Noodler's Blacks and Beyond!

[TerraNoir]

I had a question for all of you Geeks out there. I have recently obtained a sample of Noodler's Heart of Darkness. I have to admit, I am quite addicted to it. Though sort of a new to the hobby and inks feeling. I'm not too sure what the difference it is to say Noodler's Black or any of the other shades they have. To me black is black is black. Until I actually stare at some swabs of it.

So with that said, are there really any differences with Noodler's blacks or any other companies for that matter. I know that Noodler's X-Feather is supposed to be the blackest of the black. Shall there be any challengers.

Thank you in advance for all of your help!

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

I've tried out a few of Noodler's blacks. My personal favorite is Noodler's Bulletproof Black. So, I'll do my best.

Noodler's Black - Good on cheaper paper, doesn't feather, pretty dark, a bit viscous in a narrow pen and doesn't always let air come up from the feed in such pens. Bulletproof

Noodler's Heart of Darkness - Basically like Noodler's Black only less viscous, slightly more feathery, and slightly lighter. Bulletproof

Noodler's Dark Matter - This is a grayer black with some shading. It's water resistant but not waterproof. It is supposed to be a replica of the ink used at the Manhattan project.

Noodler's Borealis Black - It's a very black sort of black. I can't explain it, but I just preferred the Noodler's Bulletproof Black. I'm not sure of water resistance on this one.

Noodler's X-Feather - This is a very black, slow-drying black. It is designed to write on the cheapest of papers without feathering. It works, but I never bought more than a sample: this ink was too slow to dry and I just didn't need an ink with its properties.

Noodler's Polar Black - This is one of two on the list I have no personal experience with. I know that it is supposed to resist freezing at very cold temperatures.

Noodler's Eel Black - This one is basically Bulletproof Black with more lubricants to help the piston move more smoothly or something. I have not tried this one either.

[spotted and speckled]

Noodler's regular black is my favorite, but Aurora Black is also very good.

[Jon Szanto]

If you are looking at blacks, you owe it to yourself to at least get samples of both Aurora Black and J. Herbin Perle Noire. Top contenders for all-around great black inks looks and behavior. I use Aurora as my everyday, go-to black. If you have special needs (quick dry, bullet-proof, etc) then other inks might be considered, but for most use these two are always in stock at my house.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

I thought about this post a little more. I got into my Noodler's fixation and forgot some other blacks I've tried.

Sailor Kiwa-guro - a nano-black. This ink is made of bits of pigment suspended in the water. It is extremely water proof, has that awesome Sailor ink smell, but it dries kind of gray.

Pilot Black - This one smells a lot like the old dissection preservative. I thought it was kind of grayish.

Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi - I like this ink well enough. It's kind of water resistant, but not very. It is dark. I just don't like it was well as Noodler's.

Parker Quink Black - I used this ink for years. Its very gray, and satisfied me until I discovered alternatives.

Pelikan Edelstein Onyx - Kind of a letdown: a very gray and shaded ink. Pretty bottle, though.

Cross Black - Meh, a little gray, kind of boring.

[TerraNoir]

Thank you Waski! That does explain why I love Heart of Darkness so much. The pen I'm using it in is kinda narrow I think. And it's just a dream for me.

And I will totally try those two out as well, Jon. I know that J. Herbin Perle Noire (hurhur) is definitely on my list. I'm just trying not to let myself get sold on Heart of Darkness. Its been so nice so far.

[Jon Szanto]

No one lives by one black alone.

[mhosea]

Sailor Kiwa-guro - a nano-black. This ink is made of bits of pigment suspended in the water. It is extremely water proof, has that awesome Sailor ink smell, but it dries kind of gray.

Kind of. It's an entirely different sort of gray than gray inks or other grayish blacks, however. Kiwa Guro is opaque, whereas other blacks are gray because they are not opaque. Also, when lit from along your line of sight from behind rather than from a light source in front of rather than from beyond it, it can be very, very black. Try this experiment. Write with Kiwa Guro on some paper. When it is dark out, turn out the lights and use a bright flashlight to view the writing on the paper, which should be situated on the table/desk in front of you. Move the flashlight from beside your eye, so that the light travels along your line of sight to the paper, and then move it continuously to a point beyond the paper (simulating a desk lamp in front of you). Kiwa Guro transforms from an intense black to graphite gray.