Noodler's Violet Vote

[Ruminator]

Awhile back, an FPN friend (Tonybelding) provided a sample of Noodler's Violet Vote from Dromgoole's in Houston. It's been sitting in my rack for awhile, you know the drill. I wanted to review something different than my usual inks, so I cleared and then loaded up my trusty Esterbrook J-model Transitional with the 9668 nib with a load and played with it this morning. Attached is the result of my puttering.

 

Before I go farther, I'm taking a moment to remember why we celebrate Memorial Day, even if it really isn't until the 30th. I remember...

 

Wife tells me this isn't really gray, so perhaps it was the morning light that makes it look a little gray to my old eyes. (Gray eyes?) The color is a moderately-saturated purply-blue or blue-purple, depending on your perception. The scan is not bad, at least on my monitor.

 

Dry time is moderate for this pen and paper. It's between 15 and 30 seconds, which is about average. Flow is good and lubrication is there. NVV is not as slick as some of my inks, but it does provide some lubrication for the nib. I noticed no real problems with the ink. On a really cheap quadrile-ruled pad I have from Staples there is some light bleed through, but not in my Moleskine journal or reporter's notebook. In the latter, there is a bit of ghosting with this ink/nib combination, but it's not objectionable (at least to me).

 

I notice a bit of nib-creep. This doesn't bother me, but some more fastidious folks might not like it.

 

NVV passes my wet-finger rub test with a bit of dye stripped from the surface of the paper. I can't say whether the ink is bulletproof, but it is certainly water-resistant/waterproof.

 

I'm not going to buy a bottle of this ink, but if this shade of purple works for you, I think it will be a good performer. It was fun playing with the ink for the review.

 

Enjoy...

 

-=d

 

Edit: Apparently, I had a brainfart and this ink is a Pendemonium exclusive; not Dromgoole's. If someone who knows Dromgoole's stock can confirm, I'd appreciate the data point.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Ruminator

[arkgray]

Just a clarification, I am pretty sure this is a Pendemonium exclusive.

[GardenWeasel]

This is my absolute favorite ink! Wonderful color and great performance! Thanks for review!

[Ruminator]

Just a clarification, I am pretty sure this is a Pendemonium exclusive.

 

You could very well be correct. I thought it was from Dromgoole's, but it's entirely possible I'm incorrect. Thanks!

 

This is my absolute favorite ink! Wonderful color and great performance! Thanks for review!

 

I think I would prefer another color, but this ink has some wonderful properties. You're welcome!

 

-=d

[Jimmy James]

I'm guessing Tony may have sent you this (a Pendemonium exclusive) along with his beloved Texas Blue Bonnet (which is exclusive to Dromgoole's).

Edited May 29, 2012 by Jimmy James

[Ruminator]

I'm guessing Tony may have sent you this (a Pendemonium exclusive) along with his beloved Texas Blue Bonnet (which is exclusive to Dromgoole's).

 

That would be my guess too... and then I had my little brain issue.

 

Thanks!

[geoduc]

I had a bottle of this ink at one time. The color is nice and overall it behaves well, but it does have a tendency to spread, even on good paper - i.e., it will write with a wider line than you would expect from a given nib. I prefer inks that write with a nice crisp line and thus could never feel the love for VV.

[Jimmy James]

I don't really discern any widening of my lines with this ink, but spread probably is a good way to describe the way I feel it doesn't have distinct edges. Sometimes that really bugs me. Other times I think it's neat.

[tonybelding]

Yes.... Just to clarify for everyone, the Pendemonium exclusive colors are Violet Vote (formerly Iraqi Indigo), Legal Lapis and Eternal Brown.

 

Legal Lapis has been popular for a long time, although I personally have gone through phases of liking and disliking it.

 

Violet Vote, in my experience, has been the most trouble-free of all the bulletproof inks. However... I did finally get some mold in my last bottle of VV and really need to order some fresh. (This is what happens from keeping around more inks than I can use.)

 

Dromgooles have a tradition of getting a new exclusive ink every year in time for the Dallas show. The ones I've tried are Texas Blue Bonnet, Texas Pecan, and Texas Live Oak. Texas Blue Bonnet is a very attractive sort of greenish-blue-blueblack that is bulletproof with superb shading, but it's one of the more high-maintenance inks. It's like a slightly more blue (and therefore slightly prettier) variant of Bad Blue Heron. Texas Pecan is like a slightly more attractive (IMHO) variant of #41 Brown.

[Newjelan]

Oh no! What a beautiful colour. Another one for my Shopping Carts, oh dear

[Essensia]

Thank you for posting this, Ruminator. Violet Vote has been on my wish list for ages but was sold out until recently, and now I finally have a bottle. Beautiful and surprisingly well lubricated for a bulletproof/eternal ink. I can see why KCat loves it.