Best for Office use? Diamine's Oxford Blue

By special request, a look at Oxford Blue - and unboxing a new pen!
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Cheers for now!
Mike

[@McAmeron089III]

Diamine Oxford Bleu has been my favorite ink for years. I don't see that changing anytime soon. It's one of the few inks I enjoy whether it's in an extra-fine or a double-broad nib. When my 80ml bottle got half empty I purchased another.

[@writerlywitterings]

I do like that too. Not too bright, not dull. A good workaday ink!

[@Lenaghan17]

Yes! I'm so glad this ink is getting some much-deserved screen time. This has been my office/hospital go-to ink for the past few months. A professional looker! Strongly recommend.

[@writerlywitterings]

Very glad I've hit the mark! Although ... well, I still really like Deep Dark Blue, ASA Blue, Denim, Twilight ... damn, there are just too many inks!

[@RiZenAsH]

By far my favorite ink from Diamine. It’s such a classy and professional blue ink.

[@writerlywitterings]

Haha - that puts you in with the majority!

[@archivist17]

You're not the only one stunned into silence by the pen - my KZbin app crashed as you were displaying the nib. By the way, it sounds like your new neighbours have started very much in the right way.

[@writerlywitterings]

Sorry to have crashed your machine too. I thought my skills only extended to crashing my camera and computer. Clearly I have psychic skills I hadn't guessed at! And yes, the neighbours are the perfect types!

[@SpiroHarvey]

I was half expecting ink reviews to now be done with 5 different papers, 5 different nibs, and 5 different lights. Just to be sure. ;) Very much looking forward to a review of that lovely Conway Stewart pen. I really have to add some modern CS's to my collection.

[@writerlywitterings]

I think you do, Spiro. And CS are very good at grinding their nibs to suit any customer's needs, I have heard. I'd like to try one of their stub or italic grinds one day, I think.

[@charlesedwards4160]

Drinking my tea as well cheers :). I like the review and the oxford blue ink by Diamine. Works wonders in my Parker Duofold. Thank you again and take care.

[@writerlywitterings]

Many thanks for the comments, Charles, and best wishes for the New Year!

[@thewaaaghproductions2285]

I've been disappointed about the lack of coverage this ink receives! I love it, it's my favorite blue, and I bought it for exactly this purpose, to use as a workhorse, formal ink.

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks for sharing! I have to admit, I rather like it, but I prefer lighter shades or some darker, like Teal. But it's all a matter of taste - and my own tastes change almost daily!

[@thuntz29]

I guess that’s why when reviewing an ink is better to try it in several papers with several nib sizes. I love Oxford Blue and Sherwood Green. The sheen in those inks are gorgeous.

[@writerlywitterings]

Sherwood Green has sheen too? I just never looked for sheen in so many of these inks, and didn't expect it - I think I'm going to have to look again at all of my inks at this rate!

[@thuntz29]

@@writerlywitterings I told you before Michael: Move to the window! XD 🤣 some inks surprise you.

[@archivist17]

@@thuntz29 Ooh! I love Sherwood Green for the colour! I shall have to inspect for sheen.

[@JBFire97]

I can’t wait to get a closer look at that Churchill, in my favourite colour too! Thanks as always.

[@writerlywitterings]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@ivangromkij8287]

Although I watch your videos for your thoughts about pens, ink, paper etc. I must say that I'm happy to see you enjoying that very nice tea. It's one of my favourites and whenever I'm in London I try to get som more of it. But now I haven't been there for ages, sadly.

[@writerlywitterings]

I'm sure they'd be very happy to send you a tin!

[@angbane]

I'm looking forward to seeing a full review of the new pen. It looks spectacular!

[@writerlywitterings]

You and me both! I've been using it extensively recently and will continue doing so for a while - really good feel to it and it looks beautiful!

[@MrFryfish]

Thank you!

[@writerlywitterings]

You're welcome!

[@user-eh5rx3df3j]

A lovely review.

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks!

