Wondering about adding an ink to my inventory. Suggestions?

[bald1]

I am an unabashed brown ink fan. Started way way back when (I'm on the cusp of becoming a septuagenarian) with the normal assortment of blacks and blues but once I discovered how expressive browns are in my OOB, OB, Stub, B, and Music nib pens I was hooked.

This is what I have:
--Waterman Havana Brown
--Private Reserve Copper Burst
--J. Herbin Lie de The
--Pelikan Brilliant Brown
--Noodler's Golden Brown
--Sheaffer King's Gold

Been looking at a couple of others but have thusfar resisted pulling the trigger mostly because of similarities to what I already have/use:
--Pilot Iroshizuki Tsukushi
--J. Herbin 1670 Caroube de Chypre
--Montblanc Toffee
--Diamine Ancient Copper
--Noodler's Brown
--Noodler's Kiowa Pecan


Thoughts? Experiences? Suggestions?

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Pelikan M1000 Green, OBB 18kt nib
Waterman Le Man 100 Black, OB 18kt nib
Waterman Le Man 100 Clear Briarwood, OB 18kt nib
Waterman Le Man 100 Opera, ST 18kt nib
Waterman Liaison Orange Woodgrain (ebonite), ST 18kt nib
Platinum Composer #3776 Black, twin tine “Music” 14kt nib
Waterman Cotele Grey Lacquer, B gilded nib
Waterman Phileas Gray marble, M gilded nib
Waterman Exclusive Bordeaux Lacquer, F 18kt nib
Waterman Phileas Green marble, F gilded nib

 

[fightingillini22]

For something a little different, try KWZI Brown Pink. It's a very dark brown that on the right paper has some very subtle purple tones. It's currently my favorite ink, and adds just a tiny bit of character to my writing at work. It's not obvious enough to call any attention to itself (at a quick glance it usually looks black) but at looking a little closer you can get catch some cool color coming through.

Diamine Chocolate Brown is my other go-to brown, and gets used often from October through March.

 

[nemo]

J.Herbin Caroube de Chype looks like fun. I've tried and occasionally use their Terre de Feu (somewhere between rust and dried blood) as well as Pelikan 4001 brown, Diamine Burnt Sienna (good one!) and some vintage Sheaffer brown. Mostly a blue and blue-black guy myself.

Maybe something from Rohrer and Klingner or De Atramentis?

 

[Radium]

Well what about J.Herbin Cafe Des Iles, Graf Von Faber Castell Chestnut brown, or iroshizuku Yama -guri, Diamine Oxblood? Some of these inks are more towards brown and others are a play on the brown colour. I can`t say I`ve been using brownish inks this last while but these above inks mentioned are some of my favorites in the brown spectrum.

 

[Komboloi]

Among the ones you are considering, Diamine Ancient Copper is one I like. It has a red-brown aspect, very similar to Noodler's Antietam. I've heard it said that it dries to the color of dried blood, and I can see the comparison. It's nice in broader nibs because of the shading.

 

[Snargle]

Montblanc Toffee Brown is an excellent ink. Good flow, low maintenance. Nice shading, also!

Another recommendation is KWZ Honey.

 

[danek]

Of those on your "considering" list, I only have Noodler's Kiowa Pecan and Diamine Ancient Copper.

I found the Ancient Copper to be surprisingly dry for a Diamine ink and the color wasn't as interesting nor shade prolific as I had hoped. Kiowa Pecan is a fine color with some permanence.

However, I'm finding that I am more often reaching for Private Reserve Chocolat and Pilot Iroshizuku Ina-ho. The Ina-ho is typically wonderfully flowing and smooth, as most Iroshizuku inks are, and the color is quite unusual and attention-getting because of it's hue. I worried that it was too light at first, but it is a fine shade for all but the most serious of business correspondence. Chocolat's color is true brown, very similar to Noodler's Brown and Kiowa Pecan, but I find the flow more luscious and silky.

 

[bald1]

Interesting suggestions thusfar. Thank you all! Keep 'em coming!

-Completely unfamiliar with KWZ inks but am checking them out now.
-Interesting Chocolate inks. Initial reading of reviews seems to indicate Private Reserve is slightly deeper and more saturated than Diamine. (e.g. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/f...n-diamine-chocolate-private-reserve-chocolat/)
-Yama-Guri appears to be rather close to my golden browns on hand.
-Ancient Copper may be a bit too reddish for my tastes upon further review.
-Checking reviews on the other suggestions too.

 

[fightingillini22]

Montblanc Toffee Brown is an excellent ink. Good flow, low maintenance. Nice shading, also!

Another recommendation is KWZ Honey.

Had forgotten about my little 5mL bottle of MB Toffee Brown until Larry mentioned it. Another great brown. KWZI Honey another one of their lineup that is very unique, it's on my full bottle purchase list at this very moment as I loved my sample vial.

[MENTION=3256]bald1[/MENTION] I think Vanness is the only US supplier of KWZI and the only other option is to go direct order from Poland. They have a very loyal following on the major pen forum, and for good reason, IMHO. It's rapidly becoming my favorite ink brand.

