Your "standard ink"?

[tompi]

Hi,

I tend to use a blue-black ink like Pelikan or Montblanc, if I can't decide between all the possibilities. It's not like I don't like to play around with colors. That's really fun. But when it comes to pens that I use for work or everyday writing, I "need" a standard. The one ink, that I would always use when in doubt.

So, mine would be Pelikan Blue-Black. What is yours?

Tom

[heraclitus682]

Noodlers Black, no question best ink I have yet found.

[pencils+pens]

My standard color is blue. However, I don't have a standard blue. I use Lamy blue cartridges (soon to be changed to Lamy blue bottle), Levenger Blue Bahama, Private Reserve American Blue, Waterman Florida/Serenity Blue, Cross blue cartridges (soon to be switched to Cross blue bottle) and Sheaffer and Parker blue cartridges. The latter two came with some pens I purchased and probably will be switched to converters and one of the other blues when the cartridges are used up.

[Chemyst]

MB Je T'aime, a deep red.

[View from the Loft]

I always have a pen inked with Diamine Onyx Black and a second with Diamine Midnight.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

Noodler's Black is absolutely my favorite. With two of my pens I had to resort to Noodler's Heart of Darkness. (The black doesn't cooperate in a vacuum filler.)

[Jon Szanto]

Aurora Black, Sheaffer Skrip Blue-Black (permanent), Parker Quink Blue. Lots of other colors, quite a few pens inked with those others, the but constant use pens are always filled with those first three.

[Honey Mustard]

Private Reserve Velvet Black, hands down my favorite black of all time (and I've tried about all of them) its always inked in at least 2 pens, including my daily carry purse pen. Private Reserve's American Blue isn't too far behind though, I just find black works for every occasion.

[gwgtaylor]

Waterman Florida blue or Mont Blanc midnight blue. I think the MBMB is my number one right now.

[writingrav]

Noodler's Midnight Blue

[matveik]

I rotate through blue-blacks. Tsuki-yo is the most likely default, followed up by Sailor's.

Noodler's Black is also a standard ink but used much less than the others.

[thagbert]

I don't have a standard ink. I rotate through pens with different inks.

[wastelanded]

The work pen is always filled with MB Midnight Blue (the crappier the copy paper, the more it shades!). Other pens vary, but Diamines Midnight and Umber are usually in the mix, along with Tsuki-yo. The 51 has a steady diet of Tsuyu-kusa.

[jor412]

I'm still looking for a standard ink which should be permanent and something in the vicinity of black or blue. I'm considering Pilot blue black as recommended by liapuyat but I have yet to decide.

[The Good Captain]

Hi,

I tend to use a blue-black ink like Pelikan or Montblanc, if I can't decide between all the possibilities. It's not like I don't like to play around with colors. That's really fun. But when it comes to pens that I use for work or everyday writing, I "need" a standard. The one ink, that I would always use when in doubt.

So, mine would be Pelikan Blue-Black. What is yours?

Tom
Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is my favourite of all time. That doesn't mean to say that I don't like or use other inks: far from it. Montblanc Midnight Blue is another, along with R&K Salix, Scabiosa and the marvellous Verdigris. At the moment, my 'work' ink is Noodler's Prime of the Commons.

[gwgtaylor]

I'm still looking for a standard ink which should be permanent and something in the vicinity of black or blue. I'm considering Pilot blue black as recommended by liapuyat but I have yet to decide.

Mont Blanc midnight blue would be a good ink for you. Pretty colour and great bottles too.

[piscov]

Montblanc Sepia, Waterman Brown and Omas grey

[ndw76]

In most of my pens I use a mix of Lamy blue and Lamy red. It varies from a deep purple colour to a purply red. Every time the bottle gets a little low I just add some more of red or blue.

[carlos.q]

A year ago it was Noodlers Black. Now it's MB Midnight Blue... :thumb:

[ardgedee]

Currently split between J. Herbin's Perle Noir and Chesterfield Ink's Archival Vault. The latter's an iron gall ink, so I'm wary about putting it in some of my pens, and it's not the most useful for sketching with since it darkens and changes color while curing.

I don't hear much about Chesterfield Ink and it seems only xFountainpens stocks it. Is it a rebranding of other companies' products, or from a dark horse manufacturer in China or India?

