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Thread: Can you recommend a black?

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    Default Can you recommend a black?

    Hello ink addicts,
    I am asking for your recommendation on a black ink. Frankly speaking, I am somewhat lost among the vast possibilities, so maybe some of you have walked this path before and can help me out.

    I am looking for a black that:
    - is low maintenance. I am about to keep it inked for longer periods in a Platinum 3776, which is, khm, not supposed to be disposable. So the ink should not destroy it, even if inked for months.
    - works well in a fairly dry pen (to me this suggests I am looking for a wet ink)
    - has really good intensity, as thin lines will need to be laid down
    - no waterproofness required

    I tried Waterman Black, but to me, that was not intense enough. The dryish Soft Fine nib could only lay pale grey unless pressed on hard.
    My current top-of-the-list candidate is Diamine Onyx Black, but haven't made the purchase yet. Do you have an even better recommendation perhaps?

    Thanks a lot.

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    Senior Member migo984's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I like either Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noir, both quite black blacks. The Herbin is perhaps very slightly wetter: it behaves well.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Quote Originally Posted by migo984 View Post
    I like either Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noir, both quite black blacks. The Herbin is perhaps very slightly wetter: it behaves well.
    Excellent suggestions.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Aurora here. Very dark black, nice flow properties, in my experience.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Quote Originally Posted by migo984 View Post
    I like either Aurora Black or Herbin Perle Noir, both quite black blacks.
    These are the two I use. Almost equally happy with both. Been unhappy with every other black I have used. Slight preference for the nib feel on the Aurora. Both are good. The Herbin, I would have predicted to be weak and grey. It isn't.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Although I'm not generally a fan of black inks, my go-to black is Noodler's Heart of Darkness. It is a pure black, no shade or shimmer, just black. Reminds me some of a flat or satin black car paint.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Quote Originally Posted by jvlgato View Post
    Aurora here. Very dark black, nice flow properties, in my experience.
    same same

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    Senior Member Mags's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I use either Montblanc Mystery Black and Noodlers Black...Noodlers dries slowly. Aurora has the gold standard reputation but the MB ink came.with my 149 and I use it rarely.

    Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Aurora Black is the perfect black as long as one does not need waterproof properties (as in this case.)
    I use it to the exclusion of all other black inks. Perfect in all modern and vintage pens I've ever tried, and that's a lot of different pens.

    Best Regards, greg

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Another vote for Aurora and J.Herbin - plus R&K Leipziger Schwarz, which is my best-loved black for a solid black line with a bit of color interest. I don't know how to describe it, but there is a barely visible hint of a blue-green "aura" to this ink's lines. It also mixes with all other R&K inks to darken them.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    My favorite is Diamine Onyx, and it hasn't been an issue in any of my pens. I should compare it to Waterman's Intense Black which I actually use more than Onyx.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I tried Aurora Black, and it is very black, and it is very wet. That was my experience -- too wet. According to your parameters, it should be perfect.

    (For me, Noodler's Black is perfect, because it is low maintenance and waterproof and (I guess) not wet.)
    _____________
    To Miasto

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I like Aurora Black, and Perle Noire. You can't go wrong with either one. I also have tried Sailor, but you don't want higher maintenance. The Kiwa-guro is excellent, but not dark enough for you, and it has little carbon/nano particles, so that will eliminate that one. (for you) I have only tried samples of the Aurora Black, and Perle Noire. In my experience Perle Noire was a little more wet. I also found a tad bit more lubrication with the Aurora Black. I have not used any Noodler's Black inks, so I cannot comment on those. The J. Herbin ink is cheaper than Aurora Black, if that helps.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I just tried the Cross black in a cartridge. It seems very black and wettish. I have experience with Cross Violet and love it. I imagine the black would perform about the same. (But I will admit that now I am intrigued by the Aurora Black, since everyone seems to recommend it).
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    But I will admit that now I am intrigued by the Aurora Black, since everyone seems to recommend it.
    I recommend it when people want low-maintenance, easy clean-out, a very black black, a wet ink, and they don't care about water resistance. However, there's not enough magic there to make me want to write with black ink very often, and so I expect my one bottle of Aurora Black is, at a minimum, a 20 year supply. I recommend it like I would recommend a good restaurant that serves a cuisine I don't particularly like. It's a "well-prepared" black ink, if you like that sort of thing.
    --
    Mike

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Perle Noir is wetter than Aurora Black

    Both are wetter than Noodler's

    I find that Aurora and Perle Noir and Parker Quink all behave better in pens and nibs over time than the Noodler's: my Noodler's always gunks up a bit over time in the nib/feed unless I am using it every day more than once a day.

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Lady Onogaro, I love inks that have good lubrication. This one is great, and I wasn't really too excited about black inks, until I tried the 3 I mentioned. I have only used the Aurora Black, and J. Herbin Perle Noire in my Pilot Prera F nib pen. I had zero issues with either of these inks. The pen never felt dry, and it started right up. If an ink is on the dry side, my Prera F nib will let me know. It doesn't like to write with certain inks, and it will balk on a dry ink. I left the Aurora Black in my pen as long as possible, to see how it would hold up. Plus I only had a sample, so I didn't want to use it up quickly. It stayed lubricated the whole time. I haven't written with black ink in almost a year. (until fairly recently) Now I can see writing with it from time to time, and enjoying it. I was burnt out on black and blue ink, but now I can use them again. (thanks to many vibrant color changes from lots of sampling)

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    Thank you, pen people, for all the contribution. I was introduced to quite some options.
    My local brick & mortar store had a somewhat limited stock, so I bought Perle Noire and Diamine Quartz Black. Aurora is not available here, unfortunately.
    The first I tested, Diamine Quartz, seemed okay. Darker and more lubricating than Waterman Intense Black, which I was looking to replace. Although it fades to some dark gray on the paper, yet even with thin lines it's not disturbing (unlike Waterman's fading). Good ink.
    I was already satisfied, when tested Perle Noire. Well, that one proved to be better in every aspect for me. More lubricating, darker tint, fines are finer. A big Thank you to everyone who recommended this one.

    BTW, some of you mentioned you don't use black. I don't usually do it either. To me, black is too similar to computer printed documents (not that my handwriting would be as perfect as a printed doc . I tend to write notes on printed documents, and I like my text standing out.
    However, I find some variety in using black when writing into a notebook - especially when the rulings are in blue print. This is especially true when using nibs that allow line variation.

    Once again, thank you everyone for your suggestions!

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I love a happy ending

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    Default Re: Can you recommend a black?

    I am so happy you bought the Perle Noire. I knew you'd like it. I am not familiar with the Diamine-Quartz Black. If you get a chance....try a sample of Aurora Black if nothing else. I have only been into fountain pens for a year, just now. I was so tired of black and blue ink, that I stayed away from it all this time, until recently. When you write in a journal with a different ink for each entry, I see what you mean...that black will get your attention. I also like to use a bright eye searing ink to document certain things, that I want to jump out at me, when I am flipping through pages. I have a computer notebook that I write things down to remember later. If something is critical, I will use an ink that will get my attention, so I don't waste time thumbing through mounds of pages. I could do an index, but I don't write enough in that book to warrant it. (at least not yet, and I hope it stays that way) This is one thing I love about fountain pens, you have endless choices on COLOR, in every possible way. It makes me smile.

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