Corrected subtitles and translations are up! A commenter pointed out that the water to clean could be deionized water. After researching, I think deionized water is the safest to use. However distilled water worked fine for me and is a lot cheaper (he said deionized water is about $10 a gallon in the US). Thanks @Calcprof
Thanks so much for the amazing video Alesa! Your mineral water experinment was absolutely amazing (and scary!). Just refilled my pen with Chou-Kuro, I can see myself always having a pen inked with it! Spectacular ink :) Cheers!
Thank you so much! And thank you for your valuable insight. I think it really shows that there should be no fear for this really awesome ink! Come back and visit again soon!
Wow, never knew I needed a bottle of black ink, but this is gorgeous and now on my wish list to buy. Such an interesting and entertaining video as always. Love the chemistry experiment!🤓
This is so interesting to me. I'm an indie dyer of yarns, and some colours will "split" when used with certain types of water. When I lived in London, the water there had so much limescale that it left a white residue on things after dry. All of the pigments I used with red on them would split. Once I moved to Edinburgh, it all changed - the water here is very soft. It'll still have a lot of minerals, so I'm sure it would interfere with Chou Kuro... Now I want to buy this ink just to experiment :)
Hahaha! I thought there was a lot of minerals in Tokyo water but I guess not enough to make such a striking example. That is so interesting about the yarn. Water is so cool. (And of course ink!)
That's a possibility. I'll add it to a pinned comment. If I get ahold of some, I'll need to test it out! The distilled water seemed to be OK and is a lot cheaper.
Thank you so much Chris! Yeah, it started to get expensive pouring mineral water in that large container so I switched to a smaller glass! That would be more practical, just dripping different inks in mineral water in a small glass. I should try that as I have a lot of pigment inks. Thanks for stopping by!
"Salvadore Dali of ink drips" .... lady, here's another reason why I consider you to be my Guru! May God grant all your Inky (and Rocky) wishes :) PS we do miss your videos you know, please give us more :)
Hurrah - A new video! And thank you for demystifying this ink with your signature visuals (woah - those mineral water moments are something!) and experiments. I was pretty much afraid to try this ink based on what other folks were saying about it, but thanks to you, fear has been replaced by much curiosity :-)
I’m so glad you found this useful. I think a lot of people skipped over the part where you need to be careful about the cleaning and consequently had problems. It’s like my husband never wanting to ask for directions when he’s lost hahaha!
Thank you! It is more dramatic than I could show in this video because of my limited filming ability. But when I first wrote with it, I was so surprised! And then comparing it to Carbon Black was the clincher. I was never really into the hype around Carbon Black but I think this ink pushed be over the "black line" and now I love black ink hahaha!
@@InkyRocks I have one bottle of Noodler's Black around here somewhere, and I never use it. I'm more of a Sailor Manyo kinda girl. But THAT black looks SO good!
Yes, I trust you, but I also want to hear what else you say about this ink - and I'm glad I did. That's an amazing review!! The ink drops in glasses of water, especially the mineral water, tell a powerful tale and one I'm glad to have seen. Thank you! Black is not my favorite color, I've used it for far too many years to be fond of it, but there *_is_* a place for it. Since returning to Fountain Pens, I've been searching for the blackest of blacks, bought too many samples and bottles (need any?) and finally tried Platinum Carbon Black. It's pretty darned black in my estimation and wow, does it behave well in my pens! I'm not sure I could distinguish it from the Chou Kuro if I saw one today and the other tomorrow, but side by side or magnified, there is definitely a difference. Well done!! ps: Of COURSE you'd write out a passage on Obsidian - if I remember correctly you're a geologist or, at least, a rock hound! :) pps: I grew up in a small oilfield town in Texas with two Carbon Black plants --- _before_ the EPA started cracking down. My brother and I frequently asked dad to drive us between the two plants at night because everything was black including the sky, but the two plants were lit up with bright white lights like two humongous Christmas Trees. I really didn't pay much attention on a daily basis, this was the only town I really knew, and I always thought that snow naturally turned a dingy grey after a few hours or so. Then we moved to another state and I remember being astounded by how white the white faced cattle were! I also discovered that I was blond. (OK, the previous sentence is a joke, I already knew I was _very_ blond, actually quite towheaded, but the rest of this is rock solid truth!)
Thank you! Black wasn't my favorite either, but now it may be hahaha! This ink also behaves better than Carbon Black. The Carbon Black is nice and wet, but sometimes excessively dripped into the cap. That wasn't the case with Chou Kuro. Carbon black plants--wow!
It really is a fun ink and definitely isn’t as scary as people think. I certainly hope no one considers cleaning their pens with mineral water. But it definitely highlights that this ink is different than your run of the mill pigment ink. I’d be interested in anymore feedback from you once you try the ink!
My pens were in the mood for a horror flick, so I put on this video. They all fled screaming and dove, nib first, into the pen box. Even this morning I could hear the whimperings from residual nightmares.
I dialed up Taylor Swift’s Fountain Pen Songs on Apple Music and gave them all a nice massage. I haven't seen them this agitated since I bought a sample of Baystate Blue years ago.
I discovered your channel recently and only today I had time to slowly watch through it. I feel lucky youtube suggested me this video, which was the first one I saw. It's like receiving a pleasant surprised gift. You're so knowledgable and your videos are entertaning while being very relaxing. Such masterful editing and lots of care, with a little spice of humour. Thank you for making them.
I don't own any nor had any interest in black in before. So I don't know about X Feather. On cheap printer paper, it looks fine, but under the loupe it has some feathering. Same for Carbon Black.
Thank you so much for this thorough information!! I want to use this ink in my Pilot Décimo as my EDC next year…are there any concerns with that? Of course I’d be sure to only use distilled water to clean it, I’d be refilling empty cartridges, and since I’d be using it every day there’d be no chance of it drying in the pen!
Ok. That was my biggest worry is that the Decimo dries out so easily. If you use it every day and clean it occasionally with distilled, I would imagine you would be OK. I would also do a visual inspection of the little lid that closes over the nib to make sure it doesn’t clog or stick. It would be an awesome EDC!
Wow this is such a fantastically produced video. Like, I would never need all of this information in order to make a purchasing decision, but for the pure joy of information this video is extremely pleasant. Your voice also has a nice ASMR quality to it.
What an informative video. I so appreciate the way you always dive right in and experiment. The ink's reaction to mineral water was indeed creepy, but beautiful in its own way. Definitely not something we'd want in our pens!
I wonder if Chou Kuro is darker than Uniball One black gel pen? That's the blackest ink I've seen, blacker than any of my FP inks but I haven't compared it to Carbon black.
Trigger warning: many glass objects were harmed for the sake of making this in depth video review. 🤣🤣🤣 I wonder how this ink would look like close to a Noodler's Polar Black or some traditional India ink. I'll have to wait until I get a bottle of it I guess.🤔 Anyway, superb review, thank you very much! 🥰🥰🥰
Thank you! I don’t have either of those inks so can’t tell you (I really meant it, those are my only black inks!) But this ink really made me appreciate black-calligraphy just pops with it!
