Cheap, but good, black ink

[Lugworm]

Hello.

I am in the UK and looking for a cheap but good black ink.  Must be a proper black.  Not grey.

Currently using Koh-i-noor black which is dark green, not black

 

I am left handed so something quick drying would help.  Don't want anything that clogs up the pen either.

Thanks

 

[carlos.q]

Depending on your pen (wet or dry nib) I would recommend:

 

Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black

Herbin Perle Noire

Pilot Namiki Black

 

You can buy these inks in large bottles so the price goes way down. They all have nice water resistance but are not fully waterproof. 

 

 

[arcfide]

You won't find both quick drying, cheap, clog-free, and dark black all in one package. The darkest black inks are more expensive, and each of them will have their own color leaning. The dark blacks are not quick drying, as a rule. Some of the best dark blacks are also pigmented, so they aren't guaranteed to never clog your pen. Used properly, none of them will clog your pen during daily use, of course, but clog-free to me means that you can't reach a situation in which the ink will forever clog your pen; all FP inks tend to work fine until you stray outside of the appropriate bounds. 

 

The best place to start, IMO, would be with JetPen's Black Fountain Pen ink article:

 

The Best Black Fountain Pen Inks | JetPens

 

You seem to be emphasizing darkness above the others, and in that case, you'll note that they are all less quick drying. Also, keep in mind that all blacks are essentially just a combination of other dyes, so you're really picking which dark color you want to come out strongest, rather than anything "black" in the truest sense, especially for fountain pens. The above JetPens article does a good job of categorizing them on the basis of the color lift you see from water. 

 

If you want cheap, then my standard for that is $0.24/ml or about $12 for a 50ml bottle. I would consider things at or below that to be cheap. In that range, giving up the requirement for quick drying and focusing just on blackness, I'd nominate the following:

• Herbin Perle Noire
• Kaweco Pearl Black
• Lamy Black
• Sailor Black
• Diamine Onyx Black
• Monteverde Midnight Black or Black Ash

If you're willing to accept a softer black in exchange for better behavior/quicker drying, but want to maintain the price:

• Waterman Black
• Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black
• Parker Quink Black
• Pilot Black

If you're willing to accept pricier inks in order to get some enhanced quality:

• Platinum Black (good behavior, quick drying)
• Jacques Herbin Noir Abyssal (very dark, wet, black)
• Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi (deep cool-leaning black)
• Lamy Crystal Obsidian (dark)
• Aurora Black (dark, cool tone)
• Private Reserve Ultra Black Fast Dry (quick drying)

If you're willing to accept the additional maintenance for pigmented inks:

• Platinum Carbon Black
• Sailor Kiwaguro
• Montblanc Permanent Black

 

 

[dragondazd]

55 minutes ago, arcfide said:

You won't find both quick drying, cheap, clog-free, and dark black all in one package. The darkest black inks are more expensive, and each of them will have their own color leaning. The dark blacks are not quick drying, as a rule. Some of the best dark blacks are also pigmented, so they aren't guaranteed to never clog your pen. Used properly, none of them will clog your pen during daily use, of course, but clog-free to me means that you can't reach a situation in which the ink will forever clog your pen; all FP inks tend to work fine until you stray outside of the appropriate bounds. 

 

The best place to start, IMO, would be with JetPen's Black Fountain Pen ink article:

 

The Best Black Fountain Pen Inks | JetPens

 

You seem to be emphasizing darkness above the others, and in that case, you'll note that they are all less quick drying. Also, keep in mind that all blacks are essentially just a combination of other dyes, so you're really picking which dark color you want to come out strongest, rather than anything "black" in the truest sense, especially for fountain pens. The above JetPens article does a good job of categorizing them on the basis of the color lift you see from water. 

 

If you want cheap, then my standard for that is $0.24/ml or about $12 for a 50ml bottle. I would consider things at or below that to be cheap. In that range, giving up the requirement for quick drying and focusing just on blackness, I'd nominate the following:

• Herbin Perle Noire
• Kaweco Pearl Black
• Lamy Black
• Sailor Black
• Diamine Onyx Black
• Monteverde Midnight Black or Black Ash

If you're willing to accept a softer black in exchange for better behavior/quicker drying, but want to maintain the price:

• Waterman Black
• Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black
• Parker Quink Black
• Pilot Black

If you're willing to accept pricier inks in order to get some enhanced quality:

• Platinum Black (good behavior, quick drying)
• Jacques Herbin Noir Abyssal (very dark, wet, black)
• Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi (deep cool-leaning black)
• Lamy Crystal Obsidian (dark)
• Aurora Black (dark, cool tone)
• Private Reserve Ultra Black Fast Dry (quick drying)

If you're willing to accept the additional maintenance for pigmented inks:

• Platinum Carbon Black
• Sailor Kiwaguro
• Montblanc Permanent Black

 

 

Nice. Thank you.

