Tuesday Toolset, Top 5 Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks Edition

I finally figured out the best way for me to fully update the Top 5 Pens page. Doing it in one sweeping update is intimidating, so how about breaking it down into individual list updates? And, how about using the Tuesday Toolset post as the platform to share my thoughts on each update? Monday’s review of the TWSBI Blue Black ink dislodged this idea that had been stuck in my brain, because I was immediately asked “What are your favorite Blue Black inks?

This list helps answer that, but remember, the Top 5 Pens list is full of my recommendations for you. That may differ from my personal favorites, which I’ll discuss each week as well.

For reference purposes, I’ll take a snapshot of the previous list so you can see what changed, if anything. Not a lot of it will honestly, which is why it has taken so long since the last page update. That changes now, beginning with the Top 5 Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks.

Top 5 Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks (Previous list)

1. Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-Kai - It’s rare when the premium ink is also my top recommendation, but with the Iroshizuku price drop, Shin-kai is hard to beat. One of the best color ranges in a blue black ink while remaining traditional. (Buy)
2. Pilot Blue Black - A smart man once told me that this is the only ink he trusts explicitly in all of his pens. And, with Sailor doing who knows what with it’s stock blue black, this is the easy stock ink choice. (Buy)
3. Rohrer & Klinger Salix - Maybe the best iron gall ink I have ever used. The words iron gall turn off some people, but if you make this your first, you will be happy. (Buy)
4. Akkerman #8 Diep-Duinwaterblauw - There is a brightness that peeks out from under the covers that many other blue blacks don’t possess. The bottle alone is worth the price of admission. (Buy)
5. Lamy Blue Black - I think this ink has been on and off the list more than any other over the years. It’s a bit drier and lighter than some of the inks up top, but is such a classic color it sneaks into the back of the list when there is a shake up. (Buy)

(Notes: What happened to Sailor Blue Black, the former number one on this list? That’s a great question! Sailor has been reshuffling its ink lineup over the past couple of years, and their stock ink colors appear and disappear at random intervals, and at different prices and sizes. If they made it easier to sort out, they would still be near the top of the list.)

My personal use ranking:

1. Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai
2. Sailor Bungubox Blue Black
3. Montblanc JFK
4. Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite
5. Akkerman #8 Diep-Duinwaterblauw

Fontoplumo Kaweco Sport Coral Guilloche Fountain Pen Giveaway

Not only did Fontoplumo sponsor the blog last week for the launch of the Kaweco Sport Coral Guilloche fountain pen, they sent me one of these beautiful pens to give away. For this contest, I’ll be sending out the Gold trim model with a Fine nib. Read the rules below, and get to entering!

Fontoplumo Kaweco Sport Coral Guilloche Fountain Pen Giveaway

TWSBI Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink Review

Like many of you, I love to express myself through fountain pen ink. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of outrageous colors on the market that make me smile, and make the letters on the page look amazing. As cool as those inks are, there is always a need for classic colors, and TWSBI Blue Black is the latest and greatest.

I appreciate how TWSBI launched their new ink lineup. They dropped a six-pack of bright colors in quality packaging, allowing customers to sample one, or all of them, in smaller 18 ml bottle sizes. Following that release, TWSBI expanded the lineup with core colors - Black, Blue, Red, and Blue Black - that form the baseline for what is expected from a pen manufacturer that is producing their own inks.

While stock colors aren’t designed to set Instagram on fire, they are expected from any company bringing out their own ink to use with their full pen lineup. And TWSBI did it correctly in my book, with large, 70 ml bottles, and for a reasonable price of $18.

As a verified blue black ink aficionado, you know this was going to be the first one I tested out. I’m sure I’ll get more questions about the black - everyone needs a great black - but blue black is more my style when I’m picking out a standard color ink. In fact, it is the ink color that made me want to use fountain pen inks in the first place.

What makes a classic blue black ink in my opinion? Equal blue and black representation, and no hints of any other color except grey.

That combination is what I expect from the basic blue black ink in any fountain pen lineup. Now, there are variants of blue black that have a red sheen, a wider color range, and different undertones (all things I prefer in my most used blue blacks,) but for this ink, none of that is necessary.

TWSBI, ya basic. And I mean that in the best way possible.

I tested this ink on several types of fountain pen friendly paper, all with different characteristics. You can see how much your choice of paper makes a difference in the color the ink appears.

My handwriting on the Life Bank Paper showed the most accurate color representation, although a heavy swab of ink on the same paper made the ink appear the bluest. Tomoe River paper showed off a darker tone, primarily because the ink stays on the surface of the page more. There is very little sheen on Tomoe River, and less shading than I expected.

The darkness really popped on Rhodia - maybe too dark for what I want from this ink. And on the big swab it tried to sheen, but there is really nothing there in that category. The drier paper of the Nock Co. DotDash showed a mid-range color, closer to the Bank Paper than the other two, which makes sense.

Out of the entire batch, TWSBI Blue Black looks the best to my eye on the Life Bank Paper, although it is pretty great anywhere I’ve used it so far.

And that’s what I expect more than anything from a house ink such as this one. Sure, you can get the premium Botanist gin for your G&T, but some days, maybe those heavier writing days, call for the house brand. TWSBI has made a pretty good one that is worth inking up any day of the week.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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