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Various inks have various lubricating and viscous properties, in addition to the actual hue and shading of each. Same with drying time, water and smudge resistance, etc. What are you looking for in a black ink?
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Jun 7, 2013 08:54
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| # ? May 10, 2024 00:26 |
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Yeah 99% of "black" inks are actually nowhere near black. Most of them look grey, and others may have slight red or blue tints to them. There are a handful of completely flat black inks though, like Aurora Black and Noodlers Heart of Darkness.
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Jun 7, 2013 11:02
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Heart of darkness is black as gently caress. It's advertised as being engineered to absorb as much of the visible spectrum as possible. That being said, it certainly is an incredibly black ink. I've been dying to put it in my black/gold Fine-nib Carene, but it seems a bit too runny for the Carene. So, blue it is because I loving love this thing. 
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Jun 7, 2013 16:54
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I run with HoD in my Falcon right now and it is a very, very wet ink, but it's so smooth that you don't even feel the nib on the paper-- surreal. The only reason I like my Lamy as much as I do is because HoD smoothed it out and makes it feel like a $100+ pen. 
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Jun 7, 2013 17:14
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Unfortunately there's a permanent spot in my phonecam lens.
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Jun 7, 2013 17:16
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Legit Businessman fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Sep 12, 2022 |
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Jun 7, 2013 19:17
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I get accused of giving back photocopies when I sign docs with HoD.
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Jun 7, 2013 19:18
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Legit Businessman fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Sep 12, 2022 |
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Jun 7, 2013 19:23
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Sidenote, my Noodlers blue-black, which was the very first ink I ever bought, has been crappy in every pen I've ever tried it with. As in, it would take too long to dry for my left-handed writing. Fine or broad didn't make a difference. I've just used it as my "loving around" ink instead. Mysteriously I haven't smeared it once in my medium Boch-nibbed Vac 700.
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Jun 7, 2013 19:26
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Noodler's HoD looks gray to me sometimes if I'm writing on lovely paper (I always do) but then it dries nice and dark black. I just wish my Safari held more than 2 drops of ink  It actually does come in handy writing in notebooks that are used around water and such that drops onto it. I've never seen it smear or run unless the paper is pretty much destroyed. I wish I could use it to write on waxy/glossy labels I'm stuck using lovely sharpies in that scenario.
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Jun 7, 2013 19:39
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I always hated Parker Black, because it was nowhere near. It's a kind of dark grey. Waterman Black was better, but I found my favourite black by accident: Diamine Eclipse. On swabs it comes out as a very dark indigo blue, but in writing it's a deep black, with a slight bluish hue if it catches the sun.
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Jun 7, 2013 19:49
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Brightman posted:Edit: We really need someone who's going to Japan anyway with space in a checked bagged for ink...an ink mule. So I have a 4 hour layover in Tokyo next week on my way back from a business trip. If I have any remaining room in my luggage that is not filled with tobacco and I can find someplace selling Iroshizuku inks I will grab a bunch of jars to post here without the cost-tripling shipping rates. I'll likely grab a few assorted colors for myself, and a few extra blues and blacks to post here unless there is a specific shade there is a high demand for.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:03
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I'd possibly be interested in the Tsuki-yo depending on price.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:08
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zerox147o posted:So I have a 4 hour layover in Tokyo next week on my way back from a business trip. If I have any remaining room in my luggage that is not filled with tobacco and I can find someplace selling Iroshizuku inks I will grab a bunch of jars to post here without the cost-tripling shipping rates. I'll likely grab a few assorted colors for myself, and a few extra blues and blacks to post here unless there is a specific shade there is a high demand for. Well, if you can get out of the airport, find a nearby Tokyu Hands shop. They had a full range of Iroshizuku for 1500JPY last year when I went. The exchange rate is much much better now than it was then too. In Narita Airport the only pen places were carrying the expensive luxury items. I picked up a 5 pack of Preppies in a gift shop there for pretty cheap once when I was first getting into pens. I plan to make a trip to Japan in a few months and I always come back with a lot more than I arrive with so I take a bigger suitcase than I need.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:12
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It looks like 1500JPY to USD is 15 bucks. I'd absolutely take a bottle if they're only that much. That's like half what I see other places.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:13
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RustedChrome posted:Well, if you can get out of the airport, find a nearby Tokyu Hands shop. They had a full range of Iroshizuku for 1500JPY last year when I went. The exchange rate is much much better now than it was then too. In Narita Airport the only pen places were carrying the expensive luxury items. I picked up a 5 pack of Preppies in a gift shop there for pretty cheap once when I was first getting into pens. I'm still not sure exactly how the itinerary is playing out and if I'll be able to escape the airport shops. I will be flying through Narita, though. Even if it isn't the best possible price at such a shop, I still expect it to be significantly cheaper than shipping. I pack light and will be bringing the biggest possible carry on suitcase allowed. If I have time to burn, find a good shop, and have room in my luggage I'll find my way to the thread and take actual requests. Otherwise it'll just be whatever spare black and blues I can fit or find.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:18
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Hell yeah, I'd love to buy a bottle of Take-Sumi and Shin-Kai off you if you happen to pick them up! Now let's hope flight delays don't interfere with your plans of being an ink mule.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:41
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cobalt impurity posted:Hell yeah, I'd love to buy a bottle of Take-Sumi and Shin-Kai off you if you happen to pick them up! Now let's hope flight delays don't interfere with your plans of being an ink mule. That is my concern. I'm asking ahead of time just because I'm not sure how much time I'll have to spend on the internet during the week, and if I end up having a few hours in Tokyo it is going to be something like 4AM on Sunday morning in the States. Will do my best to come back with treats!
