Ink Review: Diamine Steel Blue

[Chrissy]

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

This one is Diamine Steel Blue. It's quite a greenish turquoise, and in trying to do comparisons, I find that all of my others are blueish turquoises. This ink is quite a bright shade.

• Water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink.
• Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, and the nib was a wet stub, this ink dried quite quickly in 10-12 secs
• It flows reasonably wet, and lubricates the nib fairly well.
• It is currently available in 30ml plastic bottles and 80ml glass bottles.
• Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.
• It's a reasonable price.

Diamine Steel Blue M.jpg

[Lady Onogaro]

I'll have to remember this when I rotate in my Lamy Nexx M; I usually use Lamy Turquoise (one of my favorite inks of all time). But this is nice, too.

[Chrissy]

I couldn't believe how good a match they were.

[Laura N]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

I am so pleased you said that because one just popped up on Amazon UK at a really expensive price, and I was wondering if I would weaken sufficiently to part with some of my OH's hard-earned money. Now I won't bother

[Chrissy]

Is it just me or does Steel Blue suggest a completely different colour range?

[Lady Onogaro]

I would think that steel blue would either be more gray in tone than green in tone.

[reprieve]

I love this ink. It's become my favorite turquoise and I agree that it is a great substitute for Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea. In person, Diamine Steel Blue looks just like Chrissy's scan (at least on my screen).

Is it just me or does Steel Blue suggest a completely different colour range?

Yes! I almost didn't try this color as I expected it to be a grey-blue--and while I love grey-blues, I already have plenty of them. But when I came across a picture of it in the Goulets' Swab Shop, I was surprised by how bright and turquoise-y it looked and I ordered a sample. I was pleasantly surprised.

[Chrissy]

I would think that steel blue would either be more gray in tone than green in tone.

I think the name Steel Blue suggests a grey toned mid blue

[tandaina]

Very pretty, I like it. Way cheerier than its name suggests.

[Lady Onogaro]

Next time I am getting samples, I will order one of this ink.

[caribbean_skye]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

What do you think about Aqua Lagoon compared to Cd'a caribbean sea. I have samples of all 3 and one day i think Aqua lagoon is a close substitution and the next day i think steel blue is closer.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

What do you think about Aqua Lagoon compared to Cd'a caribbean sea. I have samples of all 3 and one day i think Aqua lagoon is a close substitution and the next day i think steel blue is closer.

I could get a sample of Aqua Lagoon and do a comparison between that and Steel Blue for you. However, even on the Diamine web-site swatch, it looks much more blue than Steel Blue.

In fact on the Diamine web-site, Steel Blue almost seems to look like a green ink amongst the blue ones. It stands out as a green shade

[Laura N]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

What do you think about Aqua Lagoon compared to Cd'a caribbean sea. I have samples of all 3 and one day i think Aqua lagoon is a close substitution and the next day i think steel blue is closer.

I'm afraid I've never used Aqua Lagoon. But years ago, when Caribbean Sea was available, I happened to sample Caribbean Sea and Steel Blue at around the same time. The two inks looked so close as swabs that I tested each in the same pen, and found them nearly indistinguishable. If Diamine had set out to duplicate Caribbean Sea, I don't think they could have gotten closer than Steel Blue.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for another great review.

If I remember correctly, this ink is a nearly perfect substitute for the discontinued Caran D'Ache Caribbean Sea.

What do you think about Aqua Lagoon compared to Cd'a caribbean sea. I have samples of all 3 and one day i think Aqua lagoon is a close substitution and the next day i think steel blue is closer.

I'm afraid I've never used Aqua Lagoon. But years ago, when Caribbean Sea was available, I happened to sample Caribbean Sea and Steel Blue at around the same time. The two inks looked so close as swabs that I tested each in the same pen, and found them nearly indistinguishable. If Diamine had set out to duplicate Caribbean Sea, I don't think they could have gotten closer than Steel Blue.

I'm convinced.

[Sammyo]

That is a very pretty ink, I know someone that might like that! The turquoise-ness of it may apeal

[Sammyo]

I agree about the colour not quite matching the name. When I read the name I was very excited to see it... I slowly deflated when I saw the colour. Even though it is a nice colour, because my mind thought something else, I was disappointed. I came back to the thread after a day with a new perspective and now I quite like it. I don’t think I would buy it though.

I very sincerely appreciate you putting this review out there. If I had just brought Diamine Blue Steel I would have been very disappointed. However, someone that was looking for a colour like this that would never have thought “Blue Steel” may now buy it for the exact, opposite reason.

[Woody]

And a littlet on the teal side. Thanks Chrissy.

[Chrissy]

This is an ink I originally reviewed prior to starting my blog/web-site so I'm adding it to those on there as it's a favourite of mine - one that I bought as an 80ml bottle. I've now swapped in a different comparison ink, Tropical Glow, on the original review sheet and have scanned a copy of my chroma test to show that it looks like a single dye ink.

Diamine Steel Blue 1.jpeg