I'm so mad i got sucked into fountain pens. it's gonna kill my wallet. its my alternative to vaping believe it or not. having so many options on what inks to use and different style pens keeps my mind off smoking again or walking into my vape shop. I'm odd...
I vape AND collect pens. Narrowed them to only 10, so if I buy something new I have to get rid of something old. Same for vaping, 5 mods, 5 tanks, 5 rebuildables. :) Happy writing AND vaping.
I'm a student at university and I've been writing with a fountain pen for about 6 years now and I've only just got into it more as a hobby − just wanted to say how excellent your videos are. This one stood out to me as the perfect example of how straight shooting, honest and entertaining your videos are. Plenty of recommendation with enough room to experiment for myself and research more. It's my 21st birthday coming up and I'm lucky to be getting a Duofold from my girlfriend (fine italic nib) and I just wanted to say thank you for the great content!
I just purchased Black Swan in Australian Roses and I'm soooooooooo excited, it'll be my first ink that didn't come with a pen that I bought. it's such a beautiful color on your website.
With over 600 color fountain pen inks available in the market, it will get daunting!! My philosophy is, 1 black, 1 blue for formal settings and 2 favourite colors (mine are saffron and grape purple) are enough for me. I have 4 bottles, noodlers black, konpeki, sailor apricot and noodlers Australian Roses.
Iro Asa Gao is in my favourite pen full time. Beautiful blue with a bit of sheen, just enough. I could watch the colour variation on this ink as the line goes down all day.
I highly suggest reading up and watching various ink reviews. It's a great way to find some of the most interesting inks available. I didn't know about sheening or shading inks until I started watching many videos on fountain pens, and I really thought shimmering inks were the only ones I'd care for. Also, I'd start with getting samples of any inks you're interested in. It's a really great way to have a variety of colors and it allows for experimenting with their behavior in various pens, nibs, and on different papers you want to use. I know Goulet doesn't carry some of the brands I'll mention in my top inks but I'll share my favorites anyway. My top, must-have SHEENING inks so far are Organic Studio's Walden Pond Blue and Nitrogen Royal Blue. I'll still need to test out OS Emerson Twilight Blue but I'm betting it's also a monster sheening ink, based on others' reviews. I'll also need to try Blackstone's Barrier Reef, and Sydney Harbor Blue. The sheen on the OS inks that I've already tried are COMPLETELY INSANE. It even comes through solidly on Leuchtturm1917 paper, as well as the paper in that "Desire Map Planner". Neither will sheen on regular copy paper and the Nitrogen will feather, but the fancier fountain pen inks are really not for regular copy paper anyway. The only down side is that the inks have a hard time drying, even with 3 days of drying time.. just don't rub your greasy nubs on your writing and you're golden, ;) lol. The sheen is totally nuts and worth the care, in my opinion. For lefties, maybe write with a piece of paper under your writing hand? Not sure if there's really a way to get around the drying issue. OS Copper Turquoise I'll need to compare with Robert Oster's Soda Pop in the same pen/nib set up as they are practically the same color, with the same sheening behavior of a pretty pink sheen in wet writing nibs. I want to know which pen/nib set up will allow that sheen to appear, in that pretty pink color. My top, must-have SHADING inks so far are Noodler's Apache Sunset, Diamine's Ancient Copper, Rohrer and Klingher Alt-Gold Grun, and Robert Oster's Tranquility. These have no real issues with drying. Diamine Marine and RO's Tranquility are practically the exact same color in a medium nib, but Tranquility seems to show more shading. This is compared between the Tranquility ink out of LECAI eyedropper pen (which has a slightly smaller line for medium nib) vs Diamine's Marine ink out of a Jinhao x450, with their medium nib. I'm a newb so I'm starting out with inexpensive pens. ;) Also, bear in mind that nib flow/wetness can be adjusted, so the same pen/nib combo could possibly vary slightly. For deep dark greens there's Diamine's Sherwood Green which is less dramatic of shading than the ones previously mentioned, BUT the shading ranges from green to a very, very dark green and it looks really great out of a Jinhao x450 which writes pretty wet. Robert Oster's River of Fire, Spearmint, and Peppermint are also in this similar dark green range. I only have these three inked up in an Extra Fine nib currently so I don't feel it's a fair comparison. When my glass pen arrives I'll start doing tests through the same set of writing instruments and papers and maybe even do some videos. In any case, you can't really go wrong with any of these inks for a dark green. Surprisingly I also really like De Atramentis Plum, even though it doesn't really shade or sheen ..or shimmer. This green is a much, much darker deep blue green then the greens I've mentioned. I just really like the color. I have the Plum in a Pilot Plumix as an eyedropper, and it has what looks like an italic nib, in maybe 1.1 width? I like the color and the scent too. I think the scented and the shimmering inks are more for glass pen writing. Yes, I do love the J. Herbin gold shimmering inks.. OMG especially Emerald of Chivor. That ink is a GORGEOUS dark teal and I have two bottles of it. lol Yeah, I'm in-love with that one. I also have the Amethyst and yeah, it shimmers but it's really not that exciting. I really thought I'd want ALL of the shimmering inks but now, after seeing the shading inks, I really prefer them instead. Shading is much more interesting (to me) than solid shimmer. My very inexpensive glitter pens glitter way more than any fountain pen ink with shimmer... but then again, I do feel fancy writing with the fountain pen. lol I still need to play with many more in the reds and purples... there are so many to play with! I LOVE Noodler's Australian Roses! I had to have a bottle. That's another must-have ink. I think it's really very close to Ottoman Roses in a medium nib. I have a sample of Sailor's Grenade but will need to find the pen that will allow the sheen to come through. :/ Right now it's in an EF nib and that nib seems to be much too fine for any sheen on any ink to show... but I bet Organic Studio's monster sheening inks will come through. I'll have to test that out. I really do suggest going for many samples of inks you're curious about, and testing them out with the pens and the set up you have before committing. Nibs can be tuned to be wetter so it's hard to say exactly how an ink will behave out of your set up. By doing samples you can really compare colors and behavior on the papers you want to use and the pens/nib combo you have. But even if you do commit to a bottle, it's not the end of the world. On a side note, I did a Franken pen by combining the Zebra G nib (titanium) with a Jinhao x450 feed and body. Pilot's Iroshizuku Yama-Budo ink flows nicely through that nib, but you still need to go somewhat slow. It works for me as I'm in the process of changing my handwriting to allow for Spencerian script writing, and I MUST go slow. I have to be deliberate and precise with each letter to prevent my well practiced chicken scratch to take over. So, inks you get can also really depend on what you have going on.
@@August3S Thank you so much! 🥰 I have so many hobbies (and sleeping UA-cam channels) where I'd love to share and develop... and I will, given the space and time, for as long as I can. I'm back into watercolor currently, teaching beginners Hyper-realistic style, and once that is running smooth I know I'd LOVE to dive back into writing, fountain pens, and inks!
I've tried Noodler's Heart of Darkness, Noodler's X-feather, and J. Herbin Pearle Nior. They are all very black, but I have to say the Pearle Nior is the easiest flowing and easiest to clean up of those three. Both of the aforementioned Noodler's I had a hard time cleaning out of my converters.
It is true. But this cleaning thing went a bit too far in the recent years: if you clean the nib and water comes out clean and you cleaned a converter, even though the ink “coloured” the converter slightly it is not gonna be an issue whatsoever even changing colour.
I actually love Baystate Blue. I use it in a dedicated inexpensive pen and have no issue. I am careful not to fill it with my cat around though. :P Nothing beats its vibrancy so far.
I like LAMY black. It is a nice dark black color (darker than Parker Quink) and lays down just wet enough, not too wet though. I also love how it comes with a roll of paper-plastic-blotter to stay clean when refilling ink.
Among UrbanSketchers, the conversation is always, "what inks are waterproof?". For artists looking for that, I recommend DeAtrementis Document Black, Noodlers; Lexington grey, Wampum (on 90% of papers) and Brown. Personally, I love redBlack or cassis to draw with and then hit with a waterbrush pen and shade out. Hope this helps the artists out there.. Brain any more that you can add to this list?