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Jun 7, 2013 20:49
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I'd love a bottle of Tsukushi if it'll wind up being less than buying in the states, I assume you're in the US(for shipping purposes) thanks!
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Jun 7, 2013 21:41
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lady flash posted:I'd love a bottle of Tsukushi if it'll wind up being less than buying in the states, I assume you're in the US(for shipping purposes) thanks! It is $25 on Amazon with Prime shipping. If I don't find bottles for $15 or less I won't bother as even domestic shipping would make the price close enough to not be worth it.
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Jun 7, 2013 21:51
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Oh yeah, if you guys are looking for a good black that isn't Heart of Darkness, Sailor's Carbon Black is pretty much the blackest thing out there. It's pigmented, though, so you have to flush the pen every so often (but you should be doing this anyway!)
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Jun 7, 2013 23:34
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zerox147o posted:It is $25 on Amazon with Prime shipping. If I don't find bottles for $15 or less I won't bother as even domestic shipping would make the price close enough to not be worth it. The official price over here is 1,575 yen with tax, which Google confirms is just a smidge over fifteen bucks, so you're in luck!
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Jun 8, 2013 04:27
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I just got a bottle from Tokyu Hands for 1575 yen, and I saw Maruzen has the same price too. Remember to pack carefully! I once lost half a bottle of yuyake to breakage. Also be careful of restrictions on liquids in carry ons.
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Jun 8, 2013 05:23
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You're allowed 3oz which is almost 90mL. The bottles I looked up were only 50mL so they should be ok.
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Jun 8, 2013 06:08
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Here's my review of the Pilot DP-500 desk pens (with some DP-200 goodness, too). Shall we include [56K DIE] in the thread title yet ? Nib goodness  DP-500 with CON-20 squeeze converter  Transparent ink feed        Pilot make several other types of desk pens which I might review later.
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Jun 9, 2013 17:26
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I CANNOT EJACULATE WITHOUT SEEING NATIVE AMERICANS BRUTALISED!
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Whoa, awesome review! I don't know how I'd feel about that taper, but those pens certainly look impressive for being made of plastic. Especially with the gold nib, the price seems reasonable enough, too!
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Jun 10, 2013 05:21
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cobalt impurity posted:Whoa, awesome review! I don't know how I'd feel about that taper, but those pens certainly look impressive for being made of plastic. Especially with the gold nib, the price seems reasonable enough, too! Thanks! Actually, I like the taper - you can hold the pen higher or lower without needing to post it. Since all metal parts are in the section, the pen is still well-balanced and not top-heavy. Even Montblanc use (slightly fancier) plastic, too 
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Jun 10, 2013 13:33
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Does anyone have any recommendations for massive-sized and/or weighty fountain pens? I'm talking about pens that are 7~8 inches or more in length or just straight up made out of metal or something. I want huge and heavy. While I was at the airport in London, I was looking at some Montblanc pens at their store, and I was checking out the Meisterstück 149, and I just have to have it, or at least something like it. Obviously, I didn't have $800 on me, and I don't feel justified to spend that much on a pen just yet since I'm still sort of kind of new to all this.
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Jun 10, 2013 16:49
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You could check out the Sailor 1911. It's similar to Mont Blancs, but probably half that cost, and functions a hell of a lot better. edit: $250 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sailor-1911-Large-Fountain-Black/dp/B0040QYXJ4 edit2: you might not want a music nib though
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Jun 10, 2013 17:30
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Pilot Metal Falcon fits with big+metal, it uses a semi-flexible nib though, which could be good or bad depending on your preferences. Taking metal+size to its logical endpoint is the Lamy Dialog 3, probably the largest pen I've handled in person.
