Blue black ink

[Spideysgirl]

I'm on the hunt for a blue black ink.
1. Does Noodlers make bullet proof blue black?
2. Please recommend some for me to sample.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

[Pterodactylus]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink.

Water proof, top notch behavior, easy to clean, not problematic by any mean, razor sharp line definition, writes excellent on anything, no matter how bad the paper is. You could almost write on toilet paper with this ink.
No permanent staining, no corrosion (This ink sit in my Serwex more than 5 years, only refilling, no cleaning, also dried out a couple of times in it, but just refill it and it writes again).
As a bonus it is also a awesome shading ink.
It’s also not an expensive one, it can be purchased directly from the manufacturer with reasonable shipping rates all over the world.

I can´t remember any ink which can compete with the ESS ink on bad paper.

Show_response_1185 by Ptero Pterodactylus

(Serwex MB flex EMF ..... ESS Registrars Blue-Black)


But I know already what will happen as it always happens.
Somebody will start to tell horror stories about iron gall inks and at the end new users are scared to use this fantastic unproblematic ink.

But I will not take part of such a discussion this time.

People seem to be more willing to put every new chemical writing fluid from one man show ink designers into their pens without any hesitation than this proven top notch ink.

I recommend this ink because it is outstanding.

A must have ink, that’s all I can say.

[SchaumburgSwan]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink....

But I know already what will happen as it always happens.
Somebody will start to tell horror stories about iron gall inks and at the end new users are scared to use this fantastic unproblematic ink.

But I will not take part of such a discussion this time.

People seem to be more willing to put every new chemical writing fluid from one man show ink designers into their pens without any hesitation than this proven top notch ink.

I recommend this ink because it is outstanding.

A must have ink, that’s all I can say.

+1 on blue-black IG inks.
I enjoy them a lot. (Swan pens with ink sacs).
ESSRI is a great ink, Diamine Registrar's ink and Akkermann #10 (not as dry as ESSRI or DRI) are on the same level.

Best
Jens

[ilikenails]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink.

Water proof, top notch behavior,.

The behaviour isn't quite "top notch": it dries out on nibs faster than most inks, for a start.

More importantly, is it a blue-black? It goes on blue, yes. But from the sample I used, it can turn entirely black.

[Pterodactylus]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink.

Water proof, top notch behavior,.

The behaviour isn't quite "top notch": it dries out on nibs faster than most inks, for a start.

More importantly, is it a blue-black? It goes on blue, yes. But from the sample I used, it can turn entirely black.

In my experience I canˋt confirm neither your first nor your second point.

This ink starts imho always immediate and confident I never had a dry out / hard start problem with any of my pens.
And as said it sits in my Serwex at least 5 years continuously, basically without cleaning and quite long periods between use, and the cheap Serwex with its click on cap is for sure not a sealing wonder.

You can look up several writing samples I‘ve made over the years (here or on my Flickr account), imo it is an awesome shading ink, from blue/blue-Grey to very very dark shades (next to black but if looked up closely always with a blue tint.... this is what I would expect from a blue-black), especially using a flex nib with a good generous flow, but entirely black? ... not in my experience.

[ilikenails]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink.

Water proof, top notch behavior,.

The behaviour isn't quite "top notch": it dries out on nibs faster than most inks, for a start.

More importantly, is it a blue-black? It goes on blue, yes. But from the sample I used, it can turn entirely black.

In my experience I canˋt confirm neither your first nor your second point.

This ink starts imho always immediate and confident I never had a dry out / hard start problem with any of my pens.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ink is "top notch", just that you're being careful about recapping. Sandy1 at fpn is the best ink reviewer on the Internet - she tests for EVERYTHING, with multiple pens and papers - and she certainly found that ESSRI is more than usually prone to drying out. "Top notch" and "tolerable" are two different things. ESSRI is well behaved for an IG ink, but it's no Waterman's Serenity or Pilot Blue Black. It's definitely a usable ink - exceptional for an IG in all ways and well generally very behaved - but top notch, no. Compared to PBB - which is a benchmark for superb performance in every way (except friendliness to sack fillers) it dries out on the nib fast and the writing experience is much less smooth.

entirely black? ... not in my experience.

That's how my sample vial, delivered just over a week ago, behaved. And certainly other people have had problems with it losing too much blue, because there are a stack of recipes online for making it reasonably blue. (Just as PBB is on the borderline of not being black enough to claim to be a blue black.)

[Pterodactylus]

Forget the Noodler’s writing fluids, I would recommend ESS Registrars Blue-Black, one of my all time favorites, might even be my number 1 all time favorite ink.

Water proof, top notch behavior,.

The behaviour isn't quite "top notch": it dries out on nibs faster than most inks, for a start.

More importantly, is it a blue-black? It goes on blue, yes. But from the sample I used, it can turn entirely black.

In my experience I canˋt confirm neither your first nor your second point.

