EFNIR: Tintenlabor New Iron Gall Ink 2 Dark Green / Black

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Tintenlabor New Iron Gall Ink 2 Dark Green / Black

This is review #348 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: This is the new formula, with a flow aid added.  (I did not review the previous formula.)  I experienced flow issues twice - once after a couple days, and once the day before the review. Both were short-lived and after flossing the tines and a few short strokes, the ink was flowing perfectly. (It left me wondering if the dye isn't prone to a little nib crud that was only between the tines...)

Cameras did not want to capture the pale green of the ink. They tended to render it grey. When fresh, the ink was like the first set of swatches (or not too different). After aging, it was a lot like Diamine Graphite.

German name: Eisengallustinte 2, dunkelgrün / schwarz

The microscope slide was dullsville. Cleaning was a bear. If you have ascorbic acid (vitamin C) , an ultrasonic cleaner, and patience, you can just soak and cycle. But if you need your pen totally clean for the next ink, break out your swabs, brushes, pipe cleaner, ascorbic acid, and the ultrasonic cleaner. The higher iron content in this left a "thicker" film to clean off.

Zoomed in photo (The camera didn't want to pick up the faint green. It's not too off where it is green, but the grey spots in the image are green in real life.)

Screenshot (The camera just wouldn't pick up the color. Go by the scan!)

Scan of Completed Review (This is definitely closest, though the green is slightly off and even here, not _quite_ as saturated as it should be.)

Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper) ((Text written the day before the review. I usually do it 4 days before.) AP is more accurate for color, but neither is terribly accurate, and I'm not sure how to describe the difference.)

Line width (The "I" in "Ink:". Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. The line width for this ink is roughly 336µm. With 348 inks measured, the average line width is 298µm.)

Water Test Results

Aging/Oxidation (All marks were made, in the order indicated, within 5 minutes of the photo being taken.)

After 1 month scan (The image doesn't show it, but my eyes see the slightest hint of green still. I'm sure it'll be gone in a week.)

Previous Review: Tintenlabor New Iron Gall Ink 1 Dark Green / Black.

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

Want to influence the inky sequence? Take the "next ink" poll.

View a list of my inks, complete with review results in a google sheet.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh? Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Ahh, conundrum.  I like green inks.  I hate fussy cleaners.  I think that's me groaning in the background.

 

The base and 'aged' color's right.  But the rest… 😔

 

@LizEF: Thanks for livening up this steamy Tuesday with your ink review and tale of magical doings. I can always tell when Etthhri's thpeaking. 🐍

 

(Too sleepy to storm any castles!)

[inkstainedruth]

Oh.  Now I don't know which I like better: the green-black #1 or the green-black #2....

My wallet!  My poor poor wallet! 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[LizEF]

22 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Ahh, conundrum.  I like green inks.  I hate fussy cleaners.  I think that's me groaning in the background.

 

23 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

The base and 'aged' color's right.  But the rest… 😔

Alas, we can't have it all...

 

23 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

@LizEF: Thanks for livening up this steamy Tuesday with your ink review and tale of magical doings. I can always tell when Etthhri's thpeaking. 🐍

You're most welcome!

 

24 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

(Too sleepy to storm any castles!)

And who has the time, right!?

[yazeh]

6 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Oh.  Now I don't know which I like better: the green-black #1 or the green-black #2....

My wallet!  My poor poor wallet! 

Don't blame it on your wallet when you could have had them for free. 

[LizEF]

8 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Oh.  Now I don't know which I like better: the green-black #1 or the green-black #2....

My wallet!  My poor poor wallet! 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

  Offer stands.  I will happily spare your wallet.

[LizEF]

Just now, yazeh said:

Don't blame it on your wallet when you could have had them for free. 

[yazeh]

Excellent review @LizEF.

Its really frustrating when cameras and scanners don't cooperate with the actual color. I had the same problem with another ink, the scan was capturing burgundy, while the actual color was tan with a hint of pink. I even tried the Gimp white balance, it gave an approximation. 

So, I get it, when the automatic configuration doesn't capture the reality of the ink. 

One thing I should precise Green Black 2 is a low due, medium Iron content  (4 gr/l). The highest being 6. So oxidation is fast as there a little dye do to speak of.

I had a chuckle imaging Ethrie and Makhabesh storming the castle. Probably, the guards would mistake them for a flying eagle (modern drone. )

From what you said, Gold Black must be the easiest ink to clean. I still have to clean mine. 

