Noodler's Rome (aka Rome Burning)

[yazeh]

I discovered this ink thanks to one of Nick Stewart’s videos. This is one of the double dye inks, belonging to the same family as General of the Armies and the now discontinued lovely House Divided. This one has a purple dye below the beige/yellow coloured one.

To quote Nathan:

"Rome Burning” has a bulletproof patrician core color of Caesar’s purple with the colors of the inferno that wash away from it with excess liquidity. As it dries there are shades of brass that can actually shine on some paper grades and can halo the darker core when using the right nib/feed combination. On very absorbent cellulose paper the patrician core can be seen in the center as the fire surrounds it – as if an eclipse of the sun."

 

Here you go, its magic when applied on wet watercolour paper:

 

 

 

When smudged with a wet Q-Tip, the yellow component washes away to leave the purple colour:

Also when you rinse the pen, the dominant colour in the sink is a rich purple

 

I have nothing like this ink.

 

 

It’s a wet, fast drying ink on most papers but, Midori/ Tomoe River 68gr papers. With some wide nibs the purple dye is visible for a split second. It’s the type of ink I really like, murky, fast drying and dependable. I thought the purple dye would be difficult to wash out but in the end in the end I used only water. I read that it stains convertors but it didn’t do mine. So be careful if you're fussy about stains

 

It’s a pity Nathan changed the name of this one. It was so evocative. I used quotes from notable Romans, and the infamous Nero, to whom this ink alludes. 

Writing samples:

Rhodia

TR 68gr

Midori Codex

Mnemosyne

Apica

 

 

 

·  Pens used: : Kaweco Perkeo Fine/ Pilot Kakuna Medium, Jinhao 450 /Fude Nib

·  Shading:  Lovely

·  Ghosting:  On cheap paper,depending nib, probably. 

·  Bleed through: depending nib, probably. 

·  Flow Rate: Wet

·  Lubrication: Good

·  Nib Dry-out: Not noticed

·  Start-up: Not noticed

·  Saturation: Nicely saturated… 

·  Shading Potential: Only with Fude nib on Midori/ TR 68 gr papers.

·  Sheen: Nope...

·  Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed

·  Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed...

·  Staining (pen): I’ve read that it can stain convertors, but it didn’t mine.  

·  Clogging: Nope. 

·  Water resistance: The yellow component washes away and leave a purple line

·  Availability: 3 oz/ 90 ml bottles 

 

[txomsy]

It is one of my favorite inks when I want to copy a book to give away. The purple is permanent. I like the idea that if ever the pages get wet, the recipient will find a hidden surprise.

[LizEF]

Great review, @yazeh!  Love the watercolor paper demo - good work getting the ink to separate so beautifully.

 

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

It’s a pity Nathan changed the name of this one.

The greater pity is the tendency of people to assume the worst.

[yazeh]

20 minutes ago, txomsy said:

It is one of my favorite inks when I want to copy a book to give away. The purple is permanent. I like the idea that if ever the pages get wet, the recipient will find a hidden surprise.

Mine too. I was so impressed that I nearly bought a bottle. But I have too many. I like your surprise, hidden gift  

[yazeh]

5 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Great review, @yazeh!  Love the watercolor paper demo - good work getting the ink to separate so beautifully.

That's easy too do. Just spread some water with a paintbrush on paper. Then add a drop of ink or just draw with Fp and the ink magically separates...

 

5 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

The greater pity is the tendency of people to assume the worst.

I don't say Nathan's didn't cross the line a few times, but the scale of name change is just extreme. We have lost the sense of repartee, nuance and take ourselves just too seriously  

 

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

I don't say Nathan's didn't cross the line a few times, but the scale of name change is just extreme. We have lost the sense of repartee, nuance and take ourselves just too seriously  

Agreed!

[namrehsnoom]

While reading this review, I got an ad for buying “Colosseum tickets” 😉 Fits right in with this Burning Rome. A strong selling point for this ink is the colour-separation while wet-drawing, and you show-cased this perfectly. 

[gerigo]

One of these inks that I always attach a word of caution. I bought it very early on during my collecting journey because I loved the sepia color. But  it's very staining especially the purple part of the ink. It stained my Visconti clear demonstrator so much so that I had to return it to Visconti to get a new barrel. 

[namrehsnoom]

While reading the review, I seemed to remember that this was a "chameleon ink". So, I did some checks today to get confirmation: and indeed, it is an ink that looks quite different depending on the light source.

 

I like the ink's colour in daylight, but it looks weird under artificial light. I do most of my journaling in the evening, with a desk light, and so always get the weird colour. That explains why I haven't been using this ink recently.

[Patrick L]

Thanks for the excellent review. From what I understand Noodler changed the name of the ink from "Rome burning" to "Rome" ?

[yazeh]

On 12/15/2022 at 1:40 PM, namrehsnoom said:

While reading this review, I got an ad for buying “Colosseum tickets” 😉 Fits right in with this Burning Rome. A strong selling point for this ink is the colour-separation while wet-drawing, and you show-cased this perfectly. 

I hope it wasn't for Gladiator fights  Indeed  it's a perfect ink for inkexperimants

 

 I hadn't notice this drastic colour change under artificial lighting. Thank you for taking the time I showing the difference. I wonder if it might be the paper combo. I usually use Japanese paper, (MIdori/TR 68gr) and I hadn't noticed that. I will check tonight and see if I see anything unusual. 

[yazeh]

On 12/16/2022 at 12:05 AM, gerigo said:

One of these inks that I always attach a word of caution. I bought it very early on during my collecting journey because I loved the sepia color. But  it's very staining especially the purple part of the ink. It stained my Visconti clear demonstrator so much so that I had to return it to Visconti to get a new barrel. 

Yes, I remembered that from your post. I would say that with most pigment/bulletproof inks, especially if there's purple. I didn't experience it with two different convertors. And then there's always Sailor Doyou/ or Eel Red to remove the stains

3 hours ago, Patrick L said:

Thanks for the excellent review.

You're too kind. 

3 hours ago, Patrick L said:

 

From what I understand Noodler changed the name of the ink from "Rome burning" to "Rome" ?

Yes. Noodle'sr was forced to change some of its ink names, due to some controversy. This was one of them... 

[FLZapped]

I bought a bottle of this ink from a fellow pen club member and tried it in my WHITE Parker 100. The pen is painted metal. It stained it purple. Out of desperation, I tried Goof Off as a last resort and luckily it removed the purple stain and did not damage the pen's finish. So if you get this ink, don't use it with painted pens.

 

-Bruce

[Karmachanic]

On 12/16/2022 at 5:05 AM, gerigo said:

stained my Visconti clear demonstrator

 

3 hours ago, FLZapped said:

it in my WHITE Parker 100

 

Proof that Black Pens Rule

[txomsy]

Or at least, pens with a black section. In my experience many inks stain sections when filling with a piston or converter from a bottle, and some may be more difficult to clean than others. Black sections may show some sheen but usually cope rather well.

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, txomsy said:

Or at least, pens with a black section. In my experience many inks stain sections when filling with a piston or converter from a bottle, and some may be more difficult to clean than others. Black sections may show some sheen but usually cope rather well.

Or you just fill your pen with Noodler's Eel Red or Sailor Doyou. It'll remove the stain