Pelikan Edelstein Onyx Ink Review

I feel completely normal owning every blue ink variation on the planet, but have little to no interest in black inks. Why is that?

The obvious answer is that there is very little variation in black inks besides dry time and lubrication. I'd say that's true, but if I'm being completely honest I'd say they are just boring. Give me one good black ink and I'm set for life.

As my fountain pen friends know all too well, finding that one good ink is the challenge. Is Pelikan Edelstein Onyx "The One"?

I nearly eliminated this ink right out of the gate because of the hints of brown and purple I saw when inking up my TWSBI Mini 1.5 mm stub for the first time. The one thing I want out of my black ink more than anything is darkness - it needs to be pitch black. It came out on the page nice and dark but dried with more grey than I like to see.

That bears the question: What is the deepest, darkest black ink currently on the market? Noodler's Borealis Black gets my vote, along with the amazingly similar Aurora Black (bottle purchased, review pending). Not only are those two inks darker than Onyx, they cost about half as much. The only plus on the Onyx side of the ledger is dry time - it's probably half that of Borealis and Aurora.

If there is another black that you think is darker than Borealis I would love to hear it in the comments.

Sailor Jentle Apricot Orange Ink Review

I mentioned my disdain for red fountain pen inks recently, but orange and I have a great relationship. I may not use it as frequently as my beloved blue black inks, but orange will always have a place in my rotation when warranted.

Sailor Jentle Apricot Orange is a true, bright orange. On the white Rhodia DotPad page it really pops. While it may not have the variance in shading of Noodler's Apache Sunset, it has moderate shading in its own right, showing a range of orange with hints of yellow. It goes down light and a bit dry from the nib and dries into what is shown in the photos.

In the realm of alternate fountain pen inks Sailor Jentle Apricot ranks right near the top for me. What non-standard colors are your favorites? I'd love to check them out!

Diamine Red Dragon Ink Review

Red fountain pen inks are tough for me. Red gel, red ballpoint, red roller ball inks - no problem. But red fountain pen inks can't seem to crack the rotation. Why is that?

I think the obvious answer is maintenance. I try to keep as few fountain pens inked as possible, ranging from five to a somewhat overwhelming ten. My preference lies with blues, predominantly blue black, with possibly one turquoise, one black, and one orange ink filled somewhere within the group. Anytime I have inked up red I end up not using it (maybe orange is my red?), and down the sink it goes.

Friends and readers of this blog seem to love red inks though, at least judging by the amount of questions I get about them. Luckily my friend Thomas sent a couple of samples my way, like this Diamine Red Dragon, so I am able to test without comittment. That is always a bonus in my book.

In my admittedly limited experience I categorize red inks two ways: bright or dark. Bright includes pure reds that really pop off the page, or reds that show strong hints of pink and/or orange. Dark includes inks that are on the blood or brick end of the spectrum, possibly with some brown showing through. Red Dragon is an ink you should consider if you are looking for a dark, blood red.

Like most Diamine inks - which are becoming some of my favorites - it is well behaved from my TWSBI 1.5 mm stub nib. The feedback is smooth and consistent with minimal shading, and an average to below average dry time. I'm impressed by it, but it isn't the red ink that is going to make me reconsider adding one to my rotation.

What other red inks should be on my radar?

In honor of this review, I present the song that got me hooked on Okkervil River:

performed at MusicFest NW, Crystal Ballroom, Portland, September 10, 2010