I've always used distilled water to clean my pens, so to me this is just an upgraded Carbon Black... except that it's three times as expensive. €60 a bottle, yikes! That's €1/mL Bungubox territory. Are the standalone Chou Kuro bottles without the extra bits for sale in Japan yet? If so, how does the MSRP compare to the limited edition set?
I hear you. It’s pretty pricey-much cheaper here in Japan. I don’t know if the individual bottles will be cheaper but I’m assuming so since you won’t be getting all the extra stuff. It is supposed to be out this fall, but as quickly as the special edition sold out, I would imagine the ink will too.
Thank you SO MUCH for the water test. Can you tell if Chou Kuro is as “runny” as Platinum Carbon Black? I find that my Japanese EF pens write like an F or MF when filled with PCB. I print my letters slowly (not cursive) so that always gives the ink more time to pool.
It’s runny because I found most pigment inks can be too dry but some companies make up for it by adding a lot of “slip” to it. I found the Carbon black to be more runny as it occasionally dripped into the cap. Kakimori inks are pigment and I love them because they are so wet.
thanks for the cool video! any chance you've tried the uniball one (gasp) gel pen? their black ink is noticeably darker than platinum carbon black, and I wonder how it compares with chou kuro. it would be really interesting if you could wander into LOFT, get a writing sample and compare the two.
I don’t do brush calligraphy but when I used the brush for the first paper, I rinsed it in distilled water and brushes are hard to clean! So if you used it for that, I would imagine you would have to reserve one brush for only that ink. Partly what makes this so dark is that it doesn’t reflect light back much. Is that something you would look for in brush calligraphy?
mmmm, this makes me thirsty for Tokyo tap water... from a 3rd world country that is so brainwashed into drinking bottled mineral water :6 I wonder how much that bottle of chou kuro will be after painful tax, hopefully my local distributor can get it with fairer localized price
Tokyo tap water is actually quite good! I hope you can get it at an acceptable price. They will be selling the ink only in the fall, so I'm hoping the price will come down because it won't come with all the extra stuff this boxed set did.
I like Platinum Carbon Black and have used it for years. It has never been the darkest black ink; there are several that are much darker. As you've seen, it leans toward gray. This Chou Kuro is clearly darker, but hardly worth it at the absurd price.
Actually a lot of people, including me, prefer Carbon Black for sketching. For calligraphy with a Parallel-Chou is gorgeous. We are in a hobby where people regularly pay over $1000 for a pen and no one bats an eye. So “worth it” is relative.
OMG I got platinum carbon black because it was the darkest at the time, I use it to black out mail info I want to throw away without getting info stolen. That's amazing I'm getting this new ink as soon as I can love a black ink that's really black. Oh and call me stupid I didn't know the converter could be disassembled on the preppy pens. I spent time to custom make a almost bottle brush to clean my converters, but I know several others can't be disassembled so I guess I can use it on them and start taking the preppy apart.
Hahaha! I’m sure you can use those brushes in other converters. They make special syringe plungers here to clean out sections. I’ve always wondered why they don’t make brushes too.
Who knows black ink could be so interesting? Platinum outdid itself again with the Chou Kuro! I just bought a bottle of Carbon Black a month ago because of its water-proof characteristics, and now Platinum has released another magnificent black ink.
@@InkyRocks yes, I think my writing looks a little bit better after switching to carbon black, probably due to the viscosity of the ink which makes it easier to control than the previous one I am using
Now I want that ink! ❤ the algorithm must see the bottles of ink in my desk through the lens of my phone or something to recommend this video to me so easily. 😅
I would have liked to see not only the reaction to mineral water, but rather a comparison alongside distilled water. I did, however, enjoy your review enough to subscribe to your channel!
Thanks! I figured if I couldn’t get it to react to normal water, distilled wouldn’t be any different. Cleaning it with distilled is pretty non eventful (thankfully!)
I've never heard of the Platinum carbon black heralded as the blackest ink before, just incredibly waterproof. Some artists have done comparisons and it's pretty grey compared to other waterproof inks.
This is interesting. I am not an artist. The salesperson at the fountain pen counter at Maruzen indicated she also thought the Carbon Black was the black to compare it to (because of it being the former "blackest"). I would say the majority of fountain pen users in Japan are probably not artists but older men. It may be a difference of perspective (one in drawing and the other for writing)?
@@InkyRocks Yeah, it's possible. It's the only black FP ink I own, and next to any other waterproof but non-FP ink I have, it's really not that black. Though I just visited Jetpens's blog post on waterproof black inks, and it shows up as dark grey-ish there as well.
I was thinking the same thing. Carbon Black may be the most appropriate comparison within the Platinum line, as their other pigment black, but it's not a contender for blackest, in either art or writing. I think it does tend to look darker on absorbent art papers though-not darkest, but I suspect it actually looks black there. Looking over my own writing samples, I have blues that are blacker than Carbon, and it looks like Sailor's Kiwaguro pigment is noticeably darker, though I've heard the opposite too, and seen reviews that show it both ways. Among dye based inks I suspect Aurora's and Sheaffer's blacks are probably darker. In most wet pens, especially with fine nibs, Diamine's 1864 Blue-Black writes darker than Carbon (and most black inks I've used), and KWZ Warsaw Dreaming and Kyo No Oto Nurebairo are both inks that write as extremely sheeny and dark blacks but are revealed as dark blues when smeared. In comparison, and in my experience, Carbon Black appears to be a warm toned ashy dark grey, like many black inks. It reminds me of Waterman Intense Black, which is often criticized for how light it is.
I mean, all black inks are pretty grey if you use coated paper and a nib wider than a medium. If you put Aurora Black in an extra fine it keeps its blackness better than most other black inks for some reason, but put it in a triple broad and it's suddenly one of the greyest black inks around. Platinum Carbon Black at least maintains its blackness in broader, wetter lines; it's all relative to the rest of the equipment you're using.
They are water proof but as you may have noticed on Carbon black if you rub something over an inked area, like a wet paintbrush, you will get a tiny bit of liftoff (like grayish water) I found Chou Kuro to be like that. Maybe a bit more.
I'm sad to say this is my favorite black. Sad, because $60 is crazy for an ink. But I can't help it, I love this ink because it dries matte. I was always turned off from Carbon Black because of its glossiness. As for a dupe...sort of: Uni-Ball One gel ink is very similar. But it's a gel pen...so...I guess that doesn't matter.
@InkyRocks exactly, and it's quite high maintenance. I've decided to designate it to my matte black vanishing point. With pigment-based inks, I try not to put them in just any pen. So this ink, with its funny nature, will have just one pen home....maybe 2 (Pilot Falcon in fine). But thank you for actually showing us what happens when you attempt to use regular water or mineral water. Some people would probably find their instructions a bit dramatic. But then we see your test and it's proof Platinum is serious about using distilled water
I couldn’t get it to react to tap water here in Tokyo (the water is excellent here). If you water is heavy with minerals (like some well water) you may have problems. You could try dropping some in your water to see if it clots up. But distilled water is so cheap, I would just stick to that.
