My Top 5 Blue Inks in 2022

[@cynthiaalvarado8610]

Fun fact: waterman mysterious blue is called so because we are left wondering whether it’s a blue-black, blueish gray, or royal blue!

[@Doodlebud]

That is a very accurate statement!

[@JerryBearry]

I haven't fallen into the rabbit hole of inks (yet). My 146 has been inked exclusively with Montblanc permanent blue ink for over a year now. That ink behaves well in all of my pens. VERY waterproof! I give my pens a thorough cleaning after three fills and have never had an issue. I am amazed at how long I can sit there in thought with my uncapped pen in hand, and it writes right away with no dry starts. Just my $0.02 on another blue ink.

[@Doodlebud]

Yup, I've had my eye on that one too but havent yet

[@JerryBearry]

@@Doodlebud I wouldn't consider it a vibrant blue, it is a very business/professional type blue. No sheening, some shading. I feel comfortable writing checks and addressing envelopes with this ink.

[@Walkercolt1]

I just turned 70. I have a bottle of Sheaffer Blue ink older than I am. It was my late parent's and it is the FINEST BLUE (not blue-black or black!) fountain pen ink available. My Momma paid 3 cents for it in Third Grade in Belleville Elementary School in 1933 or 1934 to learn cursive writing. I use it in my Parker 75 "Presidential" fountain pen if I want BLUE ink. For blue-black I use my 1960 bottle of "Quink" from Parker I learned cursive writing with, and for black I use Deitzgen drawing ink (made for draftsmen to use in technical pens). I own five fountain pens from my late Grandmother's WWII "Big Red" to a Monte Blanc I hate because nibs are stupid expensive, and after buying 7, I haven't found a nib that is flexible enough and has a good shape. If I needed "modern ink" I'd go to one of the expensive Japanese Brands now ($10-up per 25ml.) since the good German inks are no longer made.

[@pen_journal]

First time seeing Diamine Sargasso Sea! Love that blue bright richness!

[@Doodlebud]

If you see my review on the good blue pen its what I'm using if you want to see it in action

[@llchapman1234]

My favorite blue ink...so far 😉

[@VoxUrania]

I love Quink. It has some artistic properties too. If it’s spritzed with water or alcohol on a heavier paper, it will reveal colour undertones. I like the Diamine Oxford Blue, but the other Diamine blues here are lovely. I use a Lamy blue/black as my everyday workhorse, but it’s not as vibrant as these blues.

[@Doodlebud]

Oh nice, I don't mess with my inks much but I see what some of my artist friends do and its really cool. Thx for sharing you tip :)

[@kevinaltman7730]

This is the first pen/ink review that made me laugh out loud. Watch that Quink! . 😂. Thank you for that.

[@Doodlebud]

The ink spill was too good not to include in the video!

[@peteacher52]

During my 40 year teaching career, which involved a great deal of writing, my "default" inks were mostly Parker with a smattering of Sheaffer, in black, red and blue. My two favourite pens were/are a Parker 75 and a Sheaffer ca. 1972 gold filled. Apart from a Conway Stewart for a couple of years, I never felt the need to try anything outside of that most satisfactory box. The Conway Stewart was given to a 10 year old girl who had excellent writing and who showed keen interest in the fountain pen. Same as learning the piano or violin, a quality instrument makes the learner WANT to practice rather than having to do battle with a honkey-tonk or a scratch box.

[@llchapman1234]

What a lovely story. I'm sure she treasures that pen and all the mentoring 😊

[@FlurinKoenz]

Diamine Sargasso Sea is one of my favorites inks especially together with my Pilot Metropolitan. Interestingly, the Waterman serenity blue writes much drier with the same pen.

[@josephhargrove4319]

For modern pens, my favorite blues are: Visconti Blue, Diamine Blue Velvet, Jaques Herbin Bleu de Minuit, Kobe #14 Maya Lapis Lazuli, Taccia Hiroshige-Uri, Monteverde D.C Supershow Blue, Private Reserve D.C. Supershow Blue, and KWZ Standard Azure #2. And an honorable mention to Monteverde Horizon Blue. There are so many good blue inks available that I'm almost surprised we had any overlap at all. richard -- One of the phrases you are least likely to hear: "That's the banjo player's Porsche."

[@mdgdm]

Mysterious Blue is the only ink I’ve used up and bought another bottle; I really like the color and it works well in all my pens. Also another Diamine blue, Twilight, behaves well and has a moody look. I have several other blues but these two are the best.

[@gabemadorma2933]

I find Watermans Serenity Blue to be fairly comparable to Sargasso Sea and safe for vintage use

[@camorakidd_edc]

From seeing this you might like Iroshizuku Asa-Gao which is my favourite blue. Just a clean but very nice and slightly poppy blue.

[@P90Camper]

Diamine Oxford and Majestic Blue are my go-to.

