J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir Ink Review

If Iroshizuku Kon-peki is my favorite blue ink, then J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir is my close second.

Éclat de Saphir is a gorgeous, vibrant blue ink with lots of character and depth. I love how it pops off the page when I’m writing and even after it’s dried. I'm very pleased when inks retain the same level of saturation when they dry as when the ink is wet, and this ink is no exception.

Before I dive into the detailed notes, I do have some general comments about this ink. I love the color and shading qualities of this ink, but you really need to try it in a fine or larger nib (or medium and larger for Japanese nibs) to get the full effect. After playing with this ink for a while, I really want a stub nib. Secondly, many reviews I've seen on this ink praise its fast-drying property, as well as many other J. Herbin inks. This has not been the case for me with this ink. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if I'm just using wet nibs on heavy paper, but I would not say it's fast to dry. In my tests, it took about 20 seconds to dry to a point where it would not smudge when I brushed my finger across it. With that being said, it's still an excellent ink that I highly recommend.

This is one of the most well-behaved and easy to maintain inks I've tried. I currently only have cartridges, but will buy a bottle very soon so as to use it in even more pens. It's extremely easy to clean out of pens and washes off my fingers easily.

My favorite quality of this ink is the color. It's a medium to dark blue, very similar to what I think of as "royal" blue. It's nice and saturated, which is something I long for in inks. It has good lubrication and excellent flow in the handful of pens I've used so far.

On nice paper, this ink does not feather or show through the page. Sure, it does feather on cheap paper, but what ink doesn't?

The shading properties are fantastic. Again, I see a stub nib in my near future just so I can play with this beautiful ink some more.

Overall, this is one of my favorite inks and I can't wait to introduce it to more of my pens. Aside from my quibble with the drying time, it's close to a perfect ink for me. I'd like to hear from you if you have some information about the drying time or have advice on performing ink drying tests. Next time you're looking for a nice blue ink to try, grab some Éclat de Saphir.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)

Ink Samples With The Maruman Mnemosyne Word Book

One thing I have always wanted is a visual sampling of my fountain pen inks. I have tried random sheets of paper and various notebooks but none have ever stuck. I wanted a good, thick paper and the ability to move the samples around and compare them side-by-side. Enter the Maruman Mnemosyne Word Book.

The Word Book is basically Maruman's take on flash cards. Used by students for memorization, these ringed study cards can serve many purposes. Personally, they remind me of a paint sample book and are the perfect setup for fountain pen ink samples.

The cards are approximately 4"x2", giving me plenty of room for a large ink swab (using a basic Q-Tip dipped in the ink bottle) while leaving room for a written description at the bottom of the card. The cards are thick enough to where the large amount of ink doesn't buckle the card or bleed through. You could even use the back side for another ink sample, but I will probably use that side for ink notes.

The paper is off-white and does have some tooth to it, similar to watercolor paper. For deadly accurate color representation I will admit it is not perfect. Since the paper is so porous it soaks up much of the ink and dulls out some of the colors. It works for what I am trying to accomplish but a smoother, perfectly white paper would be a better choice.

Having the ring and pre-drilled holes is an awesome option. I can arrange the cards however I want, plus add and remove as needed. My only mistake was putting the ink sample near the top of the card. It would have worked much better if I put the ink at the bottom to where I could see them better when fanned out.

Overall, I am happy with this setup. It allows for a quick comparison of inks and is easily accessible. I have swabbed all of my ink bottles so far, and will be moving onto my sample vials in phase two. The Word Book is a great deal for under $4.00 at JetPens.

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

Diamine Bilberry Ink Review

The Bilberry is a wild-growing fruit found mainly in northern and central Europe and is a close relative to the blueberry found in North America. It is also the name of an extra-funky fountain pen ink made by Diamine.

While the ink is sometimes referred to as Bilberry Blue, in my short time with it I have found it to be distinctly purple. An electric purple at that. Breakin' 2: Electric Purple Boogaloo.

Like most Diamine inks I have used, Bilberry is well behaved. The color is rich, the shading is nice, and in this particular case there is a slight sheen left behind which you can see in the image below. Dry time is nothing special - average at best on my Rhodia DotPad.

When I did the handwritten part of the review I was enamored with the ink. I still am, but I haven't found it to be an every day go to ink like I thought it might be. Still, it is nice to have around and I thank Thomas for sending me this sample.

You can pick up a bottle of Diamine Bilberry at JetPens for $12.50.

As an added bonus, here is Bill Berry back on drums with some of his R.E.M. bandmates at Peter Buck's wedding this summer: