Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-guri

[Yazeh]

I participated in a blind testing thanks to junglejim on the following thread with three ink samples. A fun thing about this endeavour is that one is free of the burden of the manufacturer, the name, the country it is made and any expectations or associations with said brand or ink.

The first one was Yama-Guri, which translates to Wild or Mountain Chestnut. It's a dark brown ink, but when you do the chroma, it is obviously a Japanese ink
Chroma 51.jpg

Writing samples:
Dry time is decent and the purple is only obvious if you smudge the ink.
51 Midori.jpeg

51 - TR 68gr.jpeg
51 Rhodia.jpg

It definitely doesn't like Hammermill 20lb paper:
51 - Hammermill lb back .jpg
Photo - Paper is Mnemosyne
This was done with the semi-flex pen.
The red ink, is Organic Studios Oscar Copper
51-Mnemosyne.jpeg

Comparaison:
51 - Comparaison.jpg
Water test: (under running water for 10 seconds)
51 Wartertest.jpegeg

And finally a sketch. A great thanks to @LizEF for giving me permission to create (hopefully) sketch of her fantastic Quin and Makhabesh serial.
This is part of an ongoing creation.
This is Makhabesh surprised/ horrified discovering a secret
The brown ink in the background is Gutenberg Urkundentinte G10 Iron-gall ink.
Makhabesh is drawn with Yama-Guri. And then washed with a brush.
The scarab on his chest and the other gold lines were created by applying bleach with a glass nib.
20230621_102446.jpg




· Pens used: Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B), Soennecken Schulfüller (Semi-flex), Jinhao 450 fude,
· What I liked: Really nice dark colour, well lubricated, classy, complex chroma, water resistance.
· What I did not like: Long dry times, and it’s not easy to clean, might as well go for a permanent ink.
· What some might not like: It doesn’t like cheap paper. Not for lefty over writers, or ink hoppers and price.
· Shading: With broad nibs.
· Ghosting: Yes, with Hammermill paper.
· Bleed through: Yes, with cheap paper.
· Flow Rate: Wet
· Lubrication: Really nice.
· Nib Dry-out: None.
· Start-up: None
· Saturation: Very saturated
· Shading Potential: With wide nibs
· Sheen: None
· Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None
· Nib Creep / “Crud”: None.
· Staining (pen): No
· Clogging: No
· Cleaning: I had to use a pen flush.
· Water resistance: Very good.
· Availability: 50 ml bottles.

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

[LizEF]

Thank you, Yazeh, for this review. Love the Makhabesh drawing - apparently he has more jewelry than I knew, yet I'm not surprised. Love the swatch kitties, too. Not sure on the ink - maybe I'll sample it one day. Interesting that Noodler's Rome Burning also uses yellow and purple, but its brown is sometimes murky green (depending on the paper). Perhaps it's a popular combo for making browns. Looking forward to your next review!

[Yazeh]

Thank you, Yazeh, for this review. Love the Makhabesh drawing - apparently he has more jewelry than I knew, yet I'm not surprised.

Oh, it's supposed to be a "birth mark"é It's a nod to the pyramids

Love the swatch kitties, too.

Me too! It's good practice. I'm not sure if our cat agrees with my interpretations of her different moods

Not sure on the ink - maybe I'll sample it one day. Interesting that Noodler's Rome Burning also uses yellow and purple, but its brown is sometimes murky green (depending on the paper). Perhaps it's a popular combo for making browns. Looking forward to your next review!

Yep. You're probably right. Though the permeant part of Rome burning when wet, is the purple part. Personally I prefer Rome Burning too!

[LizEF]

Oh, it's supposed to be a "birth mark"é It's a nod to the pyramids

Aaahh. Got it. Interesting idea.

Me too! It's good practice. I'm not sure if our cat agrees with my interpretations of her different moods

Yep. You're probably right. Though the permeant part of Rome burning when wet, is the purple part. Personally I prefer Rome Burning too!

Yes, I noted that the purple part stayed and the yellow washed away. It's quite interesting.

[Robert]

Very fine review, Yazeh. Yama-guri has been my favorite brown - indeed, one of my favorite inks - for a good number of years now. (I'm currently towards the bottom of my third bottle of the stuff.). Under "likes" you characterize this ink as "classy" - a very apt description. Thanks so much for your thoughtful efforts.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Always enjoy your ink reviews, Yazeh! Your chroma makes this ink look more interesting than it appears coming from the pen, which is just a thick, almost black, brown.

Makhabesh looks very serious with his scarab.

[Yazeh]

Very fine review, Yazeh. Yama-guri has been my favorite brown - indeed, one of my favorite inks - for a good number of years now. (I'm currently towards the bottom of my third bottle of the stuff.). Under "likes" you characterize this ink as "classy" - a very apt description. Thanks so much for your thoughtful efforts.

Thank you. Wow three bottles. I don't think I ever consumed that amount of ink

Always enjoy your ink reviews, Yazeh! Your chroma makes this ink look more interesting than it appears coming from the pen, which is just a thick, almost black, brown.

Makhabesh looks very serious with his scarab.

Thank you. Indeed the chroma is what makes it more interesting. I am planning a fresco, but impatient I am, I'm just winging it part by part

[antares1966]

I had a bottle of Yama-guri some time ago, well-behaved but too close to black for my taste. Was going to try Tsukushi but it was discontinued.

[Yazeh]

I had a bottle of Yama-guri some time ago, well-behaved but too close to black for my taste. Was going to try Tsukushi but it was discontinued.

Yes, it's quite close to black with finer nibs. You might want to try a sample of Smoky Quartz. It seems quite close:
https://mountainofink.com/blog/pilot...izuku-tsukushi

[antares1966]

I had a bottle of Yama-guri some time ago, well-behaved but too close to black for my taste. Was going to try Tsukushi but it was discontinued.

Yes, it's quite close to black with finer nibs. You might want to try a sample of Smoky Quartz. It seems quite close:
https://mountainofink.com/blog/pilot...izuku-tsukushi

That's my situation exactly--my pens generally are European fine to Asian fine. The Smoky Quartz looks promising as well as Diamine Espresso, I've never used Edelstein/Pelikan ink because I thought it may be too dry but no harm in a couple samples.

[Chrissy]

I'm pretty sure I have an unused bottle of Tsukushi. Didn't know it had been discontinued.

[Yazeh]

I'm pretty sure I have an unused bottle of Tsukushi. Didn't know it had been discontinued.

Yep and another two I believe:
https://macchiatoman.com/blog/2022/4...kada-hotaru-bi

[Yazeh]

I had a bottle of Yama-guri some time ago, well-behaved but too close to black for my taste. Was going to try Tsukushi but it was discontinued.

Yes, it's quite close to black with finer nibs. You might want to try a sample of Smoky Quartz. It seems quite close:
https://mountainofink.com/blog/pilot...izuku-tsukushi

That's my situation exactly--my pens generally are European fine to Asian fine. The Smoky Quartz looks promising as well as Diamine Espresso, I've never used Edelstein/Pelikan ink because I thought it may be too dry but no harm in a couple samples.

Samples are my favorite way ink use