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New Black Ink: Which?


Sailor Kenshin

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Black ink. Sigh.

 

It's time for me to get a new bottle of black ink. I've narrowed it down to these four:

 

Skrip Black

Monteverde Midnight

Diamine Onyx

Namiki Pilot

 

Which of the above is blackest, laying down a smooth dense line that doesn't feather AND which plays well with many different pens?

 

(Unless there's a MV ink I haven't thought of). Already owned:

JH Perle Noire

Pelikan

Quink

Levenger Raven (horribly feathery, apropos I guess)

Waterman

MV Black Ash

Vintage MB that I hesitate to use too often

 

Thanks for your help!

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I rarely use black ink, but when i do i go to the old trusty Aurora Black.

I haven't used any you have on your lousy. I've used Aurora black and Noodlers HOD. Both very black.

 

Good luck!

Peace and Understanding

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I haven't used any you have on your lousy. I've used Aurora black and Noodlers HOD. Both very black.

 

Good luck!

Thanks!

 

I know everyone loves Aurora Black, but I've used it and didn't quite get along with it.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I was going to say Aurora Black until the last post. Maybe Kyo No Oto Nureba Iro, or Lamy Obsidian.

“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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Sailor kiwaguro. Fascinating ink. I never thought that a black ink might become a favourite, but it did.

 

If you’d like just the merest hint of non-black in your black, then Diamine 1864 Blue Black might be interesting.

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Of the 4 in your shortlist I've tried Pilot Black (which I assume to be one and the same with Namiki Black) and Diamine Onyx. Pilot black is average, average blackness, average flow... you name it. I wasn't impressed but I'd recommend it as a fuss free, cheap black. Onyx Black was a real pleasure, wet, "thick", very dark deep black. Reminded me of Aurora Black but with less feathering.

 

Out of your 4 I recommend Onyx Black

 

Other blacks I greatly enjoy:

 

- O.S. John Hancock black

- Iroshizuku Take-Sumi

- Noodler's X-Feather and/or Heart of Darkness

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Skrip.

The underdog of inks.

The blue is the blue I think of when I want blue. Much like ballpoint's blue.

Red is red, and not a pale shade of it.

I guess that black will be a decent black, not outstanding, not underwhelming either!

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Sailor Kiwa-Guro

Montblanc Permanent Black

Lamy Obsidian....

 

... No, none of those are in your list.

Life is too short to drink bad wine (Goethe)

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Thanks, Eclipse, for the Onyx recommendation...thanks also to sciumbasci for recommending Skrip. I think either one of those....or maybe the Pilot... :)....

 

I don't want an expensive ink or one I haven't already researched. More dithering to come, I'm sure.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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Diamine Onyx is great and very dark. Of the 4, that would be my pick.

 

I havent yet tried Monteverde Midnight, but it is on my own shortlist of dark black inks to try. I like the color in swabs/images I have seen and have generally been pleased with Monteverde overall, so that would be my 2nd pick.

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I ordered a bottle of the Pilot/Namiki Black. They sent BLUE-Black.

 

Yes, it will be corrected, but still annoying. I wanted to play with a new black ink.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I recently got a bottle of the Namiki branded black, I quite like it and it seems to be a fairly saturated true black. At this point I think it will become my go-to black, with Parker as a runner up... all the Noodler's blacks I've used have been problematic in some way or another.

David-

 

So many restoration projects...

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I recently got a bottle of the Namiki branded black, I quite like it and it seems to be a fairly saturated true black. At this point I think it will become my go-to black, with Parker as a runner up... all the Noodler's blacks I've used have been problematic in some way or another.

There is, allegedly, a bottle of the BLACK Pilot/Namiki on its way to me now. I'm eager to test it.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I really like Pilot Black. Usually I fill my 823 with it.

Basic black, but has a veery subtle gold sheen. Very good waterresistance, on par with most iron gall inks. I assume it would be very UV-resistant, too.

 

What I enjoy most about the inks (and Pilot inks in general, standard and Iroshizuku) is the nice flow and lubrication. A fuss free ink with a VERY good performance profile.

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