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Inky T O D - If You Had To Rebuild Your Ink Collection From Scratch, What Would Be Your Initial Selections?


amberleadavis

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This topic was suggested by two members in the show us your ink swatch thread. VivaTerlingua and pgcauk thought this would be a terrific discussion and they ask that you place your suggestions in order of priority.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'd use it as an opportunity to simplify (further), and just focus on the inks that I use regularly. In order, they would be:

 

  • KWZ IG Blue #3
  • Aurora Black
  • Waterman Serenity Blue
  • Iroshizuku Asa-Gao
  • Sailor Jentle Do-you

There would be a couple of others that I could add, but essentially I would be happy using those five in perpetuity.

Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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I think the largest component of my ink collection consists of Sailor store-exclusive inks, the vast majority of which are not available online any longer. So they couldn't be replaced.

 

I'd probably just get

 

Noodler's (FPH) Subway Sepia

Noodler's (FPH) Henry Hudson Blue

Aurora Black

Monteverde Horizon Blue

Sailor Rikyu-cha

 

And I'd probably call it quits after that. I'd still have enough ink to last the rest of my life.

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Montblanc blue black

Sheaffer blue black

Montblanc red

Pelikan 4001 red

Pelikan violet

Montblanc royal blue

Lamy green

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I'm finally happy with my inks, the complication was finding the right pens to make them look as I thought they could. The order now, which reflects which ones I like more would start with:

 

Tsuyu Kusa, Verdigris, Hisoku, whichever ink comes close to Équinoxe 6 + Skrip Blue, Asa Gao, Kon Peki, Yama Guri, Inti, Bleu Austral; of course some of these didn't exist until recently. The following pic shows them all but not in that order.

 

http://i68.tinypic.com/s10m5u.jpg

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

 

B. Russell

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I'd start with my most used:

 

Waterman Serenity Blue

Parker Quink Blue Black

Noodler Heart of Darkness

Sheaffer Skrip Red

Pilot Kon Peki

Sailor Do-you (if I could find and afford it)

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If, as white_lotus says, we're limited to what is currently available, I'd probably start with:

 

> Stipula Dark Blue

> Stipula Musk Green

> Kobe L'amant

> Iro Take-sumi

> Iro Yama-guri

 

Then push out from there with:

 

> Stipula Light Blue

> GvFC Deep Sea Green

> Kobe #51 Kana-cho

> Cross Violet

> Sailor Pink

It's hard work to tell which is Old Harry when everybody's got boots on.

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Firstly, essential 'business' blue, blue-black and black inks:

  • Sailor souboku pigment ink
  • Sailor seiboku pigment ink
  • Platinum Carbon Black ink

Next, inks that (I like and) I can trust to contain the line width of wayward nibs:

  • Platinum Classic Ink Khaki Black iron-gall ink (standing in as an essential brown ink)
  • Platinum Classic Ink Lavender Black iron-gall ink
  • Sailor kiwaguro pigment ink (to also take the place of an essential black ink on papers that don't deal well with Platinum Carbon Black)

Then, darker colours of green and red:

  • Sailor Shikiori tokiwamatsu
  • Sailor Shikiori okuyama

Lastly (in the context of the first ten), a grey and a purple:

  • Sailor Shikiori chushu
  • one of Rohrer & Klingner 2018 LE Aubergine (which may be tricky to reacquire now), Sailor Kujukuri Coast katagaishikai (difficult to get in/to Australia), or Pilot Iroshizuku shikibu-murasaki.
Edited by A Smug Dill

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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Sailor Kobe #9 Suma Purple (brownish purple, autumn ink)

Kyo-Iro Soft Snow of Ohara (grayish purple, winter ink)

Waterman Purple (bright purple, spring ink)

Montblanc Lavender Purple (reddish purple, summer ink)

Pine soot ink stick (calligraphy)

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I think the only change I would do is get Montblanc inks back when they cost $19.50. That is the cheapest price I remember. I only got one at that price point. Oh and get Iroshizuku Kosu Mosu in the smaller bottle.

