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What’s Your AllTime Favorite Ink?

I have been using fountain pens for over 50 years. I have tried many different inks from a myriad of manufacturers. Without any question, my favorite is the old formula Sheaffer Scrip Blue/Black ink. This ink is no longer available, but I purchased several bottles of old stock when they changed the formula, so I am good for now.

What’s you favorite ink?
 
Montblanc Midnight Blue, an IG ink no longer produced. I too bought some backups. But I'm down to one.

I got my hands on a Pelikan blue/black IG ink, only available on the continent. Not as good as MB, but at least its in production, though not readily available in the US.
 
Best I can do is favourite ink by colour. For me, Quink Permanent Blue, Aurora Green, Leonardo Sepia, Diamine Graphite, Robert Oster Turquoise.
 
French schoolchildren used for years a distinctive purple ink. After some research, the closest I found is J. Herbin Violette Pensee. This French firm was founded in the 17th century and looks close to what I remember. It writes like a dream and is the ink I use almost exclusively. Even comes in carts.
 
Over time, ordinary Pilot (or Namiki) Blue. It may have been replaced now by De Atramentis Document Blue, but I haven't been using that one for as long, so perhaps I shouldn't make any final judgments.

De Atramentis may have become my favorite brand, though. I have four pens inked right now, one each with their Document Blue, Document Dark Blue, Document Violet, and Alexander Hamilton.
 
A concoction I made with Diamine Golden Brown and Lamy Black that I call Biber's Bistre. It's a blackish brown with lots of shading reminiscent of that which I've seen on 18th century documents.

As for unadulterated inks, that's hard to say as I covet so many colors, but with regard to performance it would have to be a +1 on Pelikan BB.

Generally speaking Diamine is my go to brand. Usually if I find a color I like I'll try to find an analog in Diamine. That is especially the case with Noodler's inks. I simply adore the colors but abhor the ink.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I'm almost exclusively a Diamine user. It's cheap, works well in my cheap pens, is freely available here, and I like the colours. Favourites for be are Chocolate Brown, Sherwood Green and Grape. I could happily use any one of those three indefinitely, although I do like Twilight and Burnt Sienna occasionally too.

It's difficult to choose just one favourite, in part because it depends on how wet the pen is. I prefer Grape in a wetter pen, and probably Twilight too. Sherwood green and Burnt Sienna don't seem to need to be laid down as thickly to please my eye, and I'm happy with those in any of my pens. That said, I'm also quite happy using one of the assortment packs, and letting the ink gradually shift colour from one cartridge to the next.
 
De Artamentis Document Black.

Great performance, jet black and as permanent as it gets.

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Well, I can’t say I’ve used many since I’m new to fountain pens, but so far, the Pilot ink cartridge that came with my Metropolitan is my favorite. Wrote very smoothly. I have some Rohrer & Klingner ink I haven’t used in a fountain pen yet, only with a glass dip pen.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Well, I can’t say I’ve used many since I’m new to fountain pens, but ...

... IMHO a good idea to try all the ones mentioned in this thread!

(Maybe not the vintage ones that are very hard or impossible to find, but the others certainly!)
 
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