Blue inks

[Keldun]

I've always been writing with waterman florida blue at school and I just can't find another blue to replace it. I love the color, it dries fast, flows well and its erasable.

[bernardo]

Maybe it's because everybody uses to write with that ugly BIC blue ballpoint pens, which are definitely vulgar, and make your handwriting look so.

Ah, so. I've heard others say that BIC has put them off blue altogether. And I would agree that BIC blue is ugly. As a blue-ink fancier, one reason I prefer wet-writing nibs is that no one will mistake the writing for something that came out of a BIC.

As Billy Joel sang: you're maybe right...

 

Can you recommend some blue ink that looks positively elegant?

 

Thanks. Best regards

[Viseguy]

Can you recommend some blue ink that looks positively elegant?

Ah, well, so much of this is subjective. If by "elegant" you mean "understated" or "formal", then I'd have to say one of the midnight blues (PR, Noodler's, or Swishmix Tahitian Pearl), or, to go a step lighter, Diamine Prussian Blue or Noodler's Ottoman Azure. My main associations with blue run not so much to elegant as to soothing (e.g., Skrip Blue), or refreshing (Noodler's Blue or Waterman Florida Blue), or even dazzling (PR DC Blue). There's a blue to fit just about any mood. It's not a one-size-fits-all color -- despite the conspicuously ubiquitous BIC.

[amh210]

Can you recommend some blue ink that looks positively elegant?

Levenger's Cobalt Blue

[RLTodd]

My first bottle ever (a gift) was Skrip blue-black. I hated it.

Ah, slightly off topic, but I like Skrip Blue - Black compared to most of the other BBs because it lays down a line that looks like the "classic ink" of old. It is thin and it varys in density intra word.

[Kelly G]

I voted for Parker Quink Washable although I use a lot of Vintage Quink Permanent Royal Blue - I bought a quart of it a few years ago - it takes a long time to use a quart of ink! My new favorite is Omas Blue - I picked up a 4oz bottle of it on Ebay a couple of months ago for the price of a 2oz bottle, so I thought it was worth a try. I really like it. and the bottle is nice looking too.

I also use Aurora blue. Most of my blues tend toward blue black - primarily vintage quink and Waterman

[mwpeterson]

Put another mark in the Namiki Blue column. It was my first bottle of ink (bought it with my VP) and still my favorite blue. And it's waterproof enough that I won't be tempted by a Noodler's ink in some blueish shade.

[johnr55]

I love Florida Blue as it has always been completely untemperamental for me in any pen, not too dark, not too light. Priced right, reliable.

[Doug Add]

I use too many blue inks to have one favorite. I have seven different blue inks currently in pens (nine if you were to count blue black).

 

My first among equals is nearly gone as I have no more Penman Sapphire: It is a 50/50 mix of Penman Sapphire and Waterman South Seas Blue.

 

My favorites would be:

 

Omas Roma Blue

Aurora Blue

Waterman Florida Blue

Private Reserve D.C. Show Blue

[MYU]

How do people tend to mix their inks? Do you use an eye dropper with a mini measuring cup, pouring the ink into some glass vessel? Then once you've gotten the mix as you like it, pour it into an empty ink bottle?

 

I'd love to see a sticky thread on people's favorite mixed ink concoctions.

Edited January 8, 2007 by MYU

[sam3k]

How do people tend to mix their inks?

You can get 5ml syringes from the pharmacy/chemist. I think they are the ones that are used for baby medicine.

[Tricia]

MYU, check out the 'ink recipes' up in the 'pinned' area of this forum topic.

 

Like others, I couldn't pick just one. Aurora Blue is so beautiful, but then so is Noodler's Ottoman Azure. Diamine's Prussian Blue is very appealing and... Oh, so many.

[chemgeek]

How do people tend to mix their inks?

I use graduated plastic transfer pipets (one-piece plastic droppers with volume markings) and 5 dram glass vials to mix inks. Both can be had for pennies each. (I have them lying all over the research laboratory, but they can be purchased from science supply houses.) The pipets come in all sizes, from 1 mL on up; they are disposable, but can be rinsed and used many times if desired. The polyethylene pipets may stain, especially with red dyes, but it does not affect their utility.

 

Cheers.

[rbbrock]

I have to choose PR American Blue. I absolutely love blue inks and am still in the process of searching for the best (at least IMHO). To be honest, I'm not sure that search will ever end. However, I find AB to be a beautiful, in fact near perfect, color. It's a great "true" blue, without significant undertones of other colors, and is a rich, saturated ink even in the drier of my pens.

[alvarez57]

When I was in primary school, my favorite was Peacock Blue (Script's ?), I still like it but it does not photocopy well, so I have to choose among the most saturated ones. I have a couple of favorites, but Washington DC Super show is my favorite of the blue-types; my other favorites are the purplish blues ( PR Tanzanite, Waterman's blue).

[aunt rebecca]

hi,

 

my favorite ink is richard binders faux tanzinite. it is made from one bottle of waterman florida blue and one bottle of waterman violet. mix well and get 2 bottles of my favorite color--a blue with purple undertones.

 

:)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9

 

:bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1:

[JimStrutton]

hi,

 

my favorite ink is richard binders faux tanzinite. it is made from one bottle of waterman florida blue and one bottle of waterman violet. mix well and get 2 bottles of my favorite color--a blue with purple undertones.

 

:)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9

 

:bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1:

Sounds a bit like the colour of Sloe Gin to me Whatever you do DON'T mix up the bottles

 

Obi

[fjf]

QUOTE (aunt rebecca @ Feb 12 2007, 06:49 AM)

hi, my favorite ink is richard binders faux tanzinite. it is made from one bottle of waterman florida blue and one bottle of waterman violet. mix well and get 2 bottles of my favorite color--a blue with purple undertones.

If you mix florida blue with southseas blue you also get a nice blue with a turquoise tone. I like this one!.

[superfly]

Well, my favorite blue is not blue, but blue-black. From Waterman. That's right, I don't see it as blue black, but very nice blue, with strong shade of turquoise.

 

 

 

[Latro21]

my favorite [that ive tried] is namiki blue. great color, shading, plus quite good water resistance.