Hahaha it won’t be a problem. This was extreme because I used mineral water. I’ve cleaned it with distilled and had no probs at all. It’s now always in one of my parallels as it’s gorgeous to do lettering with.
That’s re- assuring. I’m actually not fussed but I was given such stern warnings when I bought it (I managed to get the 2001 type version complete with HAL voicing the rules of use). But it’s fast becoming my one & only pigmented ink. And I’m getting rid of all my other so called black inks. Thanks for the great video.
@@InkyRocks Haha, I'm sure I will! Although, Platinum's Carbon does clog pens if left for weeks (not that ink should be left in pens for weeks, of course).
The Salvador Dali of ink drops…. LOL. I read that someone left the ink in their pen a long time and had hard starts after that. I imagine it was a water issue. Nice video. Aloha
Not the way Carbon black does. I often had to tilt the paper to keep the reflection down on the Carbon black. That was one of the reasons Chou Kuro looked darker.
Super interesting and fun to watch! I also do not favor black ink but recently have switched some nibs around and now my favorite nib is on the designated black ink pen, and suddenly i really enjoy the black ink🤣 which brings me to a question: i noticed the Preppys you are using and am curious if you notice much of a difference in the nibs? I've got 3, 2 fine and 1 medium and they all feel really different even with the same paper and ink. Is this normal?
Thank you! Are you using the same ink? Ink really makes the difference for me, especially in finer nibs. Off hand, I don't remember the nibs feeling all that different, but some inks can make a slightly scratchy nib seem smoother (especially really wet pigment inks.)
@@InkyRocks Thanks, yea,same ink. One seemed to just get scratchy after a cleaning, maybe I damaged it. No biggie, one of the reasons I like the Preppy, they are easy on the wallet.
@@courtney9212 I guess I didn't read your original comment thoroughly hahaha! Yeah, I'm not a pro on Preppies mainly because I favor the Kakuno (since you can take it apart and clean it) but those Wa Preppies are pretty. But what little I know about them, I haven't found them to be significantly different. You are right, the price point is great!
Thank you for the great information. A fellow fountain pen enthusiast and I were comparing our inks to see which was most waterproof. Amongst others, I had Platinum Carbon Black and he had Noodlers Black. Both performed well in our water and light tests. After watching this video, I'll run the tests again to see which black ink is the darkest.
I've used Platinum's Carbon Black (in Platinum 3776) and I found it dried out pretty quick, which I thought was unusual. Maybe I'll try this when it becomes available... . Great video IR 🙂. Love your videos.
Thank you! I find that shocking. I’ve not used Carbon black before as I am not a black ink person. But that anything would dry out in a 3776 I find almost personally insulting. Inks should not dry out in a 3776, especially a Platinum ink! I’m now going to try it out!
I do love Platinum Carbon Black. Sennelier makes one called A la Pagode that I called Liquid Midnight. But I am definitely interested in checking this out! Thank you! Ok, that wine glass looked like it was full of Dementors. Creepy.
Lots of pigment blobs, very interesting! Are the Platinum converters suited to replace international cartridges? I suppose I could dedicate a Lamy/Kaweco/Jinhao to the ink. I‘m most interested for drawing with it. I already have demineralized water for general pen cleaning because the water in my city contains a lot of calcium carbonate and is quite hard. Thanks for the review! I really enjoy your reviews, they‘re interesting, fun and they just have a quality to them.
Hahaha! Platinum should give me a cut! Not going this year, but I already have definite plans for DC Pen show in 2025 ( seriously, I plan that far out…) Get to finally meet you guys!
Haven't seen you for a while - great to see you back on UA-cam and fab video!! Of course, you may have been posting and it may be the UA-cam demon algorithms that have hidden them away from me... looking forward to trying this ink!
Thank you so much. This year I’ve been posting sporadically as my father was very sick and passed away. Interacting with the pen community has been wonderful.
Fascinating and thorough review of this insanely priced ink. High production quality as the icing. Very much appreciated. I just ordered a 4 oz sample. This will make my 32nd black ink. Thanks!
Very interesting! The last time I went to the States I picked up a large bottle of Noodler's Black. It's not black black, and drys a little grayish, but it is very well behaved even on cheap paper, and waterproof. But I love the look of this. You mentioned this was a limited release but it will be sold regularly soon? I live not far from Nagoya. Next time I'm there I'll have to check to see if they have any of this to try. The only concern I'd have is pretty much the only pen I use these days is my custom 823, which we can't really clean easily.
Thanks! Yeah, I think it would be best to limit this ink to one/the same pen. From what I understand, this initial lot was the “special edition” and they will be selling individual bottles this fall. I feel like it will be popular (this special edition for $60-$70 flew off the shelves). So I would seriously start looking for it in September.
"Let's leave this hellscape." Classic! I love Carbon Black. I'm also more of a color person, but if the black ink is velvety and lush, then I'm in! Thanks for a beautiful review!
I've never seen a short beaker like that. Do you remember the size and maybe source? I just searched and the smallest looked taller than yours. I also looked for the ink, and it appears it might be coming to the US in September. Edit: I found the beaker on Clarto. I am hoping to find an original source now.
Well you basically answered for me! Yes I got it at Clarto. They have a lot of cool stuff. I’ve been trying to get these Japanese companies to ship overseas. Clarto stuff is made right here in Tokyo.
Thank you for posting this very interesting video. Personally I would hesitate to put such a pigmented ink in a fountain pen but it was reassuring to see how the ink could be cleaned out after use! How would these Platinum inks compare to the classic Iroshizuku Take-Sumi? I have an ambivalent relationship with black inks, considering them generally rather boring. However, I have recently started using very black inks which subtly contain shades or hues of very dark blue or even the deepest green. These create a wonderful effect on the written page. Among these are Nureba-iro, a Kyoto ink that dries with a hint of very dark blue. Another is the Sailor #51 Kanocho Iro, which is stunning after it dries into a very blue black finish. Then there is the Iroshizuku anniversary Hoteison ink, which dries into a fascinating and rich deep dark black/green.
Thanks. I think the key is to limit it to one pen, preferably one that is replaceable. I really don’t know how it compares to other black inks as I was not interested in them before.
What a fabulous black ink! I'm now trying to get someone in the UK to carry it! Love your videos, by the way, there's just so much interesting pen stuff coming out in the far east!
I liked this video. I'm also more of a "colors" person, so when I shot my version of this video I didn't have many other black inks to compare it to. I also needed to break out the sharpie and rollerball to liven up the discussion 😄 I appreciate how you showed its behavior on more paper.
Any other ink next to Chou Kuro looks as if you weee comparing against a gray ink. I’m flabbergasted by this ink I must get some ! Thanks for the scary vid, Inky!