[wastelanded]

I don't hear much about Chesterfield Ink and it seems only xFountainpens stocks it. Is it a rebranding of other companies' products, or from a dark horse manufacturer in China or India?

Chesterfield is rebranded Diamine. Somewhere in FPN is an Excel file showing the correlations between the Chesterfield and Diamine names. One I remember off the top of my head is Chesterfield Mahagony is Diamine Saddle Brown.

ETA: Here's the link to the spreadsheet, in Google Docs:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnAYbNbmymGjdDFuOGVNaU5zZThva3ZwSy16amVpe Gc&hl=en[/url#gid=0

[Cake]

Hands down, it's Diamine Red Dragon for almost anything. I always have a pen inked with it. Love it. Obsessed with it, actually.

[drgoretex]

I have by now some 50 or 60 inks, so I do vary a bit...

But Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue is probably my basic 'go-to' ink. I always have lots, and love it. But it is not permanent, or even close.

So, for work that requires a more permanent line, my most commonly used ink is Diamine Registrar's Ink (iron-gall).

Ken

Ken

[reprieve]

Pilot Blue-black. It's so well-behaved (not prone to feathering, excellent flow, nice shading, easy clean-up) and it's water-resistant!

[wastelanded]

Hands down, it's Diamine Red Dragon for almost anything. I always have a pen inked with it. Love it. Obsessed with it, actually.

Red Dragon is, to me, the most beautiful red. Nothing even comes close.

[cwent2]

Noodler's in Company - Borealis Black, it matches my Harley.

[BikerBabe]

Black and blue Parker Quink.
It matches the beemer. ;)

[Uncle Red]

My sign-a-document ink is Diamine Registrar's Ink. Note taking can be done with anything.

[wayne.robinson]

Mine is Montblanc Albert Einstein (and I've acquired 6 bottles so far). It's dark enough to be considered a watered down black by most people, but shades extremely well.

[firstpancake]

I'm taking a break from blacks, so for me its been pelikan 4001 Violet, noodler's ottoman rose, and ottoman azure. Iay rotate to another set of colors in a few weeks.

[Nonsensical]

Noodlers Black and Noodlers Blue Eel, usually. Lately I've been getting into blue-blacks. This week it has been Pelikan 4001 Blue Black and Pelikan Brilliant Black (using cheaper paper).

[blopplop]

My EDC inks are Sailor Sei Boku & Noodler's Bad Blue Heron.

[franzdimson]

Mine is Montblanc Albert Einstein (and I've acquired 6 bottles so far). It's dark enough to be considered a watered down black by most people, but shades extremely well.

I agree. This is my first and so far only MB ink. It shades very nicely.

As a standard ink for me though, it is the Noodler's Liberty's Elysium. I use it at work and half of my inked pens right now are filled with it. Very nice blue.

[Paul-H]

Hi

I am in the UK so just about the only ink available over the counter these days is Parker Quink and my preferred colour is Black with Blue Black a runner up. Used to be able to get Stephens Ink many years ago, anyone know if that's still available.

Paul

[auto winder]

Pelikan 4001 blue-black for me, but I'm also very fond of Dragon Red and Kensington Blue.

[WendyNC]

Chesterfield is made by Diamine. There is a table someone has created as a cross-reference located here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnAYbNbmymGjdDFuOGVNaU5zZThva3ZwSy16amVpe Gc&hl=en[/url#gid=0):

[gylo]

Using the Diamine Merlot for everything at work, something different but not too different for signing cheques and contracts!

I think all Diamine inks are great value.

I tend to use Umber green from a uk shop called The Writing desk for my journal.

The following come out from time to time.

Private Reserve - Velvet Black
Cross - Blue
Diamine - Grape
Diamine - Ochre
J Herbin D - Olive Green

[caleath]

Diamine Midnight
Noodlers X feather

[johniem]

PR Electric DC Blue. When I'm in the mood for a "black" I use PR Ebony Purple. I usually have a pen filled with each of them. I use Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses for a red and use it in a 1.1 mm for the day\date headers in my journal. I keep thinking I want a green, but haven't found one I'm comfortable with.

