Graphite - Diamine

[visvamitra]

Manufacturers since 1864, Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company has changed hands and are now located close to the world famous Aintree Race Course

http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/images/DimaineFactory.gif

http://www.diaminein...uk/AboutUs.aspx

I'm still looking for perfect grey ink. Caran d'Ache Infinite Grey is close, the hue is stunning but the ink is average in terms of behavior. Diamine Graphite is definitely less expensive and it has this slate hue that I enjoy a lot in grey inks.

 

The behavior is good, the ink flows smoothly and leaves reasonably wet line. In one pen (Pelikan M805) it caused hard start after doing a pause of 30 seconds. In other pens however it writes really well.

 

I think it's undesrvedly underrated Diamine ink. I really enjoy this one although I still believe one of these days I'll discover perfect grey ink

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Color range

Tomoe River - Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Tomoe River, Pelikan M805, fine nib

Leuchtturm 1917 - Kaweco AL Sport, broad nib

Linen paper, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Copy paper, Lamy Al-Star, broad nib

No-name notebook, Lamy Al-Star, medium nib

Edited January 19, 2017 by visvamitra

[namrehsnoom]

Great review, and the ink looks really nice, I like the green undertones. Going on my to-buy list !

[visvamitra]

Yes, the undertones are what gives this ink character

[Davros]

Graphite is one of my favorite inks. Like Diamine Denim, it's just an all-round great ink. Enough water resistance for me for almost everything, and a pleasure to use.

[julia239]

I'm convinced there is no perfect grey. I search and search and search and search...they are never right. Too blue, too green, too dark, too light, etc.

Oh well, nice review as always.

[lapis]

It's not perfect but still up top in my big list of greys. Maybe just because it is a darn good replica of a piece o' plain ol' pencil lead (or, yeah, graphite).... Julia, wait a day or 80 until I get down to my comparison.

 

Mike

[mhm802]

I love graphite and its green undertones, and another favorite is Diamine grey, which I find to be a truer grey with no other color undertones. For me, they each work well in different pens, and for different moods.

[mauckcg]

I have a bottle of this showing up tomorrow. Looks like an interesting ink, enough so i ordered one.

[visvamitra]

@lapis - one day would be better than 80

[jmccarty3]

This is one of the more interesting grey inks I've seen. It would be interesting to compare it to the Robert Oster Graphite.

[Highbinder]

One of my favourites. Much like others have said, the green undertones really make it. I think it pairs wonderfully with Diamine Salamander, one of my other favourite inks.

[Aquaria]

I used this ink once on a pre-calculus assignment, for the lulz. I even did some fake-out pencil lines that I erased to make it look more authentic.

 

My professor could not tell that it wasn't a pencil, and didn't believe me when I confessed my crime after getting the assignment returned. Until I handed him my Sakura wipe-out-everything-pencil eraser and told him to have at it.

 

Fortunately, he had a sense of humor, and had me order him a bottle to use as a practical joke against the other math professors in his department.

 

I created a monster.

[alexander_k]

I'm convinced there is no perfect grey. I search and search and search and search...they are never right. Too blue, too green, too dark, too light, etc.

Oh well, nice review as always.

 

No perfect grey? I'd argue that Diamine Silver Fox and Lamy Agate are strong candidates, with Diamine Grey following at a close distance. As for Graphite, it's a great ink, only rather dark for my taste. Diluting it with some water works quite well, btw. The same applies to Earl Grey - another Diamine ink. I guess that company is doing well in terms of supplying us with good ink.

[phm14]

Excellent review-very thorough. Now I want to add a grey to the palette...

[senzen]

Great review, this is another one of this inks which I like the more I see, in spite of already enjoying R&K Verdigris, Hisoku, Aonibi and Vert Empire.

[1nkulus]

Excellent. I am all for expanding the grey family.

[silverlifter]

A shade or two darker and it would be perfect for me. I have given up on finding a grey ink that looks like a 4B pencil.

 

Great review, thank you!

[Tom Kellie]

~ What a great review!

Diamine Graphite has become a staple of my writing desk.

The look is ideal for my needs.

Another bottle needs to be ordered!

Tom K.

[sightsome]

Lovely

[Detman101]

Beautiful. Ordering a sample tonight.
I already have "J.Herbin - Vert Atlantide", but it isn't dark enough...thereby, it sits unused.

I feel like this "Graphite" is more where I wanted to start...dark, with a little green on special moments.

At this phase in my journey, I don't want "Bright" colors...but I also don't want pure black.

Dark Grey with undertones are what I'm feeling.

 

"J.Herbin - Cacao Du Bresil"
"R&K - Sepia"

and soon...
"Diamine - Graphite"

🤠👍