Cult Pens Deep Dark Blue Ink Review

A dark blue ink made in a limited quantity by a respected manufacturer for a pen retailer - why don't you go ahead and take my first born child while you are at it? All of my buttons were pushed with Cult Pens Deep Dark Blue, a limited run ink made by Diamine. For something this cool I was more than happy to get it shipped across the pond to my doorstep.

In my quest to try every blue ink on the planet (not really - it just seems that way looking at my ink shelf), I have discovered that I enjoy darker blues and blue blacks more than the lighter shades. I also don't like blues that are too black or show too much green. And you guys thought I was picky about my pens!

Deep Dark Blue nails everything I am looking for in a blue ink. Deep and dark truly describes the color but when looking at it on the page you can clearly tell it is blue, and that is key. When it dries you can even see hints of grey and purple. There is minimal shading with my TWSBI 1.5 mm stub but otherwise the ink performed well with no feathering or bleed on my Rhodia DotPad. The dry time was right in the middle of the range of inks I've tested, maybe even on the quicker side.

(Note: It was hard to accurately depict this color in the picture above. The top half of the page most accurately shows the color, while the bottom half is more blown out.)

Overall, I am very happy with this ink and can see having it in my daily rotation. It reminds me a lot of De Atrementis Benjamin Franklin, which I used in my Tomoe River Paper review. I'm glad I picked up two bottles up front, along with two bottles of another ink not available in the US which I will be reviewing soon. I'm such a tease.

Sailor Jentle Blue Black Ink Review

If it hasn't become clear by this point let me lay it out for you in no uncertain terms: I love blue black ink. I use it in every style of pen where it is available, especially fountain pens. Why? Anyone can use a basic blue or black ink. Using blue black shows that you put a little extra thought into your ink selection while still keeping it sane. I love wild, vivid colors as much as everyone else, but for daily use it is blue black all the way.

Sailor Jentle Blue Black is one of the recent additions to my ink collection and it has me perplexed. It is a well respected ink and is highly rated by many. For me, I think I am having a hard time coming to grips with where the color falls in respect to the other blue black inks I use regularly.

As I look at the pictures now I think the shade of blue black looks fantastic, but I distinctly recall more of a "meh" feeling when first inking the page. It is possible I didn't get the proper perspective by judging the ink immediately - there are often changes the longer ink sits. I want that initial satisfaction though, which I do get from other inks. Do you wait a certain amount of time before rating your inks?

I will be giving Sailor Jentle Blue Black a longer look in a wider variety of pens, especially finer nibs. That too makes a difference in how much I like a particular ink. I have been swayed by performance in an EF nib more than once and I look forward to seeing what else this ink can do.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Noodler's Bernanke Blue Ink Review

Being a left-handed fountain pen user is tough. I don't know this because I am one, I know this because of the amount of emails and comments I get searching for quick-drying inks that will work for lefties. Noodler's Bernanke Blue is one of those inks.

After receiving a sample vial from my friend @jjlsetter I loaded it up for testing in the TWSBI Mini 1.5 mm stub nib. While I usually prefer blue black inks over traditional blues, this may be one of the best shades I have used. My photography and editing make the blue look almost neon. It is not that bright, but it does pop off the page. The depth and saturation of the color is fantastic, and if you are not a fan of shading inks this has little to none.

The real selling point of the Bernanke series is the quick drying time (be sure to read the story behind the name in the link above.) In my less than scientific testing I find it completely legit. Rhodia paper is known for its long drying times and even with it in play the dry time was almost immediate. You can see the slightest smudge on the five-second mark but that's it. An impressive performance, and the quickest drying ink I have tested.

I have a sample of Bernanke Black that I have yet to test, but I expect the same quick drying performance. So let's hear it in the comments - what is the fastest drying fountain pen ink you use?