[@Richard_Barnes]

Much appreciated Mike! 🙏🏻 Thanks for reviewing it for us. 😃 That Bracket Green Churchill 🤤 superb looking writing instrument. I look forward to that review 👍🏻 I love the Oxford Blue but am seeing massive differences in colour depending upon which pen I use and the results are surprising to me. Out of my very wet MB 149 with EF nib, it is very dark indeed. Yeah more Blue/Black but a superb colour. Then what shocked me was my Visconti HS Bronze Age with F nib, which it came out of a lot paler! 😯 I couldn’t believe it. I thought that was a wet writer however after using it a while now, I feel it may have eased back a bit. So, out of my MB 149 I love Oxford Blue. Out of my Visconti, not so much 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️ go figure.

[@writerlywitterings]

It's one of the hardest things, isn't it? Each nib, each type of paper, will react differently to every ink. All I can do, I guess, is keep on testing all of them. This is a lifetime's project, damn it!

[@kellieashman6908]

I wish my neighbours brought me tea

[@writerlywitterings]

You need to get them house trained!

[@randyselleck6703]

Enjoyed your review. Can't wait to see what you think of the new pen. Looks fantastic!

[@writerlywitterings]

You and me both! I've been using it a lot already, and it's a lovely writer, as well as gorgeous to look at.

[@polksie]

I’ve just discovered Oxford Blue and love it. Oh, and just ordered the first of your Knights Templar series. Arriving Saturday and looking forward to reading it. I see a summer of Templar mysteries in my future.

[@writerlywitterings]

Hope you enjoy it! The Last Templar was my very first published novel, and launched the series. As to Oxford - yes, I've only just discovered it myself, and I like it.

[@polksie]

@@writerlywitterings I’ve received a The Last Templar and have been enjoying it this weekend. A very good book. But I wanted to tell you there was a passage that spoke to me very deeply. In the beginning of the book Simon was trying to size up Baldwin and thought “...there was also a tangible yearning for peace and rest, as if he had traveled far and seen almost too much and only wanted to find somewhere where he could at last settle.” That struck a chord with me. My wife and parents passed away within a year of each other and I closed my business. I am also now looking for somewhere I could settle and find peace because of memories where I was living. Thank you. Looking forward to finishing the book and getting the next one.

[@weaver7249]

I’m glad you like Oxford blue, which is my favorite and I do live in America.

[@writerlywitterings]

You have very good taste, Dana! Thanks for the comment!

[@lynnettejalufka2682]

Beautiful pen!

[@writerlywitterings]

It really is! Looking forward to reviewing it next week.

[@Tracywhited2]

It’s like a cod bottle ! Very cool bottle of ink. Love the diamine color too.

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks, Sunny. I love these old-style bottles - mind you, it's necessary to use the inks a lot because they hold a lot of ink!

[@michellestephenson1680]

My favorite blue-black is actually Pilot Blue Black. It shades beautifully. It comes in a really cool bottle. I am a sucker for neat bottles. Which is why I have two Akkerman inks as well!

[@writerlywitterings]

I know, Michelle - you and me both. I love a good bottle!

[@michellestephenson1680]

@@writerlywitterings in a pleasant moment of serendipity, my friend gave me that same bottle of Oxford Blue, like you have, because she finds it too much like the ink she uses at work! I’ll pass along a more whimsical color to her when I get the chance. But now, I can enjoy some Oxford Blue as well!

[@dfjpr]

Good job

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks!

[@sajjadhusain4146]

Oxford Blue is just outstanding every day of the year. I have it in three of my pens. I realised that I had a tad too many blue inks in my collection. So, I have given away a handful of them to others. But Oxford Blue is never going anywhere. Another that I’m very fond of is the Diamine Sargasso Sea. And Twilight. I badly want a Conway Stewart sometime. It has so much of a regal aura about it somehow. Like the Rolls Royce of fountain pens.

[@writerlywitterings]

Couldn't agree more! I do like blues, but especially fond of Sargasso and Twilight as well. Just so many colours, too few pens!

[@charlesedwards4160]

I enjoyed that. I've subscribed. Thank you.

[@writerlywitterings]

Wonderful, thank you!

[@humanfirst11]

I just want you to do a review on Diamine Twilight, I love your ways of ink reviews! Thanks.

[@writerlywitterings]

I'll see what I can do. I did look at that in my very first video on inks, I think. It's top of the left page in my ink testing book!

