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View Full Version : Ink Review: Diamine Safari (150th Anniversary ink)



Chrissy
December 27th, 2016, 04:55 AM
My latest ink samples from Diamine include one of their 150th Anniversary inks: Safari So that's the ink I'm reviewing today. It's what fountain pen inks users might describe as a 'murky green ink'. These 'murky green' coloured inks are becoming more and more popular

Diamine Safari is more green than Salamander, Noodler's VMail Burma Road Brown and Montblanc Racing Green, although it can occasionally look a little more brownish on some papers, depending on the nib used. It's a good performer in all of the pens and on all of the paper I tried it with. It's not deeply saturated but I saw lot's of shading and no noticeable sheen.

It felt quite wet in my Lamy NexxM with M nib. Both pens I used wrote straight away without any hard starts or skipping. The flow was very good, slightly wet, with my M nib and the lubrication also felt good along a line. The dry time on all of the papers I used was 18-20 secs, which some may consider is quite a long dry time. Once dry there was no smearing.

Although I forgot to do the water test before I scanned the main review sheet, this ink has great water resistance despite not being sold as a water resistant ink.

This is one of my favourites of the 150th Anniversary series. I like the murky yellowish green colour. In fact I prefer it to some similar inks in this colour range that usually just look either very dark brown or almost black.


This isn't sold as a waterproof ink, but it exhibits very good water resistance.
Bearing in mind the review form paper I use is thick with a shiny surface, and I used a Lamy M nib and a Lamy 1.1mm nib, this ink took 18-20 secs to dry from both nibs on each of the different papers I used. No smear after dry.
It exhibited very good flow and good lubrication and I found it smooth to write with. I saw no skips or hard starts while I did swabs and dry time tests.
It is currently only available in 40ml bottles.
Diamine (http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/listings.aspx?catid=14) sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.
It's a little more expensive than the standard series


29055

Some similar swatches
29054

Rhodia Paper
28912

Cheap printer paper
28913

Blot on Kitchen towel
28914

Box and Bottle
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1482839225__diamine_safari_5.jpg (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1482839225__diamine_safari_5.jpg)

Monkey
December 27th, 2016, 06:49 AM
Nice. Personally I quite like the murky greens! :P

Chrissy
December 27th, 2016, 07:59 AM
Nice. Personally I quite like the murky greens! :P

Me too, but I prefer those that look like more like green. :)

KKay
December 27th, 2016, 11:22 PM
I love inks that have good shading. This one looked particularly lovely on the Rhodia dot pad. I may have to get a sample of this one! Great review once again!

RocketRyan
December 28th, 2016, 01:57 AM
Nice green, I've just started using waterman's harmonious green and love it. It's a green green, and pretty cheap too.

The Good Captain
December 28th, 2016, 08:17 AM
Yes, it is a lovely ink. Great review too.

Chrissy
December 28th, 2016, 08:28 AM
Yes, it is a lovely ink. Great review too.


I love inks that have good shading. This one looked particularly lovely on the Rhodia dot pad. I may have to get a sample of this one! Great review once again!

Thanks and you're welcome. :)

Monkey
December 29th, 2016, 07:16 AM
Nice. Personally I quite like the murky greens! :P

Me too, but I prefer those that look like more like green. :)

Haha, I'm actually not sure I prefer one over the other. I like green, but it's not a favorite, so I'm often a bit ambivalent on the particulars.

KrazyIvan
December 29th, 2016, 08:46 AM
Diamine Salamander and Stipula Musk Green are favorites, this one looks like it will fit right in. 😄

xtyc
January 22nd, 2017, 04:01 PM
Thanks for a very enjoyable review! I forgot I had this ink, and I'm going to load it up and feel like I just got a new ink!

Chrissy
January 22nd, 2017, 04:07 PM
Diamine Salamander and Stipula Musk Green are favorites, this one looks like it will fit right in. 😄
They are both darker than Safari, but they are still very nice inks. There is still room for Safari. :)

Chrissy
January 22nd, 2017, 04:08 PM
Thanks for a very enjoyable review! I forgot I had this ink, and I'm going to load it up and feel like I just got a new ink!

Thank you, and you're welcome. :) I also have some inks that I've forgotten. Maybe I should load some up too. :)

Fountain Pen Mike
January 23rd, 2017, 04:33 PM
Thanks for the review. That is a nice looking green, I think. Lovely shading.

VertOlive
July 16th, 2017, 07:02 PM
Love. Green. Ink.

Lady Onogaro
July 16th, 2017, 08:51 PM
Love. Green. Ink.

Have you tried Oster Melon Tea? I think you would like it.

I do love Diamine Safari, too, though.

migo984
July 16th, 2017, 09:13 PM
Monteverde Olivine is a very attractive green ink, and it behaves well.

Fermata
July 17th, 2017, 04:47 AM
The 18-20 seconds drying time rules it out for me but then its not such an attractive color anyway, a definite miss.

Chrissy
July 17th, 2017, 07:05 AM
Yes it's not a quick dryer.....

Sagebrush64
August 6th, 2017, 03:05 PM
Really appreciate your extensive reviews. Good Stuff!!!

Chrissy
August 6th, 2017, 04:06 PM
Really appreciate your extensive reviews. Good Stuff!!!

You're welcome. :)

Cyril
October 16th, 2017, 03:02 PM
Thank you for the review!
I love green ink, I have several and this ink in my next list.
I have J. Herbin- Vert Olive which is my number one favorite Green.My hatred Mont Blanc 146 pen is now one of the best due to this ink.
Well, other greens are Diamine emerald, Waterman Harmonious green and I have cheap ink from check republique.

Chrissy
October 17th, 2017, 10:18 AM
Thank you for the review!
I love green ink, I have several and this ink in my next list.
I have J. Herbin- Vert Olive which is my number one favorite Green.My hatred Mont Blanc 146 pen is now one of the best due to this ink.
Well, other greens are Diamine emerald, Waterman Harmonious green and I have cheap ink from check republique.
You're welcome. :)