If you were to introduce someone to FPs, which ink would you start them with?

[amk]

Waterman is always well behaved. I find Pelikan inks also quite biddable and use the Koenigsblau a lot for trying pens out.

By the way I'm currently using a late 1950s bottle of Waterman bleue effacable. It lasts!!!!

But I'd also say, if the pen user has a particular favourite colour, or is the kind of person who'd appreciate something quirky, then reflect that in your ink choice. Or grab a handful of different coloured cartridges for them so they can choose. Some people might love the Herbin scented inks (yes, scented inks are a thing) or shimmer inks, others might even go for the Pelikan highlighter inks.

Oh, and it's never too soon to introduce someone to matchy-matchy.

[Chrissy]

I would recommend they start with the cartridges that come with their particular pen brand.

If there aren't any then Waterman Blue is a good place to start.

[Scooby921]

I think naimitsu and I approach this differently, probably because of the way Sammyo wrangled us into fine writing implements. Because he carries numerous pens each day and has them all filled with different inks of different colors we were immediately able to try a lot of things. When we manage to convince someone else to test the fountain pen waters it's usually because we've done the same thing for them. In most cases we aren't then recommending they go buy one bottle of ink. We are handing them remnants in sample vials from our initial foray into inks, and passing off web sites where they can order more sample vials to begin their own new journey of discovery. It's less about brand and more about color for most people just getting started. One of our co-workers loves green, so I've given her a sample of every green ink I own.

Everyone still gets a warning about Baystate Blue and any inks we've found to create unsightly boogers in the feed (PR Avacado and C-S Kingsand for me).