[ParramattaPaul]

I have it, and like it.  UK made:  Blackbird Black Fountain Pen Ink | UK Pen Blanks | Next Day Delivery

[awa54]

3 hours ago, Lugworm said:

....

Currently using Koh-i-noor black which is dark green, not black

 

....

 

 

 

is this the ink you are using?

 

 

[Mayo]

Noodler's heart of darkness is a good value option. Cheap, dark, permanent, performs well. The drying times are a bit faster than their Black but you'd have to check the reviews on different types of papers to see if it's adequate for you. Other than that I'd recommend Pilot Black.

 

Both J. Herbin Perle Noire and Pelikan 4001 Black are good inks, but have disappointed me on the color, in all the pens I tried they both tended to shade into lighter tones.

[Lugworm]

7 hours ago, awa54 said:

 

 

is this the ink you are using?

 

 

Mine is slightly different.  Mine says

document ink

Black/Cerny

[Lugworm]

Thank you all for your recomendations.

I think something from your suggestions might be ideal.

Leaning towards Pelikan or Herbin. Might research Blackbird as well.

[inkstainedruth]

15 hours ago, Mayo said:

Noodler's heart of darkness is a good value option. Cheap, dark, permanent, performs well. The drying times are a bit faster than their Black but you'd have to check the reviews on different types of papers to see if it's adequate for you. Other than that I'd recommend Pilot Black.

 

Both J. Herbin Perle Noire and Pelikan 4001 Black are good inks, but have disappointed me on the color, in all the pens I tried they both tended to shade into lighter tones.

I would have also suggested Heart of Darkness (I prefer it over the standard Noodler's Black because it dries faster), but I don't know how easy it will be for the OP to get Noodler's inks in the UK, other than some that are specifically for that market.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: What black inks does Diamine make?  They're UK based, so should be relatively inexpensive for someone there.

[awa54]

29 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

I would have also suggested Heart of Darkness (I prefer it over the standard Noodler's Black because it dries faster), but I don't know how easy it will be for the OP to get Noodler's inks in the UK, other than some that are specifically for that market.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

                                                                                                                          preposterously

ETA: What black inks does Diamine make?  They're UK based, so should be relatively inexpensive for someone there.

 

...there; now your post is 100% factual

 

seriously, less than $7 US for 80ml of quality ink, available in one of the widest arrays of colors, it's a fabulous value!

but I don't have any of the black inks, so I can't comment on that aspect.

 

[awa54]

15 hours ago, Lugworm said:

Thank you all for your recomendations.

I think something from your suggestions might be ideal.

Leaning towards Pelikan or Herbin. Might research Blackbird as well.

 

thanks for the clarification on the Koh-i-noor document ink, I'll have to try that one.

as thorough as the JetPens article is, you may also want to check other ink reviews, one of my favorite sources is: https://mountainofink.com/blog/black-ink

[TSherbs]

On 6/28/2022 at 5:22 PM, arcfide said:

You won't find both quick drying, cheap, clog-free, and dark black all in one package. The darkest black inks are more expensive, and each of them will have their own color leaning. The dark blacks are not quick drying, as a rule. Some of the best dark blacks are also pigmented, so they aren't guaranteed to never clog your pen. Used properly, none of them will clog your pen during daily use, of course, but clog-free to me means that you can't reach a situation in which the ink will forever clog your pen; all FP inks tend to work fine until you stray outside of the appropriate bounds. 

 

The best place to start, IMO, would be with JetPen's Black Fountain Pen ink article:

 

The Best Black Fountain Pen Inks | JetPens

 

You seem to be emphasizing darkness above the others, and in that case, you'll note that they are all less quick drying. Also, keep in mind that all blacks are essentially just a combination of other dyes, so you're really picking which dark color you want to come out strongest, rather than anything "black" in the truest sense, especially for fountain pens. The above JetPens article does a good job of categorizing them on the basis of the color lift you see from water. 

 

If you want cheap, then my standard for that is $0.24/ml or about $12 for a 50ml bottle. I would consider things at or below that to be cheap. In that range, giving up the requirement for quick drying and focusing just on blackness, I'd nominate the following:

• Herbin Perle Noire
• Kaweco Pearl Black
• Lamy Black
• Sailor Black
• Diamine Onyx Black
• Monteverde Midnight Black or Black Ash

If you're willing to accept a softer black in exchange for better behavior/quicker drying, but want to maintain the price:

• Waterman Black
• Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black
• Parker Quink Black
• Pilot Black

If you're willing to accept pricier inks in order to get some enhanced quality:

• Platinum Black (good behavior, quick drying)
• Jacques Herbin Noir Abyssal (very dark, wet, black)
• Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi (deep cool-leaning black)
• Lamy Crystal Obsidian (dark)
• Aurora Black (dark, cool tone)
• Private Reserve Ultra Black Fast Dry (quick drying)

If you're willing to accept the additional maintenance for pigmented inks:

• Platinum Carbon Black
• Sailor Kiwaguro
• Montblanc Permanent Black

 

 

This is excellent advice. Thank you for it. 