[@Doodlebud]

I was supposed to buy oxford but forgot which ones I had and bought majestic again by accident LOL

[@happytrouble5561]

My favorites are these : Waterman - Mysterious blue, Diamine - Prussian Blue, KWZ sheen machine - Blue, Rohrer and Klingner - Salix, Pilot Iroshizuku - Kon Peki. Honorable mention J.Herbin - Bleu Pervenche and Asa blue by Diamine :) I'm not a fan of the true " royal blue" color, but I love the fact that the Mysterious Blue and Salix kind of go on the paper like that and then they dry to this powdery almost blue/black color. I just love seeing that transformation happen on the paper. I believe that Diamine's Prussian blue has a similar effect. My friend just got herself a fountain pen recently and she asked me what kind of ink I'd recommend she'll get with it and I told her to go for the Waterman's - Mysterious Blue. I think it's a very well behaved, affordable yet very interesting ink to get especially when someone is just starting out. Lovely video, thank you for sharing 😊

[@Doodlebud]

If have the KWZ sheen machine as well. Looks lovely but DAMN I get stains all over my hands, desk, paper, etc whenever I ink up a pen LOL. Just when you thought you're inked up, all cleaned and can put it away... BOOM theres a stain somewhere! 😆

[@happytrouble5561]

@@Doodlebud Lol I know right? 😆 They're super pigmented and also the sheen is so freaking sticky that I have to remember not to close the cap too tightly because I'll never get it opened again. I wear a pair of latex free gloves when I am inking my pens with these. But in the pen, Oh my, it's so gorgeous and when you do like a whole page of writing and then look at the sheen, it's breathtaking. It's totally worth the trouble. I tend to choose pens that I can keep this ink in them permanently and I have my TWSBI eco white/rose gold inked up with blue and the TWSBI VAC 700R with the green version, so I don't have to go through the re-inking process as often. Oh and they smell like a perfume too, which I love. It's a very specific type of smell I've only witness with the KWZ inks. I have the Azure #3 from them too and it also has that divine perfume- ish smell. Love them hehe

[@Doodlebud]

Good call on the large ink capacity pens! Try to minimize the "encounters" with the bottles!

[@derekdavis5720]

Good video. My five favourite blue inks are Diamine Majestic Blue, Diamine Midnight Blue, KWZ Baltic Memories, Edelstein Sapphire Blue and Pelikan 4001 Blue Black. Honourable mention to Lamy Blue. All of these inks have been trouble free. Baltic Memories v Diamine Midnight Blue are my joint favourite Blue inks. Will get a bottle of Quink Washable Blue. Waterman’s ink is generally regarded as being particularly safe. Not overly high end price wise. Thanks again. D

[@animula6908]

Thanks for that clever demonstration of washable blue.

[@osirisgolad]

I had to go dig out my ancient bottle of Mysterious Blue and test it after watching this video; turns out Waterman changed the recipe quite a while ago. It used to dry with some green-teal algae shading here and there instead of just being blue-black.

[@MujahidJazz]

My favorite blue inks are Sheaffer Blue/Black, Diamine Twilight, Diamine Prussian Blue, and Iroshizuku Shin-kai, in that order.

[@CHUCHOCAICEDO]

In my opinion, my blue inks are the next: parker blue permanent, lamy crystal azurite, graf von faber castell cobalt blue, lamy crystal amazonite, lamy crystal benitoite, but, the best for me is a parker permanent blue, its precious blue, excelent pigment and friendly with your fountain pen. Thank you.

[@johnlopez3996]

I like Montverde's Sapphire Blue and Birmingham Pen Company's Ice Rink. I do agree with you that Parker inks are safe for vintage pens.

[@sluggger]

if I were doing a top 5 I might take Sargasso Sea out and replace it with Pelikan Konigsblau which is another great and safe option, I find that it has a small amount of shading properties depending on the pen and paper. I have a particular pen that is very finnicky and does not write very well to the point I was very disappointed in it, but Konigsblau makes it write very well. I know that is more of a pen problem than anything but the fact that one ink can bring a broken pen to life gives me a soft spot for the ink. I've never tried the Super Show ink so I might replace that with either Kon-Peki, regular Pilot blue-black, or something from Noodlers. Your other 3 though, would honestly probably be on my top 5 as well, so my list would otherwise be a copy of yours. Thanks for the video.

[@manuelsalazar3938]

Wow, so nice to have a fellow Sargasso Sea fan, damn shame this ink is so despised by other penthusiasts 😑. As many others, most of my ink collection is different shades of blue and it's too difficult to choose a very favorite, probably my favorites are Ink Institute Cat at Dawn, Robert Oster Fire & Ice, Vinta Blue Blood, Kyo no oto Hisoku, J. Herbin Blue Calanque, Visconti Blue and Sargasso Sea.

[@WaitingtoHit]

Visconti blue should be on every one of these lists!

[@Doodlebud]

Didn't know Sargasso Sea was hated, oh well LOL. Fire & Ice is so nice... was a toss up when I did the vid. If I made it my Top 6 it would have been there!

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@WaitingtoHit ..Seconded! I had cited the show-stopping VB earlier in my own first post here.

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@Doodlebud …I have already named Sargasso Sea in my own list here. I’m aware that the ink gets rapped by some people for two main reasons: one, its weird odor, and second, the ink’s alleged tendency to stain converters and somewhat difficult to clean out of pens. The claims are at least partly true, in my experience. But I love Sargasso for its gorgeous blue looks alone.

