Ink Review: Diamine Indigo

[Chrissy]

Today I'm reviewing Diamine Indigo

A pale blue-grey ink from the standard range, Diamine Indigo is an unsaturated, muted colour. I expected it to be darker but it isn’t as dark as it’s name suggests.

I filled my Lamy Safari and Parker 45 converters with it. Then left them on my table for a few days. When I went back to the pens, they started writing straight away. No hard starts. They didn't skip once.

It wasn’t very saturated and felt slightly watery on my Xerox smooth Colour/Mono laser 100gsm paper. The flow was OK, certainly not wet, but I would have liked a little more lubrication on some of the papers I used.

It’s a subtle, subdued colour, that’s easy on the eyes.

It exhibited good shading and it didn’t feather or spread on any of the papers I used it with. It didn’t show through as much as more saturated inks either. Although it showed through slightly on the papers listed, it didn’t show through as much as the scans suggest.

It showed some water resistance.

If you’re a fan of muted inks that exhibit sharp, crisp lines and good shading, this could be one for you.

• Flow Rate: OK. No hard starts during my writing.
• Lubrication: OK. I would have preferred more.
• Nib Dry-out: Not noticed.
• Start-up: Immediate.
• Saturation: Not at all saturated
• Shading Potential: Plenty of shading seen.
• Sheen: None noticed.
• Show-Through:
  
  • Field Notes
  • Hobonichi Techo paper.
  • Tomoe River 52gsm paper (not very much)
  
  
• Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not seen on any paper even Field Notes
• Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not seen, even after over 1 week in the pen
• Staining (pen): Not seen after several days - very easy clean-up
• Staining (hands): Very easy clean-up off of skin.
• Clogging: Not seen.
• Water resistance: Not sold as waterproof, but shows good resistance.
• Availability: Available from Diamine Inks web-site and many other outlets.

Diamine Indigo.jpgDiamine Indigo 1.jpeg

[RocketRyan]

Oh, I think my expectations were similar to yours Chrissy. This has just dropped off of my want list. Thanks for the review, excellent as always.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I got this ink exactly because it had a low-saturation, vintage feel. Thanks for the review!

[Chrissy]

I got this ink exactly because it had a low-saturation, vintage feel. Thanks for the review!

You're welcome. I knew that there would be some users who prefer low saturation, vintage feel inks.

[Chrissy]

Oh, I think my expectations were similar to yours Chrissy. This has just dropped off of my want list. Thanks for the review, excellent as always.

You're welcome.

[The Good Captain]

I usually swap around with this, Denim and Prussian, as the fancy takes me. Usually, never particularly long with any one of them at any one time.

[Chrissy]

I usually swap around with this, Denim and Prussian, as the fancy takes me. Usually, never particularly long with any one of them at any one time.

I've just reviewed Denim, then Indigo, and also have Prussian Blue to come.

[grainweevil]

Usually I like a nice low saturation ink, but this one is utterly failing to grab me. To the extent that I was so unfamiliar with it that initially I thought it might be a new release, and then wondered if it was one of the re-named ones (in which case, what a re-naming fail). But nope, I've just never noticed it! So thank you for bringing it to my attention, Chrissy, and I'll now go and forget it again.

[Chrissy]

Usually I like a nice low saturation ink, but this one is utterly failing to grab me. To the extent that I was so unfamiliar with it that initially I thought it might be a new release, and then wondered if it was one of the re-named ones (in which case, what a re-naming fail). But nope, I've just never noticed it! So thank you for bringing it to my attention, Chrissy, and I'll now go and forget it again.

You're welcome. I think maybe Indigo came first, then Denim.

[The Good Captain]

I usually swap around with this, Denim and Prussian, as the fancy takes me. Usually, never particularly long with any one of them at any one time.

I've just reviewed Denim, then Indigo, and also have Prussian Blue to come.

I know and I presume the PB will be up to your usual high and interesting standard!

[Chrissy]

I usually swap around with this, Denim and Prussian, as the fancy takes me. Usually, never particularly long with any one of them at any one time.

I've just reviewed Denim, then Indigo, and also have Prussian Blue to come.

I know and I presume the PB will be up to your usual high and interesting standard!

Hahaha. Let us hope so. Thanks for the compliment.

[Runnin_Ute]

How does this compare to Pelikan blue black in your experience?

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[Chrissy]

How does this compare to Pelikan blue black in your experience?
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I don't have any Pelikan Blue-Black. I checked and found I have some old bottles of Royal Blue in various incarnations, including Graf von Faber-Castell that was also made in the Pelikan factory, and bottled in an identical bottle, but no Blue-Black. Sorry.

[The Good Captain]

How does this compare to Pelikan blue black in your experience?

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When it's fresh, 4001 Blue-Black is definitely bluer. As the bottle ages, Pelikan does go a little bit more grey - like the Indigo. I can't find my scanned images - at the moment!

[Runnin_Ute]

Thanks Chrissy and Cap! Have the Pelikan but just got the sense they might be close....

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