I am so glad you made this! Now I don't regret ordering this. I had ordered boxed set earlier but that wasn't available so now I am only getting the bottle in september.
I hope you like it. I think as long as you keep it to one pen and clean it with either distilled or deionized water, you will be fine. I’m just using it in that one Preppie and that one Pilot Parallel (and I absolutely love practicing lettering with that Parallel!)
This is a very scary experiment but the inkwasher side of me is absolutely entranced and fascinated. Thank you for showing those off!!! I am so tempted but alas, I still have other pigment inks, haha! Also, Amabie LE spotted on FPM photos :D! And good to know I am not the only one marking pigmented pens with washi, it's very useful. Thank you for the amazing video
Thank you! I use a lot of pigment inks and really, none have given me a problem if I’ve used them in a pen I can take apart and use a brush on. But this one is different. I will definitely only use distilled. But the Preppy is a bit of a problem because you can’t take the feed out, so it will probably always look grungy…
At least they can claim that, instead of it looking gray on some papers. But if it isn't water resistant it's not going to hold the color. Or do you know of another black color that you have experienced that is very dark? @@InkyRocks
@@tbayless8324 I think Carbon Black is pretty dark. Both are considered "waterproof" but I think both run a little when submerged in water right after writing. I sketched and water colored with both at the SF Pen Show.
Thank you for your reply! I located it. But it needs to come down in price before I can consider buying it. Right now I am just going to hang on to Noodlers x- feather & Noodlers Brevity.@@InkyRocks
The experiments with the mineral water are so cool!! I find myself wanting to float the ink on/in mineral water in a shallow tray and gently lower a sheet of paper in the tray--like one does with paper marbling if you've ever done that. I really, REALLY want a bottle of this ink but so far haven't identified a seller in Europe. Will keep watch though!!
It was pretty wild! I think I would try it with “normal” or tap water first. I think it froze up pretty quick in the mineral water and instead of marbling, you might just get a bunch of particles!
Corrected subtitles and translations are up! A commenter pointed out that the water to clean could be deionized water. After researching, I think deionized water is the safest to use. However distilled water worked fine for me and is a lot cheaper (he said deionized water is about $10 a gallon in the US). Thanks @Calcprof
What u think about tsuwairo/
@@Cortesevasive I like it. Very water proof.
What? Skip the video full of your wry humor and all of that lush photography? Never. It's so good to see you back at it.
hahaha! Thank you! I'm so surprised I like black ink now...
"Never!" That's the right word for skipping this, or any of her other, videos!
Completely agree! Always a pleasure to hear your full perspective! My favorite pen vlog!
This is the ultimate oyaji ink. Should come with a complementary fishing vest and Wagner membership.
Oh dear, I guess I need to get a fishing vest now. I'm already a Wagner member and I now like black ink...
Thanks so much for the amazing video Alesa! Your mineral water experinment was absolutely amazing (and scary!). Just refilled my pen with Chou-Kuro, I can see myself always having a pen inked with it! Spectacular ink :) Cheers!
Thank you so much! And thank you for your valuable insight. I think it really shows that there should be no fear for this really awesome ink! Come back and visit again soon!
Fill an expensive pen , do it
@@Cortesevasive 3776 expensive enough?
“Dropped and broke it…”. 🤣🙄
I know!! I loved that little beaker...
You got me interested in black ink?!? That's some black magic you worked there, Alesa.
Muahahaha! I’ve gone to the dark side.
I trust you, but I'm still going to watch the video! Here for the ink drops in water!
hahaha! Pretty crazy ink drops in this one!
Wow, never knew I needed a bottle of black ink, but this is gorgeous and now on my wish list to buy. Such an interesting and entertaining video as always. Love the chemistry experiment!🤓
Thanks so much! It was fun!
This is so interesting to me. I'm an indie dyer of yarns, and some colours will "split" when used with certain types of water. When I lived in London, the water there had so much limescale that it left a white residue on things after dry. All of the pigments I used with red on them would split. Once I moved to Edinburgh, it all changed - the water here is very soft. It'll still have a lot of minerals, so I'm sure it would interfere with Chou Kuro... Now I want to buy this ink just to experiment :)
Hahaha! I thought there was a lot of minerals in Tokyo water but I guess not enough to make such a striking example. That is so interesting about the yarn. Water is so cool. (And of course ink!)
It could be de-ionized water (also called purified water) that's in the box, I belive. This is about $10 a gal in US.
That's a possibility. I'll add it to a pinned comment. If I get ahold of some, I'll need to test it out! The distilled water seemed to be OK and is a lot cheaper.
Well done as usual. Many permanent inks are pigmented, bond to cellulose. It would be interesting to do this same experiment with some others.
Thank you so much Chris! Yeah, it started to get expensive pouring mineral water in that large container so I switched to a smaller glass! That would be more practical, just dripping different inks in mineral water in a small glass. I should try that as I have a lot of pigment inks. Thanks for stopping by!
"Salvadore Dali of ink drips" .... lady, here's another reason why I consider you to be my Guru! May God grant all your Inky (and Rocky) wishes :) PS we do miss your videos you know, please give us more :)
Didn’t it look that way!? I’ve got a bunch of vids cooking! Thanks for your kind words💖
@@InkyRocks it did, it did! molten time as frozen for eternity by inky rocks :) cant wait for the new videos though:)
:) "but dropped it and broke it" oh nooooo! Thank you for this video! I wonder how it compares to Aurora black.
It was my fav beaker! I don’t know much about black inks as I didn’t like them before. I’d like to hear from someone who has a lot of them.
Hurrah - A new video! And thank you for demystifying this ink with your signature visuals (woah - those mineral water moments are something!) and experiments. I was pretty much afraid to try this ink based on what other folks were saying about it, but thanks to you, fear has been replaced by much curiosity :-)
I’m so glad you found this useful. I think a lot of people skipped over the part where you need to be careful about the cleaning and consequently had problems. It’s like my husband never wanting to ask for directions when he’s lost hahaha!
Alesa! I'm excited to watch this one... I am a hard core carbon ink fan.
Awesome! You'll love this ink. I don't like black ink but I love this one!
It’s finally available in the states. 🎉 mine will be here tomorrow
@@geckonia awesome! Are you going to be at SF?
@@InkyRocks not this year 😞
@@geckonia bummer! I'm actually going this year. Hope to see you in a future one!
It’s probably better to use distilled water on all our pens anyway come to think of it.
That’s probably the safest, but I already know I’m too lazy hahaha!
WOW! When I started watching, I was absolutely sure that the difference was going to be negligible. I was so wrong. Thank you for the demo!
Thank you! It is more dramatic than I could show in this video because of my limited filming ability. But when I first wrote with it, I was so surprised! And then comparing it to Carbon Black was the clincher. I was never really into the hype around Carbon Black but I think this ink pushed be over the "black line" and now I love black ink hahaha!
@@InkyRocks I have one bottle of Noodler's Black around here somewhere, and I never use it. I'm more of a Sailor Manyo kinda girl. But THAT black looks SO good!