Noodler's Wampum is waterproof/water resistant? I love the color and tried a sample, but never purchased because I found it had no resistance at all to water. Lexington Gray, #41 Brown, La Reine Mauve, Kung Te Cheng, most of the Noodler's blacks, 54th Massachusetts are all waterproof, but with varying ease of use issues. There is Nathan Tardiff's full list of waterproof/bulletproof, partially waterproof/ partially bulletproof Noodler's inks on the Goulet website, but Noodler's Wampum is not listed as having any water resistance. Curious.
I would also say a good blue-black should be considered. Noodler's 54th Mass or Rohrer and Klinger Salix are definitely my favorites for permanence. And even though it isn't permanent, I am in love with Diamine Twilight.
+Halley Capps Yeah, that's a good point. Definitely like 54th Mass, I'd also say maybe Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite or Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai. - Colin
Noodler's Baystate Blue is my favorite fun blue, right now. I'm still very new to fountain pens and inks so I didn't know what I was getting into with this one, only that I love the color. I mentioned it to a retailer in conversation and he warned me of the staining issue. I use it in my Charcoal Safari in a converter. I use it almost daily. Thanks for this list of popular inks! I'm looking forward to trying more colors. I hope to get a good gray soon.
Noodler's Lexington Grey (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-lexington-gray-3oz-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/N19042) is a GPC favorite. Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun (www.gouletpens.com/pilot-iroshizuku-fuyu-syogun-50ml-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/PN69215) is a lighter grey, but really good as well. - Colin
Waterman Serenity blue (formerly Florida blue), Aurora black and Aurora Blue those are the only inks anyone _must have_. Period. Everything else are _nice to have_. Put that down to 40 years of experience using fountain pens almost exclusively.
My all time favorite has to be Monteverde's Rose Noir. All the Noir line is amazing! I also love all the Robert Oster inks, such unique and impressive colors!
My favorite inks so far: Blacks: Raven Black (It's s Canadian Special for Wonder Pens) Blue: Diamine Majestic Blue (amazing sheen) Apache Sunset and Rohrer and Klingner Alt Goldgrun (amazing shading) Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa (Iron gall violet black) another ink thats really nice and underrated is called Verdigris. Its a greenish black ink....very nice.
Aurora Black is definitely my favorite black, Noodler's Blue Nose Bear because I've haven't found another ink that compares to this color, and Lamy Turquoise because of the awesome bottle and the surprising performance.
My Black is Noodler’s Black and Perle Noir, my Red is Red Dragon, my purplish Red (?) is Black Swan in Aussie Roses, Orange is Apache Sunset and Habanero, Teal is Deep Sea...and then we come to green...most excited about Diamine Deep Forest right now. Love it.
Asa-Gao is an amazing blue. Love Diamine Oxford Blue too (not mentioned but shameless endorsement). And Oxblood, the ultimate shade of red. I'll have to try some others mentioned here.
Wow. This list seems very current to me, who is that someone newer into fountain pens 6 years after this video was posted to UA-cam by GouletPens. I just ordered a bunch of ink samples from Goulet including their surprise me sampler. I am a big fan of Noodlers Blue and Pilots Namiki. I used a fountain pen in grammar school until the sixth grade so I learned penmanship as a class reported on the report card. Blue or black ink only. I am still partial to blue for journalling. I received a red ink surprise with a new pen and when I used the combo it just did not seem to write well. when I looked at the sample in the morning it was fine perhaps a touch more flow but I won't fuss with the nib until I finish one filling and try a different ink. Maybe a nice blue?
+jaime andres Be sure to check out our Swab Shop (www.gouletpens.com/Interactive-Swab-Shop). If you add those two inks you can tell the Diamine Sunset is significantly darker orange. - Colin
Perle Noire is my favorite black. And, while I find Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses, I also love Black Swan in English Roses. Kon-Peki is stunning in the blues, but most anything that's Iroshizuku is wonderful in terms of color and performance. And I'll give a shout out to J. Herbin's Vert Atlantide, which I like better than Emerald de Chivor simply because I like more earthy greens. Thanks, Brian!
My favorite ink is the Lamy Dark Lilac that was only available for about five minutes a few months ago. It is so beautiful. I use it in my pen and I use it with a brush in artwork. Stunning color. I wish I'd bought more. I really wish Lamy would make this part of the standard lineup. Brian, can you talk to them?
Brian definitely has mentioned it to our reps. Lamy has a history of bringing back limited-edition pens as regular offering some time later, so hopefully that can happen with the Dark Lilac ink because it's probably one of the best purples out there. - Colin
I think there should be a campaign vis a vis Lamy to bring back LDL and petrol. So many people are craving for those inks and Lamy has the formula. They would sell thousands of bottles in a month if they reissue those colors . Since Brian knows the CEO of Lamy, whom he visited in Germany , can he please talk to him ....?.. or do we need to start a letter writing international campaign to the Lamy HQ.?
Aurora Black - the only black in my collection imo is the best black out there, not that its used much but I'm not a fan of black. The older Caran d'Ache colours of the earth - I know they are discontinued but if you see them out in the wild, they are all great though now probably far too expensive. Lamy Turquoise - Love the bottle and a solid ink. Pelikan Edelstien Topaz - see Kon Peki. Pilot Iroshizuku - Sweeping statement, these are all great, I've not tried them all but all reviews say the same thing, the inks handle well, my favourite colours are: Yama Budo - Just a really great colour that is a little different. Yama Guri - A deep dark brown that i use in fine nibs as my go-to near black ink Kon Peki - Much like Edelstien Topaz this is just a beautiful light blue. Asa-Gao - My go to Blue, there are better shades imo, but this handles so well i keep coming back. R&K Alt Goldgrum - Much like Yama Budo this is just very different to anything else i've seen and i just find the colour interesting, love the shading too.
Omg me too! Love the color but horrible flow issues to the point where I wanted to throw my pen across the room. My husband had flow issues with Noodler's black. Now that we have moved away from Noodler's inks, everything has been so much better! Now I don't know what I'm going to do with 2 full bottles of Noodler's inks that we refuse to put in our pens.
+OCSphoto Noodler's can definitely be a fickle ink. It's recommended to clean the pens very thoroughly every two weeks to prevent any issues such as flow. I'd give Diamine a try as they have a bunch of different colors and are well behaved. - Colin
+OCSphoto Unfortunately, I haven't found one with quite the same color. :( But I'm still trying out inks so I'm holding out hope. If you like green, the De Atramentis Jane Austen looks like the green sister to the blue of 54th Mass, but not as saturated.
One of my favorites that has a really fun sheening property to it has to be Sailor Yama-Dori. Really fun but not so out there that it cant be used in an everyday setting.
+A Humble Bumble That's a good choice. Maybe try De Atramentis Petrol or Private Reserve Blue Suede if you're looking for an everyday use ink of similar color! - Colin
+Sheila Northcutt I really don't think you can go wrong with any dark red. The dark red ink package set is probably my favorite color-themed one we offer (www.gouletpens.com/isp-reds-dark/p/ISP-Reds-Dark). - Colin
I just received my Pilot E95s yesterday along with more ink samples, and it being burgundy I went with Monteverde Burgundy ink. It's okay, but it seems a bit thin and bland. But, I also got Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses, so I guess that'll be my next try. And, I'm still lovin' Iroshizuku Ama-iro Sky Blue; beautiful.
+CHRIS LJ Not sure how dark you want your burgundy, but we do have a dark red ink package set that has some beautiful colors (www.gouletpens.com/isp-reds-dark/p/ISP-Reds-Dark). One of those might fit the bill! Also, let me know how the E95s is, it's on my wishlist! - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company Thanks Colin, that Noodler's Tiananmen red looks like the ticket; guess that'll be in my order NEXT week when I buy a purple Safari. As for the E95s, it's a sweet little pen. It seems rather petite, only about a half inch longer that a Kaweco Sport, that is until you post it. Then it's perfect in my mind, and it really gets the compliments. Love that hooded nib, and when filling you almost don't have to wipe off the section. The bladder type converter works very easily, and the nib is super smooth. My only regret is going with a medium, since I prefer fine or extra fine, but I figured a thicker line would show off the ink colors better. But it writes like a dream, and I'm glad I bought one. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you get one.
Hi, I'm new and was wondering if you have advice for choosing ink as that last step to dialing in the performance of a Given nib. For instance: should one desire to slow or speed ink delivery in a min that is ALMOST perfect, certainly too close to risk a nib or feed adjustment?
