I'm quite liking your videos, just stumbled on them. Most stationary and fountain pen reviewers are...unpolished. This is very nicely structured, production is professional. Love it!
I would like to see in ink reviews: 1. Standardization of paper and pen for testing. Use the same pen(s) and same paper(s) for every ink. 2. Define and use the same standard set of terms. For example, does “wetness” refer to the subjective feel of smoothness while writing or the amount of ink applied to the page (related to dry time) 3. Control for ambient temperature, pressure, and humidity or at least report of those values. I find that my pens and inks perform very differently in the winter than in the summer. 4. Standardized writing message and writing time 5. Standardize a water test procedure. Follow it. 6. Standardize a bleach test procedure and follow it. 7. Standardize at least one other household solvent test procedure and use it (perhaps ammonia) 8. Standardize a UV exposure test procedure and test it 9. Consistent lighting for color comparison 10. Compare color swabs 11. Standardize an after-the-ink-is-dry smear test procedure for each paper and each pen and follow it. Control for hand moisture if using fingers for smearing. 12. Define a scale for difficulty of cleaning incorporating actual metrics from your cleaning experience.
Hi Erik, thank you for the suggestions! I don't think I can be that rigid for my tests but I intend to use the same papers, and pens (or at least the name nibs) and compare color swabs. I will also do my best to color grade.
Good video, "pig's breakfast" and all. I appreciate the candid and casual approach you take on it. Good point that permanent and water proof isn't a strength for fountain pens, even though there are some options for it. For me, my biggest interest in an ink review is a comparison to other similar colors, and you did some of that. Thanks.
Thank you so much for your videos. It is not common to find reviews on paper, especially with your informative expertise. Much appreciated. Fountain pens, inks and paper is still new to me but so intriguing and I do not know where to focus yet so your videos have been so helpful. I like that you give lots of practical info on usage of your products. Looking forward to more of your videos to help me with my purchasing.
Those of us who draw with fountain pens may have more and/or stronger desire for waterproof and sun fastness in our inks. I personally am transitioning over entirely to DeAtramentis Artist Inks specifically for those two qualities. By waterproof what I really mean is wet ink proof, so you can draw a wet new line over an old dry line without reactivating the latter.
Fantastic video! The split screen presentation was inspired, and I like how more of your personality is coming through. Looking forward to seeing more of your ink reviews.
What a beautiful view! Your notebook reviews have been really helpful. I just happen to have got this ink along with take-semi last week, my first Pilot inks! I needed some classic colors, after hoarding a lot of inks with unusual colors and effects I ended up lacking some good old blue and black inks.
love the split screen! i really like to see a big swatch of the ink before ever seeing the writing samples. that’s just the way my brain works. i enjoyed your commentary while you were using your kakimori. the water test doesn’t interest me. your experience with this particular ink was very helpful. i very much liked the swatches shown on the screen at the end. you’re off to a great start. thanks for sharing your knowledge. 😊
That is awesome! What pen/s do you use? I love the idea of having one go to ink signature ink. Poet Pablo Neruda always wrote with green ink and Enzo Ferrari always wrote in purple.
@@BlakesBroadcast I use Faber Castel Neo Slim with F and B nib for Tsuki-Yo. Great size but not a very good caps, the ink keep drying (they use snap on caps). But I like those pen size and weight for daily usage. And I use Kaweco Sport sport for the Pelikan ink. That's all my fp and I used them everyday. Wow that's cool!! Not that my writing is gonna be read like their writing tho', but hey, who knows!?
That was fun! I'm with you on the waterproof aspect--I use a gel pen or ballpoint for addressing envelopes and writing checks, neither of which I do very often. But I can understand caring about some water resistance if you journal a lot and like iced drinks, and want things not to be a total loss if you have some drips or a minor spill. I think the water resistance is nice to know, but it doesn't really influence me when picking an ink.
