Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Today I'm reviewing Diamine Prussian Blue

A blue-grey or blue-black ink from the standard range, Diamine Prussian Blue is a nicely saturated colour with a vintage look to it. It’s darker, less green leaning and more saturated than Indigo, and it flows better and feels more lubricated when writing across the page.

Prussian Blue was the first modern synthetic pigment. It’s a dark blue pigment also known as Berlin Blue or, in painting, Parisian or Paris Blue. It’s prepared as a very fine colloidal dispersion because the compound is not soluble in water. Prussian Blue is also the traditional “blue” in “blueprints” and as the basis for “laundry blueing.” (Source - Wikipedia)

I filled my Lamy Safari and my Lamy NexxM converters with it. Then left them on my table for a few days. When I went back to the pens, they both started writing straight away. No hard starts. They didn't skip once.

It exhibited excellent shading and it didn’t feather or spread on any of the papers I used it with. It didn’t show through on the HP paper either. Although it showed through slightly on some the papers listed, it didn’t show through as much as the scans suggest, and you can easily write on the reverse of all of the papers I used it with.

It's not sold as a waterproof ink but showed some water resistance.

  • Flow Rate: Good - neither particularly wet nor dry
  • Lubrication: Good - felt smooth across the page
  • Nib Dry-out: Not noticed.
  • Start-up: Immediate.
  • Saturation: Saturated
  • Shading Potential: Shading seen especially with F nib.
  • Sheen: None noticed, though I’ve seen sheen in some pictures.
  • Show-Through:
    • Clairefontaine Crokbook
    • Field Notes
    • Hobonichi Techo paper.
    • Tomoe River 52gsm paper (not very much)
  • Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not seen on any paper even Field Notes
  • Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not seen, even after over 1 week in the pen
  • Staining (pen): Not seen after several days - very easy clean-up
  • Staining (hands): Very easy clean-up off of skin.
  • Clogging: Not seen.
  • Water resistance: Not sold as waterproof, but shows good water resistance.
  • Availability: Available in 80ml and 30ml bottles plus cartridges from Diamine Inks web-site and many other outlets.

 

fpn_1518449504__diamine_prussian_blue.jp

fpn_1518449547__diamine_prussian_blue_1a

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 29
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Chrissy

    8

  • Tas

    2

  • A Smug Dill

    2

  • LizEF

    2

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

What a comprehensive review, thank you. This is one of my favourite inks.

"Life would split asunder without letters." Virginia Woolf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stunning how similar it is to Indigo. I still don't know which one I like better. Both are for my taste too chalky....

Life is too short to drink bad wine (Goethe)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stunning how similar it is to Indigo. I still don't know which one I like better. Both are for my taste too chalky....

IMHO Prussian Blue is better. Indigo is not quite saturated enough for me, and leans more green.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent review. Interesting colour, serious yet not boring.

Seeking a Parker Duofold Centennial cap top medallion/cover/decal.
My Mosaic Black Centennial MK2 lost it (used to have silver color decal).

Preferably MK2. MK3 or MK1 is also OK as long as it fits.  
Preferably EU.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Chrissy for your excellent review, as always :) I am a big fan of Diamine Indigo and have been considering Prussian Blue. Your review has certainly steered me in the right direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my favourite blues and Diamine inks. Friendly on the eye and instantly vintage looking.

 

Thanks for giving it some exposure showing it to others :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Chrissy for your excellent review, as always :) I am a big fan of Diamine Indigo and have been considering Prussian Blue. Your review has certainly steered me in the right direction.

You're welcome. :) If you decide to try it, I hope you like it. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my favourite blues and Diamine inks. Friendly on the eye and instantly vintage looking.

 

Thanks for giving it some exposure showing it to others :)

 

 

You're welcome. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love this ink, dries to a really pleasing blue.

 

thanks for the review

"One Ink-drop on a solitary thought hath moved the minds of millions" - P R Spencer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love this ink, dries to a really pleasing blue.

 

thanks for the review

 

You're right, yes it does. :) Not nearly as green as I first thought it might be.

You're welcome. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I have one bottle that I have received from a friend 6 years ago, used it a lot with a PFMII with a medium nib, it was a delight to use it with this ink. Now I use it in a Stipula Etruria with a B nib and it works outstandingly well.

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

For the #50shadesofbluechallenge (link to the hashtag on Instagram), a challenge over at the German PenExchange forum for July & August 2020, I inked up all my pens with all the 50+ blue inks I have. The snapshots might also be of interest to some here.

fpn_1598775814__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

Diamine Prussian Blue reminds me of a paled-out iron gall ink, just like Diamine Indigo does. Prussian Blue is even less saturated and more greyish, but, as you can see in the close-ups, it can be quite appealing in all its weirdness, especially when it develops the pronounced rim/darker edge of lines.

fpn_1598775947__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

I had it in a Pilot Décimo with a flattened (stubbed) medium nib.

fpn_1598775977__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the #50shadesofbluechallenge (link to the hashtag on Instagram), a challenge over at the German PenExchange forum for July & August 2020, I inked up all my pens with all the 50+ blue inks I have. The snapshots might also be of interest to some here.

fpn_1598775814__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

Diamine Prussian Blue reminds me of a paled-out iron gall ink, just like Diamine Indigo does. Prussian Blue is even less saturated and more greyish, but, as you can see in the close-ups, it can be quite appealing in all its weirdness, especially when it develops the pronounced rim/darker edge of lines.

fpn_1598775947__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

I had it in a Pilot Décimo with a flattened (stubbed) medium nib.

fpn_1598775977__2020_07_26_50sob_diamine

:wub:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love this ink...very friendly and calm. Thanks Chrissy - excellent review. And thanks to Julie too...your pics are outstanding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, lovely! Between the total lack of feathering, solid water resistance, and somewhat subdued color, this looks like a great ink for a work/pocket carry pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now







×
×
  • Create New...