Ink Review #1699: Kobe 02 Hatoba Blue

Kobe is a brand I come back to again and again, just because I love them so much. Today let’s look at Kobe 02 Hatoba Blue. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Hatoba Blue is a medium ocean blue.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has pretty pink sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

*For my writing samples I use:

• EF Pilot Vanishing Point

• F, M, B Pilot Ishime

• Vintage Mabie Todd Swan (flex nib)

• Rhodia Goalbook

• Taroko Enigma notebooks (68gsm TR)

• Leuchtturm A5

• Pen & Gear Paper from Walmart

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, high pink sheen, and no shimmer.

On 20 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Hatoba Blue is closest to Waterman Serenity Blue in writing. Click here to see the Kobe inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pelikan M805 Vibrant Blue with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a wet flow.

Overall, I really enjoyed this ink. It’s a pretty color, has a nice wet flow and some shading and sheen too. I don’t think it’s a must-have for most people, but I really enjoyed it.

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored.