Questions about Diamine China Blue

[palimpsesto]

China Blue was one of the first inks I ever used and I love it to this day. However, either I received a bad bottle recently or they have reformulated the ink (very poorly). It is now a lightfast heavily saturated blue that leans FAR more towards purple. It’s also quite a bit drier. More lamentably, it has lost the gorgeous quality that the original had of drying down to a powdery blue of medium saturation.

 

So I have some questions:

 

1) What do I do?!

2) Is there a way I could find vintage bottles that I don’t know about? I have a saved search on the bay but I haven’t had a single result in months.

3) I have several samples on the way of possible replacements, (Parker Washable Blue in particular is very close and I read somewhere that it isn’t very lightfast, so it might do the trick) but I don’t want to get my hopes up. If it doesn’t work, how do I get over it? (Therapy?)

4) How dare they? Why not just discontinue the ink instead of quietly creating a poor substitute?

5) If someone has an old bottle (black glass with a black plastic cap and not the gold metal cap), could you sell it to me? Is solicitation like this even allowed on here?

[lapis]

My 80-ml bottle of it dates back to July 2012 and is still "okay". Likely the "original" which you expected and/or still expect. IMO the usual Diamine medium saturation and drying time; a middling blue with the slightly chalky appearance just like the China blue of, well, China porcelain. But IYAM it does have a very light touch of purple in it.

The only thing I can suggest is what I myself would do. Contact Diamine themselves. There used to be a "Phil" there. But others, too, were very considerate in that respect. Again, at least years ago.

[palimpsesto]

17 minutes ago, lapis said:

My 80-ml bottle of it dates back to July 2012 and is still "okay". Likely the "original" which you expected and/or still expect. IMO the usual Diamine medium saturation and drying time; a middling blue with the slightly chalky appearance just like the China blue of, well, China porcelain. But IYAM it does have a very light touch of purple in it.

The only thing I can suggest is what I myself would do. Contact Diamine themselves. There used to be a "Phil" there. But others, too, were very considerate in that respect. Again, at least years ago.

Can I buy it from you? The chalkiness you describe is exactly what I’m looking for!

 

[lapis]

Yes and no. Yes, if you buy all of my inks because I'm only selling them all, together. No, otherwise.

[palimpsesto]

3 minutes ago, lapis said:

Yes and no. Yes, if you buy all of my inks because I'm only selling them all, together. No, otherwise.

Thank you for being so helpful

[lamarax]

16 hours ago, palimpsesto said:

1) What do I do?!

 

You buy some Akkerman Delfts Blauw, which is for all intents and purposes the exact same 'old' Diamine China Blue rebranded...

 

16 hours ago, palimpsesto said:

3) I have several samples on the way of possible replacements, (Parker Washable Blue in particular is very close and I read somewhere that it isn’t very lightfast, so it might do the trick) but I don’t want to get my hopes up. If it doesn’t work, how do I get over it? (Therapy?)

 

...plus, it comes in an Awesome Bottle™ as a bonus. How about that for therapy? 😃

 

P.S.: If you're in the US, Vanness pens carries it.

[palimpsesto]

2 hours ago, lamarax said:

 

You buy some Akkerman Delfts Blauw, which is for all intents and purposes the exact same 'old' Diamine China Blue rebranded...

 

 

...plus, it comes in an Awesome Bottle™ as a bonus. How about that for therapy? 😃

 

P.S.: If you're in the US, Vanness pens carries it.

You’re amazing! Plus I get to shop at Vanness (they’re the best)

[Dillo]

Do reach out to Diamine and ask them what happened to it. They have been helpful to me in the past when I've had issues. Usually if it is indeed a formulation change, they stick a sticker on the bottle, but in this case something may have happened or your bottle is mislabeled.

[Penguincollector]

3 hours ago, lamarax said:

 

You buy some Akkerman Delfts Blauw, which is for all intents and purposes the exact same 'old' Diamine China Blue rebranded...

 

 

...plus, it comes in an Awesome Bottle™ as a bonus. How about that for therapy? 😃

 

P.S.: If you're in the US, Vanness pens carries it.

  I thought this was the case, so glad you confirmed it! 

[Bo Bo Olson]

I think I only dipped my China blue, perhaps didn't think it was supposed to be a powdery blue.

Some folks had liked it, and recommended it, and perhaps I was too much in a hurry to look it up. Shading is what I look for.

I guess it will go back on the to use list.