Thanks for bringing magic and Castle storming to this lovely summer day. 🙏🙏🙏

 

 

[Baggins]

I love these reviews. These IG inks look nice then end up the same color.

Imagine I write a letter, stating the ink is dark green. I would have to mail the letter for next day delivery 🤑, or it would arrive without any green!

😮😂. 
Thank you for all these IG ink reviews.

keep cool 🆒

[LizEF]

37 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Excellent review @LizEF.

Thanks!

 

37 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Its really frustrating when cameras and scanners don't cooperate with the actual color. I had the same problem with another ink, the scan was capturing burgundy, while the actual color was tan with a hint of pink. I even tried the Gimp white balance, it gave an approximation. 

So, I get it, when the automatic configuration doesn't capture the reality of the ink. 

  Sometimes, it makes me wish I had the money to go learn all the digital image stuffs that the pros know, and get all the same tools.  But I can't even afford a quality camera, nevermind a subscription for professional software.

 

39 minutes ago, yazeh said:

One thing I should precise Green Black 2 is a low dye, medium Iron content  (4 gr/l). The highest being 6. So oxidation is fast as there a little dye do to speak of.

Yes, the differences are quite interesting.  Go visit the Tintenlabor website and read all about it, folks!

 

40 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I had a chuckle imaging Ethrie and Makhabesh storming the castle. Probably, the guards would mistake them for a flying eagle (modern drone. )

With fireballs and venom!

 

41 minutes ago, yazeh said:

From what you said, Gold Black must be the easiest ink to clean. I still have to clean mine. 

Yes, by far.  I didn't need anything other than water - no swabs or pipe cleaner or anything.  (Of course, I only have it in the pen for a week, but still - far easier than the others.)

 

42 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Thanks for bringing magic and Castle storming to this lovely summer day. 🙏🙏🙏

You're most welcome!

[LizEF]

39 minutes ago, Baggins said:

I love these reviews.

Thanks!

 

39 minutes ago, Baggins said:

These IG inks look nice then end up the same color.

Actually, they do end up different shades of grey - the gold ends up more silver - solid, obvious sheen.  The others have ended up grey (or aren't there yet).  I don't know if they'll ever go black on me - not enough ink, wrong paper, too dry - some combo of all that.  In theory, from wet enough pens, they should eventually go black.  Maybe if I remember, we can check back in a year and see if any of mine have...   OK, I go make a reminder.  Done!  03 Aug 2026, I'll check.

 

43 minutes ago, Baggins said:

Imagine I write a letter, stating the ink is dark green. I would have to mail the letter for next day delivery 🤑, or it would arrive without any green!

😮😂. 

  I just tell the recipient what ink it is, what color I see, and that I have no idea what color it will be on arrival.

 

44 minutes ago, Baggins said:

Thank you for all these IG ink reviews.

You're most welcome!

 

44 minutes ago, Baggins said:

keep cool 🆒

You too!

[yazeh]

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

  Sometimes, it makes me wish I had the money to go learn all the digital image stuffs that the pros know, and get all the same tools.  But I can't even afford a quality camera, nevermind a subscription for professional software.

In all honesty it's not necessary. Sometimes simple things can help. For example I believe you can make it work if you remove the automatic light correction of the camera. And then with some Gimp or snapped you can correct the white balance to a certain degree. But bottom line, the question one should ask, is it worth it? Sometimes if you capture the moment the green oxidizes to black is enough. And even if you work in a studio with perfect lighting, what if the end users screen is crappy? Your reviews on my phone are different, than the screen. I normally catch them on the phone, then leisurely check them on the computer. 

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Yes, the differences are quite interesting.  Go visit the Tintenlabor website and read all about it, folks!

They have also new inks coming, soon.  

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

With fireballs and venom!

 

5 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Yes, by far.  I didn't need anything other than water - no swabs or pipe cleaner or anything.  (Of course, I only have it in the pen for a week, but still - far easier than the others.)

Anyway, I've decide to space IG ink review, and wait for a month and see how they oxidizes. However, Gold with a wet pen, oxidizes to a gorgeous, shiny black, Klaw worthy.  

 

[yazeh]

@Baggins actually the color of the inks depends what type of nib, wetness, paper, and to a certain extend ambient humidity and obviously the type of ink. 

Green Black 1 retains its colour for a longtime. As it's high dye, lowish iron. 

