Blackstone Ink - Breaking News

[NinthSphere]

Cool stuff, but holy (bleep) the sizes. Those are practically lifetime supply sizes. Thought that dual chambered bottle was a hip flask until I read thed description.

[dcwaites]

The Barrier Reef Blue is a magic ink. Depending on your pen and paper, you get a range of blues, reflecting the myriad shades of blue (more than 50, take that Grey) that you see on the reef.

 

The Black Stump Black, on a hard shiny paper, is a deep, black-hole black, that is one of the leading blacks.

[pepsiplease69]

Teaser for people to get excited about....

 

Barrier Reef Blue

 

Daintree Green

 

Uluru Red

 

Black Stump

 

 

:puddle: :puddle:

Am I seeing a black ink there with a red sheen!!??

 

If so, I am definitely interested.

 

I've been searching long and hard for an ink like that without success.

 

If anyone has the black ink, I'd love to hear some firsthand accounts of the ink in real life.

[The Good Captain]

One day, I might investigate the prices, for getting it to here. Otherwise, there are a good lot of inks available in the UK or from Europe, that do the same job. Same with Noodler's et al. Great product though, I expect.

[Runnin_Ute]

The blue is amazing. The green is great too. I wanna try the red.

[lapis]

I'll start off with the Stump. Any chance of them selling "ordinary bottle sizes" with "ordinary concentrations"?

[dcwaites]

Are they mixable?

 

Yes, but I really don't think you need to with these colours. They are perfect in themselves.

[amberleadavis]

And we'll probably organize a North American group buy.

[Margana]

 

Yes, but I really don't think you need to with these colours. They are perfect in themselves.

Not essential, but I would miss purple, brown and orange though the range of blues is impressive.

[dcwaites]

Not essential, but I would miss purple, brown and orange though the range of blues is impressive.

 

Be patient.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Am I seeing a black ink there with a red sheen!!??

 

If so, I am definitely interested.

 

I've been searching long and hard for an ink like that without success.

 

If anyone has the black ink, I'd love to hear some firsthand accounts of the ink in real life.

 

I hate black, but I like this one. It does not sheen tons like Barrier Reef Blue (or Sailor Yama-dori) unless on good paper at full strength and with a wet pen. On "normal" coated papers at high concentration you will see sheen, but more in the form of select spotting and haloing. It's a good ink and is very free-flowing the higher the concentration, which works to one's benefit if looking for sheen.

 

I could not capture the sheen shots, though you can see some on the T.R. - I'll try when the sunlight fades a bit. Here's two papers. The first line is made with a dipped Noodler's B nib and the second written in a Platinum 3776 B. Neenah Classic Linen & Tomoe River, respectively.

 

[pepsiplease69]

 

I hate black, but I like this one. It does not sheen tons like Barrier Reef Blue (or Sailor Yama-dori) unless on good paper at full strength and with a wet pen. On "normal" coated papers at high concentration you will see sheen, but more in the form of select spotting and haloing. It's a good ink and is very free-flowing the higher the concentration, which works to one's benefit if looking for sheen.

 

I could not capture the sheen shots, though you can see some on the T.R. - I'll try when the sunlight fades a bit. Here's two papers. The first line is made with a dipped Noodler's B nib and the second written in a Platinum 3776 B. Neenah Classic Linen & Tomoe River, respectively.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that! It definitely stirs up my interest to get this ink.

 

 

Nowadays I almost exclusively use either Black n' Red or Tomoe River paper (Nanami 7-seas or journals that I stitched together myself by hand).

 

And I'm crazy fan of sheen heavy inks.

 

Once the very free-flowing Arora Black came into my life, it ruined it for all of the other inks that I have.

 

Thanks for posting the photos. From your TR photo it does look like this ink is exhibiting either a golden or silvery sheen as opposed to a red colored sheen. Is that correct?

 

How is this ink on smudging after it has dried?

 

Did you use distilled water to dilute it down? or did you use just normal tap water?

 

Thanks again.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

 

 

 

Thanks for that! It definitely stirs up my interest to get this ink.

 

 

Nowadays I almost exclusively use either Black n' Red or Tomoe River paper (Nanami 7-seas or journals that I stitched together myself by hand).

 

And I'm crazy fan of sheen heavy inks.

 

Once the very free-flowing Arora Black came into my life, it ruined it for all of the other inks that I have.

 

Thanks for posting the photos. From your TR photo it does look like this ink is exhibiting either a golden or silvery sheen as opposed to a red colored sheen. Is that correct?

 

How is this ink on smudging after it has dried?

 

Did you use distilled water to dilute it down? or did you use just normal tap water?

 

Thanks again.

 

It's unmistakably red sheen - the gold is caused by a lamp. Not bright enough for a natural shot and not dark enough for the camera to bring out the sheen. No smudging at all with unfiltered tap water.

 

Definitely give the ink a try. At different dilutions the ink can be bluish or even greenish as well.

Edited June 5, 2015 by TheRealScubaSteve

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Here's a better shot of the sheen. There's still a lot of gold in the photo, but it looks red in person. The bottom line is the 8% and is less noticeable than in the photo.

 

[Agge]

Cool stuff, but holy (bleep) the sizes. Those are practically lifetime supply sizes. Thought that dual chambered bottle was a hip flask until I read thed description.

 

I would love of a ink manufacturer actually sold ink in metal hip flasks

[pepsiplease69]

I'm not familiar too much with this brand.

 

Are we at liberty to mix and match at any concentration we please?

 

Or the 16% and 8% solution a cardinal rule that mustn't be broken, otherwise your pen will explode.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I'm not familiar too much with this brand.

 

Are we at liberty to mix and match at any concentration we please?

 

Or the 16% and 8% solution a cardinal rule that mustn't be broken, otherwise your pen will explode.

 

Any dilution. 8-10% is generally the sweet spot for many Blackstone inks for "everyday performance."

[amberleadavis]

I'm not familiar too much with this brand.

 

Are we at liberty to mix and match at any concentration we please?

 

Or the 16% and 8% solution a cardinal rule that mustn't be broken, otherwise your pen will explode.

 

No exploding pens. The manufacturer recommends 12%, we've tested at 4% and liked it.

[dcwaites]

As well, at 4%, the Red, Green and Black all make good dip pen inks. Unfortunately the Blue is too wet, but then that's why it performs so well in a fountain pen.

 

The Blue, Red, and Green are all quite variable in colour, depending on concentration, the wetness of your pen and the properties of your paper. This is part of their magic.

 

Barrier Reef Blue - shows many of the shades of blue you get on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

 

Uluru Red - The glowing reds you get during sunset on Uluru (the monolith previously known as Ayers Rock)

 

Daintree Green - the dappled greens in the Daintree Rainforest as a Cassowary daintily* steps between the trees

 

Black Stump Black - The black of an ironbark stump after a bushfire

 

Sydney Harbour Blue - The deep blue-grey of Sydney Harbour on a cold, overcast, windy winter's day.

Ok, not as mellifluous as the other descriptions, but accurate. Also one of the best office-suitable inks out there, both in colour and behaviour on cheapy office stationery.

 

 

*If a 60Kg feathered velociraptor with beak instead of teeth can be called dainty.

[migo984]

I've been using the standard Blackstone Blue fountain pen ink from JustWrite for some time (non-concentrated, already diluted liquid, not powder), and it performs very well. Nice shading, quick drying, a very very slight fade after a few hours, cleans easily. It's also inexpensive (I bought it in the 60ml plastic sachet).