Quick Review Of Dux 402 Blue Black

[sodul]

This is a quick review of a budget ink I received in the mail today: Dux 402 Blue Black

 

I have found this ink on a famous online retailer. At $3.56 shipped for 50mL this is a very affordable ink at only 7.12 cents/mL.

It arrived after 3 weeks with the cardboard box banged up but no ink leaked.

There are 4 colors available: this 402 Blue Black, 404 Black, 403 Blue and 401 Red.

I was expecting a more saturated blue for a Blue Black and that's a bit disappointing. The saturation, or lack of, is probably dur to the ink being a tad dry but it behaves very well on cheap paper.

Overall an OK budget friendly ink.

 

 

 

 

Google translate says "Produced by Shanghai Heroes Golden Pen Company"

 

Note that box and label are different from the product page but the Chinese text is consistent.

Here is a picture from the listing:

Edited January 14, 2020 by sodul

[silverlifter]

Apparently, it is Hero's school brand.

[sodul]

Apparently, it is Hero's school brand.

 

 

I missed that review when I searched for Dux 402, thank you for the link. I had tried the ink in a WingSung 3008 but the nib get starved after a couple of lines, then is somewhat wet after waiting for a few seconds. It definitely needs lubrication. I'll probably try to add a smudge of dish soap and see if it helps.

 

The glass pen sample surprised me as it got a lot more ink and looked nice, between the Parker and Mont Blanc Blue Blacks. I'm suspecting that with an improved flow this ink might be salvageable.

[rockydoggy]

I got a couple of bottles of Dux black ink while in Beijing quite some time ago and I've been curious about Dux blue-black.

Where were you able to purchase it?

[sodul]

I got a couple of bottles of Dux black ink while in Beijing quite some time ago and I've been curious about Dux blue-black.

Where were you able to purchase it?

 

Not to name them but from teh company with the a->z logo.

 

There is no mention of Dux or Hero on the product page, but the product is sold as "Glass Bottled Smooth Writing Fountain Pen Non-carbon Ink Refill Stationery Gift". They have different vendors at different prices. $3.56 is a bargain.

 

Update on the review. I've filled a 5mL container and added a smudge of dish soap (I dipped a toothpick in the soap then in the ink) and the ink flows much better. My WingSung 3008 Fine does not have flow issues and the Parker Urban Medium is giving a line with a satisfactory saturation. The feathering seems the same but there is just a hint more bleed through on cheap paper. I no longer feel like I have to force the ink to come out of the pen. I'll use it more and give an update.

 

See this scan with the first two lines from yesterday and the third one with the same pen and ink but with the dish soap added:

[sodul]

I've been using the improved ink in my WingSung 3008 Fine and while it was getting ink starved after a few lines before, it is now a wet writer.

 

Here is an updated review, with the dish soap. Just a smudge, the tip of a toothpick for 5mL is enough.

 

 

I do like the color and behavior. The dry times are reasonable and the feathering and bleeding performance are still good. The color is fine now, I like it.

[allpardave]

This is not a comment on this particular ink, but... I had purchased a bottle of Noodler’s (I think aquamarine). I tried the dish soap trick and suddenly it’s gone from “okay but not great” to “wow, this is SMOOTH!”

 

I am very impressed with the trick. Just one drop of dish soap from a toothpick... and it transforms the ink (and the pen). I kinda wish I'd tried that before buying a bottle of the ever-so-pricey (but not attrctively colored) Pelikan Edelstein (Sapphire).

 

Between the fire sale on Knox pens and the better-flowing inks, I am ready to stop my search for the pen shown in my photo.

Edited February 7, 2020 by allpardave

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the review. I presume that as a school ink, it's likely not an iron gall. The color reminds me a bit of my bottle of Noodler' 54th Massachusetts (the sample was much darker).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[truthpil]

Thanks for reviewing one of my favorite inexpensive inks! I wonder if there was a QC issue with your bottle that made it write so dry. I've had 3 bottles of it and it always flowed perfectly. It can have amazing shading and reminds me of a slightly teal version of many vintage blue-black inks. Whenever I want a great vintage look with lots of shading but don't want to use my vintage inks, I always go for this one!