 

[bald1]

Thanks for the tip about Vanness. Brown #2, #4 (although both are rather reddish), and Honey I find appealing. This page helped http://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2016/7/12/kwz-inks-a-new-favorite .

 

[bald1]

Just came across Seitz-Kreuznach inks. Their cognac, and other browns look quite interesting. Anyone have any experience with this brand?

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Apart from those already mentioned, Diamine Macassar is nice, but I'm not crazy about it's performance. Diamine Rustic Brown is fairly similar to Ancient Copper, but it's more of a brown/burgundy rather than a red-brown. Stipula Sepia is one that I've enjoyed quite a bit. De Atramentis Sepia Brown is a decent, fairly purple-based brown. Hope that helps a bit more!

 

[Venator]

Big fan of Toffee Brown here. One of my Parker 51s is loaded with it presently. Even bigger fan of Diamine Ancient Copper, though it may not be as truly brown as some of the others. Get some in a wet broad nib and see the beautiful silver sheen. Good luck!

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Visconti has a wonderful sepia. And Kaweco's brown is great.

Ancient Copper, while a nice color, has proven a little troublesome in my pens if I don't use it every day. Also, there is some kind of sediment builds up on the nib.

 

[nortac]

Among the ones you are considering, Diamine Ancient Copper is one I like. It has a red-brown aspect, very similar to Noodler's Antietam. I've heard it said that it dries to the color of dried blood, and I can see the comparison. It's nice in broader nibs because of the shading.

+1, I have both and enjoy them, I consider them more of a red than a brown. Other browns in my rotation are Noodler's Golden Brown, Iroshizuku Ina-ho (light golden) and Yama - guri (dark almost black).

 

[bald1]

Again I appreciate all the suggestions. Ended up ordering Seitz-Kreuznach Cognac and Chestnut inks. Tried to order on Seitz-Global but kept getting errors when either trying to register or purchase as a guest. It kept asking for my USA State (error 326) but there is NO data block to enter it in. Tried every other black available on the page to no avail. It would go into that lovely spinning circle indicative of "processing" and never come out of it. I used the contact form to request help but never got the courtesy of a reply.
Ended up ordering on eBay. Wanted 100ml bottles of both but they seemingly aren't availble for cognac.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

My only current brown is Diamine Saddle Brown. One of the reasons I got it, is it reminded me some of Parker Penman Mocha. (which thanks to the generosity of a friend I was able to get a sample of about 10 ml)

I tend to like interesting dark reds.... Levenger Pomegranate (discontinued in 2016, but you might actually be able to find some without paying a fortune) it is reminiscent of the husk of a Pomegranate. So it leans brownish. Blackstone Uluru Red is an interesting color as well. Reminiscent of the color of the Australian stone formation it is named for. Uluru or Ayers Rock. Vaness and Anderson both carry Blackstone inks if I recall correctly. I think I got mine at Anderson Pens. In fact, the whole Blackstone Colours of Australia ink line is terrific.
The first five:
Stump Black
Uluru Red
Daintree Green
Sydney Harbour Blue
Barrier Reef Blue
and they have added some since. Both Barrier Reef Blue and Sydney Harbour Blue both sheen red like crazy. Of these first five, I have tried all but Stump Black
There are also two water resistant inks - Barrister Blue and Barrister Black and then Golden Wattle, a golden yellow.

if I am not mistaken, Anderson has samples of these. You can also get them in 30 ml nalgene bottles. (other sizes available if you go to Just write website in Australia. Shipping is killer though)

 

[fightingillini22]

[MENTION=86644]Runnin_Ute[/MENTION] I had not really heard much about Blackstone out of Australia. Interesting. I've really been enjoying my Robert Oster inks, might have to go to that other pen forum to read up on Blackstone. Some really great inks coming out from down under it seems!

 

[musicman1951]

Among the ones you are considering, Diamine Ancient Copper is one I like. It has a red-brown aspect, very similar to Noodler's Antietam. I've heard it said that it dries to the color of dried blood, and I can see the comparison. It's nice in broader nibs because of the shading.

+1 One of my favorites.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

@Runnin_Ute I had not really heard much about Blackstone out of Australia. Interesting. I've really been enjoying my Robert Oster inks, might have to go to that other pen forum to read up on Blackstone. Some really great inks coming out from down under it seems!

I was involved in testing some of the Blackstone inks before they went on the market in late 2015. Initially, they were trying to do a powdered ink, which would require the user to mix, but they could mix to taste.

So a 4 gram packet of the ink powder and 30 ml of distilled water would give you a wet ink, 90 ml dH20 a dry ink. My two favorites - Red Cashmere and Green Cashmere I mixed at 50 ml and 62.5 ml respectively. Red Cashmere is a sheening dark red (I put in a Levenger bottle) and Green Cashmere is a murky green (Pelikan 4001 bottle) There were some issues with some so the powdered idea was abandoned. I tested the Barrier Reef Blue, Daintree Green and Sydney Harbour Blue prior to final release.

There are a couple of the Robert Oster inks that intrigue me. (Fire and Ice - a pen pal wrote part of his last letter in it. Astorquiza Rot is the other)