Which Discontinued Inks Would You Resurrect?

If you could bring back back from the grave a few discontinued inks, which ones would they be?

My list would include

• Parker Penman Sapphire
• Noodler’s Tahitian Pearl (A Swisher exclusive)
• Caran d’Ache Storm
• Montblanc Racing Green
• Sailor Brown
• Parker Penman Ruby
• Sailor Uranari Green (Pen Gallery LE)

There are others, but these are inks I’ve used enough to know I will miss them when their bottles are empty. There are substitutes and worthy replacements, but no true duplicates for any of these inks. But that just means I get to move on to something new. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Which inks would be on your list?

Pink, Meet Greens!

My ink rotation is looking a bit somber for the almost-spring weather with its blue skies and 65° of warmth. Tuesday’s snow has melted from the surrounding mountains. One neighbor’s gardener is whacking off tree limbs while the house across the street is getting demolished in favor of a boring, modern structure. It is far too noisy to hear the birds but they are around even if drowned out by the blare of machinery. Their chatter can be heard in the early morning before the sound of man takes over so with certainty they have returned. New growth is sparse yet, but that lack of color can be remedied by some vivid hues in my pens.

Rohrer & Klingner Solferino is my annual choice for the ink that announces the retreat of winter. To complement that jolt of pink, a green is in order. For comparison, I swabbed a few available options on a sheet of Strathmore Windpower Sketch paper. None of these inks look wrong but a few look more right than others. Which green would you choose?

• Diamine Emerald
• Diamine Kelly Green
• Diamine Sherwood
• Diamine Ultra Green
• Diamine Umber
• Diamine Woodland
• Iroshizuku shin-ryoku
• J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage
• J. Herbin Vert Empire
• Montblanc Racing Green
• Rohrer & Klingner Verdura
• Private Reserve Avacado
• Sailor Epinard

Pink, Meet Green Inks!

Faced with a possible disaster, what would you grab?

Few of us will ever have to grab just a couple of favorites and run for the door. But if you did what would you take in an emergency?

I live in earthquake country. There is no warning that we are in danger. It just strikes. Keeping my selection to what could quickly be snatched and easily carried, that amounts to three pens. The Montblanc 220 OB, a Levenger Kyoto True Writer with a Masuyama Stub nib, and a Pelikan M-215 with a custom italic nib would fill a pocket and are always front and center on my desk. The Lamy Safari with a custom italic nib is a terrific writer but its odd size makes it an awkward fit in a small space. That one would come along only if I had extra room. A pen case to protect the lot would be nice but not essential.

Bottles of ink are more cumbersome but if I thought my inventory was going up in smoke, two discontinued favorites, Montblanc Racing Green and Parker Penman Ruby, would top my list. Just because I love the color and it would make me a little happier despite my losses, Iroshizuku ku-jaku would be number three.

If I had plenty of room, a pad of Rhodia paper would provide space to vent frustration, doodle for relaxation, or enjoy the elation of surviving a disaster.

If you had to grab your pens and run for the hills, which ones would you choose?