Note: Anderson Pens has a really nice chart called “Ink volume Comparison.” Check it out. Not anymore, apparently. They do have a brilliant ink comparison tool: don’t miss it!
The journal pages are from a Rhodia Webbie. Scans are from an Epson (formerly 810 now) Artisan 730 flatbed. The handwriting is my scrawl… no attempts to flex, show-off, or, uh, improve. It is what it is! The ink journey is about my attempt to reconcile the ink in my possession. Is it possible to decide upon a steady two or three inks?
Currently going steady with: Pilot Blue-Black, Platinum Mix Free
Update: I’ve included a list of what ink samples you’ll find in these posts. The inks are listed in the order they appear on the pages.
- Nipping the Ink Hoarding in the Nib
- Writing Down the Ink #1 (Diamine Florida Blue. Private Reserve: Ebony Purple, Avacado. J. Herbin Perle Noire. Diamine: Prussian Blue, Chocolate. J. Herbin: Éclat de Saphir, Lie De Thé. Sailor Jentle Blue-Black.)
- Writing Down the Ink #2 (Montblanc Burgundy. Diamine Florida Blue. J. Herbin Cacao Du Brésil. Diamine Prussian Blue. Montblanc Blue-Black, Caran d’Ache Saffron.)
- Writing Down the Ink #3 (J. Herbin Perle Noire. Diamine: Chocolate. Caran d’Ache Saffron. Iroshizuku: Tsukushi, Tsuki-yo, Kon-Peki, Syo-ro, Ku-jaku.)
- Writing Down the Ink #4 (Texas Live Oak.)
- Writing Down the Ink #5 (largely about ink samples.)
- Writing Down the Ink #6 (Iroshizuku: Fuyu-syogun, Yama-guri, Tsukushi. Waterman Havana Brown. Private Reserve Ebony Purple. Diamine Prussian Blue. J. Herbin Lie De Thé. Noodler’s: Legal Lapis, Black Swan in Australian Roses, Texas Live Oak.)
- Writing Down the Ink #7 (Sailor Sky High, Iroshizuku Kon-peki.)
- Writing Down the Ink #8 (Iroshizuku: Yama-guri, Tsukushi. J. Herbin: Cacao Du Brésil, Lie De Thé. Noodler’s: #41 Brown, Walnut. Waterman Havana. Appearances by Diamine Raw Sienna, Chocolate Brown, Rustic Brown & Saddle Brown.)
- Writing Down the Ink #9 (a progress report)
- Writing Down the Ink #10 (Platinum Blue-Black)
- Writing Down the Ink #11 (Platinum Blue-Black, Waterman Blue-Black, Namiki Blue, Pilot Blue, Everflo Blue-Black. Minor appearances by Noodler’s Blue-Black, Sailor Blue-Black, Sailor Nano Blue-Black, Pilot Blue-Black, Lamy Blue-Black, Sheaffer Blue-Black, Parker Quink Blue-Black, Sailor Sky High.)
- Writing Down the Ink #12 (Namiki Blue, Pilot Blue, Pilot Blue-Black)
- Tale of a Vandal Pen Repairer: Namiki Blue Writing True
- Writing Down the Ink #13: More Blues and Beyond (Pelikan Royal Blue & Pelikan Brilliant Black mix, Namiki Blue, Iron Galls—Platinum Blue-Black, Pharmacist Urkundentinte, Rohrer & Klingner Sailix, Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa, Diamine Registrar’s, Chesterfield Archival Vault—, Sailor Epinard, Nagasawa Kobe Sannomiya Panse, Nagasawa Kobe Nada Brown.)
- Writing Down the Ink #14: Settling Down (Pilot Blue-Black, Waterman Blue-Black, Sailor Doyou, Sailor Gray, Sailor Chu-Shu LE, Nagasawa Arima Amber, Sailor Sky High, Sailor Sei-Boku)
- Writing Down the Ink #15: Mixing it Up (Platinum Mix Free)
- Tale of a Vandal Ink User: Just a Little Mix-Up (Platinum Mix Free)
- Mostly Diamine, J. Herbin with appearances by Sailor Blue-Black, Montblanc, Waterman Havana, Sheaffer Skrip Black
- Mostly Iroshizuku with appearances by J. Herbin Perle Noir, Platinum Carbon Black, Private Reserve Ebony & Velvet Black
- Just the Black’s with appearances by Noodler’s Old Manhattan Black, Noodler’s Black, Platinum Black, Platinum Carbon Black, Sailor Jentle Black, Sailor Kiwa-Guro Nano Black, Sheaffer Skrip Black (pre-Slovenia), J. Herbin Perle Noire
Ways You Can Find Inks to Sample
- Join a fountain pen forum, and participate in ink sharing with others.
- Go to a pen show, and find the ink sampling table.
- Buy samples from one of these folks:
- Anderson Pens (these folks carry Montblanc ink, btw)
- Vanness Pens (also carrying unusual inks!)
A note on purchasing ink samples: These retailers provide samples as a labor of love, not as a money making enterprise in and of itself. If you like an ink you sample, please buy your ink from the retailer who provided your sample. We want to encourage them to provide this great service! And that is my opinion, ay?
Peaceable Writer 