I would love to see your recommendations for dry inks versus wet inks. My favorite blue black is Aurora Blue Black and I use it to journal with a Diplomat Excellence A2 broad nib. I would also like to see color themes with several inks like “Colors of the Sea” which is what I think of when I write with blue black inks. In other words, I would be interested in seeing inks presented in a new, entertaining, and useful way and you have the opportunity to do that. When I want to know about a specific ink I watch one of Adam, An Ink Guy’s excellent videos. One thing I wonder about is whether I’ll ever use inks outside the blue black category that I’m in love with now and how I might do that. The last few inks samples I’ve tried of lighter colors just remind me that I don’t like them. What has your journey with inks been like? That would be interesting too. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the feedback! Color themes and my ink journey are great ideas. Dry vs wet inks is a good idea too, though I tend not to like dry inks but I know they have their place. I love Aurora Black and Aurora Blue are favorites. The blue/black is a newer ink and I haven't used it yet but I have high expectations. An Ink Guy's reviews are amazing. He does such a great job. I also am not a huge fan of lighter inks. They tend to be dry and look too subtle on the page.
Terrific fun! I hope this is the first of many ink review. I still miss VittaR's reviews. After you do the well-behaved Pilot inks, perhaps doing Noddler's massive collection would be amusing.
Thanks for the comment David! I am actually not familiar with VittaR's reviews I will check them out. I intend to do more ink reviews, and I will try to mix in various brands. Noodler's makes so many interesting inks. I love the labels and little story's that go along with the inks but years ago Richard Binder advised against using them so I stopped buying them. www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html That said, buying samples of them would be fun for the channel so I will consider doing some Noodles review.
Hello from Toronto, Canada! Thanks for your review. Lighting is so important for ink reviews. Too many inks I've bought are way off because of the lighting. I would recommend buying 5000K lightbulbs from a company called Waveform lighting "NorthLux 95 CRI E26 A19 LED Bulb for Art & Studio". Even with the nice windows you have, a consistent lighting will help us know the exact colour we will get. Your image at 8:36 appears to show the ink lean a bit toward the greenish side (which I like), but I haven't seen that in my recent experience. Please talk about the useability of the inks in various kinds of pens, namely flow. I have a flex pen where Yama-Budo simply drips, and so, is unusable. However, it is fine in a standard fountain pen. Tsuki-Yo is actually better and I can use it in that pen. Keep up the great work! :)
Hi Brian, thank you for the comment! Lighting with a dynamic source (window) is difficult. I use white balance cards for video and stills so at least in my editor it is neutral on the vectorscope but everyone's monitor is different. When I look at 8:36 in different colorspaces on two monitors I don't see any green. Regarding flow, I have not had issues with flex pens and Yama-Budo yet but flex pens can be quite picky so there is always going to be some trial and error matching pens and inks.
@@BlakesBroadcast Thanks for your reply! I might have been unclear when I said green, rather more teal leaning, compared to the others. Your attention to detail using a white card is appreciated. Cheers!
It's good to see you doing ink reviews and, while you are still experimenting with the form, I think the split-screen technique works well. I like Iroshizuku inks and their presentation, but I have two problems with them: the nib creep (which no one else seems to comment on but which I encounter every time, no matter the pen); and the fact that you shouldn't really use them with vintage pens. Tsuki-yo is one I haven't tried and would really like to. I was surprised, though, by the shade in your writing samples: it seemed to be more turquoise, certainly with the Lamy 1.9. I find blue-blacks tricky, not liking anything grey or with a green tinge. Is there any chance you will be reviewing Aurora or Pilot blue-black?
Hi Michael, Thanks for the comment! I have not noticed nib creep with these inks, although nib creep doesn't bother me unless it starts building up. I will keep any eye out for nib creep. Regarding Iroshizuku and vintage pens all I can say is that I have never had a problem but that doesn't mean you wont. Iroshizuku inks are on the alkali side of the pH spectrum. I have heard that you shouldn't use them with celluloid pens but when looking for evidence of this I have never seen an account of Iroshizuku damaging a vintage pen. I would not recommend using the standard Namiki/Pilot Blue in light colored pens where the ink touches the body of the pen as I have seen this ink cause stains. When in doubt go for something like Waterman blue or Sheaffer Skrip Blue as these inks are considered very safe for vintage pens. Tsuki-yo does have some turquoise in it for sure. I will definitely do a review of Aurora Blue Black. I don't have Pilot Blue-Black other than cartridges so I will try and get a sample.