I really want either Yama-budo or Momiji. The way the Momiji shifts colours is phenomenal, and Yama-Budo is quite the right shade of magenta for me. Granted I can't write exams with those inks :) Gotta have Kon-peki as backup
Both are top-notch inks for sure, but Whitney here at GPC did a Monday Matchup recently with Momiji, and I must say, it looks fantastic. (blog.gouletpens.com/2016/09/twsbi-vac-mini-smoke-with-pilot.html) - Colin
Amazing video, as always! You mentioned that one of the inks can stain so is it possible for you to make a video about a list of inks that can stain? (especially for people who are using a demonstrator type pen like TWSBI)
Brian actually talks a little bit about that in a previous Q&A (ua-cam.com/video/TqrrkcLdzZ4/v-deo.htmlm48s). Noodler's Baystate inks would definitely be good options. In general, reds & purples tend to stain a bit more. - Colin
For greens I like Noodler's Forest Green. As all of Noodler's is at a good price, but it also has a nice darker green shade. I'm going to try FC's Moss Green soon to compare. I really enjoyed Diamine's Red Dragon, it will probably be my go to red - not to bright and not too dark like Noodler's Red Black. For blacks I think I'm going to go with Kaweco Pearl Black. I know it's not permanent but it's the deepest black I've tried and goes down with a very nice sheen. Any chance GP will every carry the Kaweco line?
Noodler's Forest Green is one of my favorite green inks as well. We stopped carrying the Kaweco ink bottles due to low sales, but we still have the cartridges available (www.gouletpens.com/kaweco-ink-cartridges/c/118). - Colin
I wish the Pilot Iroshizuku inks had some permanence. The colors are so amazing, but I lost a day's worth of work over a small water spill. The ink just came right off the paper like it was never even there.
Being Halloween month, I'm in a mood for a pretty bloody looking ink. What would you say is the "bloodier" of the two? Diamine's Oxblood or Red Dragon?
Instead of Noodler's Black or Heart of Darkness, I would argue that the Pilot Iroshizuku Take Sumi black ink is great, and it should be a goal of every ink/pen enthusiast to own at least one Iroshizuku ink.
I am struggling to find the perfect pink (love the Yama-budo but consider it more of a magenta). Not a hot pink, mind you, something rose-ish and more subtle. Still gotta have enough umph to be readable though. Suggestions?
+Rebecca G. Maybe something from this ink sample package set: www.gouletpens.com/isp-pinks-bright/p/ISP-Pinks-Bright Caran d'Ache Divine Pink could work? - Colin
3 years after the fact: Red Dragon is a very nice red, and I love how Diamine inks work in my pen; but Oxblood gets my vote because the black/red vibe works as a professional ink in an office environment, while maintaining a bit of personality :)
I bought Noodler's Black and use it in my Leuchttrum1917 planner but it takes FOREVER to dry. Is there another crisp black ink that maybe dries faster? As much as I love the combo I hate the smudging and transfer when I close my planner. Thanks!
Noodler's Bernanke Black is part of the fast-drying line they offer (www.gouletpens.com/IS-N19066/p/IS-N19066), so that could work. I also think the Iroshizuku inks are pretty quick, so maybe Take-Sumi is a decent option (www.gouletpens.com/is-pn69224/p/IS-PN69224). - Colin
You've sold me on pens. I just bought some noodler's black as my first purchase on Goulet Pens. :D I'd love to buy more stuff but i'm in school and don't rly have much of an income. Still, i'm hyped! :D
Diamine Sherwood Green is my personal favourite ink. (Green is my favourite colour, so that's not surprising.) I think everyone should try Rohrer und Klingner Alt-Goldgrün, though. it's such a weird colour, but in a really cool way.
which inks do you recommend which aren't made by noodler's which are great for everyday uni use, shading and shimmer? also, would shimmer inks be good to use in a daily uni environment if its something one prefers? (would a twsbi 1.1 mm be a good pen for that?)
I wouldn't recommend shimmering inks when it comes to school or work use. They can be a bit finicky when the particles settle, could cause flow issues. As far as shading inks, Diamine & Pilot Iroshizuku are both great options for that purpose. A 1.1mm stub nib would be good to show off what each ink is capable of. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thank you so much for your help! it’s great how your company has amazing customer service!! :D can’t wait to get some diamine and pilot inks, and a twsbi 580
I am a lover of turquoise inks! I was kind of disappointed not to see Monteverde turquoise in the list of must have inks. No one even mentioned it in the comments. Maybe its an underrated ink but the turquoise is really wet and stands out in the crowd! Whats your views on the Monteverde turquoise?
This wasn't an exhaustive list, just a few that we thought up. But you're right, Monteverde Turquoise is certainly underrated. It's very vibrant, but it has a length dry time, so I usually don't go for it. - Colin
Yeah i was just thinking of this one biggest pitfall of this ink. The dry time is long especially on papers that are a bit glossy. But that apart i love everything else about the ink
Has for an everyday wirting black ink. That gotta dry kinda fast (you'll get my point). For filling a survey for exemple and then turn the page. Continue the survey, turn the page. What kind of ink would work better, without staining the hand of the writing person nor the pages when they being turn and 'stick' together. Thanks in advance !! (I've had my idea of going x-feather and noodler black... But is there something better? Heart of darkness?) Btw it's for business use and profesional work. So no mess intented especially since I'll be at customer house per say... I'm just giving out the main usage of the pen up there. So the guidance toward what ink should be used is more 'accurate'. :)
I would steer away from X-feather, that definitely has a longer dry-time. Noodler's Black or HoD are great options. For non-Noodler's, Pilot Iroshizuku Take-Sumi is one of my favorite black inks. - Colin
Diamine ink is definitely the way to go for a great, affordable ink. Poppy Red (www.gouletpens.com/diamine-poppy-red-30ml-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/D3055) could be a good option, or Diamine Matador (www.gouletpens.com/diamine-matador-30ml-bottle/p/D3094). - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Thanks, I'm more of a beginner in fountain pens and I wanted a red ink, since I'm getting a red Pilot Metropolitan Retro. I'm also getting a Nemosine singularity (that has nothing to do with the red ink though).
Ink sample package sets (www.gouletpens.com/ink-sample-packages/c/23) might be a good option as well until you find an ink you like! You can go by color, brand, best sellers, personal favorites. Lots of options there! - Colin
Aquaria Thanks, I already bought a bottle of diamine poppy red, I'll be sure to try it next time! But do you have any recommendations for blue inks? I'm currently trying to get red black and blue I have a bottle of parker quink for black Diamine poppy red for red, but I dont have any blue.
I'm sure some Noodler's inks are like that, but they have dozens of them so some are bound to be a little difficult. Most of them are really fantastic, especially for the price
+FatPanda Just look it up. You can always order samples from Goulet or you'll find info on the particularly bad ones online. Even the bad ones should be fairly easy to clean though, either with a pen flush or a little water and dish soap. A bulb syringe works great for cleaning pens as well
Not sure about the Oxblood. Even though I ordered a bottle myself. I think it would be better suited for those who are dating a romantic. Since each note or love letter will come out looking as though it was written in blood that dried up. Other types of letters to other people.... they might get the wrong impression, if not become horrified after opening up a letter written in Oxblood. As far as must-have inks. My vote goes to the Sheaffer Skript Black. It's a rather dark black without being too thick. Thus, easy to clean out of your pen. Dries practically instantly after hitting the page. And, the ink bottle with its wide base is particularly suited for those who are new to fountain pens and lack experience in filling a pen. (Less likely to knock the bottle of ink over compared to other ink bottle designs.) A really good black ink is an easy must-have. The Sheaffer Skript is a good choice.
I think that's why Brian prefers Red Dragon over Oxblood. Dried blood look isn't the best! Low maintenance black ink is definitely a good option to have. - Colin
I have a bottle of Oxblood. Ordered it with my TWSBI Eco (medium) from GPC. I've tried it in the Eco and my Pilot Metropolitan (fine). I have to say it looks totally different depending the the nib size. In the Pilot fine, it looks more brown. In the Eco medium it looks more like dried blood. I actually like the color. Would I write a letter to someone with it, maybe not. However, it is still a cool color.
