Kyo No Oto No. 1 Nurebairo

[jandrese]

Let's cut to the chase. This ink is so beautiful and interesting I want badly to love it and use it all the time. A rich deep black with amazing purple/metallic/bronze sheen. It's not black, it's dark blue, which is all the more beguiling. It helps my adoration. that my wife has asian hair that is exactly like this color, raven black.

 

Problem is that this ink is a problem child. It dries in the nib faster than lightening and on some paper never dries. I'm left handed too making drying issue worse. When it dries it says put, which is great for a super saturated ink that sheens like this one, but dang. It works more or less in a wet writing pen like my Pilot 823 Amber with broad nib. The ability to seal the pen up also helps.

 

I tried diluting the ink but as you can see below at 50% or 1:1 the magic is gone. Currently, I'm trying 10% or 9:1 with a tiny drop of glycerin. Jury is still out but even the dilution being 90% ink it seems the magic is mostly gone albeit it seems to behave in the pen, and on the paper, better.

 

I wan to conquer this ink. Oh, nurebairo, why won't you love me as much as I love you?

 

 

 

Paper chromatography. Yeah, not waterproof at all. And not black.

 

Maybe it isn't all blue... There seems to be a little tan or yellow fringe.

 

 

[Tas]

Whaaa?

 

Im so sorry for you. Mine has been an angel.

Pens Ive used it in, Edison Hudson Ef, Namiki Falcon SF. Pilot 912 PO. All dreamlike.

 

I hope you conquer it, I can see how much you like it. : )

[visvamitra]

Excellent review.

[crahptacular]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties! Nurebairo hasn't had any issues like what you're describing for me. The only time it's dried on a nib has been in a Jinhao with a not-so-tight slip cap (everything dried in that pen because it didn't seal, and I threw it away eventually). Everything else has been fine. Off the top of my head, I can remember it going into a Namisu Nova (M), FC-02 (MCI), Nemosine Singularity (, Pilot Elite (F), Pilot Falcon (SF), Pilot Parallel (the orange one... 2.4mm?), FC-31 (, and FC-27 (Needlepoint).

 

This ink is one of my favorite "black" inks (as you say, it's not truly black). The written line is intensely dark, the sheen is beautiful, and the hidden blue makes it even cooler for me. Really hope you find a good pen to pair with it so you can enjoy it fully!

[jandrese]

Whaaa?

 

Im so sorry for you. Mine has been an angel.

Pens Ive used it in, Edison Hudson Ef, Namiki Falcon SF. Pilot 912 PO. All dreamlike.

 

I hope you conquer it, I can see how much you like it. : )

That's good to hear. I did buy two more bottles so maybe I'll try those. Perhaps there are batch differences. There is a blogger with the same experience as me though so who knows.

[jandrese]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties! Nurebairo hasn't had any issues like what you're describing for me. The only time it's dried on a nib has been in a Jinhao with a not-so-tight slip cap (everything dried in that pen because it didn't seal, and I threw it away eventually). Everything else has been fine. Off the top of my head, I can remember it going into a Namisu Nova (M), FC-02 (MCI), Nemosine Singularity ( , Pilot Elite (F), Pilot Falcon (SF), Pilot Parallel (the orange one... 2.4mm?), FC-31 ( , and FC-27 (Needlepoint).

 

This ink is one of my favorite "black" inks (as you say, it's not truly black). The written line is intensely dark, the sheen is beautiful, and the hidden blue makes it even cooler for me. Really hope you find a good pen to pair with it so you can enjoy it fully!

Ok, that makes two folks with opposite experience. I need to investigate further. I have tried three or four pens, but I've 150 more I can try.

[inkstainedruth]

Yikes! I thought the vintage Skrip V-Black I have dried slowly on the page....

Thanks for the review. And the heads up. If I try this one I will *definitely* see about getting a sample first.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[bobje]

Agreed with you on this ink -- it's intriguing. Haven't had these drying issues. Mostly use it on sugar cane paper.

[VivaTerlingua]

I, too, have had problems with this ink drying in the pen over the course of even a couple hours while capped. The ink is very interesting while wet, but I think I'll have to find a different nuanced "black" ink to use for work.

[amberleadavis]

Thanks for the review.

[lapis]

Looks like tough beans fer me. An "almost black" but with a good hint or two of purple and/or other goodies makes an ink a fave of mine... but if it dries out in the nib before it reaches the paper... then all I can say is "Game ball!".

[dvalliere]

I use it in an FPR Himalaya with a stub nib that just pours ink...a very wet writer. I love it in that pen. I tried it in a fine nib, drier pen and hated it...pale and not smooth writing.

Edited October 5, 2018 by dvalliere

[jandrese]

I seems that I've domesticated Nurebairo. I've gotten very good results with 2% v/v Kodak Photo-Flo 200. No more drying in the nib super fast or stingy ink flow. Performance on paper is also better i.e. it dries faster and provides more lux experience. The only downside is a diminished amount of sheen, but it's still present and correct. Crossing fingers it works in all pens.

[amberleadavis]

I do like that it is a really black black.

[jandrese]

Update: I can use this king of black inks full strength in my Delta Maasai LE with broad nib. No drying out and luscious ink flow. It's dreamy.

[Tas]

Update: I can use this king of black inks full strength in my Delta Maasai LE with broad nib. No drying out and luscious ink flow. It's dreamy.