Yes, I trust you, but I also want to hear what else you say about this ink - and I'm glad I did. That's an amazing review!! The ink drops in glasses of water, especially the mineral water, tell a powerful tale and one I'm glad to have seen. Thank you!
Black is not my favorite color, I've used it for far too many years to be fond of it, but there *_is_* a place for it. Since returning to Fountain Pens, I've been searching for the blackest of blacks, bought too many samples and bottles (need any?) and finally tried Platinum Carbon Black. It's pretty darned black in my estimation and wow, does it behave well in my pens! I'm not sure I could distinguish it from the Chou Kuro if I saw one today and the other tomorrow, but side by side or magnified, there is definitely a difference. Well done!!
ps: Of COURSE you'd write out a passage on Obsidian - if I remember correctly you're a geologist or, at least, a rock hound! :)
pps: I grew up in a small oilfield town in Texas with two Carbon Black plants --- _before_ the EPA started cracking down. My brother and I frequently asked dad to drive us between the two plants at night because everything was black including the sky, but the two plants were lit up with bright white lights like two humongous Christmas Trees.
I really didn't pay much attention on a daily basis, this was the only town I really knew, and I always thought that snow naturally turned a dingy grey after a few hours or so. Then we moved to another state and I remember being astounded by how white the white faced cattle were! I also discovered that I was blond. (OK, the previous sentence is a joke, I already knew I was _very_ blond, actually quite towheaded, but the rest of this is rock solid truth!)
Thank you! Black wasn't my favorite either, but now it may be hahaha! This ink also behaves better than Carbon Black. The Carbon Black is nice and wet, but sometimes excessively dripped into the cap. That wasn't the case with Chou Kuro. Carbon black plants--wow!
As a chemist and an artist, this is so fascinating, Inky! I cant wait till it’s available, will definitely be dedicating a preppy to this.
It really is a fun ink and definitely isn’t as scary as people think. I certainly hope no one considers cleaning their pens with mineral water. But it definitely highlights that this ink is different than your run of the mill pigment ink. I’d be interested in anymore feedback from you once you try the ink!
My pens were in the mood for a horror flick, so I put on this video. They all fled screaming and dove, nib first, into the pen box. Even this morning I could hear the whimperings from residual nightmares.
Give them a good rubdown with a polishing cloth-they’ll feel better. I should have given this vid an “R” rating!
I dialed up Taylor Swift’s Fountain Pen Songs on Apple Music and gave them all a nice massage. I haven't seen them this agitated since I bought a sample of Baystate Blue years ago.
I've been waiting for this review!! Thank you so much!! LOL @ let's leave this hellscape.
It was! I think the neighbors next to us was wondering why I was shouting so much on the balcony (where I film!)
Love the video! Distilled water is the way to go for cleaning pens. It's extra for your pen babys😂
Pen babies! Adding that to my fountain pen lexicon! Thanks ! 💕
@@InkyRocks ❤️
I discovered your channel recently and only today I had time to slowly watch through it. I feel lucky youtube suggested me this video, which was the first one I saw. It's like receiving a pleasant surprised gift. You're so knowledgable and your videos are entertaning while being very relaxing. Such masterful editing and lots of care, with a little spice of humour. Thank you for making them.
I’m having a very busy week and it was so nice to read this. Lovely kind comments like yours keep me plugging away at these vids-thanks 💖
HAVE U TRIED X FEATHER? WHICH ONE IS DARKER? IS CHOU KURU GOOD ON COPY PAPER?
I don't own any nor had any interest in black in before. So I don't know about X Feather. On cheap printer paper, it looks fine, but under the loupe it has some feathering. Same for Carbon Black.
@@InkyRocks THANK U !
I quit watching the video 🫣
Probably a good choice-it’s scary! 😂
Thank you so much for this thorough information!! I want to use this ink in my Pilot Décimo as my EDC next year…are there any concerns with that? Of course I’d be sure to only use distilled water to clean it, I’d be refilling empty cartridges, and since I’d be using it every day there’d be no chance of it drying in the pen!
Ok. That was my biggest worry is that the Decimo dries out so easily. If you use it every day and clean it occasionally with distilled, I would imagine you would be OK. I would also do a visual inspection of the little lid that closes over the nib to make sure it doesn’t clog or stick. It would be an awesome EDC!
Wow this is such a fantastically produced video. Like, I would never need all of this information in order to make a purchasing decision, but for the pure joy of information this video is extremely pleasant. Your voice also has a nice ASMR quality to it.
I’m really trying more to project my joy of using fountain pens-I lose steam when I just do straight up comparisons. Thanks so much!
What an informative video. I so appreciate the way you always dive right in and experiment. The ink's reaction to mineral water was indeed creepy, but beautiful in its own way. Definitely not something we'd want in our pens!
Thank you so much 💖 and you are right-definitely creepy. But it was such a fun experiment!
I wonder if Chou Kuro is darker than Uniball One black gel pen? That's the blackest ink I've seen, blacker than any of my FP inks but I haven't compared it to Carbon black.
Yeah, I don’t have one of those. But comparing to Carbon black would be a good start. Or comparing it to a thin Sharpie.
Trigger warning: many glass objects were harmed for the sake of making this in depth video review. 🤣🤣🤣
I wonder how this ink would look like close to a Noodler's Polar Black or some traditional India ink. I'll have to wait until I get a bottle of it I guess.🤔
Anyway, superb review, thank you very much! 🥰🥰🥰
Thank you! I don’t have either of those inks so can’t tell you (I really meant it, those are my only black inks!) But this ink really made me appreciate black-calligraphy just pops with it!
I've always used distilled water to clean my pens, so to me this is just an upgraded Carbon Black... except that it's three times as expensive. €60 a bottle, yikes! That's €1/mL Bungubox territory.
Are the standalone Chou Kuro bottles without the extra bits for sale in Japan yet? If so, how does the MSRP compare to the limited edition set?
I hear you. It’s pretty pricey-much cheaper here in Japan. I don’t know if the individual bottles will be cheaper but I’m assuming so since you won’t be getting all the extra stuff. It is supposed to be out this fall, but as quickly as the special edition sold out, I would imagine the ink will too.
Thank you SO MUCH for the water test. Can you tell if Chou Kuro is as “runny” as Platinum Carbon Black? I find that my Japanese EF pens write like an F or MF when filled with PCB. I print my letters slowly (not cursive) so that always gives the ink more time to pool.
It’s runny because I found most pigment inks can be too dry but some companies make up for it by adding a lot of “slip” to it. I found the Carbon black to be more runny as it occasionally dripped into the cap. Kakimori inks are pigment and I love them because they are so wet.
While Carbon Black i found underwhelming, i am sorely tempted to try Chou Koro. Definite difference in your samples. None more black! 😆
It sure looks like that to me! I can’t believe I actually like a black ink (especially in my Pilot Parallel)
There's something morbidly fascinating about watching that ink react to the mineral water.