I just got the Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Rose. Ordered it from Amazon, don't hate me. *cringes* I'm IN LOVE, though. And I swear I'm going to make a biggish order from the site soon since I fell in love with the Edison Cherry Blossom. I'm a writer and I've been writing a lot on paper recently since some of my scene work is frustrating me. I have a feeling this ink is going to go a LONG way with my Metropolitan pen. I'm new to fountain pens but I already feel like I know a bunch by watching these videos.
A bottle of ink will go a long way. I usually don't have to fill my pens more than every couple of weeks, so a full bottle should last you a long time. Great investment if you write a lot. Thanks for the support! - Colin
Oh yeah, I write a lot. I can go through a Pilot V7 in about a week. Trying to get in 100,000 words this month alone so that I can finish one novel and get another started. Of course, I'm doing a lot of it on the computer, but plotting and note cards and such are important. I just discovered this company a few days ago and I love everything about it.
I don't mean to be a spoil-sport here but 6 Noodler's and 5 Diamine inks? No greens or browns/sepias? Inks listed in order of options are as follows: blue (108), green (67), purple (54), and brown at (48). I can also say that most of my inks have been purchased through GPs, so I am not raining on anybody's parade here but "for someone newer into fountain pens," well, you know....
These are definitely just Brian's personal choices and certainly not an exhaustive list. I know I'm not picking 3 Noodler's black inks... There's certainly great inks in those colors as well. That said, Noodler's/Diamine/Iroshizuku make some of the best inks out there, so having them featured throughout a video like this isn't a surprise. - Colin
Wait just a minute...were you reading that list off an electronic device? I thought I saw the tip of one near the end of the video. A list written with a fountain pen would have been a better method. I just placed my first order with you and it's in the mail 'write' now. Thanks for all the great videos on UA-cam.
Ha! Well, this is from Q&A and Brian puts all of his notes into a blog that we publish concurrently. That's why he reads off his phone/laptop. Thanks for the support! What did you get? - Colin
I got a red Metropolitan F, Heart of Darkness ink, and a bulb for squirting water all over the house. Sure beats cleaning. Probably not the right place to ask you, butt I have a question: I am dusting off my pens after years in storage and don't have old bottles of ink...I bought an eye dropper version of Noodler's HoD butt did not think ahead of how I will be filling my pens. Would an old (cleaned) plastic medicine orange plastic medicine container work in a pinch for storing some ink? Any other suggestions? Thanks. The Metro F nib is great. I have an M nib and it isn't for me butt the F is perfect.
+Jordz Van 6299 If you like reds, I HIGHLY recommend the Corn Poppy Red. Great Shading, some sheen, and a bright true red. Gourmet Pens does a good review of it you can check out. Also I hear good things on the Irish Green and Toffee Brown.
Irish green is actually a really nice shading ink, I picked a bottle up when I happened by a Montblanc store a few months ago and love it. Fantastic general green ink
I bought this ink based on a great review and have to say I hate it. I tried it in five fountain pens and it is a dry ink. I replaced with Namiki ink just to see if it was the pens or the ink and it was the ink. Not happy with it. Namibia was so much better. Just tossing the Apache Sunset. Hope other Noodler's Ink perform better. Apache Sunset ink is what I am referring to.
That's strange! I would consider Apache Sunset to be a fairly wet writer, so it's unfortunate you had such a bad experience. I know Noodler's inks are very saturated so that could cause potential flow issues, so diluting the ink with water might have helped. Something to keep in mind if you experience similar issues with Noodler's inks. - Colin
Yeah that's it. Like one letter is red the next becomes a combo of red and green and so on. That's just my curiosity talking though. :) But thanks for educating a newbie like me. :)
Noodler's General of the Armies changes color as it dries, from green to blue. Not rainbow, but it is unusual. Rome Burning is a gold ink that turns purple if it gets wet. And then you have all the shimmer inks- in use, the sparkles will tend to concentrate in places, just like the color variation in a shading ink.
Black = Kaweco Pearl Black or Sailor Jentle Black Red = Diamine Dragon blood Green = Diamine Umber Blue Black = Diamine Prussian Blue Orange = Diamine Pumpkin Blue = not a fan
+The Goulet Pen Company HA HA. I don't mind the colour blue. The regular blues like Royal blue and Imperial blue just reminds me of school days. Dark blues I have. Like the Prussian Blue listed, Diamine Blue Black and Diamine Denim.
Black: Noodler's Heart of Darkness
Blue: Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki
Red: Diamine Red Dragon
Green: Montblanc Irish Green
I'm so mad i got sucked into fountain pens. it's gonna kill my wallet. its my alternative to vaping believe it or not. having so many options on what inks to use and different style pens keeps my mind off smoking again or walking into my vape shop. I'm odd...
It doesn't have to break the bank. A Pilot Metropolitan & a bunch of ink samples is more than enough to enjoy the FP writing experience! - Colin
I vape AND collect pens. Narrowed them to only 10, so if I buy something new I have to get rid of something old. Same for vaping, 5 mods, 5 tanks, 5 rebuildables. :) Happy writing AND vaping.
Finkardop .. I feel you :( being a broke ass college student does not go along with my fountain pens and ink addiction
Susazeu .. you monster, only a heartless person would get rid of a fountain pen
Yes, certainly :)
I am satisfied with my Pilot Blue-Black. It is cheap and has a high tolerance in water.
Very very terrible on cheaper paper
I'm a student at university and I've been writing with a fountain pen for about 6 years now and I've only just got into it more as a hobby − just wanted to say how excellent your videos are. This one stood out to me as the perfect example of how straight shooting, honest and entertaining your videos are. Plenty of recommendation with enough room to experiment for myself and research more. It's my 21st birthday coming up and I'm lucky to be getting a Duofold from my girlfriend (fine italic nib) and I just wanted to say thank you for the great content!
I just purchased Black Swan in Australian Roses and I'm soooooooooo excited, it'll be my first ink that didn't come with a pen that I bought. it's such a beautiful color on your website.
Oh you made an excellent choice. That's one my favorite inks out there, especially from Noodler's. Enjoy! - Colin
Ashton Payne my favorite pink!
With over 600 color fountain pen inks available in the market, it will get daunting!! My philosophy is, 1 black, 1 blue for formal settings and 2 favourite colors (mine are saffron and grape purple) are enough for me. I have 4 bottles, noodlers black, konpeki, sailor apricot and noodlers Australian Roses.
Iro Asa Gao is in my favourite pen full time. Beautiful blue with a bit of sheen, just enough. I could watch the colour variation on this ink as the line goes down all day.
I'm really glad J. Herbin Perle Noire got a mention. It's my favorite black ink and in most of my more used pens.
Yeah, definitely a good option! With all of the various Noodler's black, it can get lost in the shuffle. - Colin
I highly suggest reading up and watching various ink reviews. It's a great way to find some of the most interesting inks available. I didn't know about sheening or shading inks until I started watching many videos on fountain pens, and I really thought shimmering inks were the only ones I'd care for. Also, I'd start with getting samples of any inks you're interested in. It's a really great way to have a variety of colors and it allows for experimenting with their behavior in various pens, nibs, and on different papers you want to use.
I know Goulet doesn't carry some of the brands I'll mention in my top inks but I'll share my favorites anyway. My top, must-have SHEENING inks so far are Organic Studio's Walden Pond Blue and Nitrogen Royal Blue. I'll still need to test out OS Emerson Twilight Blue but I'm betting it's also a monster sheening ink, based on others' reviews. I'll also need to try Blackstone's Barrier Reef, and Sydney Harbor Blue.
The sheen on the OS inks that I've already tried are COMPLETELY INSANE. It even comes through solidly on Leuchtturm1917 paper, as well as the paper in that "Desire Map Planner". Neither will sheen on regular copy paper and the Nitrogen will feather, but the fancier fountain pen inks are really not for regular copy paper anyway. The only down side is that the inks have a hard time drying, even with 3 days of drying time.. just don't rub your greasy nubs on your writing and you're golden, ;) lol. The sheen is totally nuts and worth the care, in my opinion. For lefties, maybe write with a piece of paper under your writing hand? Not sure if there's really a way to get around the drying issue. OS Copper Turquoise I'll need to compare with Robert Oster's Soda Pop in the same pen/nib set up as they are practically the same color, with the same sheening behavior of a pretty pink sheen in wet writing nibs. I want to know which pen/nib set up will allow that sheen to appear, in that pretty pink color.