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Jun 10, 2013 17:39
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If you're new to all of this, my recommendation is to buy the cheapest large metal pen you can find and play with it. The nib isn't as important as what your hand thinks at this point. I thought I'd like larger pens since I have 3XL hands but I quickly found that anything larger than the width of my Safari and Falcon are uncomfortable and make my handwriting look like garbage. Also this looks rad as hell: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/216656-my-bamboo-fountain-pen/
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Jun 10, 2013 18:29
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Yoshi Jjang posted:Does anyone have any recommendations for massive-sized and/or weighty fountain pens? I'm talking about pens that are 7~8 inches or more in length or just straight up made out of metal or something. I want huge and heavy. teethgrinder posted:You could check out the Sailor 1911. It's similar to Mont Blancs, but probably half that cost, and functions a hell of a lot better. I was going to point out that the standard size (17.2g) is only $155 on https://isellpens.com but they're looking for a large pen. They don't have normal large 1911s on there anymore, just the Realos, but they are on sale for just $300 now. Also the Pro Gear is on sale for $248, and while it's a different style, it is slightly heavier (21.6g) than the Realo (21.4g), so that might be a good option, granted they're both still pretty light. Metal pens are pretty much the way to go for a weighty feel, the heaviest I have is a Monteverde Invincia (40g), but I don't think it's all that long and the style is even farther from the Meisterstück (30g). Really the way to go on this request would probably be the metal TWSBIs that are coming out "soonish". fake edit: Added the weights.
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Jun 10, 2013 18:46
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The Monteverde Invincia Stealth is about 5.25" long (measured totally scientifically by comparing it to a notebook) so it's not the longest pen but it's very heavy which is great if you like that. Edit: Not sure why I wrote Montblanc the first time round. ephphatha fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Jun 12, 2013 |
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Jun 10, 2013 18:58
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Get a Jinhao 159 for like $7 shipped off of eBay (or $10 on isellpens). Huge and heavy, made of lacquered brass, and actually writes pretty decently. Definitely worth the price to see if you really like big pens, then you can get a >$100 one if you still feel like it.
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Jun 10, 2013 19:08
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Seconded. Keep in mind that for writing several pages at a time, smaller/lighter pens with good balance (not top-heavy) might be more comfortable while bigger pens will be comfortable for signatures, short notes etc.
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Jun 10, 2013 20:34
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Ephphatha posted:The Montblanc Invincia Stealth is about 5.25" long (measured totally scientifically by comparing it to a notebook) so it's not the longest pen but it's very heavy which is great if you like that. Actually, before I just posted my question, I did just order a Monteverde Invincia Deluxe. It didn't even occur to me that it would be heavy. Now I'm pretty excited to try it out.  Strangelet Wave posted:Get a Jinhao 159 for like $7 shipped off of eBay (or $10 on isellpens). Huge and heavy, made of lacquered brass, and actually writes pretty decently. Definitely worth the price to see if you really like big pens, then you can get a >$100 one if you still feel like it. I got the Jinhao X450 a while ago, and I totally love the feel of it. It's heavy and it glides so well. Best four bucks I ever spent. I'll probably get the 159, too, because hey, these pens are cheap.
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Jun 10, 2013 20:52
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I actually find lighter, but larger, pens are more comfortable for longer writing sessions. I picked up an Online pen from a store in Paris on a vacation a month or so ago, and while I love the way it looks and writes, my hand gets sores after writing more than a few sentences because the pen's so narrow where I grip it.
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Jun 10, 2013 20:53
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 And yay free candy from Goulet. The Metro is heavier than my other pens (Lamy Safari and Noodler Ahab Flex) but I like that. Also, in case anyone is reading this and wondering 'Will my left handedness be a problem with a fountain pen?' I would answer that I haven't had a problem with dragging my hand through wet ink or anything like that.
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Jun 10, 2013 21:40
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Yoshi Jjang posted:Actually, before I just posted my question, I did just order a Monteverde Invincia Deluxe. It didn't even occur to me that it would be heavy. Now I'm pretty excited to try it out. I have a Jinhao x450 too (it broke eventually, body came undone from the screw bit) and the Invincia is heavier. It also writes really nice, and since you got the Deluxe it should write even nicer. Also since I googled stuff about Mont Blanc earlier Google Now is now telling me that there's a Mont Blanc boutique 21 minutes from my current location. Maybe someday that information will be useful...someday.
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Jun 10, 2013 22:16
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Brightman posted:Also since I googled stuff about Mont Blanc earlier Google Now is now telling me that there's a Mont Blanc boutique 21 minutes from my current location. Maybe someday that information will be useful...someday. Yeah, tell me about it. When I was at the Mont Blanc store at the London airport, I felt horribly under-dressed for just being there. I also found a Mont Blanc shop in my town, but I doubt I'd have any reason to visit that place anytime soon.
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Jun 10, 2013 22:29
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