Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa Review

I don't ever think I have seen a picture of Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa that accurately reflects what it looks like in person, the above picture included. That is why it took me so long to get on the bandwagon quite honestly. It never looked like a good fit. A sample vial from my friend Thomas changed all of that.

From the very first time I inked it up I was hooked. I talk a lot about products that get everything "just right" and Scabiosa is one of them. The color - a dusty purple with hints of brown and grey - is just right. The amount of shading is just right. The dry time is just right. The ease of cleaning, even for an iron gall ink, is just right.

I like blue black fountain pen inks because they look classic - even historic - on the page. Scabiosa gives that same look. It stands out from the crowd while remaining professional enough to use in any situation. I have been keeping my TWSBI Mini 1.5 mm stub nib inked with it recently as my letter writing pen (this is also the pen used for this review). What a wonderful combination!

I owe everyone a Top 5 fountain pen inks list, which I promise I will get to very soon. Look for Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa to rank highly when it comes out.

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

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!