Ink Review: J Herbin Bleu nuit (Midnight blue)

[Chrissy]

I have decided to review some of my inks. These aren't necessarily in any particular order.

This one is J Herbin Bleu nuit (Midnight blue)

This is what J Herbin say about it: "Bleu nuit (Midnight blue): this is the darkest color after « perle noire » ink. A color symbol of the sky at night when bursting with stars in the summertime."

"From the beginning, J. Herbin distinguished itself from its competitors by offering a wide range of colors for the fountain pen inks. In 2007, 4 new colors were introduced which brought a total of 30 references of various colors. The names chosen for each color are very poetic to preserve the originality of the brand and as a French tradition."

• This isn't a waterproof or an archival ink

• Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink took 10-12 secs to dry. Quite quick.

• It flows well and lubricates the nib quite well.

• It is currently available in sampling packs of 4 x 10ml mini glass bottles and 30ml D bottles. Each bottle of 30 ml has an integrated pen rest. They are known as “D bottle pen inks. The “D” refers to the old French unit of measure “la Demi Courtine”.

• It's available from many B&M shops and online retailers worldwide.

I didn't find this ink to be as dark a blue as I expected. It's less dark than it looks in the bottle, and maybe less dark than you might expect a shade called Midnight blue to be. It's nowhere near as dark as Montblanc Midnight for example.

J H Bleu Nuit.jpg

[Scrawler]

Your Bleu Nuit is no where near as dark as mine. I have the remnants of an 800ml bottle, which I used to test pens when I was repairing/Frankenizing them. Maybe it is because I like my pens to write wet. Is your pen a dry writer? Did you blot it?

[Chrissy]

Your Bleu Nuit is no where near as dark as mine. I have the remnants of an 800ml bottle, which I used to test pens when I was repairing/Frankenizing them. Maybe it is because I like my pens to write wet. Is your pen a dry writer? Did you blot it?

My Lamy Nexx pen is used for testing many inks, so I did nothing different. No I didn't blot it.

I will have another go and check it out though.

Edited: I emptied and refilled the pen, and left the ink in there all day.

Now I have done the review form again. It does look darker, but still not as dark as I thought it might be.

Maybe the feed hadn't dried out fully after cleaning when I wrote the first review form.

[The Good Captain]

I've got mixed feelings about this ink and you're bang-on track with it being neither one thing nor the other.

I didn't find this ink to be as dark a blue as I expected. It's less dark than it looks in the bottle, and maybe less dark than you might expect a shade called Midnight blue to be. It's nowhere near as dark as Montblanc Midnight for example.

I usually fill a pen with it, then empty and clean, before using something else!

[Chrissy]

I've got mixed feelings about this ink and you're bang-on track with it being neither one thing nor the other.

I didn't find this ink to be as dark a blue as I expected. It's less dark than it looks in the bottle, and maybe less dark than you might expect a shade called Midnight blue to be. It's nowhere near as dark as Montblanc Midnight for example.

I usually fill a pen with it, then empty and clean, before using something else!

I bought this ink as one of 4 mini bottles, that have been sitting in a tube on my desk for many months now. I was beginning to wonder if they had faded.

[sgtstretch]

This kinda looks like a blue version of Poussiere de Lune, somewhat muted and "dusty".

[Chrissy]

This kinda looks like a blue version of Poussiere de Lune, somewhat muted and "dusty".

That's a good description

[inlovewithjournals]

Your Bleu Nuit is no where near as dark as mine. I have the remnants of an 800ml bottle, which I used to test pens when I was repairing/Frankenizing them. Maybe it is because I like my pens to write wet. Is your pen a dry writer? Did you blot it?

Scrawler that was my experience as well. My Bleu Nuit was almost black in a fairly wet writer. Nothing like Chrissy's beautiful result.

[tandaina]

Mine is also darker, though not black. But it really does look like a dark blue/black night sky. I find it very wet and most of my pens are big wet writers as well so maybe that is why? I have one stubbornly dry pen perhaps I should try it in that...

[guyy]

The color is OK in my book, but had a lot of SITB with this ink

[stub]

Mine was dull dusty unsaturated and boring. None of the charm of Eclat (an Herbin I like) or say, Diamine Midnite or JFK Navy blue or Diamine Denim or Robert Oster Midnight Sapphire (similar territory) ..... did absolutely nothing for me. Couldn't give my bottle away fast enough.