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Thread: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    My latest ink is Diamine China Blue

    I haven't used Diamine Diamine China Blue before so I thought I would try it out. It's a single dye pure blue. There are no purple, or any other coloured dyes added. Think of the blue you see on blue and white china. It's that sort of blue. It lives up to it's name very well.

    It's more saturated than I expected, and has some water resistance, as many blue inks do. I would call it an everyday blue, not quite Royal Blue, that suggests a little added purple or red, but a really nice, unassuming plain blue. It's quite similar to Waterman Florida (Serenity) Blue, but I saw a little more shading with China Blue than I do with Serenity Blue.

    I really liked the good flow as well as the lubrication at the nib and I enjoyed writing with my Bexley ATB 1.1mm stub again. Quite a few inks that I have tried in the past, have made this pen act more like a hosepipe, so I put it away for a while, but this blue was a very good match for it. It didn't feel at all dry to write with though.

    It wrote straight away without any hard starts or skipping and dried after 20 seconds on my smooth 100gm2 paper.

    • Although this isn't a waterproof ink, it shows quite good water resistance, as do many Diamine inks.

    • Bearing in mind the paper I use is thick with a shiny surface, and I used a Bexley 18t gold 1.1mm nib, this ink took 20 secs to dry. That's slower than some other inks I've reviewed recently.

    • It had good flow, and lubricated the nib well. I saw no skips or hard starts while I did swabs and dry time tests.

    • It is currently available in 80ml glass bottles or 30ml plastic bottles

    • Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.

    • It's a reasonable price.


    Diamine China Blue.jpg
    Last edited by Chrissy; February 8th, 2019 at 02:11 AM.

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    Senior Member naimitsu's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    I thought the name was very apt as well.
    Though I didn't realize how close to W Florida Blue it is until I looked at your two swabs.
    Once again, thanks for your comprehensive review!

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    Senior Member The Good Captain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    Another nice review of an ink I've had for a while but never used very much. However, as I tend to use thinner nibs, it probably isn't shown off to its full potential.
    The Good Captain
    (Gaston F Limoges)
    "Meddler's 'Salamander' - almost as good as the real thing!"

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by naimitsu View Post
    I thought the name was very apt as well.
    Though I didn't realize how close to W Florida Blue it is until I looked at your two swabs.
    Once again, thanks for your comprehensive review!
    W Florida Blue is also a single blue dye ink.

    You're welcome.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by The Good Captain View Post
    Another nice review of an ink I've had for a while but never used very much. However, as I tend to use thinner nibs, it probably isn't shown off to its full potential.
    You're welcome. I should have tried it with a thinner nib to compare it. I could always add it on later.

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    Senior Member The Good Captain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by The Good Captain View Post
    Another nice review of an ink I've had for a while but never used very much. However, as I tend to use thinner nibs, it probably isn't shown off to its full potential.
    You're welcome. I should have tried it with a thinner nib to compare it. I could always add it on later.
    I'm trying to add a scan I did ages ago but can't seem to be able to add the image. Must have forgotten! My usual, with Lamy Safari M nib. I also did some of Diamine Misty Blue - have you tried that one, Chrissy? I might put it up on here - if I can...!
    The Good Captain
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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue

    I haven't tried Misty Blue... yet.

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    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ink Review: Diamine China Blue


    Quote Mark Twain by Ptero Pterodactylus on DeviantArt

    (Pelikan 140 - OF ..... Diamine China Blue)

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