Nero (Black) - Stipula Calamo

[visvamitra]

Stipula Pen Company originates from Florentine, Italy and was established in 1973. Stipula is a historic term used by the ancient Romans to indicate faithfulness to an obligation. Stipula’s has accepted the obligation to its customers to produce quality pens utilizing ancient themes, designs, techniques and traditions. It sounds nice but from my limited experience with their pens it seems they doesn't really deliver what they promise.

Happily Stipula pens come with a limited lifetime warranty so the buyers are covered in case the pen fails.

Additionally there are rumors that Stipula has some problems and may cease operations. I'm not sure if it's the case but it seems their products availablility on the market (especially european) is limited and only few retailers carry their pens and inks. If anyone has some news / insights about Stipula situation I would appreciate the insights so that this review provides sound informations.

Stipula offers a line of eight inks sold in nice glass 2.4 oz bottles. Interesting feature of the bottles is the fact they have light polyethylene seal pushed in the neck of the bottle, visible when you unscrew the cap. The seal (is it correcy english term?) is rather hard to remove without splashing some of ink onto desk, wall, closest entourage.

The colors are:

1. Blu della Robbia (Blue)
   
2. Borgogna (Red)
   
3. Nero (Black)
   
4. Rosso Fiorentino (Florentine Red)
   
5. Terra di Siena (Brown)
   
6. Verde Muschiato (Musk Green)
   
7. Violet (Violet)
   
8. Zafferano (Saffron)
   

Nero is Stipula's black ink. Not the blackest black there is, but flows well and makes impression of a decent writing fluid. It doesn't lubricate the nib optimally and doesn't give smooth feel you'll get from using Private Reserve's Velvet Black, Kyonooto's Nurebairo or Rohrer & Klingner Leipziger-Schwarz.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Comparison

Edited August 25, 2016 by visvamitra

[lapis]

Thanks for the nice review. I see it exactly like you do as re feel on writing but the off-blackness is great. A sort of ebony with its touches of brown and purple.

[Sakura FP Gallery]

What is the blackest black among your swatches ?

[Tas]

Thank you visvamitra. I've nearly bought this ink about three times thinking it was a black with a bluey undertone. Thanks for showing it as it really is and for crossing one OFF my list - which is rather unusual for you

[visvamitra]

Texas Black Bat, Hero's Black, Perle Noire are quite black.

[Tas]

Texas Black Bat, Hero's Black, Perle Noire are quite black.

 

I can verify that Texas Black Bat is THE blackest ink I own or have ever used. I only had a sample so can't really comment on long term use but boy was it black.