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Like Diamine Syrah, But...


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In the few short months I've been involved with fountain pens I've bought and used around a half dozen ink samples. My favorite so far is Diamine Syrah. (Most of the images online show too red [or my sample isn't red enough!], but this FPN review is what I see on Rhodia paper.) Although in gel pens I tend toward dark colors (black, green-black, brown-black), so far I've found I like medium tones like this particular brown with a hint of red. I like it more than the cartridges I have in the darker Diamine Chocolate Brown.

 

But...

  • I'm a lefty and this ink's long dry times are getting me down.
  • And the ink feathers on cheap paper I sometimes need to use (at least with a M nib)

What are some alternative mid-brown inks that similarly have a hint of red in them that I might want to consider trying that dry faster, perhaps while also being more paper-agnostic? (Not too red though - for example I like Diamine Oxblood but not pages of it.)

Edited by tvradio

“We could be heroes/Just for one day” ― David Bowie

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As a fellow lefty I find blotting paper underneath my left hand to be essential when using wet inks, it reduces smudging significantly! As for lower quality paper, I guess it depends on the type, as there are both affordable copy and looseleaf/notebook papers that are very fountain pen friendly if you are able to have a choice in what can be used.

FP Ink Orphanage-Is an ink not working with your pens, not the color you're looking for, is never to see the light of day again?!! If this is you, and the ink is in fine condition otherwise, don't dump it down the sink, or throw it into the trash, send it to me (payment can be negotiated), and I will provide it a nice safe home with love, and a decent meal of paper! Please PM me!<span style='color: #000080'>For Sale:</span> TBA

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In the few short months I've been involved with fountain pens I've bought and used around a half dozen ink samples. My favorite so far is Diamine Syrah.

But...

  • I'm a lefty and this ink's long dry times are getting me down.
  • And the ink feathers on cheap paper I sometimes need to use (at least with a M nib)

Try diluting the ink with Distilled water, it should help both drying time and feathering.

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I’m assuming this is a sample? Because it looks like you really don’t have Syrah. The actual ink is much redder and Syrah is notable for having really good dry time. (And my sample fits that)

 

It looks like you’ve got different ink, maybe Oxblood? But Diamine has so many inks it’s tough to say for sure.

 

Anyway, I’d look at Terracotta, Burnt Sienna, Ochre, Sepia and Sienna as a start for ink in a similar vein. Terracotta is too light to match for sure, but it’s nifty anyway. I haven’t tried the others yet, and they’re mostly not the most popular browns but they’re all in the vein of interesting brown. And they mostly have good dry time in reviews.

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I’m assuming this is a sample? Because it looks like you really don’t have Syrah. The actual ink is much redder and Syrah is notable for having really good dry time. (And my sample fits that)

Yes I have a sample, but no, from what I've seen it does not have a fast dry time. Check out this video, which lists dry times in a Hero 616 on Clairefontaine (15 seconds), Rhodia (16 secs), 20-lb Copier Paper (20 secs), Mead Notebook Paper (8 secs) and Tomoe River (20 secs) papers - which is in line with my experience (with Rhodia and Mead):

 

 

And in this Goulet Pens ink intro from 2010 he says dry time was 'just a tad on the long side, no surprise'

 

 

Thanks for the other ink recommendations, I'll look into them.

Edited by tvradio

“We could be heroes/Just for one day” ― David Bowie

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Hi tvradio

 

This review by Sandy1 is absolutely the best on Syrah, including thread with comments from other users

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/248526-diamine-syrah/?do=findComment&comment=2715662

 

I like Syrah a lot, but all my pen/paper combo always display burgundy colour, and dry time between 10 to 15 sec.

If looked under LED light, it may look more burgundy brown.

 

For a rich red brown I use Cult Pens Deep Dark Red, also produced by Diamine.

On a more dark burgundy side is Diamine Burgundy Royale.

Both with dry time between 10 to 15 sec.

LETTER EXCHANGE PARTICIPANT

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Hi tvradio

 

This review by Sandy1 is absolutely the best on Syrah, including thread with comments from other users

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/248526-diamine-syrah/?do=findComment&comment=2715662

 

I like Syrah a lot, but all my pen/paper combo always display burgundy colour, and dry time between 10 to 15 sec.

If looked under LED light, it may look more burgundy brown.

 

For a rich red brown I use Cult Pens Deep Dark Red, also produced by Diamine.

On a more dark burgundy side is Diamine Burgundy Royale.

Both with dry time between 10 to 15 sec.

Sandy1 always gives the best reviews. They are practical, using real-life pens and papers and shows me inks in REAL use, not some super wet flex pens or brainless artistic ink splashes, those are fine if I buy inks to play with. But whenever it comes to real writing with real pens, I read Sandy1 reviews.

 

I used to be 'tricked' into buying certain inks after seeing the results from dip pens and super wet flex pens, or broad pens, only to realise the look I saw was not - and still not - viable with 'normal' pens with dry or mid flow. Examples include: Autumn Oak, Diamine Sepia, Alt Goldgrun, Iroshizuku Chiku Rin, Fuyu Syogun among many others.

 

I bought many inks (and some pens) after reading her reviews.

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Another ink that may work for you from the color standpoint is Papier Plume’s Red Beans and Rice, from their New Orleans collection. It’s a red brown, fairly saturated, and feathering minimally on inexpensive papers. It may still present dry time issues for you, though, which may be remedied with dilution as suggested by frankb3 in the earlier post. It’s available directly from their shop for $8.00/bottle.

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Red Beans and Rice is indeed a nice color, but the dry times are unfortunately at least as long as the Diamine, according to this review. I'm looking for an ink with similar color with faster dry times, and I'd be willing to trade off some sheen/shading for it.

 

While checking out the ink online I discovered this review which compared it to some similar inks I'm going to investigate when I have time, like Franklin-Christof Sweet Maroon and Monteverde Canyon Rust.

“We could be heroes/Just for one day” ― David Bowie

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What about the "Binder Burgundy" mix that Syrah is modeled after?

“I admit it, I'm surprised that fountain pens are a hobby. ... it's a bit like stumbling into a fork convention - when you've used a fork all your life.” 

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