Lamy blue-black (iron-gall)

[kadymae]

I am no mistress of elegant handwriting like several of you here, but here goes:

 

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h305/tartymae/pens/LamyBlueBlack1.jpg

 

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h305/tartymae/pens/LamyBlueBlack2.jpg

 

Front and back of the same sheet of Office Max 28lb Platinum Series Color Laser paper, so yes, bleed through is minimal.

 

And to re-emphasise the point, though the ink is technically speaking archival, it will, given time, damage the paper it is written on, and the rate of damage is accelerated if the paper itself is not acid-free. If you're using this to handwrite anything you think you might want to read 50 or 60 years from now, use acid free paper or choose another ink.

 

 

[PenTieRun]

Yes, this is a beautiful ink. Thanks for the review. You explain the need to keep the nib/pen wet while it contains this ink. I'm still fighting to free my Safari of some lingering residue after I let a little dry in the pen for a couple days. Big oops. I was using this ink in its Montblanc incarnation. Too bad it's not available without the iron gall.

[kadymae]

Yes, this is a beautiful ink. Thanks for the review. You explain the need to keep the nib/pen wet while it contains this ink. I'm still fighting to free my Safari of some lingering residue after I let a little dry in the pen for a couple days. Big oops. I was using this ink in its Montblanc incarnation. Too bad it's not available without the iron gall.

 

I believe that the Lamy Blue-Black that comes in the cartridges is not iron-gall, but ... that means it's not quite the same thing.

[shigidab0p]

Sometimes the ink has minor flow problems in my fairly dry pen, but a little twist of the piston converter fixes them. I love the shading, understated colour and how the colour changes as the ink dries.

[dhlr14454]

Thanks for the review. I've used Lamy Blue on occasion. How did you know Blue-Black was iron-gall? Did it say it on the bottle or box? The smell? Just curious.

[shigidab0p]

Thanks for the review. I've used Lamy Blue on occasion. How did you know Blue-Black was iron-gall? Did it say it on the bottle or box? The smell? Just curious.

The way it darkens upon drying and standing is characteristic of iron-gall. Also, it smells quite 'rusty', as I found when i spilt some accidentally.

 

Edit: It doesn't say on the bottle though. The bottle (or box for that matter) doesn't even say what colour the ink is! Luckily I only have one Lamy ink.

Edited November 16, 2008 by shigidab0p

[EventHorizon]

I have been using LAMY Blue/Black for about 10 years and have no issue. I have noticed that the color is different based on the nib. Case in point:

 

I wrote in my journal last week with a Sheaffer Statesman with said ink then yesterday used the ink in an Esterbrook J with a 2442 nib. The Sheaffer left a black text and the Esterbrook was noticeably blue.

[jbbreau]

I've heard that the cartridge blue-black is not an iron-gall ink, is that true?

 

 

[Ondina]

I've heard that the cartridge blue-black is not an iron-gall ink, is that true?

 

Correct, the carts are not iron-gall. Only the Blue-Black in a bottle.

[jbbreau]

I've heard that the cartridge blue-black is not an iron-gall ink, is that true?

 

Correct, the carts are not iron-gall. Only the Blue-Black in a bottle.

 

Thanks for the quick answer

 

 

[FanOfLamy]

I've heard that the cartridge blue-black is not an iron-gall ink, is that true?

 

Correct, the carts are not iron-gall. Only the Blue-Black in a bottle.

 

 

Hi:

 

I found contradicting information on Wikipedia that Lamy Blue/Black is a more modern ink and not really an iron gall ink.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_gall_ink (see under the Warning subheader).

 

Best,

 

NM

[slugbird]

since its iron gall wil it corrode fountain pens?

[Bo Bo Olson]

I was in an ink buying mood, when I went to town yesterday. Only 1 of the three I wanted were in town...so Lamy cartridges were bought. Blue Black, Green, and Violet.

I have not tried them yet.

 

Rats, I don't have a single C/C pen with a semi-flex nib.....well that's a good reason to have ink wells. Chop and pour.

Blue - black seems to be a shading ink. That is good. I don't have a bottle of blue black, and if it works will be on my list.

I just love shading.... I hope the stuff in the cartridges shade.

 

Well out came the 18 K nail...Lamy Persona.

It does in a cartridge give me a a gray-blue or a washed out blue. It does shade a bit.

The Lamy Joy 1.5 nib. gives the same gray blue color. Being a wider nib, it also shades.

 

For me on normal copy paper and the tad better, both end up the same shade of blue-gray.

 

Oddly I'd love to try this in a medium or a fine nib but I don't have any other Lamy's. Perhaps a narrower nib would give me a darker color. In most of my inks, the narrower nibs don't, but I don't have a narrow Lamy to find out.

 

I am still an ink noobie, but I find it a dry ink.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Bo Bo Olson

[Lloyd]

BoBo: The cartridges of Lamy BlueBlack are not iron gall; only Lamy's bottled BlueBlack is iron gall.

[Vicbowling]

BoBo: The cartridges of Lamy BlueBlack are not iron gall; only Lamy's bottled BlueBlack is iron gall.

 

That looks like a really nice ink. I'll have to try the LAMY Blue/Black too. I have a set of Pelican technical pens and I'm wondering what would be a nice solid black ink that would work in those. I don't want to ruin my pens though with something that I can't get out. I'll see what they say at the art supply store. My pens are about 30 years old, I think and came in a little plastic case of three. I can't wait to try them out.

Edited June 28, 2010 by Vicbowling

[gyasko]

The scan looks like what i get from this ink.

 

I think it's more blue and less dark than MB BB. To me they don't appear to be the same. What is the basis for the oft-repeated claim that they are the same ink in different bottles?

[lapis]

I think it's more blue and less dark than MB BB. To me they don't appear to be the same. What is the basis for the oft-repeated claim that they are the same ink in different bottles?

They are not the same ink. I verified this by asking both companies, each twice. Sure, they (MB and Lamy customer service staff members) may be as dumb as usually anticipated, but all you have to do is look at the inks' actual colours on paper,and their flows and shadings. If that isn't enough, put two glasses of water next to each other and add a few drops of ink slowly... gently... into the water and keep your eyes open.

 

Mike

[gyasko]

I think it's more blue and less dark than MB BB. To me they don't appear to be the same. What is the basis for the oft-repeated claim that they are the same ink in different bottles?

They are not the same ink. I verified this by asking both companies, each twice. Sure, they (MB and Lamy customer service staff members) may be as dumb as usually anticipated, but all you have to do is look at the inks' actual colours on paper,and their flows and shadings. If that isn't enough, put two glasses of water next to each other and add a few drops of ink slowly... gently... into the water and keep your eyes open.

 

 

I couldn't agree more. My question is really this: given what seem to be fairly obvious differences, why do people say that these inks are identical?

[lapis]

I couldn't agree more. My question is really this: given what seem to be fairly obvious differences, why do people say that these inks are identical?

I don't know if this is the answer but I still see this: {a} both inks are b-b, {b} both resemble each other at least a leedle wee bit as re darkness, dryness, etc, {c} both are in a bottle, whereas their "counterparts" in a cart are not, {d} they're both manufactured in the same country (well, at least the companies claim this), and {e} the big price diff attracts our attention, so why not hope that they are the same?

 

Mike

[sjchun79]

handwriting looks fine! =)