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Thanks for making the topic, amberleadavis.

 

First off, I think I would buy my absolute favorites, and then fill in with 2 of my preferred inks from most color groups. I think that would give me more than enough variety for the rest of my life.

 

Day 1 purchases (seems I love browns a lot more than I thought):

KWZI Honey

KWZI Brown #4

Nagasawa Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia

Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun

Sailor Rikyu-cha

Sailor Souboku

 

 

Then to make sure I had something from each color - second priority tier:

Akkerman van Vermeer Steenrood

Colorverse String

J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune

KWZI IG Turquoise

KWZI Monarch

Sailor Sei-boku

 

 

Getting that 2nd shade of each color that I really enjoy (no 2nd black or orange needed) - third priority tier:

Diamine Grey

Colorverse Supernova

Colorverse Monsoon Storm

Kyo-no-oto Yamabuki-iro

Nagasawa Kobe #51 Kano-cho Midnight

Sailor Tokiwa-matsu

Taccia Aka

Taccia Ebi

 

 

The safe-for-vintage collection. The only pens I buy anymore are the occasional vintage (Parker Vacumatic or Eversharp Skyline), so 3 inks that play well with these pens.

Callifolio Gris de Payne
Waterman Serenity Blue
J. Herbin Perle Noire (just for completion sake... I still haven't found a black ink that I have even remotely enjoyed)

 

 

And finally, since my favorite ink color is green, one more - fifth priority tier:

Nagasawa Kobe #19 Minatogawa Lime

 

24 inks is a lot, but for someone who is infinitely more interested in the ink portion of the hobby, I think this is the best I can do. It was hard enough only choosing 3 greens! :)

Edited by VivaTerlingua
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I've been wrestling with UNbuilding my ink accumulation for a few years now. I'm down to under 30 from... I don't know how many, cos I didn't count inks.

 

First, I pared down my black inks after realizing I was using - and would always use - Noodler's Black.

 

So, in order of most prized or used, I want to keep: Noodler's Black, Pilot Blue, Faber-Castell Stone Grey, KWZ Flame Red (this last not even in use for a month).

 

I'll also keep (in no particular order) Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo, Noodler's Lexington Gray, KWZ Azure #2, Kaweco Summer Purple... and a coupla others about which I have mixed feelings (such as Sailor Rikyu-cha and Platinum Carbon Black).

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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First of all the three nano Sailors, business colours and they write anywhere:

 

-Kiwaguro

-Seiboku

-Souboku

 

then two coloured, but still dark inks:

 

-Okuyama

-Miruai

 

Last but not least my fav dark blue of all:

 

-Yonaga

 

As you noticed, the're all from Sailor.

 

If I need some int. standard cartridges, the choices will be J.Herbin Bleu des profondeurs, J. Herbin Perle noire and Visconti Blue.

 

A mention to Sailor jentle blue, wonderful and very easy ink.

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Like white_lotus, a lot of my favourites are Sailor exclusives so they would be hard to replace. Amongst what is currently more available, I would get:

 

- Sailor Four Seasons (Souten, Doyou, Yama-dori, Oku-yama, Tokiwa-matsu, Shigure, Irori, Rikyu-cha, Chu-shu, Kin-mokusei, Yodaki, Yonaga),

- All the KWZIs I have,

- Iroshizuku Tsutsuji, Yama-budo,

- All R&Ks (okay except perhaps Smaragdgrün),

- Visconti Blue.