[@Xingqiwu387]

I agree totally: Parker's QUINK is absolutely marvelous! I use only ST Dupont fountain pens for their ultra-smooth writing characteristics, and I have used many different ink selections over the years with varying levels of satisfaction. QUINK from Parker is a marvelous ink. The color itself is attractive, the ink flow is wonderful, and the lines of writing are dry before you can even blink. It's also quite water-resistant.

[@lead-dog]

I have an ST Dupont which is my favorite pen. My wife bought it for me years ago and I didn't save the box etc. so I honestly don't know what model it is. 18k gold nib. Beautiful pen. I don't see much mention of them in all the you tube channels on pens which is kind of disappointing. Take care.

[@Xingqiwu387]

@@lead-dog I agree wholeheartedly. I've had and used many very nice pens over the years, but the ST Dupont Olympio is my absolute favorite. It glides across the paper as smoothly as silk on ice. Absolutely fabulous! So it's nice to see there are others out there who share my experience. Keep up the good writing :)

[@korax67]

Pilot blue is on the same line with Parker and Waterman. One of my favorites. Also J.Herbin "Bleu des profonders " is a nice not very dark blue, but a special one surely. I have 4 of your inks and I totally agree that all are trustable and safe. Diamine also has some other interesting blues too (Tydor Blue, Oxford blue, Midnight, Twilight, Denim(.

[@Doodlebud]

I like my midnight as well, need to get some oxford! Everyone has mentioned it. Stopped at a local shop that sells Diamine and knew I had several blues but couldn't remember which ones. Was it majestic or oxford I have???.... OXFORD! "I'll take one bottle of Majestic Blue please." Get home.... DAMMIT It was MAJESTIC I DIDN'T have OXFORD! 😆

[@korax67]

@@Doodlebud LOL 😆 it happens to me all the time too 🤣 Midnight was my first Diamine blue love ! (Still is). Twilight is excellent too, it has a touch of green in it, a nice hint. You can't go wrong with any Diamine blue, anyway, I have more than 20 ...

[@nancymilawski1048]

@@Doodlebud there is a wonderful new idea, you make a list using one of your fountain pens. 🤣🤣🤣

[@sajjadhusain4146]

Kaweco Midnight Blue is another I’d readily recommended. Though, that is actually a blue-black really. A very saturated dark blue, at any rate.

[@Rgc571]

Monteverde Capri Blue, Waterman Serenity Blu and Graf von Faber Castell Royalblau round out my blue bottles. Enjoyed the video, thank you.

[@Rgc571]

I have these inks,the GVFC Royalblau is a 20 plus year bottle of ink that still is great. Capri Blue is my dark blue.

[@ac5aa]

I’ve got to try Sargasso Sea. So far, my favorites are Waterman Serenity Blue and Mysterious Blue, Noodlers Air Corp Blue-black and American Eel, and finally my most fave is Diamine Oxford Blue which is a dark blue-black.

[@Doodlebud]

Oxford is on my list to pick up

[@inkyhamster]

Loved the ink show. My fav blue is Van Diemans Bass Strait Cobalt Blue.

[@dmf30]

A lot of likes for such a specific topic. So nice to see. d My go to blue inks: Private REserve DC Supershow Blue ( better than Monteverde DC Supershow imho as the PR is brighter and deeper) , Diamine Blue Velvet, Montegrappa Saphhire, Noodlers Blue. I love the color of Baystate Blue but it has some not so popular properties like staining. But that is the shade and brightness i would want.

[@Doodlebud]

BSB loves lovely as a shade, but yeah I've heard the stories!

[@ShadowHawk357]

I physically separate ink into 2 different categories on my shelves, vintage safe and non-vintage safe. The thing is, 80% of my collection are vintage pens. That said, you should give Pelikan’s 4001 series a try. Especially useful for taming wildly wet pens, these inks are reliable and extremely safe for vintage pens. Look forward to your video using the little ph meter you showed in shorts!

[@Doodlebud]

I've heard the 4001 Pelikan inks are very good. Had one bottle, cant remember which one, just didnt care for the colour. Need to try another one sometime

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@Doodlebud ,.Very dry inks. The colors pretty lackluster, too. The only Pelikan 4001 I cared about is the Dark Green. But then, even that one has been found to be inconsistent in color and shade from batch to batch of the production line bottles in different markets.

[@audiolover]

Yeah 4001 is so dry you can feel drag on paper even on medium nib 🤷

[@yhakult]

How to know if vintage safe?

[@jeffroberts532]

Love this video. Man, you have great looking handwriting & printing! One of my most favorite blue inks that I recently discovered is 3 Oysters Delicious Peacock Blue. It is deeply saturated, a lovely color & well behaved in every pen I’ve tried so far (modern & vintage sac fillers). I’ve become a fan of 3 Oysters.

[@Doodlebud]

Haven't tried them yet, but seen some that look really nice!

[@jeffroberts532]

@@Doodlebud I’m curious about how/why you transitioned from the engineering profession to finance (if I’ve understood that correctly from various comments throughout your videos). If too personal or other reasons for not disclosing, that is totally cool. I’ve just been wondering.

