Top 10 Go-To Inks

[@llchapman1234]

I just LOVE the funny arm waves transitioning to a close-up. Please don't ever stop doing that 😁😊

[@sunnycharacter]

Agree!

[@MarysInks]

Yay, an ink video! I’m a big fan of the vibrant blues too.

[@jeffellis662]

Kon-Peki and Ancient Copper are two of my favorite inks. Ancient Copper ignited a love of red-brown inks and also love Ackerman SBRE Brown and Diamine Cherry Sunburst. Depending on how wet a nib is Pilot Iroshizuku AMA-Iro can look the same as Kon-Peki. Robert Oster Blue Water Ice is also an amazing blue. I love MB UNICEF Turquoise which was a limited edition ink, but found Lamy Turquoise is a good replacement. There are way too many good blue/turquoise colors out there!

[@fossilimprint2954]

Go to inks, brilliant video. This is exactly what I would love to ask any fountain pen enthusiast. Thank you!

[@ChristopherMay]

After watching this video, I decided to try out Sabimidori. I just received the bottle yesterday and got it inked up. Holy moly, this is a NICE ink. It's quickly made it into my top 10 list....probably top 5. This stuff is gorgeous, looks stunning inside of the clear demonstrator V126 I have it in and is mesmerizing to watch as it goes down from blue and changes to that not quite teal, not quite verdigris but somewhere in between color with all the lovely shading and sheen. Love this stuff!. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@mathguy1015]

Diamine Mediterranean Blue and Meadow are my go-to inks. Love many of the ones you mention. Thanks for a great video.

[@ILoveFountainPens]

That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!!! My favourites are Montblanc’s Psychedelic Purple, Egyptian Blue, Maya Blue, Ultramarine, Unicef Blue and Pelikan’s 4001 - Turquoise and Edelstein Apatite, all of which I have several bottles of. The Pilot iroshuziku inks are perfection! It’s impossible to choose a favourite.

[@ILoveFountainPens]

Platinum Carbon Black is a really nice ink to draw with. It’s really smooth, behaves well (doesn’t ghost or feather), lies nicely on the paper, is waterproof and you can paint on top of it, or vice versa, draw over top of your watercolours.

[@josediaz3195]

I really liked your collection. That Leonardo Smeraldo is awesome! Thank you

[@pontoon_cat]

Love that Taccia Sabimidori made the cut, the entire Hokusai and Hiroshige sets are some of my favorite inks. Notice there isn’t really any love for Sailor inks, which is surprising considering how prolific they are. Same for J. Herbin, while the 1670, 1798, and 350 will have shimmer, there are some standouts from the “regular” line like Rouge Grenat or Bleu Calanc that perform amazingly. Simply put, there are SO many inks in the world 😂

[@Uzzah78]

Love all the ink recommendations in this video, I had to take notes! I would add a recommendation for Wearingeul Inks. Notably Hound of Baskerville is a really nice change-up from something more traditional like Writer's Blood. You still get the shading of Writer's Blood but then the green sheen comes in and takes it to another level. Perfect Christmas time ink with the Red/Green pairing and it plays really nice in pens for being a sheening ink.

[@ruthfeiertag]

I am so with you on Sabimidori! I want a jacket or cloak that imitates the properties of that ink: blue from one angle morphing into that rusty green. Both Sabimidori and Yama Budo manage to be striking without being ostentatious. Great choices on the other inks, too. This was a great video! Thank you, David!

[@Danny.._]

3:15 and already 10 inks mentioned, 6:30 and 29 inks mentioned and you still haven't started the top 10! 😂 I tease, but I do appreciate the story of your inky past and the honorable mentions. And kon-peki is my favorite ink too!

[@mikedulrich]

The recent sailor Manyo series has quickly become a favorite. All time favorite is probably waterman serenity blue. Too many others to list.

[@Michelt007]

The swatch of Kon Peki looks like the pattern waves at the surface of water make at the bottom of a swimming pool. Really nice! I cannot not notice that there is not a single Noodler's ink in the list.

[@ichirofakename]

Those are some pretty inks. Cross Violet for the win.

[@dacksonflux]

I find myself leaning toward the greens. Diamine Sherwood Green is one of my favorites.

[@michaelstephan5272]

Nice collection of inks! Thanks for the video. Appreciate your efforts.

[@Sonicman415]

I appreciate your voice in this community so much. Thank you! Your dry humor ✌🏽 Yama Budo is iconic for a good reason. The pinky sheen in kon peki is so fetching to me. Pen/ink (nib) pairings are a favorite part of my fountain pen experience. I have 10 of the Iroshizuku ink line.. all solid choices for me..

