Grey Ink. Anyone use it?

[maxman]

I've been thinking of picking up some Grey ink only because I don't have any. But I'm hesitant because I feel like grey would be just a washed out black and not look good. I suppose with the right paper it could look nice.

For example, I use brown ink on ivory paper and it looks amazing.

So my wise and learned grey ink fans, what do you use and why?

 

[dojpros]

Just picked up some Lamy Crystal "Agate" for use in my new 2022 Ltd Ed "White Silver" Al -Star and like it just fine.
See post # 51 below. I suppose you could dilute some on hand black ink for proof of concept.

The Nib acquisitions for 2022

Where did y’all order from? I assumed they were not in production anymore? So far all my vintage pens have come from Etsy or eBay.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Absolutely, I use grey inks a lot. They don’t look like watered-down blacks - they look like greys. I find it a nice colour to write with - more distinctive than blue or black, but still versatile and professional.

Diamine Graphite is a favourite - it has a lovely 4B soft pencil-like quality. Taccia Usuzumi is a darker, charcoal shade and it can be mistaken for black, but it has a lovely quality that pure black inks lack. There are many medium and lighter grey inks too - Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same and Fuyu-Syogun are popular light greys that are still legible. I like Aurora Grigio or Caran d’Ache Infinity Grey for medium shades.

There are many others. I recommend to look at the stilo-e-stile website as they have excellent writing samples for all their inks. They have 56 inks that they classify as grey.

Stilo&Stile

www.stiloestile.it

 

[maxman]

Very nice. I didn't see that this morning. I'll have a closer look at some options.
I'm a big fan of the Pilot ink. They must make one.

 

[maxman]

I never thought they could look like a pencil. That intrigues me.
Off to spend some money I guess.

 

[silverlifter]

Diamine Graphite is a favourite - it has a lovely 4B soft pencil-like quality.

This. Several years ago I went through a large number of samples trying to find a grey ink that matched this colour. Graphite was the best, daylight second.

 

[chinmusic82]

Absolutely, I use grey inks a lot. They don’t look like watered-down blacks - they look like greys. I find it a nice colour to write with - more distinctive than blue or black, but still versatile and professional.

Diamine Graphite is a favourite - it has a lovely 4B soft pencil-like quality. Taccia Usuzumi is a darker, charcoal shade and it can be mistaken for black, but it has a lovely quality that pure black inks lack. There are many medium and lighter grey inks too - Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same and Fuyu-Syogun are popular light greys that are still legible. I like Aurora Grigio or Caran d’Ache Infinity Grey for medium shades.

There are many others. I recommend to look at the stilo-e-stile website as they have excellent writing samples for all their inks. They have 56 inks that they classify as grey.

Stilo&Stile

www.stiloestile.it

Interesting that you say they are more distinctive than blue or black. I'm a black ink lover currently using private reserve black. I never did enjoy blue inks though I have a few and use them.
Must try a grey and see for myself especially if they write like a 4B pencil.

 

[Doc4]

But I'm hesitant because I feel like grey would be just a washed out black and not look good.

Depending on the brand, a good iron gall ink will dry into a nice dark grey or charcoal, potentially with some nice shading.

I normally use ESS, which tends to dry into a steely blue-black, but IIRC the Diamine Registrar's Ink is more of a straight dark grey.

 

[brucered]

Great.....now I need a Grey ink.

 

[maxman]

Great.....now I need a Grey ink.

I'm almost regretting asking. My shopping cart is filling up fast.

 

[brucered]

I'm almost regretting asking. My shopping cart is filling up fast.

I ordered Diamine Graphite about 30 seconds after I read the couple positive posts about it.

Sounds like an interesting color and it will be my first Diamine.

 

[KW Driver]

Depending on the brand, a good iron gall ink will dry into a nice dark grey or charcoal, potentially with some nice shading.

I normally use ESS, which tends to dry into a steely blue-black, but IIRC the Diamine Registrar's Ink is more of a straight dark grey.

and nib dependent. essentially how wet the Diamine lays down will dictate how blackish or dark to light a grey it dried to.

I tried some grays samples, but never found one that didn't seem like it was washed out or... a fainter, "hard pencil line" that wasn't the easiest to read, for me.

I've stuck with ESS since I found it. it's my happy spot.

 

[Doc4]

I've stuck with ESS since I found it. it's my happy spot.

amen!

 

[Slivovitz]

Haven't posted here in a while but just noticed this thread. I use De Atrramentis Fog Grey document ink. Their document inks are highly water resistant, which I like, and this one has an intriguing color. It's definitely gray when you look closely, but it just hints at blue.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

...I feel like grey would be just a washed out black and not look good.

That is what happened to my Noodler's Black. It's degraded to being a "washed out" black. And it doesn't look bad. One just expects a denser black for the OG Noodler's ink. For grey I've got Noodler's Lexington Gray. Wanted a permanent grey and got one with the Lexington.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've nearly ordered a grey ink several times. However, it potentially looking like pencil lead is what stopped me. I have pencils, and am very happy using them, but I would rather have my inks looking like they came from a pen.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

No one put up a picture?!

Iroshizuko Fuyu Syogun (Old Man Winter) it was in one of the first Ink Drops from Goulet. I got it right after. Still have half a bottle so I e used it some.

I rarely carry this ink in a work pen but now I'm curious to try it at work in my Lamy 2k OB.

Diamine's Earl Grey was tested with a lot of redditors. It was a hot ink there two years ago.

Diamine's Registrar Ink I found to be dry starter. In my VP OM (which is a wet writer) it wasn't a good fit. It dried more blue-black. Going through my work notes a year later it was degraded to a light gray or brown but still very legible. I need to try ESS.

 

[KW Driver]

No one put up a picture?!

Iroshizuko Fuyu Syogun (Old Man Winter) it was in one of the first Ink Drops from Goulet. I got it right after. Still have half a bottle so I e used it some.
View attachment 1424840

I rarely carry this ink in a work pen but now I'm curious to try it at work in my Lamy 2k OB.

Diamine's Earl Grey was tested with a lot of redditors. It was a hot ink there two years ago.

Diamine's Registrar Ink I found to be dry starter. In my VP OM (which is a wet writer) it wasn't a good fit. It dried more blue-black. Going through my work notes a year later it was degraded to a light gray or brown but still very legible. I need to try ESS.

I also wasn't a fan of how much sediment the Diamine's Registrar's left in the bottle (and pen potentially) after I got through it.

here's ESS through XF and an F-B nibs at 14-15 months, with outdoor direct lighting for the pic:

that looks way grey-er than to the eye, as a dark navy or dark blue-black mostly. my indoor lighting for pics is horrible.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Yeah the gunk in the Diamine Registrar's Ink is why I still have some in the bottom of a bottle... forgot to mention that. I am unable to get a picture of it with the lighting and glare from the bottle.

 

[airmech]

Ordered a bottle of De Artamentis ”Fog Grey” Document ink from Goulet’s. We will see how it looks!!!

Why? I don’t know! Third Base!!!

Tom