[@Doodlebud]

I was a bit trapped. Wanted to explore other areas & roles within engineering but was very specialized and it was tough to transition to other areas. Also wanted to be my own boss and have more time freedom. I would always be the one who stayed late (sometimes through the night into the next day) to get things done in time before critical deadlines. Never got paid for all the extra effort and figured if I'm gonna put in the work I need to get paid. So put some feelers out there, gave it a try as a side hustle, and now its been my full-time gig for years. Still ABSOLUTELY LOVE engineering and helping people with projects. But the time freedom and no boss has been huge with a young family. Have no idea how I could do things with a "regular job" schedule. Taking the engineering angle on my reviews, which I wasnt sure if people would be interested in, has allowed me to stay engaged. All I do all day long is wonder how things work, just doesnt ever turn off for me. In a perfect world, I would be working on whatever engineering projects I wanted to and I would set the hours and be paid sufficiently.

[@jeffroberts532]

@@Doodlebud ah yes. I feel you with the long, and often unexpected hours, to meet deadlines & to deal with problems that constantly pop up. I’ve put in many, many over-nighters too. I’d love to be my own boss, but gave up that dream long ago. In reality, I’d probably lack the self-discipline necessary. I’m so glad you are doing well & enjoying your work and that it allows you time for the actual important things of life like family…and fountain pens. Hehe. Thank you for sharing. It’s very interesting.

[@Doodlebud]

We all lack the self-discipline. Sometimes the only way is to have self-discipline forced upon us! A no other option, option. Can't say it was easy at all, but I can say it was worth it.

[@MrAndrew1953]

Two blues I'd add to those are the Diamine Washable blue and Pilot blue you get in that bottle that comes with the Pilot 823.

[@Doodlebud]

Didnt get the bottle with my 823 when I bought it. But heard is very good and very safe

[@MrAndrew1953]

@@Doodlebud Not to worry, I got a bottle in blue and 1 in black on Ebay.

[@slo_carry]

As much as I love blue, it's not my most used color. If I had to say, my top 5 blue inks are; J Herbin Kyanite du Nepal, Lamy Azurite, Noodler's Liberty's Elysium, Sailor Storia Night, and Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai.

[@jmm95076]

Totally agree with your selection of Diamine Sargasso Sea and Majestic Blue. I also like Kobe #17 and the no-longer-made Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue. And controversially, I find Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki to be over rated -- I guess I like more saturated color.

[@Doodlebud]

I agree with kon penki, just too light for my personal preference. I should try a different one of their blue inks

[@sajjadhusain4146]

Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo is a winner. It belongs in my list of firm favorites. Neglected to mention it there.

[@sajjadhusain4146]

I love the blues (both the music genre and bottled inks). 🙂 Last year, I realized I have too many bottles of various blue inks. I have given away a few of them to trim the blue collection down to my essentials and firm favorites. If I had to name a Top 5 favorite blues, the following instantly spring to mind: Visconti Blue Monteverde Horizon Blue Diamine Sargasso Sea Sailor 50 State California (or Colorado??) Waterman Mysterious Blue

[@Doodlebud]

Horizon blue is really nice! Was a big sapphire blue fan for a very long time as well

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@Doodlebud …I had considered buying the Sapphire, but felt it was quite close to Horizon Blue, then decided HB was better. 🙂 And I have the 90 ml bottle of HB. Visconti Blue is the truest, prettiest blue in my collection. I presently own ten blue inks. Blue-black is another I’m very fond of. You may consider doing a video on that sometime.

[@audiolover]

Private Reserve Tropical Blue is also beautiful

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@audiolover ..I don’t have a single PR ink. The bottles look like jars of jam. Fruity conserves. I’m aware they have a whole new line of inks.

[@Thearcherfl]

I haven’t had the best Parker luck in inks. Maybe I got bottles that were old or frozen. Black ended up to be ok. But really overly wet. Even more wet than Monteverde. Blue was almost not at all saturated. I do understand normal blues tend to not be. Such as namiki blue. But very diluted. Almost like concentrated window cleaner. However watermen has treated me very well. Mystery blue isn’t my favorite color blue. But dammed if it doesn’t perform beautifully in every pen. Diamine tends to be my favorite inks. The color and flow of the ones I have are amazing. My favorite being oxblood. Monteverde is amazing to me. Except for scotch brown. Don’t like the oily color. Love your work. Love your topics. They tend to be an abstract and departure from the normal fountain pen videos. Appreciate all you do. All the best, Archer D

[@peterharris5387]

My favourite blue ink is Iroshizuku Asa Gao ... I use Noodler's Monkey Hanger if water resistance is a consideration

[@mrussoart]

2 great blues: Koh-I-Noor document blue and Hero 233. The K-I-N is better, completely waterproof and lightfast but you wouldn't like it much because it's a light blue. Both pigmented so probably not good for vintage pens. I use on modern pens only.

[@Doodlebud]

I have the same KIN as well. I always find the documental ones look good wet but not so great dry. Yeah, keep those away from vintage, but good for modern pens that are easy to clean. Or even just keep it in a good low cost pen and don't worry if it gets a bit stained.

[@fastwalker128]

Parker Quink blue is the only bottle of ink I ever entirely used up. It was my very first bottle of ink I ever bought. The rest are more or less still full. I have about 30 bottles of ink.

