Iroshizuku´s Asa-Gao

[whitelily]

Here is a short review that I did. Click here for the full review.

 

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p580/inked-up-and-happy/AsaGaoIroshizukuinkPilotsmaller.jpg

 

Asa-gao is a dark, serious blue. It´s perfect for work - it´s equally good for students.

 

I do like this ink, but maybe not enough to justify buying another bottle of Asa Gao bottle once the one I have runs out. Don´t get me wrong: it is a pretty, strong and clear blue, but I wish the colour was a tad more exciting. I doesn´t quite stand out from other blues like a lot of the other Iroshizuku inks do. So, if you want a very different and exciting blue, this might not be it. If you want a pretty and practical blue, this is perfect for you. I have only tried this ink with a medium nib - I´m curious to try it out in a broad and see what that does to the colour. It is definitively a perfect ink for tons of notes.

 

This ink performs really well - it´s a well behaved ink which doesn´t feather, no bleed-through, no nib-creep and the flow is great. It dries quickly, but it´s unfortunately not tea-proof and there is no shading.

 

Positives:

- A strong, clear and practical blue - perfect for work or for students

- Flows well

- No bleed-through

- No feathering

- No nib-creep

- Dries quickly (3-5 seconds depending on paper)

 

Negatives:

- Expensive

- Not waterproof

- No shading

 

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p580/inked-up-and-happy/AsaGaoIroshizukuinkPilot3.jpg

 

Asa-Gao compared to other iroshizuku blues:

 

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p580/inked-up-and-happy/Iroshizukuinksblue-1.jpg

Edited April 28, 2012 by whitelily

[The Good Captain]

 

Asa-gao is a dark, serious blue. It´s perfect for work - it´s equally good for students.

 

Positives:

- A strong, clear and practical blue - perfect for work or for students

 

Negatives:

- Expensive

 

 

Looks good but certainly if you can get it here in the UK it's a lot more than a lot of students would want to pay for it. Just a comment, not a criticism.

[Ad_Astra]

 

Asa-gao is a dark, serious blue. It´s perfect for work - it´s equally good for students.

 

Positives:

- A strong, clear and practical blue - perfect for work or for students

 

Negatives:

- Expensive

 

 

Looks good but certainly if you can get it here in the UK it's a lot more than a lot of students would want to pay for it. Just a comment, not a criticism.

 

Is the student population of the UK that different from the Stateside student population in their level of interest for FPs?

 

As an aside, I'm guessing most students who actually do use FPs are using Pelikan 4001 in a high volume container for all their writing needs?

[mongrelnomad]

Funny that you say it isn't a vibrant blue... I love this ink, over and above the other Iroshizukus. It's just so... BLUE. Rich and vibrant with no unnecessary embelishments.

 

Love it.

[whitelily]

 

Asa-gao is a dark, serious blue. It´s perfect for work - it´s equally good for students.

 

Positives:

- A strong, clear and practical blue - perfect for work or for students

 

Negatives:

- Expensive

 

 

Looks good but certainly if you can get it here in the UK it's a lot more than a lot of students would want to pay for it. Just a comment, not a criticism.

 

Yes, you are right! My comment was merely focusing on whether this ink is practical to use or not in terms of the colour, and not the price itself. I did mention it being expensive, but being a student myself, I think it is a perfect ink to put on one´s "wish list" to parents when Christmas or one´s b-day is close by. The price is of course also why I don´t know if I could justify getting another one. Btw: I appreciate both comments and/or criticism, so no worries:) Also: keep in mind that students that care so much about an ink that they hang around FPN, are generally not your "average" students in terms of their interests for PFs and inks, and might want to spend a little/lot more than the average student would on these things.

 

@Mongrelnomad: Yes, it is a lovely colour and I do love it... but do you think it stands very apart from other blues (of other brands)? (I´m honestly wondering about this, not trying to sound rude, lol)

[mongrelnomad]

 

 

@Mongrelnomad: Yes, it is a lovely colour and I do love it... but do you think it stands very apart from other blues (of other brands)? (I´m honestly wondering about this, not trying to sound rude, lol)

 

Very much actually. I have numerous blues from Sailor, MB, Pelikan, PR, Diamine, Lamy, Parker and Waterman and none comes close to the Iroshizuku.