[@johndevault9030]

Yon can not go wrong with Kon-Peki, but I am also a fan of Waterman Mysterious Blue.

[@docireland]

Lamy and Pilot pens are my goto. I like the Lamy Crystal inks, azurite is my favorite from that group. In Pilot I go with Take-sumi, Shin-ryoku, and Tsuki-yo round out my other EDC.

[@maxwells789]

I have been on the Cross Violet bandwagon for years. One of the most underrated inks out there so I’m glad to see it getting some love. Sabimidori is also amazing. I have to say I’m surprised that so many of your favorites are on my list, too! Only I tend not to use orange inks - I have Sailor Apricot but barely touched. Pilot Iroshizuku inks are really great. A color I think is really unique is Alt Gold-gruen. Fun video!

[@dawnholder8819]

Love ink videos!

[@grayautumnday]

I hope you're refreshing the preservative power of your limited edition inks you're using slowly every year! Preservatives can really only give about 12-18 months of biocidal protection, so more (compatible for formula & ink pH!) biocide needs to be added yearly to stave off the inevitable SITB, and they should probably also be filtered to remove sediment every year or so as well.

[@angelopaola9985]

Another great and informative review. A real accessory advantage of the fountain pen hobby is the wide range of inks and colors available. Over time I use red from iroshizuku for correcting things, but I agree that it’s hard to beat kon peki. AMA iro is a close second. For green, gotta love Leonardo smeraldo, though iroshizuku shin ryoko is a very close second and easier to purchase

[@907bigdog]

Thank you for a look at some very nice inks. I agree that Iroshizuku Kon-peki is one of the finest blues available. However, recently I've fallen in love with Bondi Blue and Van Dieman's Blue Ringed Octopus. It has all the pop of Kon-peki plus some red sheen...absolutely gorgeous!

[@richardsimms251]

Wonderful ink video

[@PencopiaPictorial]

Thanks for sharing David!

[@EDCAssociate]

I need to get some damn kon peki lol I’ve been on a black binge myself but kon peki just looks so nice

[@lisawilson7889]

Thx! I really enjoyed this video!

[@DuBCraft21]

really nice video. Hadn't really paid attention to the iroshizuku yama-budo before. Apparently it is named after a type of grape, which makes sense with its color. In English, its known as a crimson glory vine. In Japanese it is litteraly "mountain grape", 山 being mountain 葡萄 being grape. I hadn't planed on buying any more inks since I've picked up 3 new bottles over the last 2 months, but I think I need to buy a bottle of the yama budo now :d

[@pinkpandamiranda]

Have you tried Diamine Autumn Oak? It will always be my favorite orange!

[@Uzzah78]

I actually have that on order for this week! My current favorite is Ancient Copper, much like Figboot. But I'm always looking out for something that can knock it off it's throne. Excited to see if Autumn Oak can take the crown!

[@Marshallmallowlol]

I have a 80 ml bottle! It's beautiful and I need to use it more

[@RyC2004]

Awesome video. Thanks for your time and effort 😊

[@woochles]

Now I want to see an ink bottle ranking! I like the colorverse bottles and the globe shaped ferris wheel press bottles.

[@Netjez]

I think you will enjoy Montblanc glacier blue.

[@Calcprof]

Sabamidori is incredible. I have Yama-Budo currently in a Kyuseido. My favorite Iroshizuku blue is Asa-Gao.

[@hdavies]

If you like Lamy Petrol then give Robert Oster Velvet Storm a try, it looks very close to my eye. I got the Petrol Safari and five Petrol carts when it came out but didn't get a bottle of the ink at the time so I'm glad that I found a close match

[@sunnycharacter]

I love my Iroshizuku inks, so far I have 8 big bottles. I also love my Diamines and Monteverde.

[@edwardrutledge2765]

Always enlightening, even if not in my wheelhouse. I love shading broody grey and brown inks, recently deep diving into Lennon Tool Bar. Have you looked into any Taiwan inks, or more readily available Tono & Lims from Korea; now carried by more sellers?

[@dr.d723]

Thank you for the video. I have almost all of the Pilot Iroshizuku and Sailor Manyo inks, and I find that those are the ones that I reach for most often, along with many of the Montblanc inks. I know you will think this is weird, but I only put Montblanc inks in my Montblanc pens, Sailor inks in my Sailor pens. But the Pilot Iroshizuku, Diamine, and Monteverde inks go in the rest of my pen collection. I have a ridiculously large ink collection which, if I never bought another bottle of ink, would probably last me the rest of my life.

