Lamy Petrol (2025)

[Black16]

The paper is some cheapo tho fp-friendly off-white labelled 100gsm, the one where dip pens were used I know nothing about (it came with a cheap notebook long ago and sometimes I use it for tests). These are not scans - I only take photos.

 

 

Brand: Lamy

Ink name: Petrol

Available in: 50ml glass bottles, worldwide, affordable IMO

 

Colour group: teal

Saturation: high

Shading: yes - in broad and fine nibs, I didn't manage to make it shade in <M> much

Sheen: subtle, might work on TR and other high end papers

Shimmer: no

Flow: medium to high, I'd compare to Pilot Iroshizuku

Nib lubrication: medium to high, not like Noodler's but makes <EF> nibs feel smoother

Feathering: happens in broad wet nibs on absorbent papers and with dip nibs with the same conditions

Bleeding: yes, sometimes even in <M> nibs - depends on how wet the pen is I assume

Nib crud: no

Dry time: 7-20 seconds, really depends on the nib

Dries out: never happened, it stayed for weeks in all the pens used for this review and I didn't have problems with it

Start up: flawlessly, same time range as for the "dries out" above

Waterproof: will be still legible (I've lost the "running water" test paper and will add it later when I'll repeat it)

Similar inks: I guess a lot of inks are similar but I do not posses any of those to provide a proper comparison

 

Summary: this was my first Lamy ink and I actually blind bought a full bottle of it. The name was what made me do it in the first place. I saw reviews of old Petrol (the limited edition) and I hoped this one will sheen as well. Then I learnt that swatches on special papers aren't about the real ink behaviour... Anyway 'tis my everyday ink and work-related ink, it is so universal and nice and to be honest very well-behaved if you use the right pen. I stated before that it looks different in different nibs even if both are the same size and I tried my best to make it visible on the provided photos (seems I even succeeded). I honestly love almost everything about this ink (except for the fact it doesn't work well in CSI flex nib on crappy paper ) and it even made me commit another Lamy blind buy. But yup - the flow, the lubrication, the low-maintenance, the formal yet interesting look and the name of this ink, all make it worth at least trying IMO. It might work for artists as well but I wouldn't say it shades much in dip nibs, only some certain types. The colour is deep dark teal, 50/50 of green and blue, it is literally pleasant to look at.

 

The pens used in this review: Lanbitou 2053 <fude>, Parker 45 Flighter <M>, Creeks N' Creeks <M>, Conway Stuart <CSI flex>, Heiko 460 <F>(?), Jinhao 911 <EF>

Dip nibs used: Leonardt Principal EF, Brause Phannenfeder (vintage), Leonardt Blue Pumpkin, Leonard Poster P-8

 

The photos:

(with artificial lights; attempted at different angles to show the shades)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lapis]

Good review! Very comprehensive. The only thing I miss is a side-by-side comparison with the older version (of Lamy's). Of course no way, if you don't have that. In any case I find this variety much "better" inasmuch as it's a lot darker. Not just more intense and/or saturated but also "blacker". Otherwise sort of a teal in the same ballpark.

[Black16]

13 minutes ago, lapis said:

Good review! Very comprehensive. The only thing I miss is a side-by-side comparison with the older version (of Lamy's). Of course no way, if you don't have that. In any case I find this variety much "better" inasmuch as it's a lot darker. Not just more intense and/or saturated but also "blacker". Otherwise sort of a teal in the same ballpark.

Thank you!

 

Sadly I got into this hobby years after the first edition was available hence I can't compare them.

I found this article before buying the 2025 edition and to be honest from what I see I like the new version much more:

https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2025/3/27/lamy-petrol-2025-vs-the-og-2017-and-lamy-sepia-too

Hope it helps!

[lapis]

Thanks again... this time for the link of the comparison. Funny -- actually not all that hilarious -- but that site seems to show that the 2017 version is darker than today's version. My specimen from 2017 is in any case lighter, greener. I prefer your take on this.

[Black16]

8 minutes ago, lapis said:

Thanks again... this time for the link of the comparison. Funny -- actually not all that hilarious -- but that site seems to show that the 2017 version is darker than today's version. My specimen from 2017 is in any case lighter, greener. I prefer your take on this.

To me 'tis just 50/50 green/blue, very saturated tho shades nicely (in all nibs but <M> somehow). I have Pilot Iroshizuku Syun-Gyo (made a review too recently) and the saturation level feels similar, Lamy Petrol 2025 I'd say somewhere between that one and Noodler's inks.

 

I also bumped into this thread recently, here is the LE Petrol and it indeed seems more green:

 

[lapis]

Looking forward to that endeavour of yours. I love inks (har, har, how uncanny... ), especially comparisons thereof....

[Black16]

15 minutes ago, lapis said:

Looking forward to that endeavour of yours. I love inks (har, har, how uncanny... ), especially comparisons thereof....

I totally get that. I have some plans for comparisons, just need to think up the name for the whole inky mess and decide how to judge it all. Got into mauve-maroon-burgundy rabbit hole somehow

[yazeh]

Really fun review. I love how you have a unique style, It's so refreshing. Thanks!   

