Favorite Permanent / Iron Gall Ink

[laurielindly]

Hi all! I am new to pfgeeks and pretty new to fountain pens. I am looking for suggestions on an ink that I can use for journaling and as an everyday permanent/iron gall choice. I am not interested in black and it doesn't have to be office appropriate. Also if this helps, I will be using it in a modern sub $50 pen- either a Lamy safari or Kaweco Skyline sport. Thank you.

[Silverbreeze]

KWZ

one of Noodler's Black Swan

If you like blue Liberty Elisyum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wile E Coyote]

Platinum or Sailor pigment inks.

[Laura N]

KWZ Iron Gall #5 would be my first choice. I like blue, and this is a great color. I did a review of KWZ Iron Gall #5 here, if you want to see some photos and read a little about it. If you surf around my blog, you'll also find reviews of some other KWZ iron gall inks, because KWZ has a number of great colors in iron gall besides blue. I'm partial to KWZ's iron gall greens and to Iron Gall Turquoise as well. For a steel nib pen, choose a lower maintenance ink, which almost all (but not all) KWZ iron gall inks have proved to be.

If you are in the US, you can get KWZ inks and samples from Vanness online. It's also available directly from KWZ in Poland.

Rohrer & Klinger make nice low-maintenance iron gall inks, too. And I personally like Pelikan Blue Black (and not for nothing I still have a few small bottles for sale on the classifieds at a low price). I would not recommend Diamine Register's Ink because I found it finicky and high maintenance.

[laurielindly]

Laura-
Thank you. Your reviews of both KWZ inks you mentioned were wonderful. I bookmarked your blog. I will be looking at more of your post there soon.

I have tried KWZ inks before. I love Honey and it is on my to be purchased list. Vanness was kind enough to send me samples of it and Berry as part of their #inkyfridayfun contest on Instagram. I have added a sample of KWZ Iron Gall #5 to that list. I am going to look at other KWZ IG colors as well as R&K IG ones.

Also, you mentioned in your blog about leaving the KWZ IG #5 in your pen to see how it holds up to the long term abuse of an IG ink. I was curious about your findings.

[carlos.q]

Please take a look at MB Permanent Blue...

[laurielindly]

Please take a look at MB Permanent Blue...

Thanks for the suggestion!

[laurielindly]

KWZ

one of Noodler's Black Swan

If you like blue Liberty Elisyum

Thank you. I didn't realize that the Black Swan inks had permanence. I have been meaning to get a sample of them. I will be adding them to my list as well as KWZ IG inks.

[laurielindly]

Platinum or Sailor pigment inks.

Thank you. I will check them out.

[Laura N]

Laura-
Thank you. Your reviews of both KWZ inks you mentioned were wonderful. I bookmarked your blog. I will be looking at more of your post there soon.

I have tried KWZ inks before. I love Honey and it is on my to be purchased list. Vanness was kind enough to send me samples of it and Berry as part of their #inkyfridayfun contest on Instagram. I have added a sample of KWZ Iron Gall #5 to that list. I am going to look at other KWZ IG colors as well as R&K IG ones.

Also, you mentioned in your blog about leaving the KWZ IG #5 in your pen to see how it holds up to the long term abuse of an IG ink. I was curious about your findings.

Thank you! I did leave KWZ Iron Gall Blue #5 in at least one steel-nib pen, and maybe more, for a really long time, and had no issues. It's a really beautiful ink, too. Iron gall inks won't react with a gold nib and shouldn't react with a stainless steel nib, but the latter is what you worry about.

The only KWZ iron gall I've ever reviewed that was higher maintenance was Iron Gall Orange, which is an unusual color anyway; but I haven't tested them all. Both R&K iron gall inks were low maintenance for me. I just ended up preferring KWZ colors.

[Jon Szanto]

I agree strongly with Laura's suggestions on the KWZ inks - I like to use IG Green #4.

