Posted 13 April 2017 - 21:36

Please forgive this pretentious title. I think that with many "100 XX every fan of YY should try/read/listen/use" guides out there, why not write up something about fountain pen inks?

I should emphasise first and foremost that this list is by no means trying to be authoritative or objective. It is actually very subjective. I try to pick inks that are the most popular (based on my own perception), the most "historically important" (not that I know much about fp ink history though LOL). There's no fixed criteria. I choose these based on my own thoughts, the number of reviews in the INDEX, and also poll results in some Visvamitra's whole brand reviews.

I may not have personal experience with some of these inks. I've included limited editions as well as discontinued/vintage ones, just because I think we should give those a try if we are given the chance. I'm sure there are inks that you think should belong. It could be that they somehow escaped me, or that I don't know much about them, or that there's just not enough space for them. After all, there are too many nice inks out there! Please tell me what you think in comments!

Here we go. (links to reviews are copied from the INDEX. Many thanks to the mods for keeping them well-ordered!)

AKKERMAN

1. Shocking Blue (#5) nomadhacker's, fabienne's, colrehogan's, spiv's, thoppen's, dcwaites'

Intense blue ink with a hint of green, sheens beautifully. There's a recipe out there of diluting it to get a PPS doppelgänger.

AURORA

2. Black Fabienne's, Mafia Geek's, Signum1's, orange lamy's, jeen's review, The Noble Savage's review, DilletanteG's review, Ray-Vigo's review, chkuo's review, visvamitra's



3. Blue Mafia Geek's review, Sandy1's review, Owner of a Lonely Heart's review, PinarelloOnly's review, chuancao's review, JJBlanche's review, techman's review, MicheleB's review, Bill Smith's review, chkuo's review, Signum 1's review, woodworker's review

These two inks often come up in basic colour (blue, black) recommendations.

BLACKSTONE

4. Barrier Reef Blue bioluminescentsquid's , visvamitra's, Jamerelbe's, Lgsoltek's

It just sheens on any kind of paper. The wetness and lubrication bring joy in writing.

(Consider also Sydney Harbour Blue.)

CARAN D'ACHE

5. Caribbean Sea saskia_madding's, Tequila's, dizzypen's, Inka's

Discontinued.

DE ATRAMENTIS

6. Aubergine visvamitra's, fabienne's, carpedavid's, beurling's, saskia_madding's, RedSox04's, declanh's

I admit I have very limited experience with DA inks, given the great number of inks they offer (and somewhat confusing because they could give several names to the same colour.) Aubergine seems to be one of the popular ones. My experience with a couple of their inks is quite pleasing. They have a nice wet flow.

DIAMINE

Is Diamine the ink company that offers the biggest number of inks? It's impossible to pick a few among so many!

7. Ancient Copper visvamitra's, amberleadavis', trump321's, milanjuza's, Hutecker's, mhphoto's, Mafia Geek's, kronos77's, DanielCoffey's, mhphoto's, fiberdrunk's, Sandy1's, brunico's, Muncle's, Fabienne's, Chrissy's

One of the most interesting colours out there. You should try it, even though there could be nib creep/crud with pens that don't seal very well.

8. Hope Pink musicman123's, Bhavna's review, ToryLynn's review, saskia_madding's review, shaylenwilliams' mini-review, all my hues' review, lizncats' review, Chrissy's

Try pink!

9. Majestic Blue dclanh's, angelofmusic81's, mhphoto's, GouletPens', vistafan's, Sandy1's, beurling's, TheGreatimber's, Will's, Henry Louis', all my hues', dandelion's, maschuu's

10. Monaco Red rsq001's review, mucephei's review, carpedavid's review, Ben's review, Chris' review, Carrie's review, MicheleB's review, chkuo's review, Grwilliams86's review, Signum 1's review, dandelion's review, ASmileForYourScrapbook's review, Chrissy's, Phormula's, visvamitra's

11. Red Dragon Hutecker's, amberleadavis', LostInBrittany's, carpedavid's, Fabienne's, raging.dragon's, dizzypen's, WRob's, tweexcore's, Chrissy's

Actually I really hate this colour but I know how much everyone else loves it...

12. Registrars' Ink (iron gall) politovski's, DanielCoffey's (2013), politovski's, Mafia Geek's, DanielCoffey's (2012), dizzypen's, Old Codger's, dcwaites', dandelion's, carpedavid's, visvamitra's, mhphoto's

13. Sargasso Sea Hutecker's, mhphoto's, ToasterPastry's, dizzymizzy's, jandrese's, DanielCoffey's, tawanda's, jandrese's, Chrissy's, zahiradil's

A most saturated blue ink. It's gorgeous.

14. Wild Strawberry amberleadavis', DanielCoffey's, mhphoto's, visvamitra's (2014), Chrissy's, visvamitra's (2016)

This ink doesn't seem to get much attention but I believe it's a must-try. A vibrant eye-popping orange red.

