Very Wet Diamine Inks

[hypnostene]

I recently got Diamine Onyx Black and Oxblood. I like the colours, particularly the second one, but they are both so wet, that, being a newbie in the world of inks, I am starting to wonder whether their behaviour is normal.

 

The Onyx Black is so wet, that I cannot use it with any nib wider than a Waterman fine. In particular, a Safari M leaves so much ink that even nice 120g paper gets bleedthrough (not to mention Leuchtturm1917 or Muji paper, which I use without problems with other inks). In comparison, I can use Diamine Sherwood Green with a 2.5mm Pilot Parallel nib on these papers without any problems.

 

As for Oxblood, it's just (barely) fine with a Safari M on decent paper, but with a 1.1 Rotring Artpen it gushes out, causing bleedthrough on all the papers mentioned above. I used the Rotring pen before with Waterman and Pelikan inks - no issues at all. I was even able to write with Waterman black on that horrible Moleskine paper.

 

So, is this normal for Diamine? I enjoy italic nibs a lot and plan to get some additional ones, but this is making me worried, especially since I'd love to use Oxblood more often.

 

 

- Hypnos

[View from the Loft]

Are you experiencing bleedthrough (where the ink truly comes through in the other side of the paper) or showthrough? Diamine Onyx is my everyday black, and I use it in broad italic nibbed pens, and I do like mine to be wet writers (8 or 9 out of 10), but even on cheap 79gsm writing pads I have not experienced bleed through, only show through.

 

I will agree that the Onyx is one of the wetter or free flowing inks out there. If you want a slightly dryer black try Aurora and Pelikan 4001 for a drier still black.

 

I wouldn't recommend Diamine Midnight if the Onyx is too wet, as the Midnight is a tad wetter, in my opinion.

[hypnostene]

Are you experiencing bleedthrough (where the ink truly comes through in the other side of the paper) or showthrough? Diamine Onyx is my everyday black, and I use it in broad italic nibbed pens, and I do like mine to be wet writers (8 or 9 out of 10), but even on cheap 79gsm writing pads I have not experienced bleed through, only show through.

 

I will agree that the Onyx is one of the wetter or free flowing inks out there. If you want a slightly dryer black try Aurora and Pelikan 4001 for a drier still black.

 

I wouldn't recommend Diamine Midnight if the Onyx is too wet, as the Midnight is a tad wetter, in my opinion.

 

Thanks for your answer. I meant actual bleedthrough. The ink flows so wet, that it almost forms small drops on the paper - on more absorbent paper this results in immediate feathering that would make Moleskine proud.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Time for a blotter

[hypnostene]

Time for a blotter

 

Good idea. I haven't used one since 1991, after teachers took my pens and ink away (after the... Accident) ; )

[lapis]

I use as blotter almost every day. I love wet inks... to the extent that I'm more than happy to whip out a botter of my dozen or so. I'm still waiting to do a comparison of these....

 

Mike

[amberleadavis]

 

Good idea. I haven't used one since 1991, after teachers took my pens and ink away (after the... Accident) ; )

 

ooo that sounds like a great story.

 

 

I use as blotter almost every day. I love wet inks... to the extent that I'm more than happy to whip out a botter of my dozen or so. I'm still waiting to do a comparison of these....

 

Mike

 

 

Do you whip out your blotter in front of company? Sounds very naughty.

[lapis]

Hey, wanna buy a wet ink?

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/Exhibitionist-1.gif

[Karin]

 

Hey, wanna buy a wet ink?

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/Exhibitionist-1.gif

 

[Scrawler]

 

ooo that sounds like a great story.

 

 

 

 

Do you whip out your blotter in front of company? Sounds very naughty.

It has caused comment that I carry a sheet of blotting paper in my wallet.

[hypnostene]

It has caused comment that I carry a sheet of blotting paper in my wallet.

 

; )

I work as a historian, most archives look down on anything other than pencils. Even where pens are allowed, I think they'd have a collective heart attack if they saw any blotting paper.

 

 

ooo that sounds like a great story.

 

 

 

 

Do you whip out your blotter in front of company? Sounds very naughty.

 

Let's just say that my teacher really liked that dress. And the textbook. And, perhaps most importantly, the natural colour of her hair ; )

[View from the Loft]

Thanks for your answer. I meant actual bleedthrough. The ink flows so wet, that it almost forms small drops on the paper - on more absorbent paper this results in immediate feathering that would make Moleskine proud.

 

Oh wow. Umm, I've never experienced that with Onyx, and having checked the company issued memo pad it's 60gsm, not 70gsm - and no bleedthrough, even with my broad, wet pens. Good luck finding a pen/ink/paper combination that suits you.

[dcwaites]

 

Thanks for your answer. I meant actual bleedthrough. The ink flows so wet, that it almost forms small drops on the paper - on more absorbent paper this results in immediate feathering that would make Moleskine proud.

 

That sounds way, way too wet. I have just done a review on this ink, and found it a fairly well-behaved ink in comparison to others.

Did you clean the pen out before filling with the Onyx, and is there any chance you left a little detergent behind?

[hypnostene]

Thank you for your feedback. I did clean all the pens before filling them up with Onyx - with just clean water. I suppose I must have got a particulalary wet bottle. Thankfully it works with fine nibs (although the lines it leaves look medium rather than fine), so I'll use it like that.