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

I have a few of yours. Will try a few others. Thanks for the swatches! My favorites include: blues Pelikan Konigsblau and Herbin's Kyanite du Nepal; ; three purples: Paper Plume Desire, Sailor Shikiori, and TWSBI Royal Purple; Blackstone's Uluru Red; browns SBRE Brown and Herbin Cacao du Bresil. Perhaps my favorite, along with SBRE Brown is Edelstein Star Ruby.

[@cesspresso]

I’m not sure why but the ancient copper looks especially delicious coming out of my solid copper Karas Ink V2. The pen is as solid and dependable as the Diamine Ink is

[@johntaylor8817]

Hi. I just love Poppy red.🤗 Cheers

[@varadharajannadarajah]

Pilot Black & Sailor KiwaGuro Monteverde Sapphire & Octopus Fluids Blue Koi

[@LewisLittle66]

I don't think I could pick ten. My top 3 are PCB, Diamine Ancient Copper and Diamine Sherwood Green. My preferences on the other seven change monthly.

[@wolf_ceit_witch]

Great selection of inks

[@catwhisperer911]

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

[@rsh8057]

Thanks for sharing your favorite inks. Communication Breakdown looks like something that would interest me if still available... as it is my favorite inks now: 1) Noodlers Bay state blue. Used in my works pens and carefully filled, I've had no issues. Dries fast and its unique color is something I can tell from across the room is my writing. 2) Birmingham sheening inks (Emerald Fusion and Interstellar Bronze). These inks literally glow. Suspectible to water but in a dry/secure journal is just beautiful 3) Vinta Sikatuno (great red w/ green sheen). 4) Noodlers 1984. Quick drying water resistant purple/violet. Too light for work but my workhorse for journal writing. 5) Noodlers Red Rattler Eel. (my cleaner ink; helps remove stains from previous inks). 6) MB permanent black ink ; standard option for black in k in work 7) Lie De The (brown/water resistant and safe to use in vintage pens). 8) Vert De gris another safe option for vintage pens. Readable grey ink. 9) Sailor Manyo Ha-ha. A fun blue ink; more problematic as it's dry and pale so it's needs the right pen/paper, but the shading is beautiful and color shifting always interesting.

[@Dosbomber]

Interesting note on the Red Rattler Eel. I've never tried it, but I like the idea of a well-behaved "purge" ink to clean stains from prior inks on its way out. Does it also work on the Baystate inks?

[@judyjacobs5827]

Thanks for the praise of Noodler's Bay State Blue, the ink we love to hate. I keep my EDC, a Mozart pocket pen, loaded with BSB and have never had any trouble with it. Bright, goes on smoothly and stays where you put it. I haven't found it to stain any worse than something like Akkerman Pulchri Pink, which is not even a deep color. Another of my favorites is Diamine Writer's Blood, which can look deep red, or purplish or brown, depending on the nib and the paper. Pilot Iroshizuku Yu-Yake is a wonderful orange ink, and it sounds like my name.

[@rsh8057]

@@Dosbomber no my friend. The only thing that can remove the BsB stains is a bleach solution. The pens I use; the convertors are all stained. So it's only worth it if you like the vibrancy of hte color and don't mind to use it consistantly.

[@angelomicciulla]

Dave, knowing you grew up in San Diego and love the Padres, what about a review of a Skogsy pen? They are a couple from Dan Diego. (I met them at the DC Penshow).

[@ss45247]

Interesting selection… no KWZ or sailor or did my mind wander. Shimmer inks also noticeably absent…. I really like Pilot Namiki cartridges… so well behaved ❤

[@gendo1123]

How good is robeet oster pen addict fire on fire at 11:12 on black paper Edit: all so same question for diamine apple glory at 4:09

[@qwp0983]

I would 100% watch you rank ink bottles

[@PedroAssumpcao-on6db]

Have you tried Rohrer & Klingner's "salix", the blue black iron gall ink? If so, what did you think of it?

[@paulmchugh1430]

Excellent presentation, David. I have been looking for Cross inks in bottles and haven't found one outlet that carries them. Any suggestions?

[@kb62147]

Great enjoyable video.

[@anguswhite8233]

we seem to like a lot of the same inks: even if the version I use has a different name than your equivalent:)

[@Marshallmallowlol]

I love the stack of 8 completed Rubiks cubes. Hilarious

[@Dosbomber]

Their color facing and configuration changes with each video, too.

[@varadharajannadarajah]

👌🏻👍🏻