Quick comparison: older Montblanc Blue-Black IG vs Rohrer & Klinger Salix

[AzJon]

Title says it all! I got a hold of some older Montblanc blue-black with the original iron-gall formula. A very nice ink. I decided to just see how it compares to another IG I happened to have on and: R&K Salix. The inks were compared on Clairefontaine notebook paper.

On to the quick comparison!



Aaaand after 10 minutes dry time and placed under a running faucet:



The MB blue-black is much more "true blue" to my eyes and darkens a nice shade of grey. R&K is still very much so on the page, but the teal undertones come through much more strongly than the MB.

The original IG formulation of the MB is a really nice ink. The shading is really nice and the dry time is fast. Not quick-dry, mind you, but very adequate.

Being an out-of-production ink, I think I will very quickly want to find a replacement that I can use. Any suggestions for a replacement MB IG ink?

[grainweevil]

The original IG formulation of the MB is a really nice ink.

It really is. I was fortunate to get hold of a bottle too - the seller actually apologised that it wasn't blue as he'd mistakenly said in the description, whereas I was thrilled. Shame MB decided to give it up. The way things are going in the ink world, perhaps it'll reappear in a smaller bottle with a larger price tag and accompanying blurb waxing lyrical on a theme of iron gall and ancient poets or somesuch.

Not a direct replacement in any way, but if you like more blue in your Bl-Blk you might enjoy trying Platinum's. Quite often over-looked in the panoply of IG inks.

[AzJon]

The original IG formulation of the MB is a really nice ink.

It really is. I was fortunate to get hold of a bottle too - the seller actually apologised that it wasn't blue as he'd mistakenly said in the description, whereas I was thrilled. Shame MB decided to give it up. The way things are going in the ink world, perhaps it'll reappear in a smaller bottle with a larger price tag and accompanying blurb waxing lyrical on a theme of iron gall and ancient poets or somesuch.

Not a direct replacement in any way, but if you like more blue in your Bl-Blk you might enjoy trying Platinum's. Quite often over-looked in the panoply of IG inks.

It appears to run much bluer than the MB or other blue-blacks I've seen, but it does look nice and I've heard many great things about it.

I've been meaning to give the Pelikan blue-black a try. Just have to fork over the money in shipping costs to get some.

[grainweevil]

Ah, yes, the peculiar situation of a 4001 Bl-Blk-free USA. Somewhere I read someone or other had it for sale in the US. Might have been Vanness...?

[AzJon]

Ah, yes, the peculiar situation of a 4001 Bl-Blk-free USA. Somewhere I read someone or other had it for sale in the US. Might have been Vanness...?

Yeah, Vanness has it in stock. I just need to place an order. I'm waiting for one of their other inks to come back in stock (Papier Plume Lover's Red) before ordering.