Thanks, Blake. Yes, bottles of Pilot-Blue black are hard to come by. In the UK, where I'm based, you can only get the cartridges for some strange reason.@@BlakesBroadcast
My current favorite blue black ink is the Montblanc Midnight Blue. It has excellent "mulling properties" (the ability to stay wet and ready to write after long pauses with the nib uncapped), yet still dries pretty darn fast on my Clairefontaine Triomphe paper. It also has good water resistance; a soaking wet Qtip will not easily erase it. Maybe you could try the wet Qtip as an eraser test on future reviews? The S.T. Dupont Intense Black ink shares the same mulling properties, dry times, and water resistance as the MB Midnight Blue. (Those two are my most used inks.) I look forward to seeing more ink reviews from you, Blake. You'll get better with practice, and you still retain that elusive ability to keep your reviews moving along and staying on point.
Thank you so much! "Mulling properties" I love it! I am a fan of S.T. Dupont Intense Black, it a nice heavy saturated black. I will have to try some Midnight Blue. The Montblanc bottle is one of my favorites.
When I first got this ink I got it in the 3 pack of smaller 15ML bottles in a set to try out and I really didn't care for it much at all. Now I am very very fond of it. I love this ink in fact and it has become a staple in my collection.
Great review Blake! I agree ink reviews are highly subjective in regards to “favorite colors “, so I’m more interested in how the ink behaves in the pen: is it easy to clean, does it stain in demonstrators, flow etc. As to permanence, I consider that very important as a journaler. I journal about everything that’s important to me to leave to younger members in my family. Hopefully they will get some information and enjoyment from reading my scribblings. P.S. Cool split screen.
Thank you Gino! I appreciate the comment. I will do some more research on what give fountain pen ink really last on a page. I think using high quality acid free paper and keeping it away from UV light is probably part of the equation.
If you want slight smudgeproofness from high dye colors of Iroshizuku, such as Tsuki-Yo or Yama-Budo, letting it mix a bit with remaining water/dampness after cleaning would sufficiently thin it as to not pool into drippy sheen of ink that often smudges(the reverse is also true, letting ink slightly evaporate in the pen will make ink thicker=sheeny). Some Iroshizuku colors do not smudge as much even at high concentration(Murasaki-Shikibu is so far best at that), so, YMMV, try around.
Hi have you found any issues with these Pilot Iroshizuku inks in Montblanc pens? for example tight piston after a few uses? This is if you use them much In you Montblanc pens.
I have not noticed any issues with them in Montblanc pens. I use them regularly in my modern and vintage 149s. I can't think of why they would make a piston tight. How long are you leaving the ink in the pen?
@@BlakesBroadcast thanks for the response. Usually the pens are cleaned out every few weeks. I have been trying to find out if it just me or it is something more common.
I have Kon Peki and Yama Budo. They are excellent inks, but I feel that they are overpriced, especially in Europe; but that is true to form for most Pilot products: this company seems to overcharge in Europe. BTW, I would have difficulty distinguishing Iroshizu from many Diamine inks, which, in the UK, are very modestly priced.
Hi Darryl, thank you for the comment. Under the lens of a "premium" ink I think Iroshizuku is worth it. In the US at least, it is significantly cheaper than other premium inks like Caran d'Ache, and Pelikan Edelstein, and on par with GvFaber Castell. Pilot prices are high in Europe and the US unfortunately, but I feel this most with their pens rather than the ink. Their standard non-Iroshizuku ink is very affordable in the US. Regarding Diamine vs Iroshizuku I have a hard time making a comparison. I've sampled maybe 40% of the Iroshizuku line and like 1% of the Diamine line because it is so big. Iroshizuku inks tend to behave very well and lean towards lubrication even with their lighter colored inks. I have never had a bad performing Iroshizuku Ink. Diamine inks are affordable and they make some awesome inks with so much variety but their performance isn't consistent across the line. Some are great and others are so-so. Which Diamine inks are your favorites?
@BlakesBroadcast Hello, Blake. My favourite Diamine inks are Oxford Blue, Burgundy Royale and Red Dragon. I quite agree with you re. inconsistencies in Diamine inks: Sargasso Sea, in my opinion, is truly awful!