[inkstainedruth]

17 hours ago, awa54 said:

 

...there; now your post is 100% factual

 

seriously, less than $7 US for 80ml of quality ink, available in one of the widest arrays of colors, it's a fabulous value!

but I don't have any of the black inks, so I can't comment on that aspect.

 

Haha.  Very funny (not...).

Actually Noodler's Old Manhattan is SUPER black, but part of the reason is because it tends to spread on the page (so part of that blackness seems to be an optical illusion).  I have a bottle of it but almost never use it (it was the same issue I had with the sample I had of Organics Studio Charles Darwin, which I gave away).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mhwombat]

If you want to try before investing much money, I think most of the suggested inks are available as samples from The Writing Desk. Also you might try the black ink sample sets from fountainfeder. They have two black ink sample sets, one of which is out of stock at the moment, but I suspect it will be back in stock soon.

[Patrick L]

On 6/29/2022 at 1:22 AM, arcfide said:

You won't find both quick drying, cheap, clog-free, and dark black all in one package. The darkest black inks are more expensive, and each of them will have their own color leaning. The dark blacks are not quick drying, as a rule. Some of the best dark blacks are also pigmented, so they aren't guaranteed to never clog your pen. Used properly, none of them will clog your pen during daily use, of course, but clog-free to me means that you can't reach a situation in which the ink will forever clog your pen; all FP inks tend to work fine until you stray outside of the appropriate bounds. 

 

The best place to start, IMO, would be with JetPen's Black Fountain Pen ink article:

 

The Best Black Fountain Pen Inks | JetPens

 

You seem to be emphasizing darkness above the others, and in that case, you'll note that they are all less quick drying. Also, keep in mind that all blacks are essentially just a combination of other dyes, so you're really picking which dark color you want to come out strongest, rather than anything "black" in the truest sense, especially for fountain pens. The above JetPens article does a good job of categorizing them on the basis of the color lift you see from water. 

 

If you want cheap, then my standard for that is $0.24/ml or about $12 for a 50ml bottle. I would consider things at or below that to be cheap. In that range, giving up the requirement for quick drying and focusing just on blackness, I'd nominate the following:

• Herbin Perle Noire
• Kaweco Pearl Black
• Lamy Black
• Sailor Black
• Diamine Onyx Black
• Monteverde Midnight Black or Black Ash

If you're willing to accept a softer black in exchange for better behavior/quicker drying, but want to maintain the price:

• Waterman Black
• Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black
• Parker Quink Black
• Pilot Black

If you're willing to accept pricier inks in order to get some enhanced quality:

• Platinum Black (good behavior, quick drying)
• Jacques Herbin Noir Abyssal (very dark, wet, black)
• Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi (deep cool-leaning black)
• Lamy Crystal Obsidian (dark)
• Aurora Black (dark, cool tone)
• Private Reserve Ultra Black Fast Dry (quick drying)

If you're willing to accept the additional maintenance for pigmented inks:

• Platinum Carbon Black
• Sailor Kiwaguro
• Montblanc Permanent Black

 

 

What a beautiful, carefully crafted comment indeed.

[awa54]

12 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Haha.  Very funny (not...).

 

....

 

 

 

$7 for 80ml of Diamine isn't preposterously inexpensive?

I must shop for ink in all the wrong places... 

[Mayo]

On 6/29/2022 at 6:48 PM, inkstainedruth said:

I would have also suggested Heart of Darkness (I prefer it over the standard Noodler's Black because it dries faster), but I don't know how easy it will be for the OP to get Noodler's inks in the UK, other than some that are specifically for that market.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: What black inks does Diamine make?  They're UK based, so should be relatively inexpensive for someone there.

 

Purepens has it in stock, they have a big selection from Noodler's and even some exclusives.

[tim77]

Black ink can be problematic for leftys because the slightest smudge really shows up.  Avoiding very smooth paper such as made by Clairefontaine can help.

I'll add a recommendation for Pilot Black, already mentioned in this thread,  as a lefty-friendly ink.  It flows rapidly into the pores of the paper, allowing it to dry very quickly.  Pilot's Blue-Black is similar.

Less-good black inks include Waterman, Quink and various Diamine shades.  They can work with absorbent paper or slow writing.

Platinum Carbon I find dries much too slowly and requires a piece of blotting paper under the writing hand.