Levenger Cardinal Red

[JohnS-MI]

I've searched and I don't think this has been reviewed or scanned before so here is a sample. I have thrown in a few gratuitous lines of Gemstone Green to show them as a holiday pair. This is my first review so let me know if I missed anything; I'll try to add it.

 

The paper for the sample is Ampad 20 lb. Gold Fibre. The sample has had a minor white adjustment in Photoshop to brighten the paper to white, no color adjustments as it looks pretty accurate on my monitor. My handwriting is bad and it says:

"Levenger Cardinal Red

& Gemstone Green

 

Levenger used to bundle these inks with two Schaeffer No-Nonsense pens as a holiday set. Here, I am using them in medium nib Parker Sonnets. I use the red year-round, and the Green mostly as a holiday ink.

 

The Red ink flows well, fairly wet. It is dark enough to photocopy well, but is a saturated, intense red. It is even darker wet, but lightens as it dries. It has zero water resistance."

 

The ink performs better than most on glossy surface gift tags, but there are tags on which it beads up too. I also use the red as a general markup ink all year. I don't use a lot of red or green. I certainly like these well enough to use up, and not look at other reds and greens until I run low. $12, a bottle, not sure, we'll see, whenever.

Edited January 3, 2007 by JohnS-MI

[Eastward313]

Looks like a nice bright red - how's the drying time/smudging and feathering?

[JohnS-MI]

My pens flow wet enough that it takes a moment ot two to evaporate. There is no prolonged drying/tendency to smudge like Cobalt Blue is famous for. It stays put as long as it is kept dry.

 

Feathering: No problem on good paper. About average on bad paper. It certainly doesn't resist feathering on bad paper like Noodler's black does, but it isn't unduly bad either.

[Armchop]

:meow:

Wow that is a GOOD RED!

I use red for correcting/marking my students' coursework. I only like deep spectrum reds with no hints of orange, pink etc. At the moment I have stocked up on 8 bottles of Skrip Red as my "dealer" says they are not stocking it anymore. This Levenger will have to go on my want list!

Armchop

[sonia_simone]

I have a bottle of this--if anyone wants to trade sample vials for something, I'm game.

[Larry T]

Hi John. I have always thought that Cardinal was one of the truest reds around. I have never had any trouble with it in my modern pens, but I'm leary of putting it into my vintage pens. Some of the old pens can be a BEAR to clean, and Cardinal is one of the more saturated inks out there. It took me three days to get Gemstone green out of a Parker 51!

 

I posted a scan of my Levenger inks a while back,you can see it here:

 

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a52/ircameraman/LevInks.jpg

 

Nice to see a fellow Michigander on the board.

 

Larry

[sonia_simone]

Everyone has their individual quirks, but I wouldn't put any red ink into a vintage pen. Even among the "safe" brands, red ink gets gunky and stains. If I did decide to do it, it would be a pen that had no ink window to stain, one that I used every day or nearly so, and I'd give it a good thorough flush every other week.

[MikeLip]

That's an awesome red!

[PaulK]

I own three Levenger inks: Cobalt Blue, Gemstone Green, and Cardinal Red. I agree, both of later colors are very well behaved & are as vibrant as shown. I can use them in my Moleskine journal with no feathering or smudges. Not water resistant in the slightest (using these inks to make notes on a desk blotter, I have seen the effects of the occasional slight spill causing "bleeding").

 

I have no issues with any adhesion either and are of medium viscosity (IMO, neither 'thin' nor 'thick'): no nib-flow issues.

 

Hope this helps (too).

 

My best,

 

Paul

[sexauerw]

I use Cardinal Red for a markup ink at work in my Levenger LS3 pen. There are times that I leave the pen in my drawer for months on end, unused. It always starts instantly when I finally do pick it up! No drying, no gunk, it just works every time. I don't know whether it's the ink, the pen or the combination but it certainly works for me.

Edited January 22, 2007 by sexauerw

[SamCapote]

That really is a lovely red. Glad I have two boxes of the large cartridges coming from their closeout sale now. I think I will use the reds with my glass spiral dip pen.

[GNL]

After trying many different reds, Levenger's Cardinal Red is my absolute favorite. In fact, my red search is over. This bright, saturated, gorgeous ink is my red from now on.

 

Now if only I could stop searching for the perfect blue...

[JohnS-MI]

I have never had any trouble with it in my modern pens, but I'm leary of putting it into my vintage pens. Some of the old pens can be a BEAR to clean, and Cardinal is one of the more saturated inks out there.

Larry

 

Good advice. It precipitates red gunk on the nib, although it rinses right off in water. The Sonnet is easy to clean; remove converter and flush with an ear syringe. Cardinal Red probably should not be used in any pen that is "hard to clean."

 

(I wish you hadn't posted that Cobalt Blue. It is my favorite blue color, but I quit using it because it tends to smear. I must resist, I must resist, . . . what's Levenger's number )

[RayMan]

Love that red! Thanks for posting.