I've tried Sargasso Sea but haven't tried the others. I will add those to my list. My favorite ink for the longest time was Diamine Oxblood. I also really liked Ancient Copper but sadly it developed some mold in the bottle and I had to get rid of it.
Ace review, Blake. And I expected no less. I like Iroshizuku inks, and I own four: Tsuki-yo, Yama-budo, Syo-ro and Yama-guri. I’ve loved Tsuki-yo from the start. It’s a very attractive, dynamic, wet-flowing blue that looks great in all the pens and different nibs I’ve used it with. I’ve always liked and continue to regularly use many blues and blue-blacks. Tsuki-yo remains a firm favorite. Until Sailor’s Seiboku (a comparable blue ink) supplanted it in my best-of list of blue inks. Seiboku is a pigmented, water-proof ink. Funny how both Tsuki-yo and Seiboku are called blue-black, but to my eyes both look more like blue, really. Btw, do you ever notice any staining, even if very slightly, of the converter with Tsuki-yo? I have, and even with the standard Pilot Blue that comes with the PC 823 pen.
Hi Sajjad, thank you for the comment! I love Yama-budo, and Yama-guri is a new favorite. I haven't had enough time with Syo-ro yet. I have five Sailor inks and I really like all of them. I need to try more. I think of Tsuki-yo as a lighter blue black but maybe it's more correct to call it blue. I have not had issues with staining with Tsuki-yo. I think it cleans out of pens pretty nicely. Pilot Blue is known to stain not just converter but pens and feeds. I consider Pilot Blue unusual for a blue ink because blue is typically one of the easiest colors to clean out of pens.
@@BlakesBroadcast ..I’ll keenly await your upcoming reviews of the full Iroshizuku line of ink. I carefully chose the four I own. I think I might buy the grey one (forgot what it’s called). Tsuki-yo is swell. A great place to start in the Iroshizuku family. And reassuring to hear that my experience with the strange, disappointing behavior of Pilot Blue staining pens is not an anomaly. Sailor inks are among my firm, permanent favorites. Even in my very intentionally downsized collection, I have not offloaded any of my ten different Sailor inks because I’m very fond of all of them. Taccia’s inks are also really nice.
@@sajjadhusain4146 I have yet to try any Taccia products. I will have to try some of their inks. There are two grays in the standard Iroshizuku line-up are Kiri-same and Fuyu-syogun. I have not yet tried either other than to swab them. Kiri-same is a warm gray and the Fuyu-syogun is cool.
@@BlakesBroadcast ..I have both pens and ink from Taccia. I really like the brand and its products. Thanks so much for the info on the greys. I now remember that Fuyu-syogun is the one I want.
This is is a good review. Personally I like the water test, its a good way for knowing how much ink will disappear when water is applied, Ive lost entire notebooks because Ive spilled water, which sucks. I also like to do line and wash doodles which this is also helpful that way.
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Best no nonsense ink review: flows well, easy to clean, doesn’t smudge when you touch it. Well done.
Thank you Vincent!
I'm quite liking your videos, just stumbled on them. Most stationary and fountain pen reviewers are...unpolished. This is very nicely structured, production is professional. Love it!
Thank you very much! I appreciate the compliment.
I would like to see in ink reviews:
1. Standardization of paper and pen for testing. Use the same pen(s) and same paper(s) for every ink.
2. Define and use the same standard set of terms. For example, does “wetness” refer to the subjective feel of smoothness while writing or the amount of ink applied to the page (related to dry time)
3. Control for ambient temperature, pressure, and humidity or at least report of those values. I find that my pens and inks perform very differently in the winter than in the summer.
4. Standardized writing message and writing time
5. Standardize a water test procedure. Follow it.
6. Standardize a bleach test procedure and follow it.
7. Standardize at least one other household solvent test procedure and use it (perhaps ammonia)
8. Standardize a UV exposure test procedure and test it
9. Consistent lighting for color comparison
10. Compare color swabs
11. Standardize an after-the-ink-is-dry smear test procedure for each paper and each pen and follow it. Control for hand moisture if using fingers for smearing.