[@ChrisSaenz13]

Great video! Here recently, I'm thinking about safe inks more too mostly to avoid staining on my demonstrators. Blue inks I love: Robert Oster Lake of Fire, Diamine Aqua Lagoon, Noodler's Navajo Turquoise, Parker Quink Blue Black, Monteverde Horizon Blue! ✒

[@Doodlebud]

Love Horizon Blue as well

[@Calcprof]

I was a big fan of Parker Penman back when it was made. I used up my last of it in about 2012 (I saved 2 bottles which were bought before it became ridiculously expensive, and used them only occasionally). Private Reserve DC Show Supershow Blue and Diamine Majestic Blue are close. (Perhaps closer is Scribe Indigo, made by the former Parker Penman chemist.) PP on decent paper had a real purple cast, due, I believe, to the (not overwhelming) red sheen. A recent fairly safer blue I like is Pilot Iroshizuko Asa-Gao.

[@hamana2011]

Good timing was shopping for one

[@sr71at]

So beautiful and at the same time -- so legible handwriting and printing!

[@MightyMonk360]

GREAT VIDEO NOW I HAVE TWO BLUES TO MOST DEFINITELY ADD TO MY COLLECTION “SARGASSO & MAJESTIC” I ALSO LIKE THAT BRIGHT CHEERFUL ONE 2018 SUPERSHOW, MIGHT INCLUDE IT TO. APPRECIATE THE VIDEO!

[@Doodlebud]

Thanks for the all caps! 😁👍😂

[@marymurphy8353]

Thanks love blue inks. Really enjoyed the video.

[@Doodlebud]

Since this vid I've added Pelkian 4001 Royal Blue into the mix and I absolutely love it! Would be in this top 5 list if I did the video today

[@jaykhatridxb]

I am using and in love and awe with Noodler's baystate blue. I love it's vibrancy which I have never seen in any other blue ink. Also loved it because it is a bad boy amongst inks. What do you all ink lovers think of it?

[@Doodlebud]

It's like the sweet soothing song from a beautiful Siren calling out to you with her enchanting voice. Come further, further out into the bottomless sea... Then BAAMMMM! That shirt is no longer your property, it now belongs to Baystate Blue. The choice was never yours, it was in control the whole time and knew what it was doing.😂 Looks amazing, maybe one day.

[@sajjadhusain4146]

I have BSB, like it a lot, use it infrequently. It almost made my top 5, but it’s fiendish nature meant that a dynamic, more user-friendly Sailor ink made the cut instead. 🙂

[@pmccord9]

BSB is only for certain, very careful, fastidious writers. Great color, terrific saturation, but it punishes with every drip. Lots of washable blues with similar vibrancy these days. I'm a fan of the Waterman's, Organic Studio Nitrogen (sheen), Diamine Blue Velvet, and several Robert Osters, all well behaved, several lubricating.

[@prof.schreiber8925]

I like that one; however, I usually stick with their plain "blue" a workhorse, in my opinion, and I do have a soft spot for 54th mass when you get a really dry writing pen

[@robmc120]

Sargasso sea looks a lot like my favorite Monteverde horizon blue!

[@Doodlebud]

Love my horizon blue as well.

[@abc-wv4in]

Sargasso Sea can stain converters, but it's pretty.

[@charlieperkins1395]

Iroshizuku Asa GAO is beautiful, pops off the page, safe, and fun. Monteverdi Horizon Blue is beautiful, safe, and serious.

[@llchapman1234]

Blue is my ink color preference. Thanks for the video.

[@aag24]

I've found Diamine Asa Blue very good and safe (and very vibrant). Diamine Majestic Blue is nice but seems to smudge a hell of a lot with my careless hands. If you travel to Japan then Pilot blue/black in the big bottles is very nice and is a bargain (in its home market). (That's true for all those "premium" Japanese inks - they are much cheaper in Japan).

[@Doodlebud]

I've seen the big bottles online available for a very reasonable price.... except for when you add in the shipping!

[@aag24]

@@Doodlebud quite! They’re even cheaper in their homeland. Not like Diamine being cheaper on this dreaded island but much much cheaper.

[@pmccord9]

Nice work. I think that Monteverde is lubricated, like the Quick, as well. Free flowing, won't dry out in the nib.

[@pmccord9]

I meant Quink, cursed autocorrect.

[@irvintepper5]

for vintage pens I use Waterman, but recently found that aurora is also safe and have tried it and like it, a little more red in the color. For other pens, diamine blue black, Denim,and Prussian. J herbin Myosostis, Faber Castell Gulf blue, Callifolio blues(I understand callfolio ink is safe for vintage. Ackerman Shocking Blue, and am testing taccia various lighter blues for wider nibs.

[@Doodlebud]

I really want to pick up a bottle of Akkerman!

[@sajjadhusain4146]

Aurora is definitely a perfectly safe and appealing choice for vintage pens. The blue, black and blue-black particularly are easy picks, anytime.

[@Doodlebud]

Aurora Blue-Black is on of the few bottles I emptied

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@Doodlebud ..Same here. Ditto the Aurora Black. The loveliest, truest non-waterproof black ink I’ve seen and used. Aurora Blue is also a very nice, yet overlooked blue.