My top, must-have SHADING inks so far are Noodler's Apache Sunset, Diamine's Ancient Copper, Rohrer and Klingher Alt-Gold Grun, and Robert Oster's Tranquility. These have no real issues with drying. Diamine Marine and RO's Tranquility are practically the exact same color in a medium nib, but Tranquility seems to show more shading. This is compared between the Tranquility ink out of LECAI eyedropper pen (which has a slightly smaller line for medium nib) vs Diamine's Marine ink out of a Jinhao x450, with their medium nib. I'm a newb so I'm starting out with inexpensive pens. ;) Also, bear in mind that nib flow/wetness can be adjusted, so the same pen/nib combo could possibly vary slightly.
For deep dark greens there's Diamine's Sherwood Green which is less dramatic of shading than the ones previously mentioned, BUT the shading ranges from green to a very, very dark green and it looks really great out of a Jinhao x450 which writes pretty wet. Robert Oster's River of Fire, Spearmint, and Peppermint are also in this similar dark green range. I only have these three inked up in an Extra Fine nib currently so I don't feel it's a fair comparison. When my glass pen arrives I'll start doing tests through the same set of writing instruments and papers and maybe even do some videos. In any case, you can't really go wrong with any of these inks for a dark green.
Surprisingly I also really like De Atramentis Plum, even though it doesn't really shade or sheen ..or shimmer. This green is a much, much darker deep blue green then the greens I've mentioned. I just really like the color. I have the Plum in a Pilot Plumix as an eyedropper, and it has what looks like an italic nib, in maybe 1.1 width? I like the color and the scent too. I think the scented and the shimmering inks are more for glass pen writing. Yes, I do love the J. Herbin gold shimmering inks.. OMG especially Emerald of Chivor. That ink is a GORGEOUS dark teal and I have two bottles of it. lol Yeah, I'm in-love with that one. I also have the Amethyst and yeah, it shimmers but it's really not that exciting. I really thought I'd want ALL of the shimmering inks but now, after seeing the shading inks, I really prefer them instead. Shading is much more interesting (to me) than solid shimmer. My very inexpensive glitter pens glitter way more than any fountain pen ink with shimmer... but then again, I do feel fancy writing with the fountain pen. lol
I still need to play with many more in the reds and purples... there are so many to play with! I LOVE Noodler's Australian Roses! I had to have a bottle. That's another must-have ink. I think it's really very close to Ottoman Roses in a medium nib. I have a sample of Sailor's Grenade but will need to find the pen that will allow the sheen to come through. :/ Right now it's in an EF nib and that nib seems to be much too fine for any sheen on any ink to show... but I bet Organic Studio's monster sheening inks will come through. I'll have to test that out.
I really do suggest going for many samples of inks you're curious about, and testing them out with the pens and the set up you have before committing. Nibs can be tuned to be wetter so it's hard to say exactly how an ink will behave out of your set up. By doing samples you can really compare colors and behavior on the papers you want to use and the pens/nib combo you have. But even if you do commit to a bottle, it's not the end of the world.
On a side note, I did a Franken pen by combining the Zebra G nib (titanium) with a Jinhao x450 feed and body. Pilot's Iroshizuku Yama-Budo ink flows nicely through that nib, but you still need to go somewhat slow. It works for me as I'm in the process of changing my handwriting to allow for Spencerian script writing, and I MUST go slow. I have to be deliberate and precise with each letter to prevent my well practiced chicken scratch to take over. So, inks you get can also really depend on what you have going on.
This is an amazing write up. Thank you. you should really do a review video yourself. I'd watch that 100%
Seconded, I'd watch a video if you made one :)
Helpful comment nonetheless.
@@August3S Thank you so much! 🥰 I have so many hobbies (and sleeping UA-cam channels) where I'd love to share and develop... and I will, given the space and time, for as long as I can. I'm back into watercolor currently, teaching beginners Hyper-realistic style, and once that is running smooth I know I'd LOVE to dive back into writing, fountain pens, and inks!
I've tried Noodler's Heart of Darkness, Noodler's X-feather, and J. Herbin Pearle Nior. They are all very black, but I have to say the Pearle Nior is the easiest flowing and easiest to clean up of those three. Both of the aforementioned Noodler's I had a hard time cleaning out of my converters.
+The freshman Yeah, Noodler's can linger sometimes. Definitely takes a pretty thorough cleaning. - Colin
It is true. But this cleaning thing went a bit too far in the recent years: if you clean the nib and water comes out clean and you cleaned a converter, even though the ink “coloured” the converter slightly it is not gonna be an issue whatsoever even changing colour.
I actually love Baystate Blue. I use it in a dedicated inexpensive pen and have no issue. I am careful not to fill it with my cat around though. :P Nothing beats its vibrancy so far.
I like LAMY black. It is a nice dark black color (darker than Parker Quink) and lays down just wet enough, not too wet though. I also love how it comes with a roll of paper-plastic-blotter to stay clean when refilling ink.
It's also properly fade-resistant/lightfast! My favourite together with Noodler's Black.
Noodler’s Bad Blue Heron is my favourite. It’s a beautiful blue and it dries fast enough you don’t have to worry about smearing when you turn a page.
Among UrbanSketchers, the conversation is always, "what inks are waterproof?". For artists looking for that, I recommend DeAtrementis Document Black, Noodlers; Lexington grey, Wampum (on 90% of papers) and Brown. Personally, I love redBlack or cassis to draw with and then hit with a waterbrush pen and shade out.
Hope this helps the artists out there.. Brain any more that you can add to this list?
+Suzala Suzala Any of the De Atramentis document inks are great for this. Plus they can be mixed together to find just the right color. - Colin
Noodler's Wampum is waterproof/water resistant?
I love the color and tried a sample, but never purchased because I found it had no resistance at all to water. Lexington Gray, #41 Brown, La Reine Mauve, Kung Te Cheng, most of the Noodler's blacks, 54th Massachusetts are all waterproof, but with varying ease of use issues. There is Nathan Tardiff's full list of waterproof/bulletproof, partially waterproof/ partially bulletproof Noodler's inks on the Goulet website, but Noodler's Wampum is not listed as having any water resistance. Curious.
I would also say a good blue-black should be considered. Noodler's 54th Mass or Rohrer and Klinger Salix are definitely my favorites for permanence. And even though it isn't permanent, I am in love with Diamine Twilight.
+Halley Capps Yeah, that's a good point. Definitely like 54th Mass, I'd also say maybe Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite or Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai. - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company Ballin' Colin :)
Graf Von Faber Castell Moss Green. Just gorgeous. The perfect green (for me).
Best green 👏
Noodler's Baystate Blue is my favorite fun blue, right now. I'm still very new to fountain pens and inks so I didn't know what I was getting into with this one, only that I love the color. I mentioned it to a retailer in conversation and he warned me of the staining issue. I use it in my Charcoal Safari in a converter. I use it almost daily.
Thanks for this list of popular inks! I'm looking forward to trying more colors. I hope to get a good gray soon.
Noodler's Lexington Grey (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-lexington-gray-3oz-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/N19042) is a GPC favorite. Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun (www.gouletpens.com/pilot-iroshizuku-fuyu-syogun-50ml-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/PN69215) is a lighter grey, but really good as well. - Colin
Oxblood, asa blue, onyx black are what I use most..I have more inks than I will use in two lifetimes but still need more ofc
Current favorite is Diamine Ancient Copper! Awesome color!
Diamine 1864 Blue Black. It’s perfect for school or work and looks amazing
Yes - its hard to clean Baystate Blue. But I find it writes very smoothly in my Lamy Safari. And it looks great!
I’m a huge fan of basic Pilot Blue. A very pretty blue and works well in all pens.
Waterman Serenity blue (formerly Florida blue), Aurora black and Aurora Blue those are the only inks anyone _must have_. Period. Everything else are _nice to have_. Put that down to 40 years of experience using fountain pens almost exclusively.
Definitely good choices... But some people just absolutely must have variety in their ink options. :) - Colin
My all time favorite has to be Monteverde's Rose Noir.
All the Noir line is amazing!
