EFNIR: Kitty Inkpot Elegy of the Fallen

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Kitty Inkpot Elegy of the Fallen

This is review #386 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: This ink from China was gifted to me by a generous FPNer. My apologies for not including the Chinese name of this ink-my database language doesn't support double-byte characters, nor do I know how to write them properly. Please see my inks spreadsheet which now has a tab with both the Chinese and English ink names. This is a chroma-shading ink. Since this attribute can be less stable over time, I'm reviewing all of them out of sequence.

On the CRENA mini swatch, we see pink and red with maybe a hint of green somewhere. On the big swatch, it's pink and brown and (I think) green in the heavier spot in the lower right corner. I'm not sure, but I think the ink may have gotten gradually browner as the week passed. Either way, you'll need a paper like Iroful or the CRENA swatch to get the red to show once the ink is dry.

I keep my pens lying horizontal but slightly angled so the nib is down, to keep ink in contact with the feed. Saturday morning, part way through a logic puzzle, the pen stopped writing. I cannot see why. Priming the feed suggested the feed had run completely dry. Ink flow was fine thereafter. I'm calling this a very dry ink.

Cleaning was ridiculously quick and easy.

Zoomed in photo (Not too far off, and the best of my images. The ink may actually be a little browner on Rhodia, but this is within the range of colors I've seen from this ink.)

Photo (formerly screenshot) (Text is too dark and desaturated.)

Scan of Completed Review (The scanner made this ink tan-nothing like reality. I corrected as best I could. Reality is a little greyer.)

Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper) (Colors aren't too far off. AP: A little too pale compared to reality. CP: A little too contrasty compared to reality. (And yes, it's quite brown on copy paper.))

Line width (Roughly 327µm. The "I" in "Ink:". Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. With 386 inks measured, the average line width is 299µm.)

Swatch card comparison (The colors are not too far off from reality. I have nothing like this. The darkest red halo on the CRENA card is a close match to R&K Alt-Bordeaux, the other cards are as close as I could get, but aren't close.)

Microscope image (400x. Colors are fairly close, just a little oversaturated. Elsewhere on the slide, some blue was spotted.)

Alternate Papers (The ink wouldn't scan, so this is a photo under LED light. It's fairly close, but the Clairefontaine should be darker. Also, the darkest scribble on Life has a red halo and hints of green inside. The Iroful dark spot looks pinkish purple with maybe a hint of blue inside the darkest area.)

Previous Review: Ostrich Green Robinia.

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. Or read Part 8: The Ice Fields Adventure.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[inkstainedruth]

Interesting color.  A bit too pale, but I'm now wondering what it would look like coming out of a broader nib.

Thanks as usual for the comprehensive review, though....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[LizEF]

6 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Interesting color.  A bit too pale, but I'm now wondering what it would look like coming out of a broader nib.

I do like the color.  I've been putting these through broader nibs (IOW, western fine nibs ) and they just look darker, except for one that I haven't published yet - the wider nib gives a green cast that's definitely not there in the EF nib. (I added an extra image for when it publishes.)  My Pelikan Souverän m405, F and Cross Wanderlust Malta, F seem to be the only nibs I have that like these inks.  I'll be trying my Waterman Carène, F soon to see if it likes them.

 

My PenBBS 469 (Pen World link) 2-sided eyedropper (both fine nibs) did not like the two inks I tried.  I may try its rollerball tip later - that thing is fat and wet and can create halos.

 

9 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Thanks as usual for the comprehensive review, though....

 You're most welcome!

[inkstainedruth]

12 minutes ago, LizEF said:

I've been putting these through broader nibs (IOW, western fine nibs )

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

48 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

My PenBBS 469 (Pen World link) 2-sided eyedropper (both fine nibs) did not like the two inks I tried.  I may try its rollerball tip later - that thing is fat and wet and can create halos

Do you have fude (bent) nib fountain pen? Those are the best jobs for these kinds of inks. The cheap Jinhao 450 have surprisingly good fude nibs. I like the Sailor Fude De Mannen, but it's not practical for writing.

I have yet to try the Hongdian fude, but their blade and long blade ( Naginata togi) are excellent for line variation. 

 

Boy, I hate writing on a smartphone, I have correct, Otto, who insists on fuse/ dude and N Togi.nibs.

 

 

[yazeh]

Another fantastic review @LizEF.

This looks like a lovely colour to draw or do ink washes, but a mediocre for writing. 

I was checking a similar hue ink from this brand (Lost Rose) and I experienced the same behaviour. However, overtime the ink settled in and behaved much better.

 

 

Loved the crystalline, pale-amethyst microscopic image.

The storyline with Professor Eeness was lovely. Snek and Dragons, magic and Makhabesh. So much fun.

 

Thanks for your consistent reviews, and explorations of these inks. Tuesdays are so special.

 

 

[Sailor Kenshin]

Them groans is comin' from me today.  Also that purple and gold micro, with its tanks and crane.  That's me too.

 

While this ink, quite apart from its Unobtainability, is not for me, I liked reading/seeing.  Color is elusive, a plus.

 

Ursula quote!  👏🏻
 

You make Tuesdays magical and fun... I always look forward to the review and story.   Tho Etthhri and his people were dragon friends?  Neeet.  🐍 🦖

 

Thanks so much, @LizEF.  Even if I can't get an ink, the reviews are special. 

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Do you have fude (bent) nib fountain pen? Those are the best jobs for these kinds of inks. The cheap Jinhao 450 have surprisingly good fude nibs. I like the Sailor Fude De Mannen, but it's not practical for writing.

I have yet to try the Hongdian fude, but their blade and long blade ( Naginata togi) are excellent for line variation. 