This ink starts imho always immediate and confident I never had a dry out / hard start problem with any of my pens.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ink is "top notch", just that you're being careful about recapping. Sandy1 at fpn is the best ink reviewer on the Internet - she tests for EVERYTHING, with multiple pens and papers - and she certainly found that ESSRI is more than usually prone to drying out. "Top notch" and "tolerable" are two different things. ESSRI is well behaved for an IG ink, but it's no Waterman's Serenity or Pilot Blue Black. It's definitely a usable ink - exceptional for an IG in all ways and well generally very behaved - but top notch, no. Compared to PBB - which is a benchmark for superb performance in every way (except friendliness to sack fillers) it dries out on the nib fast and the writing experience is much less smooth.

entirely black? ... not in my experience.

That's how my sample vial, delivered just over a week ago, behaved. And certainly other people have had problems with it losing too much blue, because there are a stack of recipes online for making it reasonably blue. (Just as PBB is on the borderline of not being black enough to claim to be a blue black.)

Let’s agree to disagree, for me in my individual and personal view itˋs one of the best inks I´ve ever used in many aspects, I do not see any weakness, obviously you have made up your mind and came to another conclusion (or took over the opinion of somebody else you obviously value), fine I can live with that fact.

I also don´t want to comment on your opinion about who is the best ink reviewer on the internet.
I know some of the reviews, they are nice obviously quite good made, but at the end also only an opinion of an individual.
You should have written: ...is imo the best ink reviewer on the internet not claim it as a fact

[carlos.q]

IG inks are great particularly if you have pens with wet nibs, like most Pelikans. However, if you have a dryish nib an IG ink will not feel very nice.
If you need water resistant or waterproof blue black ink you should also consider Pilot blue-black or Montblanc Permanent blue. Both are more to the bluer side of the spectrum.

[FredRydr]

I have six blue/blacks. The Diamine, the ESS and the old Montblanc are iron gall. I'm not sure if the new Montblanc (purchased soon after the bottles changed) is iron gall, but stories vary. I like the Randall (thank you Jim!) and keep it in a Pelikan on my desk, but I consider it a saturated dark blue, not blue/black. I've had the neglected Waterman blue/black for a decade, and I'm surprised it is as blue as it is. I'll have to use it more often.

IMG_1777 (1).jpg

IMG_1778.JPG

Shall I run water over the page to see what happens?

[carlos.q]

Shall I run water over the page to see what happens?

Yessss!!!

[FredRydr]

Okay, you asked for it. By the way, the captions were written with old Montblanc blue/black.

IMG_1779 (1).jpg

[Pterodactylus]

The old Montblanc Midnight Blue was/is an awesome ink, it’s a pitty that they replaced it, fortunately I still have a almost full bottle.


What’s also always a recommendation worth is Pelikan 4001 Blue Black (which also has a very small IG potion).

Guess the ink by Ptero Pterodactylus

(Pelikan 4001 Blau-Schwarz, Dip Nib, Pentel Waterbrush)

[SchaumburgSwan]

What’s also always a recommendation worth is Pelikan 4001 Blue Black (which also has a very small IG potion).

Absolutely!

A very good ink for wet pens (as is R+K Salix...), a very fine blue-blue-black.

Best
Jens

Btw, great artwork, Ptero! :-)

[Pterodactylus]

Or it’s luxury sibling, not IG, not that permanent, much more expensive, very similar in color and also very well behaved.

Ink Splash by Ptero Pterodactylus

(Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite)

And of course in the very appealing Edelstein bottle (I was told that there are people which value a exclusive bottle almost as much as the the ink inside )

[Pterodactylus]

I can bring also an underdog into the game if permanence is not a must have feature.

Die Blaue Elise by Ptero Pterodactylus

(Sheaffer Skrip Blue-Black)


Quote 015 by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

(Waterman 52 ..... Sheaffer Skrip Blue-Black)

[azkid]

I enjoyed using Diamine Registrar's Blue-black. I know they say not to leave it in a pen too long but mine sat in my Jinhao 8802 for 2 or 3 months of infrequent check writing and occasional testing and it never dried out. I may yet buy a bottle but before I do, I have a vial of de Atramentis Document dark blue to try.

[grainweevil]

I'll do my usual bit of cheerleading for Platinum Blue-Black - also an IG, veering more towards the blue.

[azkid]

If it is anywhere near as good as Platinum Lavender-Black (IG) then I shall cheer with you.

I'll do my usual bit of cheerleading for Platinum Blue-Black - also an IG, veering more towards the blue.

[Pterodactylus]

Danke Jens 👍

You are right Salix is also an awesome (IG) ink, but more on the blue side.

Show_response_181 by Ptero Pterodactylus

(Noodler‘s Ahab EMF ..... Rohrer & Klingner Salix)

[calamus]

Pilot-Namiki blue-black is very attractive, behaves wonderfully, and it is very water resistant, without any of the downside that iron gall inks are heir to. I use it a lot. It also comes in a very cool bottle, with an insert that lets you use up the last drop of ink.