(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
While this ink might be new to me, it's been around for quite some time as part of the Pilot Iroshizuku line. As you might know, some of my favorite inks come from this line, and this one is no exception. Iroshizuku Ku-jaku (Peacock) is a fantastic ink that I've immensely enjoyed using.
First off, Ku-jaku is a "deep turquoise blue" ink that acts exactly like every other Iroshizuku ink — beautifully. As far as my ink color preferences go, turquoise is probably my favorite variety. I've reviewed Iroshizuku Syo-ro, Sailor Jentle Yama-dori, and Franklin Christoph's Midnight Emerald, and they all share a common shade of dark turquoise with excellent shading. Ku-jaku is no different. The only problem for me is that it's impossible to pick a favorite out of this line-up.
First off, Ku-jaku is a tad lighter than the other inks I've mentioned. Because of this, you can see a lot more of the blue-green popping off the page when you write. This probably makes it less "business-friendly," but it's worth it. Being called "peacock," you have to understand that this ink has to show off its colors. And, if you use a broader or specialized nib, it has no problem showing it off.
Just like the other dark turquoise inks in my list, Ku-jaku also shades beautifully. Shading is a big factor for all of my favorite inks, and the subtle changes that I see in Ku-jaku are marvelous. The light end of the spectrum is a medium, electric green that deepens into a dark blue-green that reminds me of the sea. If you're a fan of shading, this ink will not let you down.
When it comes to dry times, Ku-jaku is pretty fast. In my tests, the ink was dry by 20 seconds, but pretty much smudge-proof by about 12-15 seconds. Only a very deliberate and heavy rub would smudge the ink after about 12 seconds. This is a great drying time and something to consider if fast drying inks are important to you.
Feathering is non-existent if you're using decent paper, and show-through is minimal. Really, every aspect of this ink is on-par with all of the Iroshizuku offerings.
Of course, you can pick this up in a 15ml bottle or a larger 50ml bottle. I opted for the smaller bottle on my first time around, but I'll definitely go for the larger one when it's time to replenish my stock. So far, this ink has been going fast due to the popularity.
It's an Iroshizuku, so you know it will behave well. All that's left to consider is the color. Turquoise fans will love it, but it might have limited value if you already own some of the comparable inks mentioned here. Still, it's unique enough to merit space on my shelf!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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