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View Full Version : Ink Review: Diamine Sargasso Sea



Chrissy
August 11th, 2015, 03:48 AM
I have had this Diamine Sargasso Sea sample for reviewing for a while, and when I saw the reveal for Mystery Ink 10, 'Lloyd' as Diamine Blue Velvet, I looked at this sample and thought how similar it looks to Blue Velvet. However, after I started writing with it, I started to see that it leans a little more towards the red end of the colour spectrum than Blue Velvet does. I like that about it, and I would happily live with both colours. Notably though, Blue Velvet is more expensive because it's one of the 150th Anniversary inks.

This is an excellent dark to medium blue type. It varies according to the type of nib used, and looks darker when written with a F nib than it does when written with a stub or wider nib. It could be used as an every day blue ink.

It's an excellent performer. I'm not 100% happy with my Pilot CH92 F nib, because I find I get much more feedback from it than I do from my other F nibs. However, it loved this ink. It felt well lubricated and flowed across the page beautifully. I could have carried on writing with it for ages, but wanted to look at the writing with the stub nib too. I was surprised how different the colour looked between these 2 nibs.

This was a slow-drying ink and exhibited much show through and bleed though on my thick 100g/sm paper. If you are content with that then I can recommend it.


The water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink, but there is some water resistance.
Bearing in mind the paper I use is thick with a shiny surface, and I used a 1.1 and a F nib, this ink only took 17-20 secs to dry. That's common on this smooth, thick paper.
It flows through the pen very well and lubricates the nib very well. I saw no skips or hard starts while I did swabs and dry time tests.
It is currently available in 80ml glass bottles, 30ml plastic refill bottles or cartridges.
Diamine (http://www.diamineinks.co.uk) sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.
It's a reasonable price

29203

Robert
August 11th, 2015, 07:54 AM
What a (pleasant) surprise. I associate sargassum with the Sargasso Sea and expected a dark greenish brown color. I would have no use for such a color, but this Diamine ink is a different matter entirely.

stub
August 12th, 2015, 06:15 AM
I have heard reports that this ink dries most of the way then sort of remains smudge prone for a long time after, as if it doesn't ever fully dry.

I like the color, looks not too far off from the old Omas Blue.

Have you found the ink smudgy?

Nice review, thanks

Chrissy
August 12th, 2015, 06:23 AM
I have heard reports that this ink dries most of the way then sort of remains smudge prone for a long time after, as if it doesn't ever fully dry.

I like the color, looks not too far off from the old Omas Blue.

Have you found the ink smudgy?

Nice review, thanks Thank you.

No I haven't found this ink smudgy. In fact, if you look on the review form I wrote with my Plumix stub nib at the top and bottom of the form, and in between I wrote with the Pilot F nib. In fact I wrote with the Pilot F nib first. So I could have smudged the writing I did with the stub nib, if it had been smudgy

migo984
August 12th, 2015, 07:14 AM
I have heard reports that this ink dries most of the way then sort of remains smudge prone for a long time after, as if it doesn't ever fully dry.....



This ink is known for not drying totally sometimes and in fact I have experienced it myself, with the ink still smudging more than a week after writing. That doesn't always happen, but needs to be borne in mind. It can be ameliorated by dilution.
It is also an occasional "stainer".

Cookies
August 12th, 2015, 10:36 PM
Wonderful review. I love this ink! Just wish it weren't so smudge-y :(

FredRydr
January 10th, 2017, 11:03 AM
Somewhat related: http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/18270-Gagging-on-a-price?p=195072&viewfull=1#post195072

Fred