Pen Posse black ink shoot out results and pics of Gale's stationery store

[AltecGreen]

Here is round one. We will have to update once a few more inks are added. (A few people forgot their black inks)





The Back side




The winner was a darkhorse, Greg's oak gall ink. In a surprise, the Maruzen Athena black ink and the obscure Nagasawa Kaoru Black were pretty dark performed pretty well. The vintage Omas ink was pretty cool too since it is clear an iron gall based ink.





After Gale's last shopping trip where she procured a large supply of mini Iroshizuku inks for the Posse, she felt compelled to return. So Gale made another quick shopping trip to Tokyo. Gale is a trooper and faced what she described as the 'Special Olympics of Capitalism'. This time she brought back a huge selection of uniquely Japanese stationery.







I have no idea what half of this stuff was.




The Kakuno pens made by Pilot were quite popular.







Satisfied Posse members





Meanwhile, there was pen repair and Esterbrook buying

[Jerome Tarshis]

What, was Farmboy kept so busy with pen repairs that he didn't have time to offer a sample of Parker Quink black? Or has he been unable to find any since he and his family moved?

On an unrelated subject, sorry to hijack thread for even a few seconds: I gather that the prototype of the ErgoEver, Pen Posse's own contribution to the current fever of brand revival, wasn't ready to be shown. I feel less disappointed that I missed the gathering. I guess it isn't the only delayed launch. See no reason why my relatives yet unborn shouldn't grow up writing with some kind of Wearever FP.

[Crazyorange]

Oh you lucky bums. Between the ink and all that stationary......I'm drooling. Thanks for sharing.

[AltecGreen]

What, was Farmboy kept so busy with pen repairs that he didn't have time to offer a sample of Parker Quink black? Or has he been unable to find any since he and his family moved?

On an unrelated subject, sorry to hijack thread for even a few seconds: I gather that the prototype of the ErgoEver, Pen Posse's own contribution to the current fever of brand revival, wasn't ready to be shown. I feel less disappointed that I missed the gathering. I guess it isn't the only delayed launch. See no reason why my relatives yet unborn shouldn't grow up writing with some kind of Wearever FP.

We all saw it at the short notice teahouse Pen Posse. That Posse evolved into the meat eating Posse soon after.

[EclecticCollector]

By Maruzen Athena black do you mean the Hatobanezu? Strange, I've always found it to be more of a charcoal/dark grey than a true black. Caran d'Ache Cosmic Black beats its pants off.

[AltecGreen]

By Maruzen Athena black do you mean the Hatobanezu? Strange, I've always found it to be more of a charcoal/dark grey than a true black. Caran d'Ache Cosmic Black beats its pants off.

It was not Hatobanezu which is a limited edition ink. The Mauzena Athena black we tested was Maruzen's standard house black ink.

[EclecticCollector]

It was not Hatobanezu which is a limited edition ink. The Mauzena Athena black we tested was Maruzen's standard house black ink.

I had no idea Hatobanezu was a limited edition. Hoarding mode engaged.

[ethernautrix]

I am astonished that Noodler's Black isn't on the list. I know that some folks forgot their blacks, but no Noodler's Black? Okay, it isn't the blackest black. But no Old Manhattan Blackety-Blackety Black? No Heart of Darkness?

The Sailor Kiwaguro (Kiwogura?) black is a worthy adversary for Platinum Carbon Black. I had a sample of the former, since used up, so I can't test which one I prefer, but I think I might prefer the Sailor (and I have two bottles of the Platinum, doi).

Can't wait to see more black inks! Kudos to Greg for his home-brewed victory!

[AltecGreen]

I am astonished that Noodler's Black isn't on the list. I know that some folks forgot their blacks, but no Noodler's Black? Okay, it isn't the blackest black. But no Old Manhattan Blackety-Blackety Black? No Heart of Darkness?

Loren left them at home. At one point, he thought he had some OMBBB in a pen. Turns out it was MB Racing Green.

We will have round 2. Mikey is bringing more in two weeks and Gale forgot the Shanghai Tansu Mosui while Todd left the Box of Goodness at home and we couldn't get to the Dux.


We will also have a red/pink ink shootout in honor of Valentine's day.

[Lady Onogaro]

I want one of everything with cats on it!

[earthdawn]

Wow what an awesome meet !!!

I have to admit I am super jealous.

[AltecGreen]

We did more testing of the black inks. I think we added another 6-7 black inks. In another typical fashion, several of the additional black inks were much darker than the usual suspects mentioned in the various pen forums. The three big revelations on Sunday were the Inoxcrom Black and the two black inks from the Guizhou Boss Chemical Company, Boss for short. Their type 852 Fragrant Black ink and the other one which I call type 2008 were really black. This was ink Gale brought back from China. There were very black and did not feather.

[gweddig]

...They were very black and did not feather.

...and they were less or more black than my Valley Oak IG? (feel I must defend my reputation)

--greg

[ac12]

Will the black "shoot out" continue at the Feb 8 Pen Posse?
I have Sheaffer and Cross/Pelikan black ink that I can bring.

[AltecGreen]

...They were very black and did not feather.

...and they were less or more black than my Valley Oak IG? (feel I must defend my reputation)

--greg

The two Chinese inks were equal to your Valley Oak IG IMHO. The Inoxcrom was also pretty close.

I have to get Loren to scan the new version of the test form.

[Farmboy]

I think some clarification is needed. Some of the inks were reflective and others dull. I think we need to define the experiment and get absorbance and reflectance measurements...

[AltecGreen]

I think some clarification is needed. Some of the inks were reflective and others dull. I think we need to define the experiment and get absorbance and reflectance measurements...

Whose bringing the spectrometer?

[Farmboy]

I think some clarification is needed. Some of the inks were reflective and others dull. I think we need to define the experiment and get absorbance and reflectance measurements...

Whose bringing the spectrometer?

Guess I see a Pen Posse in Palo Alto soon...

[gweddig]

I think some clarification is needed. Some of the inks were reflective and others dull. I think we need to define the experiment and get absorbance and reflectance measurements...

Whose bringing the spectrometer?

Now Steve will have to add a box to the ink journal.

[John Martinson]

Gale is indeed magical isn't she?

J. Martinson