Birmingham Pen Co. Eroded Bronze Ink Review

“Brad, if you start with one ink from Birmingham Pen Co., make it Eroded Bronze.”

This was the advice I was given when I was shopping for my first batch of Birmingham Inks. I heeded that advice, right up until I gave my first bottle of Eroded Bronze away. If you have ever joined me on Twitch, that’s how I roll. Get a bunch of new stuff in to test, give some of it away to viewers. I’m glad to do it!

I had plenty of other Birmingham Inks to choose from anyway, like another classic BPC ink, Antique Sepia. But I was anxious to get Eroded Bronze back in hand, which I did on a recent order. And this time, when all of the inks came in, I held that one back for myself!

Eroded Bronze is a blue grey - I think. That’s what I like about it. That’s what I like about a lot of Birmingham inks, in fact. The colors have some complexity to them. Ink swabs of Eroded Bronze not only show blues and greys, but purple, pink, and green. It’s wild and strange, in the best way possible.

What ink swabs show don’t always translate to the line from the nib, and that was my expectation with this ink. It is a fantastic writing blue ink with character, even coming from this extra fine steel nib in my Diplomat Aero. The wider and wetter the nib choice, the more difference in color you will see on the page.

Eroded Bronze is part of the Crisp formula group, meaning this ink is designed to be a good all-around writing ink, which works well on a wide variety of paper types. I’ve tried it on three or four types of paper so far, and it writes wonderfully, with no featuring or bleeding. If anything, it leans to the drier side of the spectrum, which is in line with the formulation, and hence the performance.

I’m enjoying what I’m using from Birmingham Pen Co. so far. I’m two-for-two on keeper Crisp formula shades, so next time, I’ll branch out into one of the other ink formulations to see if the quality continues.

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

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Van Dieman's Bass Strait Cobalt Blue Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

As I'm finding with all the Van Dieman's inks I've been testing recently, each ink brings along its own delightful research journey into a landscape or feature of Australia that I'd previously never stumbled upon. With this latest ink, I discovered that there is a name for the body of water that separates Tasmania from the mainland Australia (of course there is), and that it's called Bass Strait. It's commonly used as a shorter path between the Tasman Sea and Great Australian Bight, as opposed to going all the way around the southern point of Tasmania. Apparently, these waters can become treacherous in the right conditions, which is why the marketing copy for this ink includes some stormy undertones. I relate very closely to how this color blue reminds you of a deep body of water. It's beautiful and peaceful, but also dark and mysterious. In certain light and conditions, it can be frightening because of the unknown. With Bass Strait Cobalt Blue, the line between beauty and danger hiding beneath the surface is perfectly balanced.

I've really been enjoying testing all these inks from Van Dieman's because they're so well-behaved and easy to easy. On top of that, they're really unique colors with interesting background stories to go with them. With Bass Strait, you get a rich cobalt blue that shades between medium and dark blue, and you can even spy some purple in some areas. This depth and variation is what gives the ink its personality, and what really connects it to the name. With these Van Dieman's inks, I've found that you just have to sit back and enjoy the colors and unique ink properties — no need to worry about skipping or starting issues, clotting, or clean-up problems.

Bass Strait flows smoothly and hasn't had any issues starting or skipping, and I also haven't noticed any feathering or bleeding while using it. While your experience will certainly vary depending on what nib and paper combo you're using, this ink is exceptional in terms of performance and reliability.

My favorite thing about this ink, like so many others, is the shading properties. It's always a dark, rich blue, but there's just enough variation in the strokes to make it incredibly interesting. It doesn't matter if you're using a wide nib like I am in this sample or if you're using a small nib — the shading comes through. And if you're lucky, you'll get a glimpse of that purple hiding in the depths of the ink waiting for the right conditions to surface.

If you're looking for an ink that dries fast, this one won't win any awards. It routinely took about 20-25 seconds to dry completely, but it's currently incredibly humid where I live, and I assume that adds a couple seconds to the dry time. Definitely keep this in mind if you're a left-handed writer or want to use this ink in a fast-paced setting (like jotting a note in a notebook and closing it immediately).

While there are so many cobalt and cerulean inks (and I own so many of them), this one still speaks to me as an individual and unique entry that deserves some attention. If you already have 50 cobalt inks, you probably don't need another. But if you're looking for a lovely blue with great qualities and an interesting inspiration, definitely give Bass Strait a look.

You can purchase Bass Strait in a 30ml bottle or a 4ml sample vial. At just $12.95 for a bottle, you aren't risking much for what is a guaranteed excellent ink experience.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Van Dieman's Styx Valley Forest Green Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

As summer is in full swing, I like to match some of the colors that I see outside. I also do the same thing during the winter, except my ink colors are the colors from outside that I miss seeing. At least I can enjoy this ink from the indoors where it's cool and not muggy. The latest ink I've been sporting indoors is the Styx Valley Forest Green from Van Dieman's.

Named after the Styx River Valley in Tasmania, this forest green does a great job of representing the source material.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Image Source: Australian Traveller

I've always had a soft spot for medium and dark green inks, but they just don't get the love they deserve because I'm such a sucker for more vibrant colors. A well-done dark ink can be just as satisfying to use for me — I just have to remember to use them even when my impulse always goes for the bright colors. I'd like to keep Styx Valley Forest Green in my rotation for quite a while because I'm just in love with the dark green hue and the moderate amount of shading that it lets through.

The amount of shading here isn't awe-inspiring, but it does provide some subtle shifts between a few dark and medium greens that makes me think of tall trees bending in a breeze. There's depth to the colors of a forest if you're looking at it as a whole instead of a single tree or branch. This ink, for me anyway, reminds me to slow down and take a breath. Life is short, but that's no excuse to rush through it. Appreciate the unique colors and senses.

Everything else about this ink is fairly standard. The flow is fantastic. I've never had a hard start or any skipping when using this ink, and that's not as easy to accomplish as you might think. It flows onto the page smoothly and leaves behind crisp lines. I haven't noticed any bleeding or feathering, regardless of what type of paper I'm using.

One thing that is worth calling out as a negative is the dry time. I'm not sure I've ever used a green ink that's been fast-drying, and this one is no exception. With this large 1.5mm stub nib, the drying times can be a little longer, but not by much in my experience. The ink is normally dry by the 30-second mark, but every now and then a large blob will take longer to dry. Just keep that in mind if your grip follows the ink or if you intend to jot down quick notes and close your notebook immediately after. This isn't a good ink for that because you'll end up with lots of smudges and little spots on the opposite page.

Cleaning out this ink is just what I'd expect — easy. There's not much more to say about that. The ink washes out easily without any fuss.

Van Dieman's Styx Valley Forest Green goes for about $13 for a 30ml bottle, which is a great price for the quality of ink you're getting. If you're not sure you want to commit to the whole bottle, you can always go for a 4ml sample for a few bucks. If you like green inks (or just need some cheer in your life!), try out Styx Valley in your next purchase.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!