[KrazyIvan]

So far it has been Omas Blue just because the bottle is at my desk at work. Not my favorite blue but it works.

[AndyT]

Waterman Blue Black, I won't put anything else in vintage pens. Montblanc Midnight Blue in a more robust pen for "bulletproof" purposes.

[jacksterp]

The only ink I have in multiple pens is Lamy Black.

[inky]

Mine would be Waterman Havana Brown.

[Laura N]

No love for Waterman Florida/Serenity Blue? I use a variety of inks, but that's the one I consider my standard ink. Every new-to-me pen is filled with this ink first.

And Lamy Blue Black is my standard ink for envelopes.

[cedargirl]

Nope.

I don't use any single ink enough to call it a standard ink. I like change.

[tintak]

One pen is always inked with an iron-gall ink,...usually Akkerman #10.
This ink is one of the darker IG inks that still registers a nice blue, once it has aged a bit on the paper.
My other favourites either turn too dark (MB Midnight, Diamine Registrars) or too light like R&K Salix. I love Salix though, for personal correspondence.
I guess my standard is the Akkerman #10

[CapeClear]

My not so amazing mix of one part Diamine Onyx Black and one part Diamine Majestic Blue. I use it a lot for work correspondence so it's always at least in one pen.

[fountainpenkid]

Aurora Blue or Diamine Asa Blue.

[snedwos]

+1 for Diamine Merlot, it's gorgeous!

I would say WFB, but I don't have any at the moment. Not my favourite by any stretch of the imagination, but it always looks good, behaves, and is appropriate.

Of the inks I have available, I wouldn't say any is a standard.

[GardenWeasel]

Standard is quickly becoming 54th Massachusetts ink. Great characteristics and a great work color!

[jor412]

My not so amazing mix of one part Diamine Onyx Black and one part Diamine Majestic Blue. I use it a lot for work correspondence so it's always at least in one pen.

What does the resulting color look like & how does it perform? I have Majestic and I dilute it with distilled water since the ink tends to clog my pens.

[banditapple]

3081

I like Quink Washable Blue

[TPC James]

Diamine Grey or Prussian blue - both quite muted but different!

[ethernautrix]

While I use a variety of inks and colors, my standard or go-to ink is Noodler's Black. With a little boost of Noodler's Old Manhattan Black, and even without the boost, it's Noodler's Black.

And then, as I said, the other inks, colors - and this is why I can't have just one pen.

In addition to all the other reasons.

[Manny]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/0530131312-1_zpsb7bb68e3.jpg

[Essensia]

I enjoy many different inks and colors, but I always have a Plumix inked with Namiki Blue. It's such a nice happy color with some water resistance. Unfortunately it left a small ring around the bottom of the binde area of my White Tortoise that I just cannot get rid of, so I do not use it in any pen that can stain visibly.

[trefste_metrese]

Namiki Black for me. The first ink that goes into every one of my pens, as I know it so well and it's so consistent. Desert island ink, it is.

[chiaroscuro]

My not so amazing mix of one part Diamine Onyx Black and one part Diamine Majestic Blue. I use it a lot for work correspondence so it's always at least in one pen.
Funny coincidence: I was just thinking of mixing some Majestic Blue with Diamine Grey to sober it up a bit. I got a sample cart in one of the Diamine orders and I love it but I prefer muted colors. How does that mix perform?

[chiaroscuro]

For a couple of weeks it has been Waterman Intense Black but Diamine Quartz Black will probably replace it (maybe Saddle Brown too?)

[john]

I use Diamine Asa blue mainly, sometimes switch to Diamine Midnight. I have black ink, but I feel boring when I use black ink more than two days. I will clean my pen which fill with black ink and switch to another blue ink.

[vhr5]

Earlier this year my goto ink was Private Reserve - American Blue, then I went to Noodler's Baystate Blue, and now my new love is Noodler's Liberty's Elysium (nice shading). If I have a few ink samples I will sometime write a portion of my correspondence with other inks just to mix it up a bit.

[oldstoat]

For the many times when a brown purple or red, no matter how dark, would give the wrong impression, I always have one pen inked with a dark blue. Usually Diamine Midnight, sometimes Noodler's BBK, occasionally Callifolio Bonne Esperance, which is a rather nice blue-grey

[velo]

I thought it would be Private Reserve Ebony Purple but honestly the most used in the last few months is just Lamy Black. It obviously has a lot to do with the old Lamy Al-Star I always carry.

