Today I updated my lists of favorite pens, inks and paper plus some of the best combinations I have used. Some items are vintage and others have been discontinued so you might not find them at your local retailer.
What are some of your favorites? Is your list subject to frequent changes or is it stable?
In my email this morning was an announcement from the distributor that “Noodler’s is going back to where it all started, the Catfish! Most of the new ink labels have the classic Noodler’s label of the Catfish. Some labels have descriptions below the catfish picture explaining the ink properties.”
To be honest, when I think of Noodler’s, I always picture the catfish. Certainly there have been other memorable labels, but the catfish is the one that stays with me.
Here is a peak at what is to come.
A few folks have gotten their knickers in a twist over pen and ink names. As a result, Noodler’s has changed the names of a number of products. Other manufacturers have given inks new names over the years ostensibly for marketing reasons though apparently the underlying formulas remained unchanged. To be accurate at representation, my policy has been to use the name on the bottle and that will continue. If I ever restock a bottle with a new name, I will make the switch but who uses up Noodler’s ink? Those bottles are huge!
For reference:
Last week I ordered a replacement for a favorite ink along with a pen for a comparison review from Jet Pens. It turns out they are perfectly suited for each other in a matchy-matchy way. Sometimes you just get lucky.
Sometimes I do dumb things, but then something good comes of it. This time I filled a Delike New Moon fountain pen with Platinum Classic Lavender Black and forgot about it. Such things happen as we grow older. (sigh)
Lavender Black was in the pen for a month without use and with most inks, that would be perfectly fine. But this is an iron gall formula so OMG did I kill my pen? Not even close. It wrote immediately and cleaned easily with just a water rinse. In fact it cleaned up more quickly than one of my favorite inks in a Moonman pen that was just as ill-treated. That nib is still soaking 24 hours later.
This isn’t a recommendation for any ink other than Platinum Classic Lavender Black and I am delighted with it. Much appreciation to Luxury Brands USA for sending it and feeding my ink addiction.
In no particular order, these are my most frequently used inks based on color rather than other properties. Already in my collection, this group is in line with my plan to use what I already own. A few have been here at least ten years which probably means I don’t write enough. Maybe this year will be different.
A few inks almost made the list including Diamine Macassar and Merlot, Platinum Classic Citrus Black, Noodler’s Apache Sunset, Iroshizuku tsuki-yo and kon-peki, and Stipula Calamo Saffron and Moss Green, but that’s twenty and crazy even for me.
What’s on your list?
A reader asked if I could identify this ink. It’s beautiful but I don’t know what it is. Any ideas?
Inkophile
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