[@xerxiusmaximus]

Great picks... all new for me... (excepting the Watermans'). My go-to, top-5 blues, not in any particular order are: Colorverse Supernova (my top fave!), Sailor Shikiori Yonaga, Noodler's Midnight Blue, Montblanc Royal Blue, and Lamy Azurite (honorable mentions, Robert Oster Deep Sea, Sailor Shikiori Yamadori, and TWSBI 1791 Sky Blue)

[@jadedenthusiasms]

Gosh you're writing with that flex is beautiful :) I'm on a super tight budget but love fountain pens for my arthritic hands, are there suggestions for a blue or blue/black that is waterproof? Thanks for these...beautiful blues!!

[@Doodlebud]

That pen & nib combo is very nice! Here's a video I used it with. kzbin.info/www/bejne/an_aeJx8hq2Jg6M For a tighter budget a did a video fitting the Noodlers Ahab with their untipped nib. WOW! Definitely worth a couple bucks to add if you get an Ahab. Order an extra feed as well, and if your ok to tinker, you can get a surprisingly good writer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZKWdKF6aZx0rtU

[@jadedenthusiasms]

@@Doodlebud thanks :) I'll look into both of those for sure and save up!! Right now I just have a Jinhao x750 and I write a lot of letters and envelopes and I think a blue or blue/black is easier on my old eyes, so, for ink I'm hoping to find a good waterproof blue or blue/black. I hope to get a flex one day for a more beautiful envelope. But for now I can just get some ink, we'll, affordable ink ;) I probably shouldn't buy anything, but it necessary for letters, so I feel like I can justify it :) I'll look at the other videos too. Thanks!!

[@Doodlebud]

I don't have any permanent style blue/black inks. But check out www.mountainofink.com . Amazing resource to answer all your inky questions

[@anguswhite8233]

Have heard J Herbin Eclat de Saphir is safe alternative to BSB; other favourites are Iroshizuku Shin-kai, S T Dupont Royal Blue, Aurora blue and Montblanc Ultramarine but my absolute top dog is definitely Diamine Imperial blue:)(btw, Pilot/Namiki blue is quite light it’s also very wet!)

[@Doodlebud]

Love my Aurora Blue-Black. Want to try more Diamine blues but need to finish a few bottles of something first to have some sense of accomplishment 😅

[@sherrycohen1824]

For what it's worth, I read that if you write something in blue (say, in a planner), you remember it better than if you write it in black. Also, black ink (at least ballpoint ink) is cheaper to manufacture than blue. Blue happens to be my favorite color.

[@Doodlebud]

I could totally see a colour change making a difference on retention

[@diadia-Vadia-75]

cool blue inks 🖋

[@MD-eb6iu]

Sargasso Sea is such a beautiful ink. The Parker inks seem so plain Jane these days that I haven’t bought a bottle in years but I think you’ve sold me on picking up some again.

[@Myrslokstok]

It's soo complicated: Ink Paper Nib Thanks nice video I like a clear blue because it looks like an original, and not a black and white photocopy. I use the "irosuyoku - tsuyu kuza" but I would like a moore oily vibe when writing but it might be the paper as well. I dont like when it skips. When I write with a fontainpenn I like a lot of flow like a 1.5 nib.

[@phillinmcrakin5829]

Get some BSB! Do it DB! DO IT!

[@nortoncmd2681]

Glad to see I am not the only one that prints in all caps.

[@Doodlebud]

From my engineering days

[@Calcprof]

Some of my favorite blues. PR (original) DC super show blue. Diamine Majestic blue. Pilot Iroshizuko Asa-Gao, and Scribe Indigo My farvorite of all times is Parker Penman Sapphire, which of course has been unavailable for years. Scribe Indigo is maybe the best replacement for Penman sapphire. It is a small batch ink made by one of the Parker Penman chemists, but it is not quite (I think) as purple leaning as Parker Penman.

[@mikeerler5465]

My favorite blue inks are J Herbin Eclat de Saphir and Waterman Serenity Blue.

[@stephenbridges2791]

When I want safe, I use Pelikan Kongsblau. In a pen that can handle it, 54th Massachusetts for permanent writing. For fun Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai Ink (Deep Sea). I have a Lamy that my son got me a couple of years ago that can do any of the three. So, I am fortunate.

[@pjacklam]

The first pen looks like a MOntblanc 146. Which nib is it fittet with? I love the writing sample.

[@Doodlebud]

It's a 149 with a fine that I ground to a cursive italic

[@ichirofakename]

Some day, when you feel like joining Lou for a walk on the wild side, get a Preppy and a sample of Baystate.

[@Doodlebud]

The thought has crossed my mind. But for now... "Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo"

[@ichirofakename]

@@Doodlebud Exactly. Also, DON'T spill it.

[@Doodlebud]

If I did to BBS what I did to Quink! OMFG 😱. That was actually the 1st thought that came to mind when I spilled 😂. Thank God this wasn't BBS!

[@ichirofakename]

@@Doodlebud Maybe only use it outside. Naked.

[@Seefood73]

@@Doodlebud BSB is not as scary as people make it out to be. I'm only scared of it accidentally mixing with regular ink creating goop that will clog feeds. I managed to wash it off tables if caught early. Not from clothes, that would be a problem.

[@RustyRaceHorse]

Wow. Nice handwriting. Dont leave that pen lying around!

