It seems, from my YouTube analytics, that people who come to my photo-blog don't usually watch my videos on the blog. If you're a blog-reader who doesn't care for video, that's cool. If you're someone who checks out both of these, let me know in a comment or something. I'm really interested to know what y'all are into and how I can make the blog and channel better.
Nonetheless, here's a little Q&A video that I made for my YouTube channel. It was fun to do, and I'm hoping that folks will hit me with more questions so that I can make more of those. Maybe make it a weekly thing?
This is one of my favorite reds, and it's certainly one that I recommend whenever someone asks for a great red. It's a true red, it behaves itself in every pen I've tried it in, and it doesn't bleed, feather, or spread on bad papers. It's sort of the ideal red ink for graders.
The hue is a true red, and that's pretty great. I know that true reds aren't the most exciting ones to some folks, but the simplicity of a true red is really what I'm looking for when I want to do some grading. It stands out on the page, but does nothing to distract from the words. Good stuff.
Check it out below, and give it a shot if you're in need of a red, red ink.
Written Review
Close Ups
Some Papers!
First, have a close-up of the ink swatch on Rhodia. It's showing off the many tones of this ink. There appears to be a bit of sheen around the edges, but I've never seen that from any of my pens.
The picture below is from a Pen Habit Currently Inked book, and this ink looks particularly good here.
The two below are from an Ink Journal with Tomoe River paper, and the lack of absorbtion makes the ink look more orange than it actually is.
Copy Paper Test
The fine nib on the Unica is oddly wet and sharp, and that combination causes it to create bleeds and such with pretty much every ink on copy papers. It's a weird nib.
Chromatography!
Bottle Service
I thought these pictures came out well, so there you have it.
Color Comparisons!
I've got several more color comparison cards at the end of the review.
It's January, and that means it's time for the first pen show of the year! Hooray!
The Philly Pen Show starts today, and that means a special ink (and some other things) from Franklin-Christoph. Hooray for special things! In orange, even!
This is Franklin-Christoph's first orange ink, and it's a fairly dark, serious kind of orange. Sort of a Fall Leaves kind of orange. Check it out below, and let me know what you think in the comments. Full Disclosure: My wife works for Franklin-Christoph, but I don't. They gave me this ink for review, but, of course, they know I'm just going to give my honest appraisal and show you what it's like. That's how I roll. None of these pictures has been altered in any way.
Written Review
Close Ups!
Yeah. I was writing faster than I should have, and I didn't write all the words I meant to. Then I went to correct that and put my hand all in the still-wet ink. It dries reasonably quickly on Rhodia, but it wasn't dry when I put my hand in it. Good times.
Other Papers:
This is the ink (and Sheaffer Skrip Red) on Tomoe River paper in an Ink Journal. It looks reall nice on this paper, and you can really see the difference between the Wah-Eversharp's very-wet, semi-flex nib and the much more moderate nib in the TWSBI.
Above, Below, and More-Below: This is in a Pen Habit Currently Inked journal.
Copy Paper Tests:
You get some fairly pronounced bleed and some very mild feathering on this office-quality paper. It's expected with the really wet nib, but you still get some from the TWSBI. It's not terrible, but it's there.
Chromatography
Color Comparisons
Water Test and Video Review
Spoilers:
So, yeah, not much water-resistance. Come to think of it, though, I don't think I now of any water proof oranges. Do you?
My buddy Cary has posted all of the pen shows for this year with their dates and links to the various sites. It's a really cool list. Click the image below to go to there.
I'll probably be at a few of these. I'm planning to go to Philly this weekend, so find me and say "Hi!" if you see me. I'll probably be in plaid. Or a thick coat. I dunno. It's cold right now. OR A PLAID COAT. I totally have one of those...
I'll probably also be at Atlanta and DC, and certainly at Raleigh. Maybe others. I dunno yet.
How about we start off the new year with a limited edition Montblanc ink? I hope you said "Yes!" because that's what we're doing. This is the second-newest LE ink from Montblanc: Miles Davis Jazz Blue. According to the Montblanc site, the ink is inspired by Davis' album "Blue." Maybe they meant "Kind of Blue"? That's a pretty sweet album. If there's one called "Blue", then I don't know it.
Anyway, Jazz Blue is a really pale blue. It's performance is kind of okay. The flow is wet enough, but it's also really thin. As if it were diluted too much or something. It also bleeds, feathers, and spreads on copy paper.
In short, this isn't an ink that I'd buy again. At $19 for 30ml it's just not good enough. The blue is too pale, the performance isn't great, and it's not the kind of blue that I'd identify with great jazz.
Written Review
Close-Ups
The Bottle Shots
Copy Paper Test
This isn't great for Montblanc ink. Most of the others that I've tried have behaved themselves just fine on copy paper, but this one bleeds, feathers, and spreads. Another strike against this ink.
Other Papers
The below is from a Pen Habit Currently Inked journal. It doesn't bleed or anything, but it just doesn't work well. It's really light and watery. The three squiggles in the Panther sample were done at various times during the last month. It seems to get darker as time goes on, and that's just evaporation, I think. When I refilled it the ink went right back to the way it started out.
The next two are from a Tomoe River Ink Journal. That paper really brings out the life in some inks, but this one isn't in that category.
Color Comparisons
Just Foolin' Around
In short, this isn't an ink that I'd buy again. At $19 for 30ml it's
just not good enough. The blue is too pale, the performance isn't great,
and it's not the kind of blue that I'd identify with great jazz.Weak sauce, Montblanc.
If you see something you like here, then act quickly to get your hands on a bottle. It's not my favorite, but there's a chance it'll go fast. Their LE inks always seem to go fast. I bought mine at Anderson Pens, and you can too.
Water Resistance and Video Review
There's a bit of a blooper at the end of the video. I may have have had an "oops, there's ink on my hands!" moment.
In short, this isn't an ink that I'd buy again. At $19 for 30ml it's
just not good enough. The blue is too pale, the performance isn't great,
and it's not the kind of blue that I'd identify with great jazz.
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