rdcalhoon
June 25th, 2015, 04:03 PM
I have chosen 10 of my favorite inks for this ink sample PIF.
This is not my Top Ten Inks of All Time list, it is my curated list of ten inks that I have a bit to spare, that I like and reach for repeatedly, and that collectively provide a range of colors, styles, and manufacturers. There are a lot of other inks that could have been on this iist, but I only have 10 empty sample vials, purchased specially for this PIF.
I have simple tastes in ink. I do like color. I write in my 3(!) pocket notebooks, a couple of different dedicated journals, and the occasional letter or postcard. I may develop more of a focus on shading and sheen and nuance once I get my cataracts removed, but right now I am all about writing stuff. I don't worry much about staining pens and I change inks and wash pens frequently. I demand pen and ink combos that start right up without hard starts or skips.
The Ten Inks:
Diamine Bilberry - Is it blue? Is it purple? Is it indigo? A new favorite of mine.
Diamine Sapphire Blue - It's blue, if you need a blue ink. This one is more interesting than many.
Diamine Ancient Copper - A reddish brown. Dark enough to read, light enough to shade. Use it with a stub nib, if you can. An ink everyone should try.
Diamine Macassar - A dark brown, for when you want to get serious, but not too serious.
Noodler's Zhivago - A green-black. Another serious ink with a twist. The amount of green you see depends on the pen. Also a permanent ink, although the green will spread with water. I am really enjoying Zhivago in my fine nib Pilot Kakuno
Rohrer & Klingner Alt Goldgrun - An oddball green-gold ink. You will love it or hate it. Try it in a couple of different nib widths before deciding. Another ink for the stub nib.
Diamine Pumpkin - Orange, but a touch more organic orange, not road-hazard orange. I grow pumpkins for a living, so this is my ink. Also a chance to experience nib creep.
Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa - A purple iron gall ink. Another permanent ink. This one works well on all sorts of paper. You really should try an iron gall ink.
Diamine Wild Strawberry - Screaming red. An attention grabber.
Rohrer & Klingner Morinda - A good solid strong red. If you like the dried-blood effect, choose a different ink.
I thought about making a writing sample for all these inks, but I am confident that you will have more fun searching for ink reviews and seeing what other people have said.
It turns out that I have a lot of favorite inks. Some I haven't had long enough to stand the multiple use test (Standardgraph violet), others are on my bottle purchase list (Noodler's Black Swan in English Garden, Private Reserve Spearmint, Diamine Red Dragon), some just got crowded out by my limit of two inks per color (Diamine Salamander, J Herbin Lierre Sauvage).
I had wanted to include more ink makers, but in the end I selected only three. Diamine is highly represented because they make well-behaved inks in interesting colors, but more so because their 30 mL bottle is a size and price point that suits me well. I bought a number of Rohrer & Klingner inks during a close-out sale, so three ended up on this list. I'd be willing to pay the regular price when my favorites run out.
This PIF is aimed at people who have just started to realize that there is a host of ink manufacturers and colors available and who are a bit overwhelmed by it all. I hope to give you a start on sorting out your preferences.
It is also aimed a other folks who love inks and want to broaden their sample collections. If you already have many or most of these inks I hope you will refrain from entering and will instead create your own list of favorites to share.
If there is just one or a few of the inks that you really want, maybe we can do a swap.
If you are truly a beginner, I can include a syringe and needle so you can use the last drop or refill cartridges. You will have to provide your own fountain pen.
To enter, tell me which of the ten inks most grabbed your attention and why. I will write your names on slips of paper using the ink you each choose and drop all the slips into a plastic Jack o Lantern. This will give me the chance to use that glass dip pen I bought that is now gathering dust. The name I pull out of the pumpkin will be the winner.
I will ship world-wide, using the absolute cheapest method. (I will give you an extra chance if you promise to come to the farm and pick up your ink.)
I will close this PIF and pick the winner on Friday, July 3, eight days from now.
This is not my Top Ten Inks of All Time list, it is my curated list of ten inks that I have a bit to spare, that I like and reach for repeatedly, and that collectively provide a range of colors, styles, and manufacturers. There are a lot of other inks that could have been on this iist, but I only have 10 empty sample vials, purchased specially for this PIF.
I have simple tastes in ink. I do like color. I write in my 3(!) pocket notebooks, a couple of different dedicated journals, and the occasional letter or postcard. I may develop more of a focus on shading and sheen and nuance once I get my cataracts removed, but right now I am all about writing stuff. I don't worry much about staining pens and I change inks and wash pens frequently. I demand pen and ink combos that start right up without hard starts or skips.
The Ten Inks:
Diamine Bilberry - Is it blue? Is it purple? Is it indigo? A new favorite of mine.
Diamine Sapphire Blue - It's blue, if you need a blue ink. This one is more interesting than many.
Diamine Ancient Copper - A reddish brown. Dark enough to read, light enough to shade. Use it with a stub nib, if you can. An ink everyone should try.
Diamine Macassar - A dark brown, for when you want to get serious, but not too serious.
Noodler's Zhivago - A green-black. Another serious ink with a twist. The amount of green you see depends on the pen. Also a permanent ink, although the green will spread with water. I am really enjoying Zhivago in my fine nib Pilot Kakuno
Rohrer & Klingner Alt Goldgrun - An oddball green-gold ink. You will love it or hate it. Try it in a couple of different nib widths before deciding. Another ink for the stub nib.
Diamine Pumpkin - Orange, but a touch more organic orange, not road-hazard orange. I grow pumpkins for a living, so this is my ink. Also a chance to experience nib creep.
Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa - A purple iron gall ink. Another permanent ink. This one works well on all sorts of paper. You really should try an iron gall ink.
Diamine Wild Strawberry - Screaming red. An attention grabber.
Rohrer & Klingner Morinda - A good solid strong red. If you like the dried-blood effect, choose a different ink.
I thought about making a writing sample for all these inks, but I am confident that you will have more fun searching for ink reviews and seeing what other people have said.
It turns out that I have a lot of favorite inks. Some I haven't had long enough to stand the multiple use test (Standardgraph violet), others are on my bottle purchase list (Noodler's Black Swan in English Garden, Private Reserve Spearmint, Diamine Red Dragon), some just got crowded out by my limit of two inks per color (Diamine Salamander, J Herbin Lierre Sauvage).
I had wanted to include more ink makers, but in the end I selected only three. Diamine is highly represented because they make well-behaved inks in interesting colors, but more so because their 30 mL bottle is a size and price point that suits me well. I bought a number of Rohrer & Klingner inks during a close-out sale, so three ended up on this list. I'd be willing to pay the regular price when my favorites run out.
This PIF is aimed at people who have just started to realize that there is a host of ink manufacturers and colors available and who are a bit overwhelmed by it all. I hope to give you a start on sorting out your preferences.
It is also aimed a other folks who love inks and want to broaden their sample collections. If you already have many or most of these inks I hope you will refrain from entering and will instead create your own list of favorites to share.
If there is just one or a few of the inks that you really want, maybe we can do a swap.
If you are truly a beginner, I can include a syringe and needle so you can use the last drop or refill cartridges. You will have to provide your own fountain pen.
To enter, tell me which of the ten inks most grabbed your attention and why. I will write your names on slips of paper using the ink you each choose and drop all the slips into a plastic Jack o Lantern. This will give me the chance to use that glass dip pen I bought that is now gathering dust. The name I pull out of the pumpkin will be the winner.
I will ship world-wide, using the absolute cheapest method. (I will give you an extra chance if you promise to come to the farm and pick up your ink.)
I will close this PIF and pick the winner on Friday, July 3, eight days from now.