Tono and Lims Hiiragi ((柊 )

[Yazeh]

This is my first pigment ink from this brand.
According to Shigure inks website: Tono & Lims is a Japanese brand whose inks are a collaboration with South Korean ink producer, Lim's Lab.

The inks are made in Korea.

This is a pigment ink belonging to the Tono & Lims Fixation Line, for fountain pens.
It comes in cute glass bottles, which is very appealing.
31D6467B-B602-4DA4-853C-431AE1E3EB07_1_201_a.jpg

The name of the ink (柊 Hiiragi) is only in Japanese.

柊 (Hiiragi) from what I gleaned from google, is Osmanthus heterophyllus, or false Holly a lovely shrub with dark holly shaped leaves with fragrant flowers.

I’m guessing the colour corresponds to young shoots or a certain cultivar with yellowish green leaves.


At my first try, I was ready to throw the ink down the drain. However, leaving the pens for a while, some feeds got happy (The Kanwrite Ebonite/ and the Jinhao 440)
Ink is vaguely lubricated and depending on feed it can be wet. Like a blob of spinach juice
Check the Chroma
TOno and Lims Hiiragi - Chroma.jpeg

I rarely have had so much frustration and cursing at an ink and I’m very tolerant of naughty inks
But then again, if any members like a challenge, with waterproof, pigment, unsaturated ink, go for it! (you know who you are )

Writing samples
I used a Pilot Kakuna Medium as a replacement for a European Fine nib and used the reverse to recreate the EF.

Rhodia
Rhdoia - T&L.jpg
Midori
Midori- T&L.jpg
TR 68gr
TR68gt - T&L.jpg
Maruman
Marumann- T&L.jpg
It doesn't like cheap paper very much:
Front
Cheap Front T&L.jpg
Back
CHeap - back.jpg
• Pens used: Pilot Kakuna M/ /Jinhao 450 (medium)/ Kanwrite Ultra flex /TWSBI – Go Stub
• Shading: None
• Ghosting: No
• Bleed through: No
• Flow Rate: Dry. But with time and the right feed, it becomes better. Not recommend for Ef/F nibs
• Lubrication: Nonexistent
• Nib Dry-out: Not noticed.
• Start-up: Regularly…I would call it the runt of ink litter.
• Saturation: Pale, almost illegible. But with time and evaporation it becomes better.
• Shading Potential: See for yourself.
• Sheen: None
• Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not noticed
• Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes.
• Staining (pen): I doubt it.
• Clogging: No. But flow is iffy.
• Water resistance: Excellent
• Availability: 1 oz/ 30 ml bottles

Comments appreciated!

[mizgeorge]

Blob of spinach! Love it!!

Great review - I like the look of this very much.

[LizEF]

I, too, found the "blob of spinach juice" bit smile-invoking! Thank you for enduring a frustrating ink to provide us with such a thorough review. I'm just dying (not) to try this out in my EF nib... I can't decide whether I like the color or not. The chroma, and darkest samples (stub on Rhodia and Maruman) look somewhat appealing, the rest, not so much...

[DrPenfection]

Great review! Thank you for doing it Yazeh! I know, that with time, you will have this ink whipped into shape and we will likely see it some day in "guess the ink".

[InesF]

Thank you Yazeh for posting the review despite your frustration!
From the packaging I would had expected a purple-grey ... how bad, I can't read Japanese.

[forester]

Thanks!

[Yazeh]

Thank you all for the kind remarks.
@mizgeorge, it's a perfect in for Popeye
@LizEf, the trick is to forget it in a pen for 48 hours. And write on super absorbent paper.
@DrPenfection, it has been already been guessed by the one & only mizgeorge
@InesF, I have a purple/black review (Kala Hematite) coming later on

[Sailor Kenshin]

I love murky greens, and yes, 'blob of spinach' is accurate, but reluctant to write? Naaaahhhh….

Thanks, Yazeh. Your handwriting is pretty! ❤️