Recommendations for Blue-Black Ink?

[NeoTiger]

Hi, I'm looking for a nice blue-black ink, so wondering if you have any good suggestions.

 

I want a nice dark blue-black colour, but don't want it to be too dark that it looks more like black than blue. Also don't want a pale grey blue either. So somewhere in between.

 

I've tried Diamine Prussian Blue, and that is way too pale grey for me.

 

I was having a look around the colour samples available on The Writing Desk and The Inked Nib... perhaps R&K Verdigris would be a good colour for me?

[NeoTiger]

Actually, the colour shown in the sample for Noodler's Polar Blue at The Writing Desk looks perfect, but I'm guessing it won't actually look like that on paper.

 

http://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/ink_cat/nood_polbl.jpg

[Ged]

Will you be writing with a wettish pen? If so Parker Quink Blue-Black is quite a bluish blue-black. It's quite blue with grey undertones, much like the Polar Blue except less intense.

 

I used to hate it, but something happened last week and I did a 180 flip and have now been using it almost exclusively...

 

Just did a smear test and yes, it dries quite blusih with greyish black undertones. Should be able to find it at Officeworks.

[QM2]

 

Noodler's Polar Blue is a bit chalky for me.

How about Sailor Blue-Black

or Mont Blanc Blue-Black?

 

QM2

[meanwhile]

Noodler's Polar Blue is a bit chalky for me.

 

It's said to have bleeding problems.

 

How about Sailor Blue-Black

 

Just be careful mixing this one with anything - it's an alkaline ink and if you put in a dash of an acid one (possibly more usual) than you'll get precipitation. I think this ink has some waterproof properties?

 

or Mont Blanc Blue-Black?

 

QM2

 

The MB is an iron gall ink: when someone contacted MB over its use they recommended riinsing out any pen it was in every two weeks. Iron galls are the biggest pain-in-the-ass ink known to man.

 

 

[sleek_lover]

Hi Nikko...

For a long LONG time, my standard blue/black was Sheaf Skrip...until I met PR Midnight Blues. There is something about the balance of the tones...it is almost a feeling. If Rick in Casablanca used blue-black, he would use PR Midnight Blues.

 

Now for a little inside information...Two reasons I was so excited to get the Level 5...I have a similar Level but with the steel nib...and I wanted one with the gold nib. The second...I can fill the bottle with PR Midnight Blues...

 

Give it a try...don't think you will be unhappy...

 

Bill

[BillTheEditor]

I use PR Midnight Blues and Noodler's Legal Lapis. Each has attractive qualities.

 

Polar Blue is much brighter, a true blue, not a blue-black. There are some scans here on FPN that are very close to what it really looks like. The ones from the ink vendors never look right to me.

[BobR]

R&K Verdigris is a wonderful, dark color, but I'm hard pressed to see blue in it. It's there, and may be more visible when used with certain pens, but generally not. Noodler's Midnight Blue (not the PR, which is "Blues") is the same way, but I've succeeded in finding a couple of pens in my accumulation that bring out the dark blue.

[HesNot]

Based on what you've stated - PR Midnight Blues is a deep, true dark blue (no green or grey) to my eye. A very nice color.

[demeter]

Maybe try De Atramentis Atlantic Blue, or Steel Blue. I got mine from Laywine's in Toronto.

 

Andrew

[Buster]

Put me in the camp that recommends PR Midnight Blues. I settled on this when I was looking for a deep, rich, dark blue. A lot may depend on your pen. In my Bexley FPN LE w/ fine steel nib (which writes more like a medium to me), it's just about perfect. In my Dani Tac II w/ medium nib, which writes an even wetter, wider line, it almost looks black.

 

My second choice would be Namiki Blue/Black. I use this in a Pilot Knight medium. It does lighten when it dries, w/ a bit of grey, but not too pale for me.

 

Rick

[chemgeek]

PR Midnight Blues is very nice. If you are not going to mix inks, this is among the closest to a pure blue-black. Magic Midnight Mix (1:1 Midnight Blues and Black Magic Blue) is a very pure blue-black, almost cobalt blue. I use Magic Midnight Mix for my everyday ink. I buy one bottle of each, pour together in a beaker, mix and then put them back in the two bottles (sans labels). One goes to work and one stays at home. Simple!

 

Cheers.

 

[wvbeetlebug]

Another vote for PR Midnight Blues.

[hardyb]

I concur. PRMidnight Blues

Edited June 14, 2007 by hardyb

[NeoTiger]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

Sounds like PR Midnight Blues is the way to go.

 

And yeah, I realise that Polar Blue isn't the ink I want, I was just showing an example of what sort of colour I want in that colour sample.

[mikey]

sailor blue black is too dark.

 

i would recommend namiki blue black but they are only available in cartridges in the US. is it available in bottles under the pilot brand name down under.

 

i also like noodler's legal lapis but would not recommend it to you based on the info in your initial post.

 

caran d'ache blue night is a nice color (that comes in a cool little inkwell bottle) but is not waterproof like the sailor, namiki and noodlers.

 

finally, my all-time favorite blue-black ink is diamine's registrars ink however it is an iron gall ink that always has everyone up in arms that it will eat your pen from the inside out.

 

hope this helps.

 

thanks,

mike

 

 

 

 

 

Noodler's Polar Blue is a bit chalky for me.

How about Sailor Blue-Black

or Mont Blanc Blue-Black?

 

QM2

 

[Viseguy]

My favorite B-B is Noodler's Manhattan Blue, sold by Art Brown. It's a bit more traditional-looking than PR Midnight Blues (because it has a somewhat more pronounced green component).

Edited June 15, 2007 by Viseguy

[mikey]

this is the same reason why i like noodlers legal lapis. the slight green tint gives it a vintage look.

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite B-B is Noodler's Manhattan Blue, sold by Art Brown. It's a bit more traditional-looking than PR Midnight Blues (because it has a somewhat more pronounced green component).

 

[NeoTiger]

Yeah I was interested in trying Legal Lapis before as well, but it's an exclusive ink that's not easily available in Australia. Is Noodler's Aircorp any good?

 

I've also been interested in trying the Namiki and Sailor inks for a while now, but haven't had a chance yet.

[mikey]

i haven't tried air corps blue-black as everyone says that it has such a pronounced green component that it should be called a green-black ink. i have a sample of noodler's blue-black in transit and will let you know what it is like once i try it out.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah I was interested in trying Legal Lapis before as well, but it's an exclusive ink that's not easily available in Australia. Is Noodler's Aircorp any good?

 

I've also been interested in trying the Namiki and Sailor inks for a while now, but haven't had a chance yet.