[Chemyst]

MB Swift Seaweed Green has been growing on me these past weeks. I could see it becoming a regular.

[ilangai]

I'm always going back to Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black..

[chamindra]

Waterman Florida / Serenity blue is my goto blue. I also love Noodles polar black. For a splash of colour I go to Diamine orange.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

[KrazyIvan]

It used to be Waterman Florida Blue (Serenity Blue) but I have a bottle of Omas Blue at work. Since I receive my pens there, it gets put into a pen for the first fill most of the time.

[GardenWeasel]

Oh, I am on the evil side....BAY STATE BLUE!! I am making a bold statement when using this ink!

[LeftyMcshroom]

Noodler's Black. Noodler's BBK for my blue. I currently have PR Chocolat for my brown, though I am in search of a permanent brown with decent shading. All with italic nibs, of course.

[Feardorcha]

I'm a fan of blue - black inks but my standard ink has to be Montblanc Irish Green. It is the only ink I've finished more than one bottle of.

[Mags]

I'm a fan of blue - black inks but my standard ink has to be Montblanc Irish Green. It is the only ink I've finished more than one bottle of.

I love this ink in my little Mozart fountain pen.

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

[fncll]

Diamine Blue-Black is probably my standard "plain" ink. Though PR DC Supershow Blue is creeping up on it...

[antirealist]

MB Swift Seaweed Green has been growing on me these past weeks. I could see it becoming a regular.

I like it too - less vivid greens containing elements of grey or brown are very appealing to me. Coincidentally, I bought a bottle today, and the clerk told me that perhaps I should buy two, because it's a special edition, and "may be discontinued". Was that a sincere warning, or just a sales technique? I don't know, but perhaps it's worth either stocking up, or meditating once more on the nature of impermanence. Or looking for an acceptable alternative, perhaps.

[AtomicLeo]

Funny how many greens people selected. Mine is Noodler's Marine Green. Water resistant, a bit of color but not over the top. A good work ink.

[Laura N]

MB Swift Seaweed Green has been growing on me these past weeks. I could see it becoming a regular.

I like it too - less vivid greens containing elements of grey or brown are very appealing to me. Coincidentally, I bought a bottle today, and the clerk told me that perhaps I should buy two, because it's a special edition, and "may be discontinued". Was that a sincere warning, or just a sales technique? I don't know, but perhaps it's worth either stocking up, or meditating once more on the nature of impermanence. Or looking for an acceptable alternative, perhaps.

Yes, it's limited, so if you want more, now's the time. As for alternatives, I think J. Herbin Vert Empire gives a similar feeling, but it is not the same.

I tend to stock up on limited inks that I like -- including Swift. But part of me thinks I shouldn't. Companies are always making new inks, and there's always another, different ink that I'll like. Impermanence is sad, but it's also an opportunity to experience something else.

[RuiFromUK]

Akkerman China Town Red - as an editor.

[ndw76]

Noodler's Golden Brown is my new go to ink for letter writing. But for work I have to use boring old Lamy blue.

[dobemom]

I don't have a standard color, but I have a standard color range. Usually I carry four pens to work in my pocket, each with a different color, but normally with some kind of purple, brown, turquoise, and black. Looking down at my pocket this morning I see a Lamy Safari Medium with Diamine Ancient Copper, a Pelikan MK10 Fine with Pelikan turquoise, a Rosetta Vulcan ( housing my Pendleton 1.1Stub - yay! ) with De Atramentis Violets. It's not a work day, so three should do it. On work days I try to have a couple of fine nibs to use in the library fines accounting book to keep things legible...they've learned to like the colors. :cool:

[JazzDoc]

Either Stipula Calamo Musk green or J.Herbin Blue Nuit. These two never let me down.


I also love R&K Sepia, Edelstein Tanzanite and J.Herbin Perle Noir. And, alas, many others.

[InvisibleMan]

Diamine Denim. Great for all occasions. I have it in one pen at all times.

[snedwos]

MB Swift Seaweed Green has been growing on me these past weeks. I could see it becoming a regular.

