Quick hit: Platinum Carbon Black

Quick hit: quite wet with thick lines; minor nib creep, fast drying, slight smearing; waterproof; dark, lively, matte black. I like it but it would be better in a very dry writer.

Yesterday, I loaded my trusty Parker 45 with Platinum Carbon Black to do some addressing and note taking, thus continuing my quest for a waterproof, permanent black ink. I've also tried Montblanc Permanent Black (MBPB) and de Atramentis Document Black (dADB).

This is a wet-writing ink, almost too much for me. The pen is tuned to a medium flow with Parker Quink Black. Carbon Black, instead, flows very generously, enlarging line width from F to a FM or M. It's much wetter than either MBPB or dADB.

I like pens to flow just enough to lubricate the nib and provide control over the amount and width of lines. Carbon Black borders on feeling uncontrolled.

The ink dries to smudge-free within 5-10 seconds, and smear free within 30, unlike MBPB which can smear a day or more later. Wiping away water drops can also smear slightly.

The ink is a lively, neutral, very dark, matte black. It isn't brownish like MBPB nor strangely lifeless like dADB.

The ink exhibits nib creep but ink remains wet and ready to write even after being uncapped for a couple minutes.

The ink will feather very slightly on cheaper paper.

Of the three I've tried, this is my favorite permanent black, though I'd need to find a much drier pen to enjoy it.

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Thank you for the review, especially as I'm on the lookout for a wetter writing ink for my Parker 100. :) Sadly, black inks don't float my boat. :(

Thanks for the effort, especially since most people don't highly regard black ink.

Platinum Carbon Black is my black of choice, and I use it for my archival work. It's extremely well behaved (best among blacks), it's as dark as any black available, and it's absolutely watertight. In my soak tests, it comes out untouched.

The nib creep may be a small issue with finer nibs, but I've never seen that with mediums or broads. I will disagree with your characterization of it as "flat" in appearance. If you want to see flat, go to Sailor's Kiwa Guro.

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to try the Sailor ink.

Carbon Black is definitely more matte compared to most of my other black inks, though.

I will post updates when/if I test this on other pens. The 45 nib is very unlike most others so maybe the minor nib creep is unique to it.

I found this among miscellaneous pen-related freebies I put in a box in the garage a couple years ago. The word "carbon" does not appear anywhere, and the box is largely Japanese. Is it the same ink reviewed here, or are there distinct plain and carbon Platinum black inks?

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From what I can tell yours is a regular black dye-based ink while the carbon black is a pigmented ink.

Btw, according to Google translate the top kanji/kana(?) writing says "Blacker! Smooth writing"

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Thanks, WEC. Would that be considered drawing ink?

Not necessarily, it's a fountain pen ink, but I'm sure someone with the skill could draw with it.

It's similar to Sailor Kiwa-guro. I would suggest a bit more care than dye based inks since they are pigment based. I've never had any problem with any of the Japanese pigment based inks, but I do fastidiously clean my pens with Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph and ultrasonic before pen storage or ink changes.

I always knew carbon black pigment as soot. It's a very common black pigment with many uses.

Platinum Carbon Black is a great choice for a high-quality black pigment. It is versatile, durable, and safe. If you are looking for a black pigment that will produce high-quality results, Platinum Carbon Black is a great option. I think this is a great topic for an article! Platinum Carbon Black is a fascinating material with a wide range of potential do my homework applications. I'm particularly interested in its potential for use in energy storage and catalysis. It's also great to see that researchers are exploring ways to make it more sustainable and affordable. I'm excited to see what the future holds for Platinum Carbon Black!

When I pay someone to do my homework I always insist on a bright screaming vibrant red