[@audiolover]

My fav are KWZ Azure #4, Diamine Asa-Blue(!), Waterman Serenity Blue, Monteverde Horizon Blue & Sapphire 🤗👌I see in comments no love for Taccia AO Blue 😢

[@Doodlebud]

Horizon Blue & Sapphire were the 2 most popular inks I used for a long time!

[@basta.dotto_]

I like Taccia AO Blue a lot.

[@nitina8564]

Except for the sargasso sea i have all the other blue inks and they are grest blue inks another Waterman blue ink that is great is the Serenity Blue.

[@Mirro18]

Now that you covered blues now I am kinda curious what you think of different blacks. I am mostly using the old reliable Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black ink so would be cool what options you prefer.

[@Doodlebud]

I don't use a bunch of black inks TBH. Any blacks are off black typically and like to use very dark blue or greens as an alternative

[@inlesinlet]

Lovely selection! My favorites are Iroshizuku Shin-kai (emptied an entire bottle of that one), Diamine Prussian Blue, and Sailor Shikiori Shimoyo. I don't like 'em bright or saturated, hahah.

[@Danny.._]

My top blue inks are Noodler's Liberty's Elysium, Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo, Pilot Iroshizuku Ama-Iro, Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki, and Noodler's Baystate Blue. Honorable mention to Diamine Oxford Blue. I've never tried any of the inks in this video so I'll have to get my hands on them and see hoe they compare to my favorites.

[@Doodlebud]

I've only tried one of the inks in your list! LOL Just TOO many options 😂

[@Danny.._]

@@Doodlebud exactly! too many options, and so many of them great!

[@archivist17]

At the moment, I'm using Diamine Midnight and Sapphire Blue, plus Herbin's Eclat de Saphir. Also partial to Kaweco's Royal Blue. Previously, I enjoyed the Diamine Bloody Brexit (and only partially because of the name). I have an aversion to Parker Blue because of bad experiences at school, where it was ubiquitous. 😕 Suffice to say, I like saturation. Paler colours just annoy me.

[@Doodlebud]

Yeah, not a pale blue fan. My MB Royal Blues really gives me the blues. Looks sooooo nice when it lays down on the paper... then it dries... then things get sad 😔

[@archivist17]

@@Doodlebud I feel your pain.

[@Doodlebud]

You literality watch disappointment in front of your eyes. Ink hits the page: "OOooohhh that looks nice." 6 seconds later.... "Noooooooooo!!!!Wait come baaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAccckkKKK!" 🙂😍😍😊.......😯😦😧😢😥😪😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 A roller coast of ink emotions in a few seconds!

[@sajjadhusain4146]

@@Doodlebud …The only MB blue ink I had was the Midnight Blue. Looked so good out of my MB 146 medium nib onto the page, every time. But soon enough, my mood would sink south as the color morphed into a blatantly duller, paler shade of blue. So deflating. I gave the bottle away to somebody who didn’t mind.

[@Michelt007]

It is so refreshing not to see, as pick, the usual Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, instead the Parker Blue which is a bit snobbed...

[@Doodlebud]

Kon Peki is a nice ink, but I don't see anything overly special about it.

[@BC21beats]

You know what that happens to me everytime I open up my parker quink too

[@Doodlebud]

REALLY! That was a first for me. Usually its no problem, but doing stuff around a phone and watching through the screen is always a recipe for disaster! Good thing its washable :)

[@thuntz29]

Looking forward to seeing your best inks. I have a bottle of Parker Quink Washable precisely for whenever I get a vintage pen. :) My favourite blues are Diamine Oxford Blue, Diamine Prussian Blue and Herbin Bleu Myosotis.

[@Doodlebud]

Ok thats it! Im getting an oxford blue ASAP! Like 50% of the comments mention it!

[@squeelit]

Lovely blues! My personal favorite is the Noodler's Air-Corp Blue-Black. However, it is decidedly not black-blue, but more of a teal. I love teal, so that works out. It's been fun to blend it with Dominant Industry's Early Spring, which lightens the color and reduces the dry time, making it perfect for my "jot it down and go" life. Do you ever mix inks together to get a different result? I've been having a blast mixing my previously unused cartridge inks with others to get different hues and experiment!

[@Doodlebud]

I haven't done a bunch of mixing yet. I did one after I saw a post somewhere and it combined 2 inks I have that I dont use much. Ended up being sort of like Lamy Petrol which was neat. But other than that I haven't experimented much with ink mixing.

[@baroquer]

*Diamine Twilight* 😍🥰🔒

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

Top 5 (in no particular order): Pelikan Konigsblau. Jacques Herbin Kyanite du Nepal. Iroshizuku Kon-peki. Iroshizuku Asa-gao. Lamy Blue

[@Doodlebud]

Ok theres another ink I have to get now. Pelikan Konnisblau has come up so many times in the comments!

[@aaroningram65]

I love the Mont Blanc perm blue, don’t care so much about sheen, look for reliable and basic !

[@Doodlebud]

I've had my eye on that one but haven't bought it yet. That one is pretty expensive up here compared to their other inks which are very reasonable

[@theoriginalrabbithole]

How is it that you did a video about about blue fountain pen inks and yet do don't include the most famous one, Noodler's Baystate Blue?