I like it too - less vivid greens containing elements of grey or brown are very appealing to me. Coincidentally, I bought a bottle today, and the clerk told me that perhaps I should buy two, because it's a special edition, and "may be discontinued". Was that a sincere warning, or just a sales technique? I don't know, but perhaps it's worth either stocking up, or meditating once more on the nature of impermanence. Or looking for an acceptable alternative, perhaps.

Yes, it's limited, so if you want more, now's the time. As for alternatives, I think J. Herbin Vert Empire gives a similar feeling, but it is not the same.

I tend to stock up on limited inks that I like -- including Swift. But part of me thinks I shouldn't. Companies are always making new inks, and there's always another, different ink that I'll like. Impermanence is sad, but it's also an opportunity to experience something else.

I resist the idea of stocking up, because I'd like to think I'm giving someone else the chance to try it too. Chances are I'm just giving someone else the chance to stock up...

[radellaf]

No real standard, but something will always have slightly diluted Noodler's Black, and some others will have a boring generic blue like Schneider cartridge or Pelikan Royal Blue.

[AndyLa]

J herbin perle noire, hands down my favorite. And this is coming from someone who prefers blue/other ink over blacks. If they made a comparable blue (darker blue) with the same properties I'd be all over it

[jacksterp]

Right now I am starting to drift toward Montblanc Midnight Blue.

It is dark, well behaved, and semi-permanent.

[Jerome Tarshis]

I applaud something easygoing. Drifting toward Montblanc Midnight Blue. Drifting has an air of freedom about it. I, on the other hand, believe in rigidity. I may not practice it in every area of life, but I do believe in it. My rigid self tells me (and FPGeeks, now that somebody has raised the question) that my standard ink is Skrip Jet Black. Current production. More black than most, substantially water resistant, good flow. All in all, why not?

My real self is easily distracted, which is why I am posting to a Web message board and not writing The Great American Novel, or movie script, or standup comedy routine. Or eating dinner. Any ink may come along and I'll ask myself "what would that be like?" Even if I used the ink ten years ago and have a good idea. Consequently, I am now using OMAS Black, but also a homebrew mixture of My Standard Ink, Skrip Jet Black, with Waterman Florida Blue. Also, since those long cartridges are a temptation, Waterman Black in carts. From time to time, who knows how long it will resist contamination, Montblanc British Racing Green. Because it is such a terrific ink even though not one of mine, but there is this bottle in my possession: Aurora Black.

For the moment I do not possess a bottle of Herbin Perle Noire. Making a little progress there. But I would maintain that I do have a favorite ink, a standard I go to, what I would recommend to a beginner, etc. etc. and it is Skrip Jet Black. I haven't even opened this bottle of Diamine Quartz Black that must have been put into my desk drawer by UFO people.

[stevekolt]

Diamine Denim. Great for all occasions. I have it in one pen at all times.

Have to agree with this one :) Just a great looking and well behaved ink.

[ChrisC]

MB MB
(Montblanc Midnight Blue)

For me, even in very wet pens it refuses to feather/bleedthrough. For a college student that doesn't like taking notes with a laptop, this ink is saving me money by allowing me to buy cheap notebooks. The ink is extremely well-behaved, moderately wet, and still good at taming gusher pens. Color is awesome too. Good shading and the bottle is so awesome. Good, functional design that refuses to tip over. Plus a giant white star that many of us covet so much.

[antirealist]

MB MB
(Montblanc Midnight Blue)


It is a nice shading ink, but I believe it has recently been discontinued. This may be a good time to stock up!

[ransky]

MB MB
(Montblanc Midnight Blue)


It is a nice shading ink, but I believe it has recently been discontinued. This may be a good time to stock up!

Any confirmation of this? It's still available on the MB site.

[Tracy Lee]

It has been Schaeffer Brown for me. I try not to put it in all pens, but it's in three with different nibs. Just love the creamy reddish color, it's perfect. I need more bottles.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 4

[antirealist]

MB MB
(Montblanc Midnight Blue)


It is a nice shading ink, but I believe it has recently been discontinued. This may be a good time to stock up!

Any confirmation of this? It's still available on the MB site.

There's a thread about it on FPN. The issue is said to be a lack of permanence.

