EFNIR: Pilot Mixable Colour Black

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Pilot Mixable Colour Black

This is review #265 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:


Post-recording notes: Pilot cartridges are usually full up to the disk, with maybe a small bubble of air. This cartridge was a bit low (like the other cartridges I got with a set of Parallel pens some years ago), so I topped it off with a little water. I don't think this impacted the testing significantly.

This is a very black black. On the microscope slide, once the ink was spread thin, I could see a bluish hue. Like all the Mixable Colour inks, it's highly concentrated. Cleaning was easy with plain water, but the dye is very concentrated, so you may need extra flushes. The ink is black and the images all look black to me.

NOTE: Starting next week, I will be posting one hour later than I am right now.

Zoomed in photo


Screenshot


Scan of Completed Review


Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper)


Line width (The "h" in Rhodia. 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 292µm. With 265 inks measured, the average line width is 296µm.) (Note the little bits of coppery sheen!)


Microscope image (400x. A crystalline entity...)


Microscope image (400x. Interesting rock formation...)


Microscope image (400x. Blood red fuzz balls. (There was no sign of red to the naked eye either on the slide or when the ink was diluted. I think this was just something to do with the slide.))


Previous Review: Nemosine Solar Storm 1859.

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!

[mizgeorge]

I am in awe! Even on Boxing day you manage to post a fab review. Thank you Liz - you're a legend!

If I were to want a black ink, I actually think I quite like this one - I'm sure I've got a cartridge or two around somewhere so I might try it out sometime, though I generally don't often stray from Carbon Black

Thank you also for bringing us end-of-year hope for our little snek. I'm wishing right along with Quin...

[Yazeh]

Thanks for a fun review
I'm not sure what to make of this ink, I love the dark, shiny back colour, but I'm not sure if I have eternity to wait for it to dry. I think I prefer it for creative art projects
I love the quote, and how it ties in with live and dead skeletons

Thanks for making Tuesday so fun

[LizEF]

I am in awe! Even on Boxing day you manage to post a fab review. Thank you Liz - you're a legend!

Aww. Thank you! But to be fair, this was scheduled 5 weeks ago, and I'm an American. We hear "boxing day" and think "Muhammad Ali"....

If I were to want a black ink, I actually think I quite like this one - I'm sure I've got a cartridge or two around somewhere so I might try it out sometime, though I generally don't often stray from Carbon Black

This is one that could be improved by slight dilution. In my experience, that doesn't alter the color, but improves behavior - like how hairy it is on poor paper... Or just stick to good paper and put up with eternal dry times (in the desert, anyway).

Thank you also for bringing us end-of-year hope for our little snek. I'm wishing right along with Quin...

You're very welcome!

[LizEF]

Thanks for a fun review

You're very welcome!

I'm not sure what to make of this ink, I love the dark, shiny back colour, but I'm not sure if I have eternity to wait for it to dry. I think I prefer it for creative art projects

Yesterday I may have gotten a little confirmation of my dry time paradox - an ink that had dried in only a couple of seconds during testing took more than 30 seconds to dry during the review (Christmas plans changed so I recorded my review last night). The RH last night was 33%. I didn't note what it was when I tested the dry time, but I'm guessing it was around 40% (I believe 35% was the tipping point). In short, you may not have the dry time problems I do, unless you use Rhodia dot pads and have <35% RH. Of course, adding a little water to the ink will improve its dry time...

I love the quote, and how it ties in with live and dead skeletons

And here I was thinking about what Quin believed in while trying to heal Essri, but yes, fun to link it to the skeletons - only, there's nothing inside them - unless it's bone marrow.....

Thanks for making Tuesday so fun

Happy to do it!

[Sailor Kenshin]

A crystalline entity that is a ginormous uplooking statue of Apollo! Not to mention Galaxy of Red Fuzzballs, and plasma clouds gathered round Apollo! 🙀

Pilot black inks confuse me. I do not have the Mixable but the regular carts and a bottle of Pilot/Namiki Black. They are all quite Blakity indeed.

Concentrate, Quin! Visualithe Etthhri ath you know him! 🎉

Liz, Many Thanks again for another Tuesday Treat!

[LizEF]

I thought I would add this here for anyone enjoying the story who wants this tidbit of "off camera" story:

You may recall from last time that we learned the Viscount is "animated by magic". I don't remember if I said before, but way back in review 258, Platinum Red, while Marsell is working his magic, Quin hears "a great clattering of bones, as if all the skeletons were tumbling down the staircase." Marsell's contamination of the Source had done enough damage that the skeletons lost their "animation" and really did collapse and tumble down the staircase. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to "kill" the skeletons, so once Makhabesh and then Quin dumped in their vials, the skeletons regained their self control and resumed their pursuit of the intruders. I imagine we might encounter skeletons again one day and can explore their origin and reproductive techniques... (Part of me is wondering if Marsell will come back as a skeletal "son" of Viscount E. )

[LizEF]

A crystalline entity that is a ginormous uplooking statue of Apollo! Not to mention Galaxy of Red Fuzzballs, and plasma clouds gathered round Apollo! 🙀

Pilot black inks confuse me. I do not have the Mixable but the regular carts and a bottle of Pilot/Namiki Black. They are all quite Blakity indeed.

To me, this ink is one of the blackest inks out there - probably because of a high dye concentration. The regular Pilot Black looks warm and brownish in comparison.

Concentrate, Quin! Visualithe Etthhri ath you know him! 🎉

Liz, Many Thanks again for another Tuesday Treat!

You're most welcome!

[Robert]

To my eyes - and on my screen - I detect the faintest hint of dark brown in this ink. Or perhaps my cataracts are at work here? A very nice review, nonetheless.

[LizEF]

To my eyes - and on my screen - I detect the faintest hint of dark brown in this ink. Or perhaps my cataracts are at work here?

That could be the paper in some cases - the absorbent paper especially is quite warm toned off-white, or the images or your screen. To my eyes, there was no brown hint or lean - it's just a very dark black, and when diluted or thinned on the slide, it was bluish, so it actually leans cool, not warm.

A very nice review, nonetheless.

Thank you!