[@richardsimms251]

Very good video. RS Canada

[@writerlywitterings]

Cheers, Richard - glad you liked it!

[@paulherman5822]

I may not be a fanatic about any specific ink, but lever filler pens... 😁 I've been pleased with the Diamine inks I've gotten, and I may be looking for something to replace the current blue ink, as my need for permanence is slowly going by the wayside (currently using Noodler's Bad Blue Heron.) And I'm not a big fan of the "schoolboy blue" washable blue inks (I want an ink that won't fade at the slightest excuse), so the hunt continues... Hope you enjoy the new Conway Stewart!

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks for sharing, Paul. My own taste runs towards the paler inks - I like pastel colours generally - but you want an ink that won't fade dramatically, but isn't entirely laser-etched into the page? Hmm. I'll have a think about that.

[@paulherman5822]

@@writerlywitterings Basically, something that won't fade away in a month, like a lot of the washable blue inks. 😁 I just don't really need an ink as permanent as Bad Blue Heron much, anymore. I have a blue-black already I'm happy with, and I do have a bottle of Waterman Serenity Blue because it plays nice with my preference for lever fillers (and it's a bit different than the "schoolboy blue," and as I use it for things that don't need to last, I really don't worry about the permanence, which is better than, say, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, which has a reputation for fading into illegibility in a month, exposed to light.) I started with darker colours, but tastes change, and it seems like each new ink is different from the previous one. At this point, I only need inks that are readable, not pale enough that they look like a watercolour wash. And bright and pastel colours are creeping into my more recent ink choices. I think that that's mainly because a lot of my current correspondence is to women. (They seem more likely to write than a lot of the men I personally know. 😁)

[@JoelTurrell]

In recent history, I have become rather fond of Diamine blue inks, because my ALL-TImE favorite, Akkerman #8 is no longer available here in the States. Oxford is perhaps the best of the Diamines, to my eye, until one gets over to the pale hues, which seem better suited to coloring than to writing. (You won't hurt my feelings if you label me a stuffy old snob. I still drive vintage Jags.)

[@writerlywitterings]

Nothing wrong with a vintage Jag. I'd have one myself if I could afford one - or afford the petrol! I would check, by the way. Akkerman had huge problems with supply last year, but I know that they have got many of their inks back on sale again. They are having some issues, but I managed to get a bottle of Delft's Blauw and Israel's Zeeblauw a couple of months ago. You may find #8 is going to be available again soon (it is one of their key lines, after all).

[@Stettafire]

In my work we can use either blue or black. Is it worth a similar video for black?

[@writerlywitterings]

Hi there, I have done a few reviews of blacks but you're right it might be a good idea for me to try to do a couple of newer ones. I have to admit that my current favourite is onyx Black from Diamine which gives a glorious colour and is a very deep black. I will look at reviewing this and others before too long thanks for the idea.

[@benvt1]

Dear Michael, Thank you for another great review. I ordered Oxford Blue months ago but it is still underway. You made me look forward even more to its eventual arrival. The lever filler Churchill has caught my eye as well, especially in this colour. My other Churchill however seems to suffer from dry writing and hard starts, as well as drying out even with the cap firmly screwed on, in just one day without use. Is this a problem you've experienced with any of your pens? Kind regards and best wishes, Ben

[@writerlywitterings]

Not with my Churchill, although I have had similar issues with a Pilot and a TWSBI nib. My Model 58 Conway Stewart can be a little dry on occasion too, but only with specific inks - and I have to say that none of them ever had any issues with any Diamine inks. If this is something that you find a lot, I'd recommend asking Conway Stewart about it (if it was new) or getting a good nib expert to take a look at it. It's probably just a matter of increasing the space between the spines. Best of luck!

[@perfectplume]

Tomoe River paper is officially pronounced “ toe-moe-ae “ - 3 syllables. Moleskine is also frequently mispronounced and deserves to be. Tomoe paper is too superb to be blasphemed.

[@writerlywitterings]

My apologies to Tomoe - but I'll probably keep pronouncing it wrongly. It's too ingrained now!

[@sunnycharacter]

Lol, I feel you with the Apple line of thinking! 🤔🫥

[@writerlywitterings]

Haha!