[ChrisC]

MB MB
(Montblanc Midnight Blue)


It is a nice shading ink, but I believe it has recently been discontinued. This may be a good time to stock up!

Any confirmation of this? It's still available on the MB site.

There's a thread about it on FPN. The issue is said to be a lack of permanence.

Could we please have a link? If it's true, now might be the time to either stock up or find a good replacement.

[Sandy M.]

Sheaffer Skrip Blue-Black. Just love it.

[antirealist]

Could we please have a link? If it's true, now might be the time to either stock up or find a good replacement.

Sure. The discussion is in this (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/252416-new-montblanc-inks/) thread.

[carlos.q]

Now that Montblanc Midnight Blue is being discontinued, I am experimenting with FPN Sandy1's "Salixx" with very good results. It is a mixture of 7 parts R&K Salix and 1 part MBMB that results in a very nice blue black.
I guess that's the way I'll stretch my last bottle of MBMB until the new MB inks arrive.

[ChrisC]

Now that Montblanc Midnight Blue is being discontinued, I am experimenting with FPN Sandy1's "Salixx" with very good results. It is a mixture of 7 parts R&K Salix and 1 part MBMB that results in a very nice blue black.
I guess that's the way I'll stretch my last bottle of MBMB until the new MB inks arrive.

How does it compare with just MBMB?

[carlos.q]

Now that Montblanc Midnight Blue is being discontinued, I am experimenting with FPN Sandy1's "Salixx" with very good results. It is a mixture of 7 parts R&K Salix and 1 part MBMB that results in a very nice blue black.
I guess that's the way I'll stretch my last bottle of MBMB until the new MB inks arrive.

How does it compare with just MBMB?

It's definitely bluer than the much darker MBMB and works great with my wet Pelikan pens. R&K Salix is a very dry ink and the addition of MBMB makes for a better flowing ink. I believe I may have a new favorite BB... :rockon:

[AndyT]

... I am experimenting with FPN Sandy1's "Salixx" with very good results.

Same here. It's a shame that Midnight Blue is on it's way out - think I'll console myself with a bottle of ESSRI.

[BikerBabe]

Mine's currently Diamine Red Dragon and Diamine Majestic Purple; sometimes I do switch to Diamine Asa Blue.

[manuel1094]

I use Waterman "Intense Black" for my classes

[ethernautrix]

Noodler's Black has been my primary ink, black or otherwise, for a few years now, and I have been looking for my primary, blue ink for a long time. I thought it was Sailor Blue-Black, maybe Pelikan Blue-Black (iron gall - I still have a bottle), maybe Montblanc Midnight Blue (iron gall) (cos some water resistance is important to me).

Having tried Montblanc Permanent Blue (cartridges) yesterday for the first time (carts. are perfect, cos I use them in my Mb 100-Year Historical), I think I have found my standard blue ink. It is a rich, dark blue. Maybe "boring." I don't know. I like it. Rather than boring, I think it is stately. In any case, it is a good match for the Noodler's Black.

[hbdk]

Pelikan 4001 BlueBlack - a rather dry ink and very well behaved in most pens except the driest ones, e.g. my Picassos which are always inked up with Diamine Onyx Black.
4001 works great in my Safaris, most of my other Chinese pens (other than the Picassos that is) and my vintage Conway Stewarts

[snedwos]

About to become Diamine graphite.

[orfew]

Montblanc midnight blue

[85AKbN]

Noodler's black.

[rdcalhoon]

Switching from Noodler's Black to Noodler's Zhivago when my bottle arrives.
I need a dark waterproof ink always on hand.
I wanted to like 54th Mass, but my sample was not all that dark.
I'm entertaining suggestions for a waterproof or highly water resistant red-black, purple-black, or blue-black.

[AndyT]

I'm entertaining suggestions for a waterproof or highly water resistant red-black, purple-black, or blue-black.

Nothing leaps to mind for red-black, but for the other two Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa and Salix would comfortably fit the bill. The former is unique, but there are quite a few options for blue-black with Salix at the blue and Akkerman Ijzer Galnoten at the the black ends of the spectrum. Those are all iron gall; I'm sure others will recommend some cellulose reactive types if you don't like that idea.