12. Define a scale for difficulty of cleaning incorporating actual metrics from your cleaning experience.
Hi Erik, thank you for the suggestions! I don't think I can be that rigid for my tests but I intend to use the same papers, and pens (or at least the name nibs) and compare color swabs. I will also do my best to color grade.
Enjoyed the review; very practical advice/comments. Really like the split screen format.
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it.
Good video, "pig's breakfast" and all. I appreciate the candid and casual approach you take on it. Good point that permanent and water proof isn't a strength for fountain pens, even though there are some options for it. For me, my biggest interest in an ink review is a comparison to other similar colors, and you did some of that. Thanks.
Thanks Kendall, I appreciate it!
Thank you so much for your videos. It is not common to find reviews on paper, especially with your informative expertise. Much appreciated. Fountain pens, inks and paper is still new to me but so intriguing and I do not know where to focus yet so your videos have been so helpful.
I like that you give lots of practical info on usage of your products. Looking forward to more of your videos to help me with my purchasing.
Thank you! I am glad it was helpful.
Those of us who draw with fountain pens may have more and/or stronger desire for waterproof and sun fastness in our inks. I personally am transitioning over entirely to DeAtramentis Artist Inks specifically for those two qualities. By waterproof what I really mean is wet ink proof, so you can draw a wet new line over an old dry line without reactivating the latter.
That makes total sense for artists. Good point.
Fantastic video! The split screen presentation was inspired, and I like how more of your personality is coming through. Looking forward to seeing more of your ink reviews.
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it.
What a beautiful view! Your notebook reviews have been really helpful. I just happen to have got this ink along with take-semi last week, my first Pilot inks! I needed some classic colors, after hoarding a lot of inks with unusual colors and effects I ended up lacking some good old blue and black inks.
Thank you Eric! Both are great inks. I love funky colors but I always have to have some pens inked with black or blue.
Thank you for this, I like ink reviews as it helps me know which of the thousands variety, to buy.
Glad it was helpful!
love the split screen! i really like to see a big swatch of the ink before ever seeing the writing samples. that’s just the way my brain works. i enjoyed your commentary while you were using your kakimori. the water test doesn’t interest me. your experience with this particular ink was very helpful. i very much liked the swatches shown on the screen at the end. you’re off to a great start. thanks for sharing your knowledge. 😊
Thank you so much! I will try and get the ink swatch in earlier in the video. That's a good idea.
Great ink, I use it as my main ink everyday for almost 4 years!! And I only have 2 inks, this one and red Pelikan 4001 for correcting documents.
That is awesome! What pen/s do you use?
I love the idea of having one go to ink signature ink. Poet Pablo Neruda always wrote with green ink and Enzo Ferrari always wrote in purple.
@@BlakesBroadcast I use Faber Castel Neo Slim with F and B nib for Tsuki-Yo. Great size but not a very good caps, the ink keep drying (they use snap on caps). But I like those pen size and weight for daily usage.
And I use Kaweco Sport sport for the Pelikan ink. That's all my fp and I used them everyday.
Wow that's cool!! Not that my writing is gonna be read like their writing tho', but hey, who knows!?
Great review. I enjoyed the free form that let's out your personality more. It was a good casual vib... Hat and all.
Thank you!
That was fun! I'm with you on the waterproof aspect--I use a gel pen or ballpoint for addressing envelopes and writing checks, neither of which I do very often.
But I can understand caring about some water resistance if you journal a lot and like iced drinks, and want things not to be a total loss if you have some drips or a minor spill. I think the water resistance is nice to know, but it doesn't really influence me when picking an ink.
I agree. Water resistance is a nice bonus but is rarely part of the equation when I am selecting a fountain pen ink
Thanks for the amazing review, Blake!
Cheers from Brazil!
You are welcome Eduardo!