Edited by Lgsoltek
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I am really satisfied with my inks, I don't feel like I have many, no more than 2-3 if that, that weren't really what I expected. All the inks I have, are still being sold except for the vintage Sheaffer Skrip Permanent Blue-Black #22 bottles, but they can be found easily enough. I would reacquire most of my 65+ inks. But to begin, probably something like this:

 

Green: Diamine Umber

Grass Green: Abraxas Grass Green, or Diamine Apple Glory, Or Diamine Wagner

Murky Green: KWZ IG Green Gold, or Diamine Safari

Red: Diamine Wild Strawberry

Blood Red: Diamine Monaco Red

Orange: Diamine Orange

Purple-Pink: Diamine Tyrian Purple, or KWZ Brown-Pink

Murky Purple: J Herbin Poussiere de Lune, or R&K Scabiosa

Pink: KWZ Raspberry

Brown: Diamine Macassar

Golden Brown: KWZ Honey, or KWZ Aztec Gold, or Diamine Ochre

Dark Blue: KWZ Baltic Memories

Medium Blue: Diamine Oxford Blue

Light Blue/Turquoise: KWZ IG Turquoise, or PR Naples Blue(though smudging is heavy on most paper!)

Blue/Black: Sheaffer Skrip Permanent Blue-Black (vintage RC-35 version)

GreyBlue: Diamine Chopin

Grey: Diamine Grey

Black: I dunno, maybe i won't get a black, I haven't used one since 2008-2009 I think, but if I have to.....maybe something with a little shade thrown into it....Waterman Black perhaps? doesn't really need to be anything special, just needs to flow well....

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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Probably start with simplicity -- the "Classic" 6-pack from Levenger... Basic black, red, green, blue, purple (amethyst), brown

 

Unfortunately they no longer list a 6-pack for the "Perennial" colors, nor do they have Always Greener (grass), Claret, Shiraz, and Pinkly.

 

Bottles are reasonable size, yet the Erlenmeyer flask shape make them stable, have neck inserts to make filling easier.

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In a lot of ways, this would be a relief! I would start with a few basics, add some fun inks, and be done. I do want my "rainbow" however!

 

Black: Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black or else Lamy Black

Green: Sailor Jentle Epinard

Purple: Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Rose

Dusky Purple: Noodler's Mata Hari's Cordial

Blue-Black: Parker Quink Blue-Black (or else Pilot, I like both)

Yellow: Rohrer and Klingner Helianthus

Orange: Callifolio Aurora?

Blue: no real love; maybe Lamy Turquoise?

Burgundy: Rohrer and Klingner Alt-bordeaux (Montegrappa Bordeaux belongs here, but it's discontinued)

Red: Noodler's Black Swan in English Rose

Brown: Not much of a brown user

 

So tell me why I have all the other bottles?

Proud resident of the least visited state in the nation!

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In a lot of ways, this would be a relief! I would start with a few basics, add some fun inks, and be done. I do want my "rainbow" however!

 

Black: Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black or else Lamy Black

Green: Sailor Jentle Epinard

Purple: Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Rose

Dusky Purple: Noodler's Mata Hari's Cordial

Blue-Black: Parker Quink Blue-Black (or else Pilot, I like both)

Yellow: Rohrer and Klingner Helianthus

Orange: Callifolio Aurora?

Blue: no real love; maybe Lamy Turquoise?

Burgundy: Rohrer and Klingner Alt-bordeaux (Montegrappa Bordeaux belongs here, but it's discontinued)

Red: Noodler's Black Swan in English Rose

Brown: Not much of a brown user

 

So tell me why I have all the other bottles?

 

So you could find out which ones best work for you? That's the way it's working for me.

Go through 30+ bottles to find my palette of 9/10 colours.

Buy samples, try them. Oohh - yes please!! Only to find a few months later that maybe not.

 

Maybe in the Fall I'll go to a show and leave the 90% full orphan bottles on a table. :)

 

KWZ Walk Over Vistula

RO Blue Sea

Jalur Gemilang

Diamine Ancient Copper

Athena Renga

Kyoto Moonlight of Higashiyama

Stipula Zifranno

Herbin Ambre

Kobe Taisanji

KWZ Honey

Edited by Karmachanic

Add lightness and simplicate.

 

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Monteverde Horizon Blue

J. Herbin Perle Noire

Pilot Blue-Black

Diamine Blue-Black

Monteverde Copper Noir

Monteverde California Teal

Diamine Red Dragon

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