Having said that, I can't help but add two more suggestions: if you *really* want IG for permanence and the look of archival writing, you might want to try ESSRI (which stands for Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrar's Ink). It is a deep blue-black that dries to very dark, almost black. You can even see the change occuring in real-time on some papers, fascinating. This one is a For Real IG, so I'd want it in a pen that is easy to clean and, optimally, has a gold nib.

But another? I think people overlook Namiki Blue, which is not IG but very much waterproof and, from my uses, fadeproof. Lovely color, no special handling needs, etc. Another that maybe is worth a sample (ESSRI, unfortunately, you need to order the bottle).

[laurielindly]

I agree strongly with Laura's suggestions on the KWZ inks - I like to use IG Green #4.

Having said that, I can't help but add two more suggestions: if you *really* want IG for permanence and the look of archival writing, you might want to try ESSRI (which stands for Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrar's Ink).

But another? I think people overlook Namiki Blue, which is not IG but very much waterproof and, from my uses, fadeproof. Lovely color, no special handling needs, etc. Another that maybe is worth a sample (ESSRI, unfortunately, you need to order the bottle).

Thank you Jon. I was just trying to decide which KWZ IG green to try. I will check out Namaki Blue as well. I will hold off on ESSRI for now but I am making a note for the future.

[stub]

Platinum Blue-Black is fantastic.

[The Good Captain]

Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is my favourite ink of all time. If you can get it where you live, of course. Montblanc Permanent Blue is another firm favourite too. Sailor Jentle Blue-Black as well, especially if you like the smell of phenol!

[laurielindly]

Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is my favourite ink of all time. If you can get it where you live, of course. Montblanc Permanent Blue is another firm favourite too. Sailor Jentle Blue-Black as well, especially if you like the smell of phenol!

Thank you. I do like the smell due to stains and other chemicals used for my job. Lol.

[Scooby921]

Please take a look at MB Permanent Blue...

I second this. I use MB Permanent Blue on a daily basis for official signatures on documents at work. As I like the color and shading I also tend to use it for everything else as well. It tends to be a bit more expensive due to having a MB name and an ISO certification, but if you want permanent I haven't found anything better thus far. I also have MB's 90 year permanent grey. It's another permanent alternative to boring black.

[laurielindly]

Please take a look at MB Permanent Blue...

I second this. I use MB Permanent Blue on a daily basis for official signatures on documents at work. As I like the color and shading I also tend to use it for everything else as well. It tends to be a bit more expensive due to having a MB name and an ISO certification, but if you want permanent I haven't found anything better thus far. I also have MB's 90 year permanent grey. It's another permanent alternative to boring black.

Thank you. I have looked at ink reviews of MB's Permanent Blue- I like that it shades but I seem to lean towards blues that are darker. I checked out MB's permanent grey. I would love to be able to sample it. It looks lovely.

[Scooby921]

Thank you. I have looked at ink reviews of MB's Permanent Blue- I like that it shades but I seem to lean towards blues that are darker. I checked out MB's permanent grey. I would love to be able to sample it. It looks lovely.

Message me a shipping address and I'll send you some.

[laurielindly]

I agree strongly with Laura's suggestions on the KWZ inks - I like to use IG Green #4.

Jon,
Would you happen to have any writing samples of it around? I was looking for reviews and this particular ink doesn't seem to have one.

[Jon Szanto]

Jon, Would you happen to have any writing samples of it around? I was looking for reviews and this particular ink doesn't seem to have one.

I've got to finish a work project I'm on at the moment but will put something together in the next couple hours...

... and, here you go! I HATE having to photo/scan these things, because it never turns out like what I see in front of my face. Anyway, I took out three of my other green ink swatches, made one for the KWZ, and did both a scan and a quick-and-dirty phone cam pic. In just the 10 minutes or so from the swatch being done to scanning, it had already started to darken. This really does end up as a very dark green-black. Well, maybe this will help somehow, though it is always best to try a sample before committing to an entire bottle. KWZ can be source, in the US, from Vanness Pens.

Scan first, then photo: