Sailor Kiwa-Guro (Nano-Black)

[Mongoosey]

I like how it tames a nib, too. I needed it to.

 

And the lubrication: I use mine with a stock Jowo Medium and it feels like a nibmeister conjured a layer of velvet over it.

 

If I had to choose only one ink, this would be it, and I'd be happy with that: Rich black, permanent, relatively easy maintenance, works better on cheaper paper than any other ink while still being smooth due to the lubrication.

 

This is the ink that connects fountain pens to the real world, of cheap paper and EDC, with a practicability better than any other ink, IMO.

 

I do find it can tend towards dryness and in dry pens may tend to sputter out a spotty line, but it's worth finding a pen for.

[dowlf]

I know it is weird, but I like the smell of it.

[JoaoFrost]

If for some reason I had to be forced down to a single ink, this one would be it.

[Mongoosey]

I know it is weird, but I like the smell of it.

 

I like it,too. It quickly grew on me.

 

It's aromatic, kind of piquant, yet redolent.

[TheDutchGuy]

If for some reason I had to be forced down to a single ink, this one would be it.

I hope I'll never be forced down to one ink, but I'm inclined to agree.

[Mongoosey]

Once you go Kiwa-Guro you can't go back

[nibtip]

I think many are mislead by the color. It is has a monstrous amount of grey sheen that covers the black tint entirely. The truths that it is the blackest (or close to) blacks. Just look at it under a loupe.

[Mongoosey]

I agree.

 

I mentioned to some folks that Kiwa-Guro was one of the darkest blacks and they disagreed, but I could understand why because, like you say, the grey sheen can mask it from certain angles.

'

My previous main ink of choice was Noodler's Heart of Darkness because of that rich dark solid black and the only ink I've found that comes closest is Kiwa-Guro and luckily Kiwa-Guro is absolutely fantastic.

[A Smug Dill]

Now that I've tried Platinum Carbon Black as well, I'd say Sailor kiwaguro is blacker but less waterproof, in the sense that the 'sheen' component of the latter will come off the page upon contact with water (and may end up smearing), whereas nothing comes off what I wrote with the former.

[TheDutchGuy]

I like how it tames a nib, too. I needed it to.

 

And the lubrication: I use mine with a stock Jowo Medium and it feels like a nibmeister conjured a layer of velvet over it.

 

This is the ink that connects fountain pens to the real world, of cheap paper and EDC, with a practicability better than any other ink, IMO.

Yes yes yes, all of that. And then some. I adore how it reduces the line width of a pen without any feeling of dryness. Another bonus: it adds texture to overly smooth nibs. I need a bit of texture to be able to exercise enough control, and there's a wonderful "grainy" feel under the nib with this ink. It's very very very subtle, but it's there and it's addictive.

 

I won't put it in my vintage pens, though. For the sake of peace of mind, I only put well-behaved, dye-based inks in those that I can easily flush and clean.

[Honeybadgers]

does it feather as badly as platinum carbon black does on something like an envelope?

[A Smug Dill]

does it feather as badly as platinum carbon black does on something like an envelope?

 

 

Well, that would depend as much on the (paper used in the making of) the envelope as it does the ink, wouldn't it?

 

Anyway, I don't in any way pretend that this is a fair comparison or a strictly controlled way of testing the various inks, but I just scribbled on a blank envelope of horrible quality for you to give you an indicative answer, with the pens (all with different nibs) that I've inked with permanent black inks right now.

 

 

There is obviously more feathering with Platinum Carbon Black than there is with Sailor kiwaguro, but as much as I hate feathering on things I would personally want to (re)read on paper, I wouldn't worry too much about Platnium Carbon Black's level of feathering on cheap envelopes that I send away. I have no doubt the writing will be legible to the postman even if the envelope got wet.

[TheDutchGuy]

Smug Dill, I love your handwriting! Very nice inceed. And that Capless stub looks great on paper, not too wide, not too narrow. I've never given a Capless the light of day but this has me intrigued.

 

Anyway, Kiwa-Giro is the one of the least-feathering inks I've encountered. I frequently use it on bad paper. Now if only Sailor made a blue-black that's absolutely identical to Kiwa-Guro except for the colour, that would be awesome.

[Honeybadgers]

the envelopes I seem to get are all horrendous, ink in my EF pilot carbon desk pen just FIREHOSES carbon black down onto the paper.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Honeybadgers