[whych]

I'm entertaining suggestions for a waterproof or highly water resistant red-black, purple-black, or blue-black.

Nothing leaps to mind for red-black, but for the other two Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa and Salix would comfortably fit the bill. The former is unique, but there are quite a few options for blue-black with Salix at the blue and Akkerman Ijzer Galnoten at the the black ends of the spectrum. Those are all iron gall; I'm sure others will recommend some cellulose reactive types if you don't like that idea.
Both the R&K inks go darker in a day or so.
The Scabiosa changes from purple to a black/purple and the Salix from a blue to a blue black in a day or so.

[rdcalhoon]

I'm entertaining suggestions for a waterproof or highly water resistant red-black, purple-black, or blue-black.

Nothing leaps to mind for red-black, but for the other two Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa and Salix would comfortably fit the bill. The former is unique, but there are quite a few options for blue-black with Salix at the blue and Akkerman Ijzer Galnoten at the the black ends of the spectrum. Those are all iron gall; I'm sure others will recommend some cellulose reactive types if you don't like that idea.
Both the R&K inks go darker in a day or so.
The Scabiosa changes from purple to a black/purple and the Salix from a blue to a blue black in a day or so.

I haven't used an iron gall ink, but I tend to switch inks every couple of weeks or sooner, so it wouldn't necessarily mean extra pen cleaning. I'll put those two on my ink sample wish list. Thaks for the suggestions.

[AndyT]

The Scabiosa changes from purple to a black/purple and the Salix from a blue to a blue black in a day or so.

That's very true in my case as regards Scabiosa: I reckon if I write a letter it will go out purple but arrive more or less black. On the other hand, Salix seems to retain its blueness better than any other iron gall ink for me. It's probably a case of try it and see what happens; most likely results will vary depending on the pen and paper.

[Avalona]

While I tend to use every colour under the sun, I do usually go back to Pilot Namiki Black (not the blackest black, but it's fast drying and very well-behaved, so two out of three isn't bad), or a bright blue like J. Herbin's Eclat de Saphir or Sailor's Sky High. Or Sheaffer's Turquoise. One pen always has that ink in it.

[lisantica]

Seems like anytime I get a new pen I want to fill it with iroshizuku take-sumi.

[benjitzu]

Have four inks going no matter what pens I'm using: Noodler's Black, 54th Massachusetts, Kung Te Cheng, and #41 brown. Use them each and every day for personal and business use.

[mtnbiker62]

Although its a little expensive, my everyday ink is Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai. I just have to skip lunch once a week to afford it! :bounce:

[Crossinghouses]

I mix Diamine cerise with Pelikan Brown! I call the colour Cherry Sepia (:
I'm an off-black person.

[BlueGoop]

Noodler's Dark Matter and Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue. I always have at least one pen inked with each.

[00Photo]

I use quite a few regularly in my daily rotation, however, I always find a use for J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite during the day. I've used two bottles to date, I'm working on #3, and #4 is tucked in the back of the ink drawer lol. Love that stuff!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/12184678776_85f539291e_b.jpg

[VertOlive]

I seem to be developing a Standard Ink for each pen I use, and doubt I'll ever settle on an overall favorite.

My Monteverde Prima stub nib seems to show off the R&K Alt GoldGrun shading to it's best advantage while my Platinum 3776 Koi fine point is doing well with DeAtramentis Aubergine.

When I want to fling Pink all over the page, I use my Platinum 3776 with the music nib and Iroshizuku Kosumosu.

I save my Rouge Hematite for the dip pen and enjoy it all to pieces.

[DrChumley]

Right now, I'm making Iro Ku-Jaku a standard ink. I love the color, the writing properties, and I am on a quest to finish at least one bottle of ink, so I figured I'd pick an ink with a really pretty bottle! :)

[bianibi]

Mine is Noodler's Black Swan in English Roses, all though I do try not to play favorites, but I can't help it with this ink.

[velo]

Mine is Noodler's Black Swan in English Roses, all though I do try not to play favorites, but I can't help it with this ink.

This one and Black Swan in Australian Roses are two of my favourites from Noodler's.

[southpaw52]

I do not have a standard ink per-say, if I would choose it would purple and all the various shades. I do not use black ink.