I also love all the Robert Oster inks, such unique and impressive colors!
Wow, Noir inks have only been out a few weeks and it's already your favorite? Might have to get a sample... - Colin
Lamy black for my Lamy Safari and for other pens I have, I like Diamine Cerise
My favorite inks so far:
Blacks: Raven Black (It's s Canadian Special for Wonder Pens)
Blue: Diamine Majestic Blue (amazing sheen)
Apache Sunset and Rohrer and Klingner Alt Goldgrun (amazing shading)
Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa (Iron gall violet black)
another ink thats really nice and underrated is called Verdigris. Its a greenish black ink....very nice.
I've only very recently discovered Noodler's Eel Cactus Fruit and it's become an instant favourite. It's fantastic.
Aurora Black is definitely my favorite black, Noodler's Blue Nose Bear because I've haven't found another ink that compares to this color, and Lamy Turquoise because of the awesome bottle and the surprising performance.
My Black is Noodler’s Black and Perle Noir, my Red is Red Dragon, my purplish Red (?) is Black Swan in Aussie Roses, Orange is Apache Sunset and Habanero, Teal is Deep Sea...and then we come to green...most excited about Diamine Deep Forest right now. Love it.
Asa-Gao is an amazing blue. Love Diamine Oxford Blue too (not mentioned but shameless endorsement). And Oxblood, the ultimate shade of red. I'll have to try some others mentioned here.
An update of this video would be great! =)
I feel like you barely make short videos like this anymore. I miss them.
My favorite ink the the Platinum carbon ink because its extremely waterproof and dries quickly
Wow. This list seems very current to me, who is that someone newer into fountain pens 6 years after this video was posted to UA-cam by GouletPens. I just ordered a bunch of ink samples from Goulet including their surprise me sampler. I am a big fan of Noodlers Blue and Pilots Namiki. I used a fountain pen in grammar school until the sixth grade so I learned penmanship as a class reported on the report card. Blue or black ink only. I am still partial to blue for journalling. I received a red ink surprise with a new pen and when I used the combo it just did not seem to write well. when I looked at the sample in the morning it was fine perhaps a touch more flow but I won't fuss with the nib until I finish one filling and try a different ink. Maybe a nice blue?
can you guys do a comparison of the sunsets: noodlers Apache sunset and diamine sunset.
+jaime andres Be sure to check out our Swab Shop (www.gouletpens.com/Interactive-Swab-Shop). If you add those two inks you can tell the Diamine Sunset is significantly darker orange. - Colin
Perle Noire is my favorite black. And, while I find Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses, I also love Black Swan in English Roses. Kon-Peki is stunning in the blues, but most anything that's Iroshizuku is wonderful in terms of color and performance. And I'll give a shout out to J. Herbin's Vert Atlantide, which I like better than Emerald de Chivor simply because I like more earthy greens. Thanks, Brian!
What about Skull and Roses, I personally do have this inc and find it pritty nice.
Noodlers Air Corp and Diamine Oxblood/Sherwood are my go to inks. And now Organics Studio Nitrogen is up there too, but I don't have a bottle yet.
All great choices! Air Corp Blue Black is such a unique ink that can be like 4 different colors depending on the nib size. - Colin
My favourite so far is noodlers navajo turquoise. Great electric blue color.
My favorite ink is the Lamy Dark Lilac that was only available for about five minutes a few months ago. It is so beautiful. I use it in my pen and I use it with a brush in artwork. Stunning color. I wish I'd bought more. I really wish Lamy would make this part of the standard lineup. Brian, can you talk to them?
Brian definitely has mentioned it to our reps. Lamy has a history of bringing back limited-edition pens as regular offering some time later, so hopefully that can happen with the Dark Lilac ink because it's probably one of the best purples out there. - Colin
I think there should be a campaign vis a vis Lamy to bring back LDL and petrol. So many people are craving for those inks and Lamy has the formula. They would sell thousands of bottles in a month if they reissue those colors . Since Brian knows the CEO of Lamy, whom he visited in Germany , can he please talk to him ....?.. or do we need to start a letter writing international campaign to the Lamy HQ.?
Aurora Black - the only black in my collection imo is the best black out there, not that its used much but I'm not a fan of black.
The older Caran d'Ache colours of the earth - I know they are discontinued but if you see them out in the wild, they are all great though now probably far too expensive.
Lamy Turquoise - Love the bottle and a solid ink.
Pelikan Edelstien Topaz - see Kon Peki.
Pilot Iroshizuku - Sweeping statement, these are all great, I've not tried them all but all reviews say the same thing, the inks handle well, my favourite colours are:
Yama Budo - Just a really great colour that is a little different.
Yama Guri - A deep dark brown that i use in fine nibs as my go-to near black ink
Kon Peki - Much like Edelstien Topaz this is just a beautiful light blue.
Asa-Gao - My go to Blue, there are better shades imo, but this handles so well i keep coming back.
R&K Alt Goldgrum - Much like Yama Budo this is just very different to anything else i've seen and i just find the colour interesting, love the shading too.
Brian, I Just Want To Know Which Ink Is Best For Daily Use?
I Saw Atleast 100 of Your Video And You Did A Great Job. 👍
Depends, what colour do you want to use everyday ?
Btw what colour do you often use now ?
Pilot Ku-Jaku and Syo-Ro my my favorites!
+luke zahner Soooo many good Iroshizuku inks.
Syo-Ro is so cool. Blue when it's wet, green when it's dry.
I am in love with the 54th Massachusetts color and drying speed on paper but always having flow issues with it.
Omg me too! Love the color but horrible flow issues to the point where I wanted to throw my pen across the room. My husband had flow issues with Noodler's black. Now that we have moved away from Noodler's inks, everything has been so much better! Now I don't know what I'm going to do with 2 full bottles of Noodler's inks that we refuse to put in our pens.
+Cathleen C Have you found a blue black that similar that you like in another brand that you could recommend?
+OCSphoto Noodler's can definitely be a fickle ink. It's recommended to clean the pens very thoroughly every two weeks to prevent any issues such as flow. I'd give Diamine a try as they have a bunch of different colors and are well behaved. - Colin
+OCSphoto Unfortunately, I haven't found one with quite the same color. :( But I'm still trying out inks so I'm holding out hope. If you like green, the De Atramentis Jane Austen looks like the green sister to the blue of 54th Mass, but not as saturated.
One of my favorites that has a really fun sheening property to it has to be Sailor Yama-Dori. Really fun but not so out there that it cant be used in an everyday setting.
+A Humble Bumble That's a good choice. Maybe try De Atramentis Petrol or Private Reserve Blue Suede if you're looking for an everyday use ink of similar color! - Colin
Noodler's upper Ganges Blue is astounding.
I have to agree with you on the Diamine Reds. I bought Oxblood and it didn't have the oomph. Red Dragon is my favorite but Matador is a close second.
+Sheila Northcutt I really don't think you can go wrong with any dark red. The dark red ink package set is probably my favorite color-themed one we offer (www.gouletpens.com/isp-reds-dark/p/ISP-Reds-Dark). - Colin
Robert Oster's Fire & Ice and his School Blue and Direct Sun. Blackstones Barrier Reef Blue and Iroshizuku kon-peki.
I just received my Pilot E95s yesterday along with more ink samples, and it being burgundy I went with Monteverde Burgundy ink. It's okay, but it seems a bit thin and bland. But, I also got Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses, so I guess that'll be my next try. And, I'm still lovin' Iroshizuku Ama-iro Sky Blue; beautiful.
+CHRIS LJ Not sure how dark you want your burgundy, but we do have a dark red ink package set that has some beautiful colors (www.gouletpens.com/isp-reds-dark/p/ISP-Reds-Dark). One of those might fit the bill! Also, let me know how the E95s is, it's on my wishlist! - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company Thanks Colin, that Noodler's Tiananmen red looks like the ticket; guess that'll be in my order NEXT week when I buy a purple Safari. As for the E95s, it's a sweet little pen. It seems rather petite, only about a half inch longer that a Kaweco Sport, that is until you post it. Then it's perfect in my mind, and it really gets the compliments.
Love that hooded nib, and when filling you almost don't have to wipe off the section. The bladder type converter works very easily, and the nib is super smooth. My only regret is going with a medium, since I prefer fine or extra fine, but I figured a thicker line would show off the ink colors better. But it writes like a dream, and I'm glad I bought one. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you get one.