Green Black 2 depending wetness, amount of ink can vary between dark green-grey to black. 

Purples retain their colours. 

Blues vary but most of them keep the blue to a certain extent. 

Gold, I'm waiting 10 days to take photos to see before and after. 

 

For ex. Green Black 2, has low dye, medium high iron. If @LizEF were to write with wet vintage eyedropper Mabie Todd with a flex nib (I'm giving an extreme example) the ink will automatically oxidize to black on most papers. However, if she were to experiment on a heavy watercolour paper, the ink will not oxidize right away.  I've said this before. Once I did a sketch on Midori watercolour paper. It remained sky blue for 4 months at least. 

[LizEF]

30 minutes ago, yazeh said:

They have also new inks coming, soon.  

 

31 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Anyway, I've decide to space IG ink review, and wait for a month and see how they oxidizes. However, Gold with a wet pen, oxidizes to a gorgeous, shiny black, Klaw worthy.  

  Yes, even after a month, when it had gone all grey, it was silver more than grey - very shiny - so I'm sure the black would be shiny too.

[LizEF]

10 minutes ago, yazeh said:

If @LizEF were to write with wet vintage eyedropper Mabie Todd with a flex nib (I'm giving an extreme example) the ink will automatically oxidize to black on most papers.

Yes - my swatch card "swath of ink" turned black instantly.  It's only the writing that was slower.

[LizEF]

How, oh how, do you all survive without being able to write code?   (I just updated my inks database so that on open, it takes me directly to the current review - this is most often the one I want to go to, and if I want to go elsewhere, it really doesn't matter whether I start there or start on the first record. )

 

Meanwhile, Smoke is wondering why Meowmy is cackling with glee...   (What can I say, I'm easy to please...)

[yazeh]

We muddle around somehow asking our pets for help in once in a while. 

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

We muddle around somehow asking our pets for help in once in a while. 

[Lithium466]

Thank you for the Tuesday treat!

Now I have to ask...do you think it would make a difference to do the final rinse of the feed/nib with distilled water (after the full cleaning procedure), then to let them dry fully before filling the pen?

I read that some water residue, or worse, some mineral residue in the feed would be enough to cause some initial precipitation and hinder flow. Apparently even leftover distilled water could be enough to have the pH shift and create some precipitation 🤔

This wouldn't matter with continuous or regular use (which could be another explanation to flow/lubrication improving after a while, other than just evaporation or feed saturation/"wettability" increase), but if you're only filling a pen once for a review, would it?

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Thank you for the Tuesday treat!

You're most welcome!

 

2 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Now I have to ask...do you think it would make a difference to do the final rinse of the feed/nib with distilled water (after the full cleaning procedure), then to let them dry fully before filling the pen?

I read that some water residue, or worse, some mineral residue in the feed would be enough to cause some initial precipitation and hinder flow. Apparently even leftover distilled water could be enough to have the pH shift and create some precipitation 🤔

I haven't heard this before, but I have noticed that adding water seems to cause immediate oxidation, so it makes a lot of sense!  I use tap water for cleaning.  My tap water isn't all that hard, but does have some mineral content.  I always let everything dry fully before inking the next ink - which, in this climate, takes about 2 minutes. (I give it 2+ hours and always check that everything is dry.)

 

So, after doing a zillion Tintenlabor reviews in a row, might the later ones be negatively impacted by the reaction between tap water and the previous inks leaving stuff in the feed?  I suppose that's a possibility.  I always do very thorough cleaning after each ink - including disassembling the pen.  With this round of Tintenlabor, I've been using the vitamin C powder and the ultrasonic, followed by thorough rinsing under running water.  Then (as always), the feed and grip section get as much "mechanical" drying as possible: I dry the outside of the section, then "thermometer flick" each end (because it's not a straight-through tube) to flick out water until I can't hear any more hitting the stainless steel sink (another good reason to have a stainless steel sink ).  I hold the section by the nib-end and flick it rotating whether top or bottom is facing the sink, and flick until I can't hear water hitting the sink.  So whatever is left behind by evaporating the remaining water is minimal.  After rinsing, the nib gets stabbed into a towel in hopes some of the water will get wicked down the slit and take any remaining ink there with it (as far as I can tell, there's never been any remaining ink, so I might be slightly obsessive).

 

Will my tap water make a difference after all that?  Maybe, but someone else will have to go all sciencey if they want - I'm not repeating this exercise to compare with distilled.