[@Doodlebud]

I've done a video on BSB, its the biggest performing video I've done LOL. I bought BSB 1 year after making this video so hadn't use it yet. But I did the same video today I still wouldn't put it in my top 5. Just too much of a work to clean and it bleeds very easy on cheap paper. Its a neat ink just not my fave

[@ebbabirkflo]

Majestic Blue is almost shifting in violet or am I seeing wrong? Im chasing the perfect blue ink for using in my airbrush and I'm looking after this blue/lilac ball pen color

[@Doodlebud]

Its so tricky to know what a ink colour looks like over a video or pics. I actually did a video all about this brining up about a dozen issues with trying to accurately convey a colour in a video/image. Check it out if you want kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnfPkoBqfa6Mpas

[@tomshult3044]

I am 2 for 2 on Monteverde inks getting mold. No mold on any other ink so far. Can you say which is dry and wet?

[@sajjadhusain4146]

I have used six Monteverde inks so far. The only ones that developed crusty molding around the top rim of the bottle was the Olivine and, to a much lesser extent, Fireopal. The other four are from Monteverde’s Noir line. Splendid inks with no issues.

[@Doodlebud]

I did have a mold issue in my California Teal

[@ArjanD78]

We have similar taste! Sargasso Sea is one of my favorite as well. Akkerman Shocking Blue is similar (maybe) the same as Majestic Blue. Bur a way coller bottle. I like more saturated darker blues. Way to go!!!!

[@Doodlebud]

I want to get a bottle of Akkerman bad!

[@ArjanD78]

@@Doodlebud I'm from The Netherlands and I've been at the Akkerman store several times. I have: SBRE Brown Akkerman Bekakt Haags (Chocolaty brown) Akkerman Blauw Akkerman Shocking Blue Akkerman Chinatown Red Akkerman Hofvijfver Grijs Akkerman Hofkwartier Groen Akkerman Diep Duinwaterblauw That last one you'll like too. Very dark blue with a green hue.

[@Doodlebud]

NICE! I have to pick up a couple bottles at some point

[@Theod71]

Diamine blue velvet - a vibrant blue.

[@chris-non-voter]

I keep my pens nib pointing down all the time, I have found the pens never dry-out. How do these inks compare with regards drying out.

[@Doodlebud]

Dry out is mostly due to how well or poorly a pen seals. If a pen seals really well, you can leave any ink in it for months on end and it wont dry up. Inks with lots of sheen do tend to dry out quicker though.

[@Chris-gp2ft]

Hi. Tnank you for the video! Which pen do you use for the Sargasso Sea?

[@Doodlebud]

That pen is from The Good Blue

[@Chezon]

Great video!

[@Doodlebud]

Thanks

[@paulchiu]

Newbie here. Should I rest my montblanc fountain pen with NIB up or horizontal? thanks.

[@Doodlebud]

You can rest it however really. I keep mine in a case and it rests horizontally almost all the time

[@harrybaals7715]

I like Blue inks as I feel they match another part of my body.... 🏀🏀

[@Doodlebud]

Tell me you're married, without telling me you're married 🤔

[@PauloRLustosa]

Muito obrigado. Excelente vídeo.

[@ergia4822]

Doodlebud: Your ink review ought to include a fade over time test (say up to six months) as well as a water drop test to check for permanency. because at the time of writing various inks show varying degrees of legibility. In other words, no ink review is complete without these two tests.

[@Doodlebud]

This one wasn't meant to be an in-depth ink review as more of a" fav blue ink" chat. I leave the proper ink reviews up to Mountain of Ink and others as I simply don't have the patience for all the swabbing, drying, papers, dry test, water tests,....... I'm SOOOO THANKFUL they enjoy doing those tests because we all want to know. But that type of testing is torture for me LOL😆 Done lots of testing in chem labs which requires extensive thorough testing with very controlled procedures. Hated it! Give me something mechanical to work on. Fix it, break it, tear it apart, or make a more skookum version... thats the stuff I LOVE doing!

[@barbarahallowell2613]

Iroshizuku Aso Gao. ❤❤❤ True love.😊

[@gerardodelafuente]

Montblanc Pacific Blue vs Royal Blue, Wich one is more elegant?

[@PTR2K]

Just wondering what pen you used in the demo for the Sargasso Sea ink? I’m new to fountain pens so I have no idea what it is 🤣 just curious as it looks really good

[@Doodlebud]

That is The Good Blue R615

[@PTR2K]

@@Doodlebud Thanks for the reply! The pen looks really good

[@Doodlebud]

@@PTR2K I have a few reviews on the pen so give them a watch to learn more 👍

[@viv_2489]

Diamine is my choice...

[@MarshaLove0723]

My favorite blue is 'Tono & Lims GN TYPE-E'

[@Doodlebud]

Never heard of that but looks very nice, thanks for sharing. Also thank you to Mountain of Ink!!! Such a good resource!

[@chykalov]

What about J.Herbin Eclat de Saphire or Diamine Blue Velvet?

[@stargazer1359]

Monteverde has changed to metal caps.

[@Doodlebud]

Good to hear from you 😊

[@LaxiusOne]

Why don't you test water resistance?

[@Tendertroll1]

They look more purple than blue to me

[@Doodlebud]

They are blue. But here's a video I did about the problems with ink reviews to explain things kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnfPkoBqfa6Mpas