It is good that I use diamine oxblood as ink in my eyedropper version of platinum preppy?
Yeah, that's an awesome choice. Pretty low maintenance and a gorgeous red to show through in that Preppy. - Colin
Hi, I'm new and was wondering if you have advice for choosing ink as that last step to dialing in the performance of a Given nib. For instance: should one desire to slow or speed ink delivery in a min that is ALMOST perfect, certainly too close to risk a nib or feed adjustment?
I really want either Yama-budo or Momiji. The way the Momiji shifts colours is phenomenal, and Yama-Budo is quite the right shade of magenta for me.
Granted I can't write exams with those inks :)
Gotta have Kon-peki as backup
Both are top-notch inks for sure, but Whitney here at GPC did a Monday Matchup recently with Momiji, and I must say, it looks fantastic. (blog.gouletpens.com/2016/09/twsbi-vac-mini-smoke-with-pilot.html) - Colin
Amazing video, as always! You mentioned that one of the inks can stain so is it possible for you to make a video about a list of inks that can stain? (especially for people who are using a demonstrator type pen like TWSBI)
Brian actually talks a little bit about that in a previous Q&A (ua-cam.com/video/TqrrkcLdzZ4/v-deo.htmlm48s). Noodler's Baystate inks would definitely be good options. In general, reds & purples tend to stain a bit more. - Colin
YES!! Australian Roses!! My other favorites are Diamine Meadow and Omas Turquoise.
+Theonlynikki Diamine Meadow is such a unique color. Reminds me of spring! - Colin
For greens I like Noodler's Forest Green. As all of Noodler's is at a good price, but it also has a nice darker green shade. I'm going to try FC's Moss Green soon to compare.
I really enjoyed Diamine's Red Dragon, it will probably be my go to red - not to bright and not too dark like Noodler's Red Black.
For blacks I think I'm going to go with Kaweco Pearl Black. I know it's not permanent but it's the deepest black I've tried and goes down with a very nice sheen. Any chance GP will every carry the Kaweco line?
Noodler's Forest Green is one of my favorite green inks as well. We stopped carrying the Kaweco ink bottles due to low sales, but we still have the cartridges available (www.gouletpens.com/kaweco-ink-cartridges/c/118). - Colin
The Diamine Shimmering inks are awesome
I wish the Pilot Iroshizuku inks had some permanence. The colors are so amazing, but I lost a day's worth of work over a small water spill. The ink just came right off the paper like it was never even there.
Being Halloween month, I'm in a mood for a pretty bloody looking ink. What would you say is the "bloodier" of the two? Diamine's Oxblood or Red Dragon?
Definitely Oxblood. It's true to its namesake. - Colin
Diamine Eclipse is my go-to ink.
+Sally Hance Purple-Blacks are such an underrated ink color - Colin
I made an order with you and I think I'll be happy with what I get, I don't own any broad nibs yet so I want to try one of them
Instead of Noodler's Black or Heart of Darkness, I would argue that the Pilot Iroshizuku Take Sumi black ink is great, and it should be a goal of every ink/pen enthusiast to own at least one Iroshizuku ink.
Totally agree! That's definitely my go-to brand when it comes to my pens. Great variety of inks & Take-sumi is definitely a worthy black. - Colin
I am struggling to find the perfect pink (love the Yama-budo but consider it more of a magenta). Not a hot pink, mind you, something rose-ish and more subtle. Still gotta have enough umph to be readable though. Suggestions?
+Rebecca G. Maybe something from this ink sample package set: www.gouletpens.com/isp-pinks-bright/p/ISP-Pinks-Bright Caran d'Ache Divine Pink could work? - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company Thank you Colin, i will give it a try.
Noodler's Ottoman Rose, maybe?
Yikes! Thanks for the warning about Baystate Blue. I was planning to grab it for my clear pen. Oopsies.
I really can't decide between oxblood and red dragon
You can't go wrong either way, but I know Brian is very loyal to red dragon. - Colin
3 years after the fact: Red Dragon is a very nice red, and I love how Diamine inks work in my pen; but Oxblood gets my vote because the black/red vibe works as a professional ink in an office environment, while maintaining a bit of personality :)
I bought Noodler's Black and use it in my Leuchttrum1917 planner but it takes FOREVER to dry. Is there another crisp black ink that maybe dries faster?
As much as I love the combo I hate the smudging and transfer when I close my planner. Thanks!
Noodler's Bernanke Black is part of the fast-drying line they offer (www.gouletpens.com/IS-N19066/p/IS-N19066), so that could work. I also think the Iroshizuku inks are pretty quick, so maybe Take-Sumi is a decent option (www.gouletpens.com/is-pn69224/p/IS-PN69224). - Colin
Thank you! I will have to order a couple samples and try them out!!
You've sold me on pens. I just bought some noodler's black as my first purchase on Goulet Pens. :D I'd love to buy more stuff but i'm in school and don't rly have much of an income. Still, i'm hyped! :D
+Sorual I'm glad you've caught the bug! You can still feed the beast on a budget, check out Platinum Preppies. Thanks for the support! - Colin
Noodler's Pacific Dawn at the golden gate seems to be a really nice dark blue colour
I've only seen pictures from it as I believe it was an exclusive to the SF pen show? But yeah, it does look like a really nice blue. - Colin
Diamine Sherwood Green is my personal favourite ink. (Green is my favourite colour, so that's not surprising.)
I think everyone should try Rohrer und Klingner Alt-Goldgrün, though. it's such a weird colour, but in a really cool way.
Yeah, both are great options. Alt-Goldgrun is definitely a unique ink, using it right now in my Pilot Parallel! - Colin
which inks do you recommend which aren't made by noodler's which are great for everyday uni use, shading and shimmer? also, would shimmer inks be good to use in a daily uni environment if its something one prefers? (would a twsbi 1.1 mm be a good pen for that?)
I wouldn't recommend shimmering inks when it comes to school or work use. They can be a bit finicky when the particles settle, could cause flow issues. As far as shading inks, Diamine & Pilot Iroshizuku are both great options for that purpose. A 1.1mm stub nib would be good to show off what each ink is capable of. - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thank you so much for your help! it’s great how your company has amazing customer service!! :D can’t wait to get some diamine and pilot inks, and a twsbi 580
I like Parker Quick black and Waterman all colors
Diamine Woodland Green!
What's the newest Waterman ink you guys have??
We don't currently carry Waterman inks. Sorry about that! -Margaret
I am a lover of turquoise inks! I was kind of disappointed not to see Monteverde turquoise in the list of must have inks. No one even mentioned it in the comments. Maybe its an underrated ink but the turquoise is really wet and stands out in the crowd! Whats your views on the Monteverde turquoise?
This wasn't an exhaustive list, just a few that we thought up. But you're right, Monteverde Turquoise is certainly underrated. It's very vibrant, but it has a length dry time, so I usually don't go for it. - Colin
Yeah i was just thinking of this one biggest pitfall of this ink. The dry time is long especially on papers that are a bit glossy. But that apart i love everything else about the ink
Has for an everyday wirting black ink. That gotta dry kinda fast (you'll get my point). For filling a survey for exemple and then turn the page. Continue the survey, turn the page. What kind of ink would work better, without staining the hand of the writing person nor the pages when they being turn and 'stick' together.
Thanks in advance !! (I've had my idea of going x-feather and noodler black... But is there something better? Heart of darkness?)
Btw it's for business use and profesional work. So no mess intented especially since I'll be at customer house per say... I'm just giving out the main usage of the pen up there. So the guidance toward what ink should be used is more 'accurate'. :)
I would steer away from X-feather, that definitely has a longer dry-time. Noodler's Black or HoD are great options. For non-Noodler's, Pilot Iroshizuku Take-Sumi is one of my favorite black inks. - Colin
My budget isnt really high, but I'm looking for a nice red ink (preferably cheaper) any suggestions?
Diamine ink is definitely the way to go for a great, affordable ink. Poppy Red (www.gouletpens.com/diamine-poppy-red-30ml-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/D3055) could be a good option, or Diamine Matador (www.gouletpens.com/diamine-matador-30ml-bottle/p/D3094). - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company Thanks, I'm more of a beginner in fountain pens and I wanted a red ink, since I'm getting a red Pilot Metropolitan Retro. I'm also getting a Nemosine singularity (that has nothing to do with the red ink though).