 

Some are brighter, some are lighter. Some are darker, some are more washed out. But none is as rich or saturated a pure blue as the Asa-Gao.

Edited April 28, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[OC Mike]

One of my favs!

[Freddy]

Iroshizuku´s Asa-Gao A short review

 

Thank you..for your well-written review..

 

Fred

Is there a flamingo in the elevator

[whitelily]

 

 

@Mongrelnomad: Yes, it is a lovely colour and I do love it... but do you think it stands very apart from other blues (of other brands)? (I´m honestly wondering about this, not trying to sound rude, lol)

 

Very much actually. I have numerous blues from Sailor, MB, Pelikan, PR, Diamine, Lamy, Parker and Waterman and none comes close to the Iroshizuku.

 

Some are brighter, some are lighter. Some are darker, some are more washed out. But none is as rich or saturated a pure blue as the Asa-Gao.

 

Yes, I agree. It is a very pure blue, indeed! I´m tempted to do a colour swab comparison of my blues, now.

 

I actually prefer the tsuyu-kusa over the Asa-gao (in a medium nib), but I guess this is what makes all these inks so special and interesting: we all experience them differently.

[whitelily]

Iroshizuku´s Asa-Gao A short review

 

Thank you..for your well-written review..

 

Fred

Is there a flamingo in the elevator

 

And thank you for your kind words!

 

@OC Mike:

[maus930]

I like this blue -- and I find that it has great shading properties in a Flex nib

[tinta]

I've just recently received a bottle of Asa-Gao in the mail.

This is the brightest, "bluest" blue ink I currently have. (others are: Sailor Jentle Blue, Jentle Blue-Black & Ultramarine, MB Royal Blue, R&K Salix)

 

The lack of shading you experience may only be due to a standard, ball-tipped nib.

I used Asa-Gao in a 0.95 mm stub that almost approaches a sharper C.I. grind.

The shading was dramatic!

 

Thanks for your fine review.

It's great to read other people's experiences with inks I like to use.

Edited June 19, 2012 by tinta

[georges zaslavsky]

looks like a very nice color from pilot but the price of the bottle is a huge drawback

[Tulku]

I have purchased a few different Iroshizuku inks purchased from Taizo and I absolutley love them. They are rich in colour and saturation, they seem to work well in all of my pens without nib creep or flow issues and this particular colour is one of my favourite blues.

 

I have noticed a few comments regarding price and while I understand that they appear expensive in relation to many overseas prices, I would like you to spare a thought for us Australians. These inks (including shipping of course) actually work out quite reasonable for us.

 

In saying that, I recently saw some Iroshizuku bottles in a local pen store and they were $40-$45 Aus Dollars (please explain local pen store?). Unfortunately we are being rorted over here in regards to every aspect of fountain pens I can think of Pens/Ink/Paper.

 

This however, has not stopped me from partaking in this wonderful habit. I love my fountain pens and ink.

[ChuckR9]

AT first I thought ASA-gow was just OK, but after using it more it is one of my favorites.

[OrganicsStudio]

LOVE THIS COLOR. I only own one Iroshizuku, and its this one good choice!

[whitelily]

AT first I thought ASA-gow was just OK, but after using it more it is one of my favorites.

 

Yes, it´s growing on me too:-) I like it more and more.

[senzen]

Thanks for your review! The comparison to Ajisai and Tsuyu Kusa is particularly helpful. With my (bad) luck matching pens to inks I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the best nib combination to get that bright blue! Ajisai for instance fares better in an F nib (Muji), with an M (Lamy) it just came out way too dark... While Tsuyu Kusa does fine with that one!

Edited June 25, 2012 by pseudo88

[whitelily]

Thanks for your review! The comparison to Ajisai and Tsuyu Kusa is particularly helpful. With my (bad) luck matching pens to inks I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the best nib combination to get that bright blue! Ajisai for instance fares better in an F nib (Muji), with an M (Lamy) it just came out way too dark... While Tsuyu Kusa does fine with that one!

 

You are very welcome. Unfortunately I don´t know what the best nib combo would be, as I wanted the exact opposite: the darker version of tsuyu kusa. Hopefully someone else will know!

[Pen2009]

I like my Asa-gao as it is very saturated blue. But, compared to Kon-Peki, I could not see any shading.