy one that will probably likely meet your needs, or you can buy something for a bit more that is only limited by the starter on your car.