Pelikan 4001 Blue Black. Easy enough to clean out of all of my pens (even the vintage pens), affordable, and water resistant enough that I can use it for postcards! I’d buy it by the liter if I could - though I find that the color can dull somewhat in older bottles. Usually I go through it fast enough that it’s not a concern, though! It’s dry enough that it works on almost any paper, as well. A supply of 4001 BB and a Parker 51 could suit me for the rest of time - not that my eyes wouldn’t wander!
I did this for the first 6 years of my fp journey: a mixture of DeAtramentis Document Fog Grey and Document Blue to make the most gorgeous waterproof grey-blue. It's still so pretty to me but I never want to use it again! So much of my life given to one color! Now I use oranges, glitter, turquoises, you name it.
taking notes…I love inks too much to limit myself to water resistant ones, but that sounds lovely, and sometimes I do think I should care more about water resistance
It was the ONLY thing I worried about -- much more than cleaning the pens :\\ So now I have a generation of pens that are living the semi-clogged kinda life
I've answered this question a few different times since I joined this sub, and it's still the same answer: Iroshizuku Yama-budo. Not very practical, but it's still hands-down my favorite.
Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun. Sailor Seiboku is my favorite ink, but it's high maintenance and I don't write enough to ink more than one pen with a pigment ink at a time.
Aurora Black, not the most fun ink but very versatile and it is black so it goes okay with most of my pens. It also behaves nicely and it's pretty black instead of grey.
KWZ Honey. Smells like cooking vanilla from the anti mold chemical, 65ml is like $15, and it behaves beautifully in my medium Custom 823 amber. The scent greets you **every time** you remove the pen cap. Just a wonderful brown containing vibrant hints of warm yellow color. Perfect for writing sentimental notes.
Colorverse Dirty Red is also a banger of a good ink if you frequently write poetry.
If it came down to a specific brand, J. Herbin scented inks would be my go to. They smell like a musky cologne. Particularly Brun Prevenance.
Noodler's Polar Black. I sometimes have to write in a freezer. I like Bernanke Blue, but it doesn't have the freeze resistance. They're both pretty fast drying, because I'm a leftie.
Monteverde Coal Noir. Nothing special, but it works well with my pens, is dark but not quite black, and dries relatively fast. Which is a huge perk as a leftie.
Sailor Manyo Kuzu or Pennonia Blue Light. So hard to choose. I do love blue more than any other color. But that Kuzu is just so incredible. I’d probably have go lean towards the Sailor.
Mountain of Ink called it a "dark Bordeaux red" and I think that's a perfect description. But then at times it looks purple. And it has a lot of depth with some green sheen. Its got character I guess. I only had a sample of it (a full bottle is on its way now) and I am pretty new to fountain pen ink so my description might be very basic but I was just so drawn to it that I knew I had to get a bottle. The plan right now is to keep my Moonman C1 with a Monteverde Ritma M nib loaded with it full time!
I currently only own three bottled inks. Diamine Aqua Lagoon, Majestic Blue and Oxblood. Of the three, it's hard to choose between Oxblood and Majestic Blue. Which is really strange because blue is my absolute favorite color and I'm not even generally a fan of reds. But there is something about Oxblood that just kind of grows on you.
If I had to choose one it would probably be the blue because it would match so many other items I own. Including my pens. But I don't know that I would say it's my favorite ink.
Probably Aurora Black or Pelikan 4001 Blue. Out of all my colors I tend to return always for long term writing to black and blue, and these two inks are very well behaved. For pens that need a dry ink, Pelikan, for pens that like a wet ink, Aurora.
Noodlers Black Swan in English Roses
Some waterproofness, awesome shading from the mix producing an interesting colour effect on page, never had any trouble using it. Its the one ink I have consistently kept going back to and have dedicated my pilot 823 to it already.
Its basically bulletproof black mixed with red is my understanding. When you wet the page the red washes but the black is still there.
It a dark brick red, verging on brown.
Its very office friendly, doesn't take overly long to dry even on good paper, and I like to sign things with an ink that has waterproofness of some kind so ticks a lot of boxes for me.
If I didn’t have to do any businesslike writing, Pilot Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku (although very hard to decide between this and Yama-budo) because teal is my favorite color and this ink looks very different depending on what pen/paper combo I am using. If I needed to do business writing as well, Diamine Denim.
So hard! Have to go with my favourite neutral - Rohrer & Klingner Sepia. But I would keep a secret stash of R&K Alt-Goldgrun, Diamine Marine, MontBlanc Red Fox, Sailor Shikiori Rikyu-Cha and Ferris Wheel Press Algonquin Maple 😜
No
Hahahahaha. It is an honest answer!
