Grey Hematite - C. Roberson & Co Penman Ink

[visvamitra]

C Roberson and Co has been manufacturing and supplying artists' materials since 1810. They provide wide variety of artists' materials. Among other products there's also Classical Transparent Ink line suitable for fountain pens. The inks are sold for around 6 pounds in 30 ml glass bottles. They can also be mixed together in order to obtain new colors.

 

The samples of five colors were kindly sent to me by Cybaea - thank you Allan!

 

The line consists of twenty four colors.

 

 

1. Agate Blue
2. Amazonite Green
3. Amber Yellow
4. Aquamarine Blue
5. Carnellian Red
6. Cherry Opal
7. Fuchsia Quartz
8. Grey Hematite
9. Hazel Onyx
10. Jasper Red
11. Jet Black
12. Lilac Agate
13. Moss Agate
14. Obsidian Brown
15. Olive Peridot
16. Orange Yellow
17. Sepia Quartz
18. Peridot Green
19. Pink Quartz
20. Scarlet Ruby
21. Sulphur Yellow
22. Turquoise Agate
23. Violet Agate
24. Yellow Jasper

Grey Hematite is really cool. I enjoy it a lot. The ink is wet, the flow was good in pens I used with it (Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib and Visconti van Gogh, fine nib). It has some water resistance. The color though is quite unique and I enjoy it a lot.

 

Cybaea - thank you once again for allowing me to try this gem

 

Ink splash

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/9568/IJomqj.jpg

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/197/c1LZK5.jpg

Water resistance

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/9382/eCN5ta.jpg

Software ID

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/418/m1GiYx.jpg

Color Range

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/2482/5qsFQU.jpg

Clairefontaine, Kaweco Sport Classic, B

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/1977/Mm7Q2P.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/7707/PfOTNX.jpg

Tomoe River, Kaweco Sport Classic, B

http://imageshack.com/a/img912/2857/LtR1Pa.jpghttp://imageshack.com/a/img540/5049/dUhySn.jpg

Oxford, Hero 5028, stub 1,9

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/535/a0trwS.jpg

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/3346/fUvslG.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/26/CyWKjs.jpg

Edited September 14, 2015 by visvamitra

[Cyber6]

WOW!!!! That is nice!!!!! :wub: :wub:

[gmax]

Wow - I never heard of these before, thanks for the review.

 

It looks like a great ink, very like Payne's Grey watercolour.

 

Where can these be bought?

[fireant]

I like this ghostly/foggy grey.

 

Thank you so much for the great and thorough review.

[visvamitra]

@Cyber 6 - I agree. I prefer it to Fuyu-Syogun or Infinite Grey.

 

@gmax - it seems they can only be bought in UK in shops like:

 

Cornelissen.com

 

Scribblers.co.uk

 

Dippennibs.co.uk

 

If I'll go to UK this year, I'll offer myself few of these inks From six samples one ink is fantastic (Grey Hematite), two are nice, one will impress turquoise fans (but as I'm not into turquoises, well, I appreciate potent shading ) and two so so.

[cybaea]

Glad you like them, @visvamitra!

 

And mixing them is cool!

[lgsoltek]

I maybe wrong but it kinda looks like Waterman Mysterious Blue or Montblanc Twilight Blue?

[visvamitra]

It's much more interesting

[gmax]

I found that one UK retailer says this:

 

They are suitable for quill, reed and dip pens, also ruling pens, automatic pens and brushes, not for fountain or technical drawing pens.

 

Maybe one to reserve for pens that can be disassembled?

[visvamitra]

On other sites they mention the inks are suitable for fountain pens. Anyway I have samples just for one week. Grey Hematite's been in my Visconti van Gogh for a week and I haven't observed any issues. Maybe some other FPNers with experience in using C. Roberson inks could share their impressions?

[Cyber6]

On other sites they mention the inks are suitable for fountain pens. Anyway I have samples just for one week. Grey Hematite's been in my Visconti van Gogh for a week and I haven't observed any issues. Maybe some other FPNers with experience in using C. Roberson inks could share their impressions?

 

 

One site says... "Suitable for Fountain Pens except Montblancs"...

[ethernautrix]

Hmm... that is an interesting color.... Nice.

[J85909266]

Gorgeous Grey! I want a grey ink, but nobody offers one that is the shade and complexity that I wanted until this. I love it.

[visvamitra]

Yes - that's precisely my feelings. I've tried quite a few greys, I like some of them (Diamine's Silver Fox, Caran d'Ache Infinite Grey, GvFC Stone Grey) but this is the only ink from this family I would frequently use.

[Pira]

Oh I like this colour very much. Thank-you for the review!

[eelldan]

Thanks for the review! This ink is beautiful!

[cybaea]

On other sites they mention the inks are suitable for fountain pens. Anyway I have samples just for one week. Grey Hematite's been in my Visconti van Gogh for a week and I haven't observed any issues. Maybe some other FPNers with experience in using C. Roberson inks could share their impressions?

 

I have been using them for years without any problems. I liked this ink as well in my review from 2 years ago.