I would love to see your recommendations for dry inks versus wet inks. My favorite blue black is Aurora Blue Black and I use it to journal with a Diplomat Excellence A2 broad nib. I would also like to see color themes with several inks like “Colors of the Sea” which is what I think of when I write with blue black inks. In other words, I would be interested in seeing inks presented in a new, entertaining, and useful way and you have the opportunity to do that. When I want to know about a specific ink I watch one of Adam, An Ink Guy’s excellent videos. One thing I wonder about is whether I’ll ever use inks outside the blue black category that I’m in love with now and how I might do that. The last few inks samples I’ve tried of lighter colors just remind me that I don’t like them. What has your journey with inks been like? That would be interesting too. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the feedback! Color themes and my ink journey are great ideas. Dry vs wet inks is a good idea too, though I tend not to like dry inks but I know they have their place.
I love Aurora Black and Aurora Blue are favorites. The blue/black is a newer ink and I haven't used it yet but I have high expectations.
An Ink Guy's reviews are amazing. He does such a great job.
I also am not a huge fan of lighter inks. They tend to be dry and look too subtle on the page.
Terrific fun! I hope this is the first of many ink review. I still miss VittaR's reviews. After you do the well-behaved Pilot inks, perhaps doing Noddler's massive collection would be amusing.
Thanks for the comment David! I am actually not familiar with VittaR's reviews I will check them out.
I intend to do more ink reviews, and I will try to mix in various brands.
Noodler's makes so many interesting inks. I love the labels and little story's that go along with the inks but years ago Richard Binder advised against using them so I stopped buying them. www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html
That said, buying samples of them would be fun for the channel so I will consider doing some Noodles review.
Hello from Toronto, Canada!
Thanks for your review. Lighting is so important for ink reviews. Too many inks I've bought are way off because of the lighting. I would recommend buying 5000K lightbulbs from a company called Waveform lighting "NorthLux 95 CRI E26 A19 LED Bulb for Art & Studio". Even with the nice windows you have, a consistent lighting will help us know the exact colour we will get. Your image at 8:36 appears to show the ink lean a bit toward the greenish side (which I like), but I haven't seen that in my recent experience.
Please talk about the useability of the inks in various kinds of pens, namely flow. I have a flex pen where Yama-Budo simply drips, and so, is unusable. However, it is fine in a standard fountain pen. Tsuki-Yo is actually better and I can use it in that pen.
Keep up the great work! :)
Hi Brian, thank you for the comment!
Lighting with a dynamic source (window) is difficult. I use white balance cards for video and stills so at least in my editor it is neutral on the vectorscope but everyone's monitor is different. When I look at 8:36 in different colorspaces on two monitors I don't see any green.
Regarding flow, I have not had issues with flex pens and Yama-Budo yet but flex pens can be quite picky so there is always going to be some trial and error matching pens and inks.
@@BlakesBroadcast Thanks for your reply! I might have been unclear when I said green, rather more teal leaning, compared to the others.
Your attention to detail using a white card is appreciated. Cheers!
It's good to see you doing ink reviews and, while you are still experimenting with the form, I think the split-screen technique works well.
I like Iroshizuku inks and their presentation, but I have two problems with them: the nib creep (which no one else seems to comment on but which I encounter every time, no matter the pen); and the fact that you shouldn't really use them with vintage pens.
Tsuki-yo is one I haven't tried and would really like to. I was surprised, though, by the shade in your writing samples: it seemed to be more turquoise, certainly with the Lamy 1.9. I find blue-blacks tricky, not liking anything grey or with a green tinge. Is there any chance you will be reviewing Aurora or Pilot blue-black?
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the comment! I have not noticed nib creep with these inks, although nib creep doesn't bother me unless it starts building up. I will keep any eye out for nib creep.
Regarding Iroshizuku and vintage pens all I can say is that I have never had a problem but that doesn't mean you wont. Iroshizuku inks are on the alkali side of the pH spectrum. I have heard that you shouldn't use them with celluloid pens but when looking for evidence of this I have never seen an account of Iroshizuku damaging a vintage pen.
I would not recommend using the standard Namiki/Pilot Blue in light colored pens where the ink touches the body of the pen as I have seen this ink cause stains. When in doubt go for something like Waterman blue or Sheaffer Skrip Blue as these inks are considered very safe for vintage pens.
Tsuki-yo does have some turquoise in it for sure. I will definitely do a review of Aurora Blue Black. I don't have Pilot Blue-Black other than cartridges so I will try and get a sample.