(Other considerations from Diamine: China Blue, Damson, Syrah, etc.)

ECCLESIASTICAL STATIONARY SUPPLIES (ESS)

15. Registrars Ink SketchHood's, Sandy1's, visvamitra's

Often abbreviated as ESSRI on the forum, I believe it's one of the best-known iron-gall inks.

GRAF VON FABER-CASTELL

16. Moss Green amberleadavis', visvamitra's, TLab3000's

J. HERBIN

17. Bleu Pervenche visvamitra's, amberleadavis', tenurepro's review, mhphoto's review, withoutink's review, Toolattack's review, RookSeven's review KendallJ's review, caleb's

18. Éclat de Saphir amberleadavis', visvamitra's, mhphoto's, Ytland's, RookSeven's, beowulf's, biffybeans', dizzypen's, withoutink's, Sandy1's, Chrissy's

A must-try blue.



19. Lie de Thé jasonchickerson's, visvamitra's, S-K's, mhphoto's review, Sandy1's review, rsq001's review, Rap's review, umenohana's review, Tournevis's review, ladyambrosia's review, WillSW's review, visvamitra's

20. Poussière de Lune Chrissy's, Bitzel's, visvamitra's, koofle's, Hutecker's, Sandy1's, S. P. Colfer's , shaylenwilliams', TheGreatimber's, drifting's, umenohana's, Nellie's, chkuo's, dizzypen's, c arpedavid's, white_lotus'

An ink for dusky purple lovers.

21. Rouille d'Ancre amberleadavis', Michael R.'s, Margana's, visvamitra's, Fabienne's, mhphoto's

Personally I think it's a disgusting colour, but at least it's worth trying. It's a unique ink colour out there.

22. 1670 Rouge Hématite musicman123's, visvamitra's, S-K's, Awordworth's, evannole's, Bhavna's, danahn17's, mhphoto's 2, mhphoto's, orange lamy's, dizzymizzy's, PBW's, pensnpaper's, dizzypen's, shaylenwilliams', Okami's, Margana's, ladyambrosia's, carpedavid's, Armand.D's

This is probably the grandfather of all particle/shimmering inks. And it's probably one of the most gorgeous red inks.

23. 1670 Gris Orage (Stormy Grey) FP_Ink_Geek's, KaB's, Lord Epic's, mhphoto's, amberleadavis', visvamitra's, Ellina's, AgentVenom's, chingdamosaic's

But it wasn't until this ink that shimmering inks became popular.

24. 1670 Émeraude de Chivor (Emerald of Chivor) bureaudirect's, chingdamosaic's¸ visvamitra's, Chrissy's, attika89 's, jasonchickerson's, white_lotus'

The success of this ink brought Diamine new ideas.

HERO

25. Blue-Black (No. 62) ThePenInMe's

Blue-Black (No. 202) bookworm2109's review, Signum1's review Catsmelt's review, WillSW's review, mrloco's review, bluemagister's review

Blue-Black (iron gall, No. 232) kl122002's

Try an inexpensive Chinese ink. But there seems to be several versions of it.

KWZ INK

26. Grapefruit chromantic's, Lgsoltek's, white_lotus'

I know it's not the most popular KWZ ink but it's so bright, so intense.

27. Honey Lgsoltek's, visvamitra's

Now this is the most popular KWZ ink.

28. Iron-gall Gold Lgsoltek's

29. Iron-gall Turquoise Lgsoltek's, gylyf's

Before KWZI iron-gall inks are boring. There's only black and blue black. We are lucky to have Konrad that brings out colourful IG inks.

(BTW mods, IG Gold seems to be missing from the INDEX!)

KYONOOTO

30. Aonibi Lgsoltek's, visvamitra's

Try this blue black(-ish) ink to get a taste of another kind of Japanese ink (apart from Pilot and Sailor).

L'ARTISAN PASTELLIER CALLIFOLIO

31. Gris De Payne visvamitra's, saskia_madding's, hovea's, Lgsoltek's

Experience a watery, low-saturation kind of ink à la française.

32. Inti visvamitra's, saskia_madding's, namrehsnoom's, Lgsoltek's

LAMY

33. Blue visvamitra's, Hutecker's, Mafia Geek's review, Ad_Astra's review, Sandy1's review, RookSeven's review Iziem's review, Iziem's 2nd review, Mrsal's review, carpedavid's review

Not that it's good, but just because it comes with Lamy pens in cartridges. I think Lamy test their pens with this ink too.

34. Dark Lilac visvamitra's, Lgsoltek's

2016 limited edition. It's probably the best and the only best ink that Lamy could ever produce. (Yes I know I'm harsh. But it's that good. And most of the other Lamy inks are just that meh.)

35. Turquoise visvamitra's, nomadhacker's, kpweoman's, Mafia Geek's, bridgettt's, The Noble Savage's, FP_Ink_Geek's

aka Pacific Blue as 2017's LE.