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Thread: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

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    Senior Member LizEF's Avatar
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    Default EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    This is review #221 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:


    Post-recording notes: This is a Karas Pen Co. exclusive, made by Papier Plume. I decided to do a more thorough review since I couldn't find any others. But it was day 4 of 5 when I decided I would do a water test, so the writing is only ~1.5 days old when I did the water test. No idea when or whether it will be back in stock, but here's the web page: https://karaskustoms.com/product/des...ntain-pen-ink/ .

    Cleaning was surprisingly easy - reds are often hard, but this wasn't. Dry time was between 35 and 40 seconds in testing, 31 seconds from the test hashes, and yet the "Dry Time" label smeared and I wrote it considerably before I started the review, so I don't know what to make of it... I'm going with 40 seconds on the assumption the "Dry Time" text was when the feed was very wet...

    Zoomed in photo (Very accurate, shading is a little too pronounced.)


    Screenshot (Text is too dark.)


    Scan of Completed Review (Strangely, the text is a little too dark, but the color is close.)


    Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper) (AP: Text is lighter than what I see. CP: Very close.)


    Line width (One of the lines used for dry time. Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. The line width for this ink is roughly 300µm. With 221 inks measured, the average line width is 295µm.)


    Microscope image (Pretty close in color.)


    Water Test Results


    Chromatogram (Photo (good)and scan (not as close)of chromatogram. The dot has a hint of dusky purple and my eyes claim there's a tiny bit of yellow at the very top, until I get it under a magnifying glass...)


    Previous Review: Anderillium Motor City Peacock Blue.

    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.

    Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

  2. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to LizEF For This Useful Post:

    forester (February 21st, 2023), Jon Szanto (February 21st, 2023), junglejim (February 21st, 2023), mizgeorge (February 21st, 2023), Sailor Kenshin (February 21st, 2023)

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    Senior Member mizgeorge's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Well that's a surprise!

    Thank you Liz - what a fab review. And in spite of every inky preconception I have, I really rather like it, and would definitely get it were the opportunity to arise. I also definitely see yellow in the chroma.

    I'm worried about what's heading towards our protagonists though - I'm envisioning a ghastly Tsutsuji / Kelly Green combo and it's really not pretty...

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mizgeorge For This Useful Post:

    Sailor Kenshin (February 21st, 2023), Yazeh (February 21st, 2023)

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Holy puffs of smoke in a fiery sky, Batman!

    Papier Plume has some cool inks, and I really like this color. Dry time, not so much. Thanks as always for the review and story!
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Another fabulous review @Lizef,

    It's funny how the test hash after 1 second is the only one smudged. But the dry time, is more than 41 seconds.
    Quin must be really unbalanced with a sphinx on one shoulder and a tiny snek on the other.

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    Senior Member LizEF's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Quote Originally Posted by mizgeorge View Post
    Well that's a surprise!


    Quote Originally Posted by mizgeorge View Post
    Thank you Liz - what a fab review. And in spite of every inky preconception I have, I really rather like it, and would definitely get it were the opportunity to arise. I also definitely see yellow in the chroma.
    You're very welcome! Thanks! It really grew on my while I had it in my new titanium nib, also from Karas.

    Quote Originally Posted by mizgeorge View Post
    I'm worried about what's heading towards our protagonists though - I'm envisioning a ghastly Tsutsuji / Kelly Green combo and it's really not pretty...

  8. #6
    Senior Member LizEF's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Holy puffs of smoke in a fiery sky, Batman!
    Right!? Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire! Very cool smear this time.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Papier Plume has some cool inks, and I really like this color. Dry time, not so much.
    I haven't tried many of their inks yet - I think this is only the second, but good impressions so far. I'm kinda disappointed that this ink may be gone forever - guess it depends on whether Karas order more. And, yeah, it kinda sits atop the page all huddled together under it's surface tension, refusing to dry. (Turns out, dry inks stay wet longer!!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Thanks as always for the review and story!
    You're very welcome!

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    Senior Member LizEF's Avatar
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    Default Re: EFNIR: Karas Pen Co. Desert Varnish

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Another fabulous review @Lizef,
    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    It's funny how the test hash after 1 second is the only one smudged. But the dry time, is more than 41 seconds.
    There were tiny smears on the other hash marks up to 30 seconds, and then a smear on the "D" in "Dry Time". Sometimes I wonder why I bother. It seems so variable as to be meaningless...

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Quin must be really unbalanced with a sphinx on one shoulder and a tiny snek on the other.
    I think he holds his staff in the hand on Essri's side, to help keep his balance.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to LizEF For This Useful Post:

    Yazeh (February 21st, 2023)

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