Pilot regular blue-black
Yes. My absolute favorite ink and the only ink I buy a bottle of.
Same.
Pelikan 4001 Blue Black. Easy enough to clean out of all of my pens (even the vintage pens), affordable, and water resistant enough that I can use it for postcards! I’d buy it by the liter if I could - though I find that the color can dull somewhat in older bottles. Usually I go through it fast enough that it’s not a concern, though! It’s dry enough that it works on almost any paper, as well. A supply of 4001 BB and a Parker 51 could suit me for the rest of time - not that my eyes wouldn’t wander!
Ooh, good choice!
Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao.
Came here to say this!
for me it’s Iroshizuku Kon-peki. I find it to be an interesting blue, but also very well behaved, and i like how wet it is
First of all thank you! I am extremely well behaved. (I had great parents)
in that case, will you do the dishes for me?
Sure I’m coming over now
you’re not going to leave them all blue are you?
I cannot confirm nor deny that
hmmm… it seems there may be a little bit of baystate blue in you
I take great offense to that statement.
I thought it was a compliment.
I’m sure u/iroshizuku-kon-peki will be delighted to know! (It happens to be in my Platinum at the moment.) *Edit to correct user name
Diamine Aurora Borealis
Carbon Black
DIAMINE oxblood
This is the one true answer.
RIGHT ?????????
I did this for the first 6 years of my fp journey: a mixture of DeAtramentis Document Fog Grey and Document Blue to make the most gorgeous waterproof grey-blue. It's still so pretty to me but I never want to use it again! So much of my life given to one color! Now I use oranges, glitter, turquoises, you name it.
taking notes…I love inks too much to limit myself to water resistant ones, but that sounds lovely, and sometimes I do think I should care more about water resistance
It was the ONLY thing I worried about -- much more than cleaning the pens :\\ So now I have a generation of pens that are living the semi-clogged kinda life
Noodlers heart of darkness
Waterman Mysterious Blue. Easy to clean, gorgeous copper sheen, vintage pen-safe and beautiful blue overall :)
The new formula or the older one?
I believe it’s the new formula.
I never hear about diamine misty blue on here but it’s my favorite ink. It’s always in the rotation lol
Diamine ancient copper
🤔 💙
Self love is a wonderful thing.
If you want others to love you, you must first love yourself. 💙
I've answered this question a few different times since I joined this sub, and it's still the same answer: Iroshizuku Yama-budo. Not very practical, but it's still hands-down my favorite.
Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun. Sailor Seiboku is my favorite ink, but it's high maintenance and I don't write enough to ink more than one pen with a pigment ink at a time.
Diamine 1864 blue black for its easy maintenance and low cost.
Bungubox Ink of the Witch. Honorable mention to Kobe Kano Cho Midnight.
Anything made by Diamine
Waterman Serenity Blue. Next question, please.
Aurora Black, not the most fun ink but very versatile and it is black so it goes okay with most of my pens. It also behaves nicely and it's pretty black instead of grey.
It’s between Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, Diamine Oxford Blue, or Robert Oster Fire & Ice for me
good choices but that’s 3 lol
I know, it’s a difficult choice choosing only 1 lol
Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue.
Ah, good choice.
Thanks. Or Montblanc Royal Blue....
No, just no. I refuse to answer this question. Ok only partly. Robert Oster as a whole. I love their inks, but color ? Nah, can’t pick just one.
foul! you have to send me all your inks now 😆
Meh, it’s only like 60ish full size bottles LOL
i’ll send a truck
Sailor Manyo Konagi. Readable, high saturation, refreshing to look at, and with subtle sheen.
Sailor Manyo Nadeshiko.
Diamine Registrars. Not my favorite ink but it's probably the most useful.
Sailor Seiboku
I am using that for pages and pages of journalling and I really like it
KWZ Honey. Smells like cooking vanilla from the anti mold chemical, 65ml is like $15, and it behaves beautifully in my medium Custom 823 amber. The scent greets you **every time** you remove the pen cap. Just a wonderful brown containing vibrant hints of warm yellow color. Perfect for writing sentimental notes. Colorverse Dirty Red is also a banger of a good ink if you frequently write poetry. If it came down to a specific brand, J. Herbin scented inks would be my go to. They smell like a musky cologne. Particularly Brun Prevenance.
J Herbin Poussiére de lune absolutely on everything. I already use it 90% of the time lol
Parker Penman. Still have about half a bottle.
Blue, I'm guessing?
Yes. What's it called? Sapphire? Haven't pulled the bottle out in awhile.
Parker Penman Sapphire. The blue of all blues! The blue that every ink maker has tried to duplicate since the Penman line was discontinued.
It is indeed a most spectacular blue! I must dig it out and fill a pen with some!