I know! I usually delete all my clips after I’ve posted a video, but I kept a lot of these as they were so cool!
thanks for the cool video! any chance you've tried the uniball one (gasp) gel pen? their black ink is noticeably darker than platinum carbon black, and I wonder how it compares with chou kuro. it would be really interesting if you could wander into LOFT, get a writing sample and compare the two.
It would be cool, except that when I walk into a Loft, I get distracted by so many things…Too much fun stuff there!
How would the ink work for brush caligraphy? It could be the lazy person's ink stick.
I don’t do brush calligraphy but when I used the brush for the first paper, I rinsed it in distilled water and brushes are hard to clean! So if you used it for that, I would imagine you would have to reserve one brush for only that ink. Partly what makes this so dark is that it doesn’t reflect light back much. Is that something you would look for in brush calligraphy?
mmmm, this makes me thirsty for Tokyo tap water... from a 3rd world country that is so brainwashed into drinking bottled mineral water :6
I wonder how much that bottle of chou kuro will be after painful tax, hopefully my local distributor can get it with fairer localized price
Tokyo tap water is actually quite good! I hope you can get it at an acceptable price. They will be selling the ink only in the fall, so I'm hoping the price will come down because it won't come with all the extra stuff this boxed set did.
I like Platinum Carbon Black and have used it for years. It has never been the darkest black ink; there are several that are much darker. As you've seen, it leans toward gray. This Chou Kuro is clearly darker, but hardly worth it at the absurd price.
Actually a lot of people, including me, prefer Carbon Black for sketching. For calligraphy with a Parallel-Chou is gorgeous. We are in a hobby where people regularly pay over $1000 for a pen and no one bats an eye. So “worth it” is relative.
Your mineral water "experiment" reminds me of the black stuff from the later Alien movies.
They should have called it Alien Black
OMG I got platinum carbon black because it was the darkest at the time, I use it to black out mail info I want to throw away without getting info stolen. That's amazing I'm getting this new ink as soon as I can love a black ink that's really black. Oh and call me stupid I didn't know the converter could be disassembled on the preppy pens. I spent time to custom make a almost bottle brush to clean my converters, but I know several others can't be disassembled so I guess I can use it on them and start taking the preppy apart.
Hahaha! I’m sure you can use those brushes in other converters. They make special syringe plungers here to clean out sections. I’ve always wondered why they don’t make brushes too.
Who knows black ink could be so interesting? Platinum outdid itself again with the Chou Kuro! I just bought a bottle of Carbon Black a month ago because of its water-proof characteristics, and now Platinum has released another magnificent black ink.
Seriously! I had resisted buying this ink till I saw it demoed at Maruzen. I’m also very impressed with Carbon Black.
@@InkyRocks yes, I think my writing looks a little bit better after switching to carbon black, probably due to the viscosity of the ink which makes it easier to control than the previous one I am using
Now I want that ink! ❤ the algorithm must see the bottles of ink in my desk through the lens of my phone or something to recommend this video to me so easily. 😅
Hahaha! Those bottles were calling out to your UA-cam…
I would have liked to see not only the reaction to mineral water, but rather a comparison alongside distilled water. I did, however, enjoy your review enough to subscribe to your channel!
Thanks! I figured if I couldn’t get it to react to normal water, distilled wouldn’t be any different. Cleaning it with distilled is pretty non eventful (thankfully!)
YT algorythm is going to kill this video with treachery and premeditation..🙄
I hope not💖
I've never heard of the Platinum carbon black heralded as the blackest ink before, just incredibly waterproof. Some artists have done comparisons and it's pretty grey compared to other waterproof inks.
It's also light-fast, which is important to artists.
This is interesting. I am not an artist. The salesperson at the fountain pen counter at Maruzen indicated she also thought the Carbon Black was the black to compare it to (because of it being the former "blackest"). I would say the majority of fountain pen users in Japan are probably not artists but older men. It may be a difference of perspective (one in drawing and the other for writing)?
@@InkyRocks Yeah, it's possible. It's the only black FP ink I own, and next to any other waterproof but non-FP ink I have, it's really not that black. Though I just visited Jetpens's blog post on waterproof black inks, and it shows up as dark grey-ish there as well.
I was thinking the same thing. Carbon Black may be the most appropriate comparison within the Platinum line, as their other pigment black, but it's not a contender for blackest, in either art or writing. I think it does tend to look darker on absorbent art papers though-not darkest, but I suspect it actually looks black there.
Looking over my own writing samples, I have blues that are blacker than Carbon, and it looks like Sailor's Kiwaguro pigment is noticeably darker, though I've heard the opposite too, and seen reviews that show it both ways. Among dye based inks I suspect Aurora's and Sheaffer's blacks are probably darker. In most wet pens, especially with fine nibs, Diamine's 1864 Blue-Black writes darker than Carbon (and most black inks I've used), and KWZ Warsaw Dreaming and Kyo No Oto Nurebairo are both inks that write as extremely sheeny and dark blacks but are revealed as dark blues when smeared.
In comparison, and in my experience, Carbon Black appears to be a warm toned ashy dark grey, like many black inks. It reminds me of Waterman Intense Black, which is often criticized for how light it is.
I mean, all black inks are pretty grey if you use coated paper and a nib wider than a medium. If you put Aurora Black in an extra fine it keeps its blackness better than most other black inks for some reason, but put it in a triple broad and it's suddenly one of the greyest black inks around. Platinum Carbon Black at least maintains its blackness in broader, wetter lines; it's all relative to the rest of the equipment you're using.
Is Chou Kuro waterproof like Carbon Black?
They are water proof but as you may have noticed on Carbon black if you rub something over an inked area, like a wet paintbrush, you will get a tiny bit of liftoff (like grayish water) I found Chou Kuro to be like that. Maybe a bit more.
I'm sad to say this is my favorite black. Sad, because $60 is crazy for an ink. But I can't help it, I love this ink because it dries matte. I was always turned off from Carbon Black because of its glossiness.
As for a dupe...sort of: Uni-Ball One gel ink is very similar. But it's a gel pen...so...I guess that doesn't matter.
Yeah, that is a pretty crazy price. It’s such a weird ink though. There just doesn’t seem to be a replacement for it.
@InkyRocks exactly, and it's quite high maintenance. I've decided to designate it to my matte black vanishing point. With pigment-based inks, I try not to put them in just any pen. So this ink, with its funny nature, will have just one pen home....maybe 2 (Pilot Falcon in fine).
But thank you for actually showing us what happens when you attempt to use regular water or mineral water. Some people would probably find their instructions a bit dramatic. But then we see your test and it's proof Platinum is serious about using distilled water
That mineral water experiment is cool, a little creepy but cool.
Creepy for sure!
Wonderful review! And it looks like a fantastic ink, too.
Thanks so much! It really is a nice dark black that I use in a Preppy all the time as I’m trying to learn sketching!
