Noodler’s Tolstoy

[Yazeh]

Tolstoy on 23 May 1908 at Yasnaya Polyana,[1] Lithograph print by Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky

Disclaimer:

I’ve been avoiding reviewing this ink, mostly because I dislike Tolstoy. I have read some of his books in my youth and recently watched a documentary about him, preparing this review. I was impressed by his very modern vision of school system (mostly like the modern Finnish school systems) and “liberating” his serfs.

The second part of his life, he becomes erratic. The highlight, I believe, was being ex-communicated by the Russian Orthodox church
And to deprive his wife and children of the royalties of his books in favour of charities. It left me perplexed as it was his wife who transcribed his undecipherable handwriting of his early masterpieces.

There's a 2009 film, The Last Station which deals with Tolstoy's struggle to balance fame, wealth and his ideal of living devoid of material things.

However, this is an ink review. 😛

The greatest part of doing this review was discovering the fantastic colour photography by Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky.
You can see most of them here:
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/ethnic.html

So, lets get on with the ink review with the chroma:
Chroma.jpg
I don’t like this ink. Filling the pen is torture. The chemical smell is awful and thankfully dissipate with time. But it gave me a headache a couple of sneezes. This isn't a good ink, it has start up issues, it hated pilot Elite, had hiccups with Lamy Safari, until I wrote a few lines, but tolerated well Pilot Kakuna.

I recommend it, only to those, who have no sense of smell, love Tolstoy, like a challenging ink, are light handed, use well sealed wet pens and work under UV lights.

Writing Samples:
Note the difference between the Ef in Pilot Elite and Kakuna. I really had to press hard the Elite to make it write.
TR 68gr.jpeg
Rhodia.jpg
Midori.jpeg
Hammermill.jpg
I didn't bother to scan of the "good papers". But if you're heavy handed, use wet pens, you'll have ghosting and probably a bit of bleed through.
Hammermill 20lb - back.jpg
Photo:
5E9E4FC5-3E28-405F-B0CD-58C19E5E939F.jpg

Watertest
Left side was held under running water. Kitty was waterproof
Watertest 1.jpeg
Comparison:
Compariasion.jpg

And finally a sketch. I do the yearly Inktober challenge. The prompt was Beard.
The black ink is Sailor Kiwa-guro.

fluorescence:
5144BF55-2E3C-46FB-B0C3-3DB4C4DAD00E_1_201_a.jpeg

· Pens used: Pilot Elite/ Kakuna(Ef/), Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B)
· What I liked: Fast dry time, spectacular fluorescence (I’m pushing it!)
· What I did not like: Name, and chemical stench, bleed through, flow issues.
· What some might not like: Same as above, minus the name
· Shading: No
· Ghosting: On most papers yes.
· Bleed through: Depending nib, paper. If you’re heavy handed for sure.
· Flow Rate: Wet
· Lubrication: Ok
· Nib Dry-out: No.
· Start-up: It didn’t like Pilot Elite. Lamy stopped working after a few days of not using.
· Saturation: Sort of.
· Shading Potential: Dismal
· Sheen: No
· Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Didn’t notice.
· Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes
· Staining (pen): Possible
· Clogging: No.
· Cleaning: Like most permanent inks, the more the ink stays in the pen, the more time consuming it is to clean. I won’t recommend these inks for pens that cannot be fully dismantled and pens that don’t have a great seal. The pilot Kakuna’s transparent section was tainted in a lovely blue hue, and no amount of Q-tip would remove it, but after several hours of soaking, I should be able to remove it. Safari needed an overnight soaking, and 5 minutes in pen cleaning solution, as a safe measure.
· Water resistance: Excellent.
· Availability: 90 ml bottles / 3 Oz bottles

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

[LizEF]

I recommend it, only to those, who have no sense of smell, love Tolstoy, like a challenging ink, are light handed, use well sealed wet pens and work under UV lights.

My sense of smell is almost gone, can't say I love Tolstoy or challenging inks, I am light-handed, I have some well-sealed pens but I'm not sure any are that wet, but I don't work under UV light. Phew! I'm saved!

Thank you for enduring this ink long enough to do a review. Love the kitty and your Tolstoy sketch - especially the creepy glow-in-the-dark image.

[Thom.]

Exactly. Art is a flower that thrives best in adverse conditions.

[Yazeh]

I recommend it, only to those, who have no sense of smell, love Tolstoy, like a challenging ink, are light handed, use well sealed wet pens and work under UV lights.

My sense of smell is almost gone, can't say I love Tolstoy or challenging inks, I am light-handed, I have some well-sealed pens but I'm not sure any are that wet, but I don't work under UV light. Phew! I'm saved!

You're lucky We need a bit of humour don't we

Thank you for enduring this ink long enough to do a review. Love the kitty and your Tolstoy sketch - especially the creepy glow-in-the-dark image.

I've learned that one has to give the ink a chance. Sometimes they can surprise us

[Yazeh]

Exactly. Art is a flower that thrives best in adverse conditions.

You're too kind

[Thom.]

You also see Tolstoy, extraordinary people. And how was that: If I kill my demons, then my angels die too.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks as always, Yazeh, for your very cool reviews/sketches… here we have an ink color in the family that appeals to me… but it seems flat, argumentative, and smelly.

What's not to like? 😂

[Yazeh]

You also see Tolstoy, extraordinary people. And how was that: If I kill my demons, then my angels die too.

Like all of us, he had to embrace both of them. The good thing about this ink was reflecting on why, I could not stomach his work/ideas

[Yazeh]

Thanks as always, Yazeh, for your very cool reviews/sketches…

🙏

here we have an ink color in the family that appeals to me… but it seems flat, argumentative, and smelly.

What's not to like? 😂