I have none of the above and no interest in acquiring them - they'd be of no use to me. I'm not trying to test the ink, I'm only trying to show how it behaves in a Japanese EF nib.

 

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Boy, I hate writing on a smartphone, I have correct, Otto, who insists on fuse/ dude and N Togi.nibs.

Amen, brother!

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Another fantastic review @LizEF.

Thanks!

 

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

This looks like a lovely colour to draw or do ink washes, but a mediocre for writing. 

I was checking a similar hue ink from this brand (Lost Rose) and I experienced the same behaviour. However, overtime the ink settled in and behaved much better.

 Drawing and washes offer more options, but I do rather like the brownish color. And now and then, you can get a bit of the red, too.

 

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Loved the crystalline, pale-amethyst microscopic image.

 Yeah, this one did good on the slide!

 

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

The storyline with Professor Eeness was lovely. Snek and Dragons, magic and Makhabesh. So much fun.

 Thanks!

 

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Thanks for your consistent reviews, and explorations of these inks. Tuesdays are so special.

You're most welcome!  

[LizEF]

51 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Them groans is comin' from me today.  Also that purple and gold micro, with its tanks and crane.  That's me too.

 

51 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

While this ink, quite apart from its Unobtainability, is not for me, I liked reading/seeing.  Color is elusive, a plus.

 Sometimes, this is the best way.

 

51 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Ursula quote!  👏🏻

The woman is very quotable!

 

52 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

You make Tuesdays magical and fun... I always look forward to the review and story.

Thanks!

 

52 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Tho Etthhri and his people were dragon friends?  Neeet.  🐍 🦖

 I predict another adventure soon.

 

52 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks so much, @LizEF.  Even if I can't get an ink, the reviews are special. 

You're most welcome!

[Uncial]

I have enjoyed this brand and there are some very interesting inks but many are very dry. Ive also discovered that some lose their colour, even when not exposed to light, and turn a dull and watery grey, which is a shame.

[LizEF]

3 minutes ago, Uncial said:

I have enjoyed this brand and there are some very interesting inks but many are very dry.

Yes, I'm finding that all these chroma-shading inks flow dry (or seem to, even though they also tend to have wide line widths and fast dry times, which usually go with wet inks).

 

4 minutes ago, Uncial said:

Ive also discovered that some lose their colour, even when not exposed to light, and turn a dull and watery grey, which is a shame.

This matches reports found online that the chroma-shading inks aren't "stable" - which is why I'm reviewing all the ones I have before moving on to any other inks.

[A Smug Dill]

Thank you for another ink review!

 

10 hours ago, LizEF said:

On the CRENA mini swatch, we see pink and red with maybe a hint of green somewhere. On the big swatch, it's pink and brown and (I think) green in the heavier spot in the lower right corner. I'm not sure, but I think the ink may have gotten gradually browner as the week passed. Either way, you'll need a paper like Iroful or the CRENA swatch to get the red to show once the ink is dry.

 

Official marketing images for the ink:

 

 

(纸: 九号机巴川 means “Tomoe River paper (made with) machine №9”; and “星火纸” is Spark Paper.)

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, Uncial said:

I have enjoyed this brand and there are some very interesting inks but many are very dry. Ive also discovered that some lose their colour, even when not exposed to light, and turn a dull and watery grey, which is a shame.

Thanks for confirming this. I have been pestering @LizEF that this "should" not happen, mea culpa. 😇

Of all these "chromo-shading" brands, I have found that Jinchen has been surprisingly consistent. I cannot vouch for their shelf life, but they are well-lubricated. For now I have found one real chromo-shading ink and the others sheen like mad.

 

 

[USG]

Giving credit where credit is due.... Nice Review  😀👍

Interesting ink, but not for me 🙁

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, A Smug Dill said:

Official marketing images for the ink:

Whoa!

 

Thanks!  As we've been saying, massive nibs or other means of application needed to bring out the fun stuff.

[LizEF]

6 minutes ago, USG said:

Giving credit where credit is due.... Nice Review  😀👍

Thanks!

 

6 minutes ago, USG said:

Interesting ink, but not for me 🙁

 That's OK - one less ink for the wishlist.  

[LizEF]

38 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Thanks for confirming this. I have been pestering @LizEF that this "should" not happen, mea culpa. 😇

Well, it would be nice if it didn't. I've always assumed it was chemically required, basically.  

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

Well, it would be nice if it didn't. I've always assumed it was chemically required, basically.  

😊

[A Smug Dill]

 

One for the “too hard to photograph” basket.

 

On the CRENA swatch card, all traces of green seem to disappear once the ink has truly dried. However, on the other three types of paper shown, there is some degree of green in the greyish shading in the pen strokes. The most green is seen on the tracing paper (especially where two or more pen strokes intersected with each other, such as in the name Elegy of the Fallen writ large, there are some spots that are positively green). The vellum paper shows green-grey in the shading. On the Maruman loose leaf paper, the shading is… grey with a greenish cast.

 

Oh, and this ink behaves really strangely, when I tried to use a dip pen — specifically, a Pilot Penmanship's steel EF nib installed in a Pilot Iro-utsushi dip pen handle. The ink just didn't seem to want to cling to the metal, even though I've submerged the nib well past the ‘breather hole’ on it. Once I accidentally dipped too far, and got the leading end of the handle wet with ink as well. That time, the ink clung to the metal nib and filled the ‘breather hole’; but then it wouldn't write (on tracing paper), as if capillary action wasn't happening, and the ink gladly stayed put on the nib.

 

p.s. The ink rendered a whole lot more vividly pink on the CRENA swatch card, even if I'm still inclined to call it a dusky rose colour then.