The "then dropped it and broke it" made me laugh out loud
hahaha! It was so silly, I had to laugh too.
So what happens if you clean out a pen filled with Chou Kuro with tap water?
I couldn’t get it to react to tap water here in Tokyo (the water is excellent here). If you water is heavy with minerals (like some well water) you may have problems. You could try dropping some in your water to see if it clots up. But distilled water is so cheap, I would just stick to that.
I love the things you do for science👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
For science!
very good video and such an interesting ink. Would love to try it.
Thank you! I don’t particularly care for black but I’m keeping this one!
I trust you but I'm still going to watch this video now :)
My algorithm thanks you hahaha!
Just bought it. Despite the scary stuff. And the hellscape will come when I try to clean the pilot Elite I put it in. Wish me luck …
Hahaha it won’t be a problem. This was extreme because I used mineral water. I’ve cleaned it with distilled and had no probs at all. It’s now always in one of my parallels as it’s gorgeous to do lettering with.
That’s re- assuring. I’m actually not fussed but I was given such stern warnings when I bought it (I managed to get the 2001 type version complete with HAL voicing the rules of use). But it’s fast becoming my one & only pigmented ink. And I’m getting rid of all my other so called black inks. Thanks for the great video.
When my 60ml runs out (approximately another year) I'll definitely get this one.
Hope you like it!
@@InkyRocks Haha, I'm sure I will!
Although, Platinum's Carbon does clog pens if left for weeks (not that ink should be left in pens for weeks, of course).
The Salvador Dali of ink drops…. LOL. I read that someone left the ink in their pen a long time and had hard starts after that. I imagine it was a water issue. Nice video. Aloha
It fits right!? Yeah, I wonder if it wasn’t the length of time but more how they cleaned it. Thanks Andrew-see you on Zoom tomorrow!
@@InkyRocks yes. See you at the Manoa gathering online. Cheers.
I have a question:
Couldn't see on the video, but Carbon Black has a slight sheen. Does the Chou Kuro also have a sheen?
Not the way Carbon black does. I often had to tilt the paper to keep the reflection down on the Carbon black. That was one of the reasons Chou Kuro looked darker.
Thanks,
bought and am using rn. It's perfect for math. It behaves well, too. No clogging or anything thus far.
Very interesting ink, nice video, thank you
Glad you liked it!💕
We call it deionized water in the laboratory.
Is that like steam distilled-no minerals?
BLINK
Super interesting and fun to watch! I also do not favor black ink but recently have switched some nibs around and now my favorite nib is on the designated black ink pen, and suddenly i really enjoy the black ink🤣 which brings me to a question: i noticed the Preppys you are using and am curious if you notice much of a difference in the nibs? I've got 3, 2 fine and 1 medium and they all feel really different even with the same paper and ink. Is this normal?
Thank you! Are you using the same ink? Ink really makes the difference for me, especially in finer nibs. Off hand, I don't remember the nibs feeling all that different, but some inks can make a slightly scratchy nib seem smoother (especially really wet pigment inks.)
@@InkyRocks Thanks, yea,same ink. One seemed to just get scratchy after a cleaning, maybe I damaged it. No biggie, one of the reasons I like the Preppy, they are easy on the wallet.
@@courtney9212 I guess I didn't read your original comment thoroughly hahaha! Yeah, I'm not a pro on Preppies mainly because I favor the Kakuno (since you can take it apart and clean it) but those Wa Preppies are pretty. But what little I know about them, I haven't found them to be significantly different. You are right, the price point is great!
@@InkyRocks I love love love my Kakuno as well❤️ I'm trying hard to be content with Preppys & Kakunos and spend my money on good paper 😉
Thank you for the great information. A fellow fountain pen enthusiast and I were comparing our inks to see which was most waterproof. Amongst others, I had Platinum Carbon Black and he had Noodlers Black. Both performed well in our water and light tests. After watching this video, I'll run the tests again to see which black ink is the darkest.
That sounds interesting. I’d love to hear your feedback!
I thought it’s the shade of my heart after a failure 😂
Hahaha! Heart stopping black!
Saw 808 likes so had to click like. Aloha
Hahaha! Aloha
I've used Platinum's Carbon Black (in Platinum 3776) and I found it dried out pretty quick, which I thought was unusual. Maybe I'll try this when it becomes available... . Great video IR 🙂. Love your videos.
Thank you! I find that shocking. I’ve not used Carbon black before as I am not a black ink person. But that anything would dry out in a 3776 I find almost personally insulting. Inks should not dry out in a 3776, especially a Platinum ink! I’m now going to try it out!
Is it blacker than heart of darkness
I don’t know. I don’t own that ink. I was never a black ink user before.
I do love Platinum Carbon Black. Sennelier makes one called A la Pagode that I called Liquid Midnight. But I am definitely interested in checking this out! Thank you!
Ok, that wine glass looked like it was full of Dementors. Creepy.
I looked that ink up-it’s in such an awesome bottle! Yeah, I thought it looked creepy cool!
Black as midnight, black as pitch, blacker than the foulest witch-Blix.
I'll have to admit that I've not seen it--should I?
@@InkyRocks nah. Old movie called Legend. Probably doesn’t hold up to today’s film quality.
@@zathrasnotzathras9435 good quote though!
Lots of pigment blobs, very interesting! Are the Platinum converters suited to replace international cartridges? I suppose I could dedicate a Lamy/Kaweco/Jinhao to the ink. I‘m most interested for drawing with it. I already have demineralized water for general pen cleaning because the water in my city contains a lot of calcium carbonate and is quite hard. Thanks for the review! I really enjoy your reviews, they‘re interesting, fun and they just have a quality to them.
Thanks so much-glad you get something out of my vids! I’m not sure if the Platinum converter fits anything else.
You sold me a bottle 😂 Also, sharing this with the DC Pen Crew.
Hahaha! Platinum should give me a cut! Not going this year, but I already have definite plans for DC Pen show in 2025 ( seriously, I plan that far out…) Get to finally meet you guys!
@@InkyRocksI think a few pen companies should be giving your a kickback haha. We look forward to meeting you 😃
Haven't seen you for a while - great to see you back on UA-cam and fab video!! Of course, you may have been posting and it may be the UA-cam demon algorithms that have hidden them away from me...
looking forward to trying this ink!
Thank you so much. This year I’ve been posting sporadically as my father was very sick and passed away. Interacting with the pen community has been wonderful.
Fascinating and thorough review of this insanely priced ink. High production quality as the icing. Very much appreciated. I just ordered a 4 oz sample. This will make my 32nd black ink. Thanks!
Whoa-you’re a black ink expert! I would be curious to see what you think of it. Glad you enjoyed the vid-thanks!
Very interesting! The last time I went to the States I picked up a large bottle of Noodler's Black. It's not black black, and drys a little grayish, but it is very well behaved even on cheap paper, and waterproof. But I love the look of this. You mentioned this was a limited release but it will be sold regularly soon? I live not far from Nagoya. Next time I'm there I'll have to check to see if they have any of this to try.