Funny how your handwriting changes with flex / dip pen and gets a vintage feel to it.  

The colour is not my alley, but we can't have everything can we? I'm glad you're enjoying it and it brings you pleasure. Looking forward to your other Lamy review.  

 

In order to make a chromatography work: 

1) Have a glass with a few mm of water ready. 

2) Add a drop of ink, at the bottom part of a paper towel. 

3) Dunk it in, (ideally it should touch the water). 

4) As the water wicks up, the colours separate. 

 

 

 

 

[InkyProf]

I've been looking forward to this, thank you! Seems like a winner in my book.

[LizEF]

Thanks @Black16!  Great review.  Every time I see on of these teal inks named "Petrol", it makes me wonder whether Europeans dye their gasoline teal...

 

Anywho, enjoyed the thorough display of this ink's capacity! 

[Penguincollector]

  I like this Petrol more than the last one. I think the teal color is what shows up as a reflection.  If you look on the ground after someone tries to top off their tank and spills, the light reflects off the gas and looks teal or kind of rainbowy.

[Black16]

On 8/7/2025 at 9:44 PM, yazeh said:

Really fun review. I love how you have a unique style, It's so refreshing. Thanks!   

Funny how your handwriting changes with flex / dip pen and gets a vintage feel to it.  

The colour is not my alley, but we can't have everything can we? I'm glad you're enjoying it and it brings you pleasure. Looking forward to your other Lamy review.  

 

In order to make a chromatography work: 

1) Have a glass with a few mm of water ready. 

2) Add a drop of ink, at the bottom part of a paper towel. 

3) Dunk it in, (ideally it should touch the water). 

4) As the water wicks up, the colours separate. 

 

 

 

 

To be honest my handwriting changes with different nibs and even modern brands affect it somehow. It is visible even if I try different nibs in similar mood, etc. And honestly I like this kind of magic

 

I plan to get a Sailor's dip pen soon, PenguinCollector suggested it and it looks like a very useful tool for reviews and just having fun with inks.

As for the chromatography, I thought about getting those coffee filters for it even, thanks for the suggestion on the method!

[Black16]

On 8/7/2025 at 11:07 PM, InkyProf said:

I've been looking forward to this, thank you! Seems like a winner in my book.

Glad my review helped! It seems to me that Lamy inks tend to be winners in general, I wonder if there're any I won't enjoy...

[Black16]

On 8/8/2025 at 1:08 AM, LizEF said:

Thanks @Black16!  Great review.  Every time I see on of these teal inks named "Petrol", it makes me wonder whether Europeans dye their gasoline teal...

 

Anywho, enjoyed the thorough display of this ink's capacity! 

 

I have a guessing the name is used to reflect the puddles when you can see all those rainbow swirls, but where is the whole rainbow sheen then

 

Anyway I'm a sucker for such names so they could easily sell me a pink ink if it was labelled similarly

[Black16]

On 8/8/2025 at 6:54 PM, Penguincollector said:

  I like this Petrol more than the last one. I think the teal color is what shows up as a reflection.  If you look on the ground after someone tries to top off their tank and spills, the light reflects off the gas and looks teal or kind of rainbowy.

Yup just how I get this naming! Can't wait to get Noodler's El Lawrence and Robert Oster's Motor Oil for the same reason.

[LizEF]

4 hours ago, Black16 said:

I have a guessing the name is used to reflect the puddles when you can see all those rainbow swirls, but where is the whole rainbow sheen then

Exactly my question - it's not like oily water sheens in only teal...

 

4 hours ago, Black16 said:

Anyway I'm a sucker for such names so they could easily sell me a pink ink if it was labelled similarly

Maybe the Marketing Department are more clever than we realize!

[LizEF]

4 hours ago, Black16 said:

Noodler's El Lawrence

Is in my review pen now.  But it'll be the end of September before the review publishes.  I'm not aware of anything particularly sheeny about it...

[yazeh]

@Black16 & @LizEF, according to ChatGPT,  In German and Central European usage, petrol is not fuel but a color name. It describes a dark teal or blue-green with grey undertones, reminiscent of the shifting shades seen in oil films. Many inks adopt this name following that convention.

Now maybe @lapis or @InesF could confirm that.

 

[yazeh]

5 hours ago, Black16 said:

To be honest my handwriting changes with different nibs and even modern brands affect it somehow. It is visible even if I try different nibs in similar mood, etc. And honestly I like this kind of magic

Same here. Dude nibs are for the most expressive nibs.

5 hours ago, Black16 said:

 

I plan to get a Sailor's dip pen soon, PenguinCollector suggested it and it looks like a very useful tool for reviews and just having fun with inks.

They seem very fun. 

5 hours ago, Black16 said:

As for the chromatography, I thought about getting those coffee filters for it even, thanks for the suggestion on the method!

Hope it's helpful.

 

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

@Black16 & @LizEF, according to ChatGPT,  In German and Central European usage, petrol is not fuel but a color name. It describes a dark teal or blue-green with grey undertones, reminiscent of the shifting shades seen in oil films. Many inks adopt this name following that convention.