Thanks, Blake. Yes, bottles of Pilot-Blue black are hard to come by. In the UK, where I'm based, you can only get the cartridges for some strange reason.@@BlakesBroadcast
My current favorite blue black ink is the Montblanc Midnight Blue. It has excellent "mulling properties" (the ability to stay wet and ready to write after long pauses with the nib uncapped), yet still dries pretty darn fast on my Clairefontaine Triomphe paper. It also has good water resistance; a soaking wet Qtip will not easily erase it.
Maybe you could try the wet Qtip as an eraser test on future reviews?
The S.T. Dupont Intense Black ink shares the same mulling properties, dry times, and water resistance as the MB Midnight Blue. (Those two are my most used inks.)
I look forward to seeing more ink reviews from you, Blake. You'll get better with practice, and you still retain that elusive ability to keep your reviews moving along and staying on point.
Thank you so much! "Mulling properties" I love it!
I am a fan of S.T. Dupont Intense Black, it a nice heavy saturated black. I will have to try some Midnight Blue. The Montblanc bottle is one of my favorites.
When I first got this ink I got it in the 3 pack of smaller 15ML bottles in a set to try out and I really didn't care for it much at all. Now I am very very fond of it. I love this ink in fact and it has become a staple in my collection.
I didn't love this ink at first either but after using it a few times I realized how nice it made my pens write.
@@BlakesBroadcast Yeah it's a super smooth reliable ink. I usually use it in my Pilot Fermo diamond silver with a medium nib.
Great review Blake! I agree ink reviews are highly subjective in regards to “favorite colors “, so I’m more interested in how the ink behaves in the pen: is it easy to clean, does it stain in demonstrators, flow etc.
As to permanence, I consider that very important as a journaler. I journal about everything that’s important to me to leave to younger members in my family. Hopefully they will get some information and enjoyment from reading my scribblings.
P.S. Cool split screen.
Thank you Gino! I appreciate the comment. I will do some more research on what give fountain pen ink really last on a page. I think using high quality acid free paper and keeping it away from UV light is probably part of the equation.
I think it´s my favorite ink series, but this color I still have the bottle uncapped 🤭
It's mine as well. So far I haven't been let down by any of the inks I've tried and I can't say that about other lines of ink with lots of colors.
Nice ink. Nice watch too. Is that a Tank?
Thanks you! Yes it is the SolarBeat Large model.
@@BlakesBroadcast So your good taste extends beyond paper and ink. Excellent.
If you want slight smudgeproofness from high dye colors of Iroshizuku, such as Tsuki-Yo or Yama-Budo, letting it mix a bit with remaining water/dampness after cleaning would sufficiently thin it as to not pool into drippy sheen of ink that often smudges(the reverse is also true, letting ink slightly evaporate in the pen will make ink thicker=sheeny). Some Iroshizuku colors do not smudge as much even at high concentration(Murasaki-Shikibu is so far best at that), so, YMMV, try around.
Good info. Much appreciated!
Hi have you found any issues with these Pilot Iroshizuku inks in Montblanc pens? for example tight piston after a few uses? This is if you use them much In you Montblanc pens.
I have not noticed any issues with them in Montblanc pens. I use them regularly in my modern and vintage 149s. I can't think of why they would make a piston tight. How long are you leaving the ink in the pen?
@@BlakesBroadcast thanks for the response. Usually the pens are cleaned out every few weeks. I have been trying to find out if it just me or it is something more common.
I hardly find reviews about how much it takes to clean specific inks from fountain pen feeds.
That is good information to know. I don't like the put difficult to clean inks in my more expensive pens.
I have Kon Peki and Yama Budo. They are excellent inks, but I feel that they are overpriced, especially in Europe; but that is true to form for most Pilot products: this company seems to overcharge in Europe. BTW, I would have difficulty distinguishing Iroshizu from many Diamine inks, which, in the UK, are very modestly priced.
Hi Darryl, thank you for the comment. Under the lens of a "premium" ink I think Iroshizuku is worth it. In the US at least, it is significantly cheaper than other premium inks like Caran d'Ache, and Pelikan Edelstein, and on par with GvFaber Castell.