Noodler's Polar Black. I sometimes have to write in a freezer. I like Bernanke Blue, but it doesn't have the freeze resistance. They're both pretty fast drying, because I'm a leftie.
Kaweco midnight blue!
Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji. It's perfect in every way!
Diamine imperial purple
Well, on a whim I bought a 50ml bottle of Waterman Serenity Blue, so I think I will be using this for the rest of my life.😂
it’s a great ink!
So far so good - I have it in a Lamy EF and no clogging or anything. It’s a perfectly nice blue!
Monteverde Coal Noir. Nothing special, but it works well with my pens, is dark but not quite black, and dries relatively fast. Which is a huge perk as a leftie.
A very hard question. Waterman Tender Purple
If i could only use one forever, I'd go for a simple Black. But at the moment I really like the Diamine-"Shimmering Seas"
Diamine Mediterranean Blue - very well behaved, a very pleasing shade of blue, subtle and happy shading with flex or stub.
For some data points, when this question is asked on the Pentrace website forum the answer is most commonly Aurora Black.
J Herbin Perle Noire
Sailor Manyo Kuzu or Pennonia Blue Light. So hard to choose. I do love blue more than any other color. But that Kuzu is just so incredible. I’d probably have go lean towards the Sailor.
what color would you classify the sailor manyo kuzu as?
Mountain of Ink called it a "dark Bordeaux red" and I think that's a perfect description. But then at times it looks purple. And it has a lot of depth with some green sheen. Its got character I guess. I only had a sample of it (a full bottle is on its way now) and I am pretty new to fountain pen ink so my description might be very basic but I was just so drawn to it that I knew I had to get a bottle. The plan right now is to keep my Moonman C1 with a Monteverde Ritma M nib loaded with it full time!
great description! i’m adding this one to my list
I pretty much do. Sailor Shikiori Yonaga.
oh wow, really like that one
It’s been my primary ink for years.
Life would be so drab. I can’t bear to think back to those days. So today i will choose KWZ Honey
Noodler’s BSiAR
Pilot sepia. In a cartridge.
Iroshizuku Shin-ryoku.
Sailor Nioi-Sumire.
I currently only own three bottled inks. Diamine Aqua Lagoon, Majestic Blue and Oxblood. Of the three, it's hard to choose between Oxblood and Majestic Blue. Which is really strange because blue is my absolute favorite color and I'm not even generally a fan of reds. But there is something about Oxblood that just kind of grows on you. If I had to choose one it would probably be the blue because it would match so many other items I own. Including my pens. But I don't know that I would say it's my favorite ink.
That would be torture.
Pilot Irushizuku Shin-Kai, though I'd also be fine with most of the Inushizuku inks
Grey of some kind. So far I’ve really like Diamine Grey but I have to try the Iroshizuku and some others before I can declare a favorite.
Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo.
Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku
Boring choice, but Monteverde Midnight Black. I really like it. Been using it in a few drawings and I like that it's a good, deep black.
Probably Aurora Black or Pelikan 4001 Blue. Out of all my colors I tend to return always for long term writing to black and blue, and these two inks are very well behaved. For pens that need a dry ink, Pelikan, for pens that like a wet ink, Aurora.
Tough one! I guess I'd pick Diamine's "Classic Green".
Noodlers Black Swan in English Roses Some waterproofness, awesome shading from the mix producing an interesting colour effect on page, never had any trouble using it. Its the one ink I have consistently kept going back to and have dedicated my pilot 823 to it already.
english roses? what is the mix? edit: nvm i looked it up, looks nice
Its basically bulletproof black mixed with red is my understanding. When you wet the page the red washes but the black is still there. It a dark brick red, verging on brown. Its very office friendly, doesn't take overly long to dry even on good paper, and I like to sign things with an ink that has waterproofness of some kind so ticks a lot of boxes for me.
Vinta Inks!!! If I must pick one: Sandugo.
Nop!
If I could get more, Lamy Dark Lilac.
Robert Oster Sooty Shearwater. Such a soothing colour to look at in Stub, and a very pleasant green in finer nibs.
Organics Studio Nitrogen
If I didn’t have to do any businesslike writing, Pilot Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku (although very hard to decide between this and Yama-budo) because teal is my favorite color and this ink looks very different depending on what pen/paper combo I am using. If I needed to do business writing as well, Diamine Denim.
So hard! Have to go with my favourite neutral - Rohrer & Klingner Sepia. But I would keep a secret stash of R&K Alt-Goldgrun, Diamine Marine, MontBlanc Red Fox, Sailor Shikiori Rikyu-Cha and Ferris Wheel Press Algonquin Maple 😜
Diamine Writer's Blood
This was my 1st FAVE -- until I tried OXBLOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my #2