Posts filed under Ink Reviews

Inkebara Deer Brown Ink Review

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

We've looked at Inkebara inks previously, an ink company based in the Czech Republic, and today we have the pleasure of talking about Deer Brown. Deer Brown #610 is a mustard brown that shows up as a pleasant green-brown in most nibs. The mustard yellows and greens don't really shine through unless you're swabbing the ink.

I've always been intrigued by brown inks. They might sound boring compared to bright oranges, blues, and purples, but brown inks offer a level of subtlety and intrigue that bright inks just can't compete with. This ink is easy to recognize as brown, but it's the green hints and barely-there yellow sheen in the wetter spots that set this ink apart. It isn't simply a brown ink, and that's what I love about it.

The more inks you try, the more you realize that color is just one factor to consider when buying an ink — and a fairly unimportant one at that. What good is the perfect color if it feathers on every type of paper you use? The way the ink behaves and how it interacts with nibs and paper is so much more important. If an ink company gets those things right, then the color can really shine. In the case of Inkebara, they nailed the performance of this ink. It's smooth, flows easily, and stays crisp on the page. There's nothing I would change about the performance of this ink.

Dry time leaves a little to be desired, though. In most of my tests with the Monteverde Omniflex nib, the ink was usually dry by 30 seconds — 40 max. On the Vanness page, it says the ink dries in 50 seconds, though I think this is on the extreme side for really wet nibs. Either way, this is a fairly slow drier, so beware if you need an ink that dries quickly!

Deer Brown shades wonderfully. The dominant color is a rich, deep brown, and there are hints of dark green that come through in the thinner areas. The movement between the different shades is beautiful. I know that deer in Czech Republic are a different species than the North American deer I see where I live — and this ink color makes me want to see one of these deer in person. It's a beautiful, dark color with plenty of personality.

I'd recommend Inkebara Deer Brown to anyone looking for a luxurious brown ink. It behaves well, looks great, and cleans out of your pen easily. It takes a while to dry, but not to the extent that it stands out against other inks. It's definitely not an ink you should consider if you require a fast-drying ink. At $15.40 for a 40ml bottle, it's also a good value. If you're not sure you want a whole bottle, Vanness also offer a 4ml sample vial for a few bucks.

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

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Posted on August 17, 2022 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Inkebara, Ink Reviews.

Anderillium Shoebill Stork Grey Ink Review

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

Just a few weeks ago, I looked at an Anderillium ink that was quite interesting, but only had limited use cases for me. Today, I'm excited to be talking about another Anderillium ink -- and this one is great for all writing purposes.

Anderillium Shoebill Stork Grey is a beautiful gray ink with a lot of great shading behavior. In most cases, ink descriptions in the marketing materials are brief, but I recommend reading about the bird that serves as a namesake for this broody ink.

Naming and birds aside, this is a solid ink. It comes in the same jam jar as other inks in the same Avian series, which makes it incredibly easy to fill pens due to the large mouth. The small glass jar and flat lid also make it easy to store. At 1.5 oz or 42 ml, it holds a good amount of ink as well. You likely won't run run out quickly.

Anderillium Shoebill Stork Grey Ink Comparison

Looking at the color of this ink, it's really similar to Diamine's Earl Grey or Robert Oster's Chicago. It's in the same family of hue, and looks fantastic on paper. The shading is the real star of this ink, though. The main color is a medium-dark gray, but the thinner areas have a delightful light gray that adds a lot of visual interest to your writing.

Another surprise that definitely goes on the "pro" list for this ink the amount of time it takes to dry. In my tests with a fairly broad nib, the dry time hovers around the 10-second mark. Not bad at all. You can find other inks that dry faster if that's what you need, but this performance is nothing to criticize.

The other characteristics of how this ink performs are excellent as well. There's no feathering or bleeding, and there's only minimal show-through on the back of the page. It's well-behaved and easy to clean out of your pen when it's time for something new.

What I especially about this gray ink (or any gray ink, for that matter) is that it's decidedly gray. Even in the wettest areas, you can tell it's a gray ink. This isn't a gray-black or a gray-brown. It's simply gray, and it provides several different shades of beautiful gray that remind me of a bird's plumage.

This is a fantastic gray that goes well in any collection. If you'd like to try some out, head over to Anderillium's site to pick up a bottle. At $14.50 for a 42ml bottle, it's a pretty good value. The shading and excellent performance make this an easy choice if you like the color.

(Brad purchased this ink at regular price from Anderillium Ink at the 2022 Atlanta Pen Show.)

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Posted on August 10, 2022 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Anderillium, Ink Reviews.

Teranishi Taisho Roman Nostalgic Honey Ink Review

Let’s play a game: what color is Taisho Roman Nostalgic Honey?

Regardless of what I want to call it, it’s a beautiful shade of ink.

I never thought this color-let’s call it honey for obvious reasons-would be a color I would want to use in a fountain pen. Sure, I never disliked shades in this realm, but never saw any reason to choose it on purpose.

I was missing out.

The main issue was my choice of nib. With my preference for the extra fine things in life, I always chose a darker or brighter ink. Any blue black? yes. Bright blue, like Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki? Yes. Even brighter, like Akkerman #28 Hofkwartier Groen? Yes. A dullish brown, grey, or the like? No.

Finding a good brown ink started me down the path of choosing wider nibs to write with, especially ones that show off ink on the page better than my standard steel extra fine nibs. Stub nibs were an easy choice for me to expand in to with my block-style handwriting. A stock medium nib? The horror! But ok, yes. I do sometimes dabble in the medium realm. And you know what? I like how I can see what is happening with the ink on the page. That’s important with many of the new types of inks on the market, such as pastels, or multi-shaders.

Nostalgic Honey is neither a pastel or a multi-shader, but it is a joy to see on the page. The color is a rich golden brown, with notes of caramel, cacao, satsuma, and Bulleit Bourbon. Ok, I’m not writing coffee tasting notes here, but the color gains complexity the more you look it. And I can’t stop looking at it.

Manufactured by Teranishi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. in Japan, you may also have seen these inks as Guitar Ink, which is the name used on the bottle cap. It appears that they manufacture Taccia inks as well, which have been well-received since their launch a few years ago.

This ink performs wonderfully in my 1.1 mm Jowo Steel nib fitted in my Carolina Pen Co. Best Seller (aka Warm Tone Primary Manipulation,) because I know you want to know. I chose it not to match the pen, but to compliment it. Maybe that choice has me seeing more orange in the ink that is has naturally, but it has been a great choice regardless.

Performance-wise, Nostalgic Honey is mid-range in any category you want to assign it to: flow, lubrication, dry time, and shading. There is no sheen. It may be a slightly better than average shader on pages other than the bank paper that I used for the handwritten review, but maybe less shading from a standard round-tip nib. Your mileage may vary.

My milage with this ink, and the six other Teranishi Taisho Roman Fountain Pen inks, will only increase. At $18.95 for each 40 ml bottle they certainly have me interested.

(St. Louis Art Supply provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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