Pilot prices are high in Europe and the US unfortunately, but I feel this most with their pens rather than the ink. Their standard non-Iroshizuku ink is very affordable in the US.
Regarding Diamine vs Iroshizuku I have a hard time making a comparison. I've sampled maybe 40% of the Iroshizuku line and like 1% of the Diamine line because it is so big. Iroshizuku inks tend to behave very well and lean towards lubrication even with their lighter colored inks. I have never had a bad performing Iroshizuku Ink.
Diamine inks are affordable and they make some awesome inks with so much variety but their performance isn't consistent across the line. Some are great and others are so-so. Which Diamine inks are your favorites?
@BlakesBroadcast Hello, Blake. My favourite Diamine inks are Oxford Blue, Burgundy Royale and Red Dragon. I quite agree with you re. inconsistencies in Diamine inks: Sargasso Sea, in my opinion, is truly awful!
I've tried Sargasso Sea but haven't tried the others. I will add those to my list. My favorite ink for the longest time was Diamine Oxblood. I also really liked Ancient Copper but sadly it developed some mold in the bottle and I had to get rid of it.
If you like Diamine Oxblood I'm sure you'll love Diamine Burgundy Royale. It has a wine colour which leans to a brownish russet tint.
Ace review, Blake. And I expected no less. I like Iroshizuku inks, and I own four: Tsuki-yo, Yama-budo, Syo-ro and Yama-guri.
I’ve loved Tsuki-yo from the start. It’s a very attractive, dynamic, wet-flowing blue that looks great in all the pens and different nibs I’ve used it with.
I’ve always liked and continue to regularly use many blues and blue-blacks. Tsuki-yo remains a firm favorite. Until Sailor’s Seiboku (a comparable blue ink) supplanted it in my best-of list of blue inks. Seiboku is a pigmented, water-proof ink.
Funny how both Tsuki-yo and Seiboku are called blue-black, but to my eyes both look more like blue, really.
Btw, do you ever notice any staining, even if very slightly, of the converter with Tsuki-yo? I have, and even with the standard Pilot Blue that comes with the PC 823 pen.
Hi Sajjad, thank you for the comment! I love Yama-budo, and Yama-guri is a new favorite. I haven't had enough time with Syo-ro yet.
I have five Sailor inks and I really like all of them. I need to try more.
I think of Tsuki-yo as a lighter blue black but maybe it's more correct to call it blue.
I have not had issues with staining with Tsuki-yo. I think it cleans out of pens pretty nicely. Pilot Blue is known to stain not just converter but pens and feeds. I consider Pilot Blue unusual for a blue ink because blue is typically one of the easiest colors to clean out of pens.
@@BlakesBroadcast ..I’ll keenly await your upcoming reviews of the full Iroshizuku line of ink. I carefully chose the four I own. I think I might buy the grey one (forgot what it’s called).
Tsuki-yo is swell. A great place to start in the Iroshizuku family. And reassuring to hear that my experience with the strange, disappointing behavior of Pilot Blue staining pens is not an anomaly.
Sailor inks are among my firm, permanent favorites. Even in my very intentionally downsized collection, I have not offloaded any of my ten different Sailor inks because I’m very fond of all of them. Taccia’s inks are also really nice.
@@sajjadhusain4146 I have yet to try any Taccia products. I will have to try some of their inks. There are two grays in the standard Iroshizuku line-up are Kiri-same and Fuyu-syogun. I have not yet tried either other than to swab them. Kiri-same is a warm gray and the Fuyu-syogun is cool.
@@BlakesBroadcast ..I have both pens and ink from Taccia. I really like the brand and its products.
Thanks so much for the info on the greys. I now remember that Fuyu-syogun is the one I want.
"i think its too early in the morning for me" - watch shows 9:30 (also, nice tank)
Yes, but did I set my watch?
@@BlakesBroadcastit was too early to set the watch
This is is a good review. Personally I like the water test, its a good way for knowing how much ink will disappear when water is applied, Ive lost entire notebooks because Ive spilled water, which sucks. I also like to do line and wash doodles which this is also helpful that way.
Thank you! I am glad to know that the water test is helpful. I will keep it doing it.