Ink sample package sets (www.gouletpens.com/ink-sample-packages/c/23) might be a good option as well until you find an ink you like! You can go by color, brand, best sellers, personal favorites. Lots of options there! - Colin
Aquaria Thanks, I already bought a bottle of diamine poppy red, I'll be sure to try it next time! But do you have any recommendations for blue inks? I'm currently trying to get red black and blue I have a bottle of parker quink for black Diamine poppy red for red, but I dont have any blue.
Isn't there like a problem with noodlers inks in that it's hard to clean out of the pens or something?
I'm sure some Noodler's inks are like that, but they have dozens of them so some are bound to be a little difficult. Most of them are really fantastic, especially for the price
Chrominian Is there any way I could find which ones are dodgy? I don't want to risk
+FatPanda Just look it up. You can always order samples from Goulet or you'll find info on the particularly bad ones online. Even the bad ones should be fairly easy to clean though, either with a pen flush or a little water and dish soap. A bulb syringe works great for cleaning pens as well
+FatPanda I've tried several Noodler's inks and never had a problem
Chrominian thanks a lot! i will do so :)
Not sure about the Oxblood. Even though I ordered a bottle myself. I think it would be better suited for those who are dating a romantic. Since each note or love letter will come out looking as though it was written in blood that dried up. Other types of letters to other people.... they might get the wrong impression, if not become horrified after opening up a letter written in Oxblood.
As far as must-have inks. My vote goes to the Sheaffer Skript Black. It's a rather dark black without being too thick. Thus, easy to clean out of your pen. Dries practically instantly after hitting the page. And, the ink bottle with its wide base is particularly suited for those who are new to fountain pens and lack experience in filling a pen. (Less likely to knock the bottle of ink over compared to other ink bottle designs.) A really good black ink is an easy must-have. The Sheaffer Skript is a good choice.
I think that's why Brian prefers Red Dragon over Oxblood. Dried blood look isn't the best! Low maintenance black ink is definitely a good option to have. - Colin
I have a bottle of Oxblood. Ordered it with my TWSBI Eco (medium) from GPC. I've tried it in the Eco and my Pilot Metropolitan (fine). I have to say it looks totally different depending the the nib size.
In the Pilot fine, it looks more brown. In the Eco medium it looks more like dried blood. I actually like the color. Would I write a letter to someone with it, maybe not. However, it is still a cool color.
I just got the Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Rose. Ordered it from Amazon, don't hate me. *cringes* I'm IN LOVE, though. And I swear I'm going to make a biggish order from the site soon since I fell in love with the Edison Cherry Blossom. I'm a writer and I've been writing a lot on paper recently since some of my scene work is frustrating me. I have a feeling this ink is going to go a LONG way with my Metropolitan pen. I'm new to fountain pens but I already feel like I know a bunch by watching these videos.
A bottle of ink will go a long way. I usually don't have to fill my pens more than every couple of weeks, so a full bottle should last you a long time. Great investment if you write a lot. Thanks for the support! - Colin
Oh yeah, I write a lot. I can go through a Pilot V7 in about a week. Trying to get in 100,000 words this month alone so that I can finish one novel and get another started. Of course, I'm doing a lot of it on the computer, but plotting and note cards and such are important. I just discovered this company a few days ago and I love everything about it.
Anyone here ever try Iroshizuku Take-sumi (bamboo charcoal)? Would like to know any feedback, good or bad. Thanks!
Noodlers blue nose bear 🙌
I don't mean to be a spoil-sport here but 6 Noodler's and 5 Diamine inks? No greens or browns/sepias?
Inks listed in order of options are as follows: blue (108), green (67), purple (54), and brown at (48).
I can also say that most of my inks have been purchased through GPs, so I am not raining on anybody's parade here but "for someone newer into fountain pens," well, you know....
These are definitely just Brian's personal choices and certainly not an exhaustive list. I know I'm not picking 3 Noodler's black inks... There's certainly great inks in those colors as well. That said, Noodler's/Diamine/Iroshizuku make some of the best inks out there, so having them featured throughout a video like this isn't a surprise. - Colin
Wait just a minute...were you reading that list off an electronic device? I thought I saw the tip of one near the end of the video. A list written with a fountain pen would have been a better method. I just placed my first order with you and it's in the mail 'write' now.
Thanks for all the great videos on UA-cam.
Ha! Well, this is from Q&A and Brian puts all of his notes into a blog that we publish concurrently. That's why he reads off his phone/laptop. Thanks for the support! What did you get? - Colin
I got a red Metropolitan F, Heart of Darkness ink, and a bulb for squirting water all over the house. Sure beats cleaning. Probably not the right place to ask you, butt I have a question: I am dusting off my pens after years in storage and don't have old bottles of ink...I bought an eye dropper version of Noodler's HoD butt did not think ahead of how I will be filling my pens. Would an old (cleaned) plastic medicine orange plastic medicine container work in a pinch for storing some ink? Any other suggestions? Thanks. The Metro F nib is great. I have an M nib and it isn't for me butt the F is perfect.
Rohrer und Klingner Alt goldgrun, Iroshizuku momiji
+Adnan Morshed Alt Goldgrun is a very divisive ink. Some either love it or hate it! - Colin
Does the ink we use effect the Nib?
It doesn't affect the nib, but absolutely affects the writing experience. Whether it's a wet or dry ink can dictate a lot! - Colin
What do you think of Montblanc ink?
+Jordz Van 6299 We don't carry Montblanc ink, but I've heard good things. The bottle itself is really cool. - Colin
+Jordz Van 6299 If you like reds, I HIGHLY recommend the Corn Poppy Red. Great Shading, some sheen, and a bright true red. Gourmet Pens does a good review of it you can check out. Also I hear good things on the Irish Green and Toffee Brown.
+Bruce Sinn-Brown
Thanks. ;)
Irish green is actually a really nice shading ink, I picked a bottle up when I happened by a Montblanc store a few months ago and love it. Fantastic general green ink
So far I like Pilot Namiki Black.
I bought this ink based on a great review and have to say I hate it. I tried it in five fountain pens and it is a dry ink. I replaced with Namiki ink just to see if it was the pens or the ink and it was the ink. Not happy with it. Namibia was so much better. Just tossing the Apache Sunset. Hope other Noodler's Ink perform better. Apache Sunset ink is what I am referring to.
That's strange! I would consider Apache Sunset to be a fairly wet writer, so it's unfortunate you had such a bad experience. I know Noodler's inks are very saturated so that could cause potential flow issues, so diluting the ink with water might have helped. Something to keep in mind if you experience similar issues with Noodler's inks. - Colin
Been into fountain pens for almost 10 years now I jusy realized I don't have a standard straight up blue 😂
Just out of curiosity... do rainbow color inks exist? apart from the shimmering ones.
Like it changes colors as your write? I don't think those exist, but there's a lot of high shading/sheening ones that offer variances. - Colin
Yeah that's it. Like one letter is red the next becomes a combo of red and green and so on. That's just my curiosity talking though. :) But thanks for educating a newbie like me. :)
Noodler's General of the Armies changes color as it dries, from green to
blue. Not rainbow, but it is unusual. Rome Burning is a gold ink that
turns purple if it gets wet. And then you have all the shimmer inks- in use, the sparkles will tend to concentrate in places, just like the color variation in a shading ink.
I don't like Diamine because of the lack of water resistance. Zero. Nada. Zilch.
Black = Kaweco Pearl Black or Sailor Jentle Black
Red = Diamine Dragon blood
Green = Diamine Umber
Blue Black = Diamine Prussian Blue
Orange = Diamine Pumpkin
Blue = not a fan
+Andre van Wyk Not a fan of any blues? That's a first. Hope you don't mind all the Goulet blue! - Colin
+The Goulet Pen Company HA HA. I don't mind the colour blue. The regular blues like Royal blue and Imperial blue just reminds me of school days. Dark blues I have. Like the Prussian Blue listed, Diamine Blue Black and Diamine Denim.
I’m not a fan of blues. The closest I’ll get is blue-black or a green-blue. Straight up blues, nope.
Please remake this video 😂😂