The only concern I'd have is pretty much the only pen I use these days is my custom 823, which we can't really clean easily.
Thanks! Yeah, I think it would be best to limit this ink to one/the same pen. From what I understand, this initial lot was the “special edition” and they will be selling individual bottles this fall. I feel like it will be popular (this special edition for $60-$70 flew off the shelves). So I would seriously start looking for it in September.
I've never been much of a black ink person, because they're rarely black enough. Why do half-measures? Now I want this ink.
That's probably why I never liked black ink before too--it seemed boring. This stuff isn't!
Would that be darker than india ink?
I really can’t say. I don’t have any india ink.
"Let's leave this hellscape." Classic! I love Carbon Black. I'm also more of a color person, but if the black ink is velvety and lush, then I'm in! Thanks for a beautiful review!
Hahaha! It WAS-scary! Thank you!
I've never seen a short beaker like that. Do you remember the size and maybe source? I just searched and the smallest looked taller than yours. I also looked for the ink, and it appears it might be coming to the US in September. Edit: I found the beaker on Clarto. I am hoping to find an original source now.
Well you basically answered for me! Yes I got it at Clarto. They have a lot of cool stuff. I’ve been trying to get these Japanese companies to ship overseas. Clarto stuff is made right here in Tokyo.
Thank you for posting this very interesting video. Personally I would hesitate to put such a pigmented ink in a fountain pen but it was reassuring to see how the ink could be cleaned out after use! How would these Platinum inks compare to the classic Iroshizuku Take-Sumi?
I have an ambivalent relationship with black inks, considering them generally rather boring. However, I have recently started using very black inks which subtly contain shades or hues of very dark blue or even the deepest green. These create a wonderful effect on the written page. Among these are Nureba-iro, a Kyoto ink that dries with a hint of very dark blue.
Another is the Sailor #51 Kanocho Iro, which is stunning after it dries into a very blue black finish. Then there is the Iroshizuku anniversary Hoteison ink, which dries into a fascinating and rich deep dark black/green.
Thanks. I think the key is to limit it to one pen, preferably one that is replaceable. I really don’t know how it compares to other black inks as I was not interested in them before.
What a fabulous black ink! I'm now trying to get someone in the UK to carry it!
Love your videos, by the way, there's just so much interesting pen stuff coming out in the far east!
Thanks so much. The individual bottles won’t come out till this fall. There really is a lot of cool stationery things out here!
I liked this video. I'm also more of a "colors" person, so when I shot my version of this video I didn't have many other black inks to compare it to. I also needed to break out the sharpie and rollerball to liven up the discussion 😄 I appreciate how you showed its behavior on more paper.
I went and watched your vid-great info. I can send others if they have questions about the inks you tested. Subscribed!
Any other ink next to Chou Kuro looks as if you weee comparing against a gray ink. I’m flabbergasted by this ink I must get some ! Thanks for the scary vid, Inky!
Always happy to show scary stuff hahaha! Thank you!
Thanks for the video; I love your cinematography.
Looks like there is a black ink that I actually want now!
Seriously! I would have never thought I would like a black ink! Thanks!
I wonder if they have used a pigment similar to Vantablack, the blackest black to ever black?
hahaha! Now THAT would be a great name for a black ink!
Thanks for the review
Hope it was fun!
Well I take it that Platinum have made a deal to obtain some of the goo out of Prometheus/Alien Covenant, but whatever, this stuff is the blackest!
hahaha! Really. Should have called it Prometheus Black...
I am so glad you made this! Now I don't regret ordering this. I had ordered boxed set earlier but that wasn't available so now I am only getting the bottle in september.
I hope you like it. I think as long as you keep it to one pen and clean it with either distilled or deionized water, you will be fine. I’m just using it in that one Preppie and that one Pilot Parallel (and I absolutely love practicing lettering with that Parallel!)
@@InkyRocks which converter fits the preppy? Thank you!
@@crs1disco1 the regular platinum one. The one in the video!
@@InkyRocks Thank you!
This is a very scary experiment but the inkwasher side of me is absolutely entranced and fascinated. Thank you for showing those off!!! I am so tempted but alas, I still have other pigment inks, haha! Also, Amabie LE spotted on FPM photos :D! And good to know I am not the only one marking pigmented pens with washi, it's very useful. Thank you for the amazing video
Thank you! I use a lot of pigment inks and really, none have given me a problem if I’ve used them in a pen I can take apart and use a brush on. But this one is different. I will definitely only use distilled. But the Preppy is a bit of a problem because you can’t take the feed out, so it will probably always look grungy…
This is such a good, helpful and artistic review! Thank you very much.
Thanks! So glad you found it useful!
You are a legend. Thanks for the awesome review and video. Hope I can snag a bottle in the US this fall.
Hahaha! Best compliment ever! Thanks so much and hope you can get a bottle this fall!
I just asked an online Fountain Pen place, I am still waiting an answer. Thank You!
Hope you can get some-it’s a pretty wild ink!
At least they can claim that, instead of it looking gray on some papers. But if it isn't water resistant it's not going to hold the color. Or do you know of another black color that you have experienced that is very dark? @@InkyRocks
@@tbayless8324 I think Carbon Black is pretty dark. Both are considered "waterproof" but I think both run a little when submerged in water right after writing. I sketched and water colored with both at the SF Pen Show.
Thank you for your reply! I located it. But it needs to come down in price before I can consider buying it. Right now I am just going to hang on to Noodlers x- feather & Noodlers Brevity.@@InkyRocks
Thank you very much for this review. - I am not a black ink person but will definitely look out for this. Nice to have you back
Thanks so much! Good to be back!
You definitely have a new mic! Video intriguing as always. Thanks!
Thanks so much! 💖
The experiments with the mineral water are so cool!! I find myself wanting to float the ink on/in mineral water in a shallow tray and gently lower a sheet of paper in the tray--like one does with paper marbling if you've ever done that. I really, REALLY want a bottle of this ink but so far haven't identified a seller in Europe. Will keep watch though!!
It was pretty wild! I think I would try it with “normal” or tap water first. I think it froze up pretty quick in the mineral water and instead of marbling, you might just get a bunch of particles!
Ahh the effort you’ve put in for us is unreal auntie 😂
Thanks-hope you liked it!
@@InkyRocks how could I not XD
So creepy with the mineral water!! But that’s a darn good cautionary tale to remember to use distilled water!!
I know!! Creepy is the right word!
your awesome video is always the only review i need. just ordered myself a bottle of this magic! can't wait to draw with it🔥
Awesome-hope you like it! I’m taking a fountain pen sketching class at the SF Pen Show and will be trying it out for sketching! Thanks 💜
I trust ya, but I still had to see. I love it 💜 😊
hahaha--you really shouldn't!
@@InkyRocks They will start shipping out here in september. My hands will be Chou Kuro 😂
What a great review!
Thank you! 💕
looks like a lava lamp
It does! I’ve always wondered what was in those things.