[odd_soul]

My standard color seems to be purple. I have more purple inks than any other color. But for work, I like to use inks that are kind of grayish, like De Atramentis Charles Dickens (grayish green), Diamine Damson (grayish purple), and Noodlers 54th Massachusetts (grayish blue).

[bigmac53]

My go to is Baystate Blue, but I have a pretty regular rotation with several blues, blacks, and greens

[DrChumley]

My current standard ink right now is Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku. I love the color, it behaves well on cheap paper, and I promised myself I was going to finish at least one bottle of ink completely by the end of the year, and Ku-Jaku is it. I almost always have 1 or 2 pens inked up with it at any time.

[Aleks]

pretty much depends on the situation but more often than not i see myself refilling my pens with Waterman's Brown or Sailor Jentle Pomegranate

[Lady Onogaro]

Right now, I'm liking Noodler's Navajo Turquoise and Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu. I switched out the nib on my Metropolitan last night to exchange it with a Plumix nib, and I put Pelikan Edelstein Sapphire in the Metropolitan, but I'm still on the fence about it. It's pretty watery looking and doesn't at all look the way it did in the pictures of it on Goulet. But I'm trying to give it a chance.

[Tyto]

I am almost never without Noodler's M54th, Walnut, and Cayenne. Jentle Grenade might become a staple, as well.

[shudaizi]

Lately I always have a pen loaded with:
MB MB (old iron gall)
Platinum Blue-Black (also iron gall)

[tiffanyhenschel]

My standard ink for work is an Iroshizuku mix I made. I had a bottle of Asa Gao sitting around that I really didn't care for, so I mixed it with some Yama Budo in a 5:2 ratio. It's perfect for what I need: beautifully behaved with any paper and pen and just purple enough to be interesting but still blue enough to pass for signatures.

[Mags]

My standard ink for work is an Iroshizuku mix I made. I had a bottle of Asa Gao sitting around that I really didn't care for, so I mixed it with some Yama Budo in a 5:2 ratio. It's perfect for what I need: beautifully behaved with any paper and pen and just purple enough to be interesting but still blue enough to pass for signatures.

That is a great idea to make an ink from ones you are less fond of.

[tiffanyhenschel]

My standard ink for work is an Iroshizuku mix I made. I had a bottle of Asa Gao sitting around that I really didn't care for, so I mixed it with some Yama Budo in a 5:2 ratio. It's perfect for what I need: beautifully behaved with any paper and pen and just purple enough to be interesting but still blue enough to pass for signatures.

That is a great idea to make an ink from ones you are less fond of.

The only downside is that I really like the mix, so now I'm left with a question. When this is gone do I try to find another ink to match, or do I buy another bottle of the ink I don't like to mix the color I do like? The Yama Budo is great either way. I use it a lot for grading essays.

[bleunuitguy]

For work, I need to carry a blue/black. So I use:
J. Herbin Bleu Nuit in my Lamy 2000. Nuit is my favorite ink by far. I love the color and the shading.
Salix lives in my Pelikan M200.
I think that they are fairly close in color and when I need to sign a document or use a waterproof ink, I switch over to the Salix.
J. Herbin Perle Noire in my Lamy Al-Star when the occasion calls for a black ink.

My fun standard colors are:
J. Herbin Lie de The, Orange Indien, and Lierre Sauvage.

[Kaputnik]

I'd like it to be a purple, but haven't quite found the one. In fact, I started a separate thread on that. The one with the perfect color isn't water resistant, the ones that are water resistant either aren't just the right shade, or have performance problems in some pens.

So I guess my "standard" ink is Pilot Blue Black. A very nice shade, where the black doesn't overpower the blue when dry. It's water resistant, and plays well with every pen that I've tried with it.

[LagNut]

Right now, for the last few months, Sailor Sei Boku (blue-black nano ink) in a Sailor Realo. It's an ink that is really water and light fast, shades nicely from that fine nib. In that pen, it has been low maintenance. It has also been low maintenance in a Platinum Plasir for going on two years - really low maintenance but much less intriguing in character. No shading or color variations but great for occasional signatures. From the nicer nib it's become my standard ink.

[Cookies]

Probably Diamine Syrah or Diamine Steel Blue/PR Blue Suede (they look quite similar in finer nibs).