Diamine LWES 2009 Kensington Blue

[I am not a number]

As the more observant of you will have noticed, IANAN's Christmas 2009 has not been a glittering social whirl. The good side of this fact is that society at large within the general environs of Wiltshire has remained relatively unscathed by my extramural adventures (for which the local Emergency Services for whom I used to drive ambulances have thanked me profusely), the downside for you my dear friends of the FPN is that I have had sufficient free time to do some ink reviews...

 

I attended this year's London Writing Equipment Society annual show held at Kensington and spent a long time at mooching around tables (only being removed by security personnel on three occasions). During the short periods between physical interventions that I actually managed to spend in the hall, I was lucky enough to have a look around some of the new ink offerings. My initial impression of this particular brew was that it was borderline "Meh"; whether this was due to the internal lighting of the hall or latent concussion brought on by security personnel of commendable devotion to duty (and loudly cheered on by a crowd who had scented blood) is now a moot point. Suffice to say that I found myself ordering a bottle to make up the numbers on a recent visit to the Diamine website so that I could qualify for a free box of international cartridges. All I can say is that I'm glad I did finally commit to this ink as it has been a pleasant revelation and is now permanently on duty in one of my trusty Parker Duofolds.

 

Without further ado, here are the scans...

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/DiamineLWESKensingtonBlue2009Review.jpg

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/DiamineLWESKensingtonBlue2009Rev-1.jpg

 

IANAN will be at next year's London show with his battered copy of the 1957 "Big Boy's Bumper Book of Disguises" and appropriately enhanced Medical Insurance.

Edited December 27, 2009 by I am not a number

[blopplop]

To my eyes (which admittedly are getting bad) this ink looks similar Iroshizuku Kon-peki, which is currently my favorite blue. I like these bright blues.

 

Thanks for the review.

 

Dave

[Carrie]

Looks like my sort of blue. Must resist, must resist. I DO NOT need more Diamine inks.

[dcwaites]

I bought some recently (along with 3 others in the little 30 ml bottles).

 

To me it is the sort of ink that one would expect to be used in a letter from a palace called Kensington.

 

It behaves better ( bleeds and feathers less) than others in the Diamine family, and can shade discretely when used on a nice hard paper, like Clairefontaine.

 

This is the only Diamine ink I have that I can use in a dip pen, albeit on good paper.

[orangeaurora]

Wonderful review, a lead-up that made me laugh several times, and a wry comment in the "other inks" section of the review . . .

 

Bravo!

 

 

I must not go back to the Diamine.uk website today, I must not!

[Ondina]

To my eyes (which admittedly are getting bad) this ink looks similar Iroshizuku Kon-peki, which is currently my favorite blue. I like these bright blues.

 

Thanks for the review.

 

Dave

 

 

Really? It would be great, as Kon-Peki is quite pricey and hardly available. Would any of you confirm this, please?

[georges zaslavsky]

never tried diamine but I think I will have a look at it.Thanks for the review

Edited December 29, 2009 by georges zaslavsky

[fuchsiaprincess]

Looks like my sort of blue. Must resist, must resist. I DO NOT need more Diamine inks.

 

Resistance is futile Carrie!

 

Soki x

[adyf]

I don't know why but my Kensington Blue just doesn't look like the above scan. Mine leans towards a very green blue which I don't like in a blue ink. Looking at the scan I feel almost compelled to contact Phil at Diamine to see if any light can be shed on this, different batches etc.

[Ed Ronax]

Thanks for sharing, vibrant colour.

[lmederos]

This is a great blue.

 

I had been looking for a similar shade from Diamine for a while.