Ink Review #1303: Robert Oster Blue Velvet Storm

Robert Oster Blue Velvet Storm is from the Shake ‘N’ Shimmy collection. I purchased my bottle of ink at Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Blue Velvet Storm is a dark teal ink with blue shimmer. I’m pretty sure this ink is the shimmer version of Robert Oster Velvet Storm.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some fun sheen and shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: low shading, tiny red sheen, and blue shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Blue Velvet Storm is much darker than J Herbin Emerald of Shiver. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the teal inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot Custom 74 Teal with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely ink. I love that the color is a bit unusual for most shimmer inks. If you have been wanting a shimmer version of Robert Oster Velvet Storm or Lamy Petrol, this ink is for you!

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

Ink Review #1302: Diamine Shimmering Seas

Diamine Shimmering Seas is from the original 2015 Shimmertastic collection. I purchased my sample of ink from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Shimmering Seas is a dark blue, almost a blue-black.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has plenty of gold shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: low shading, no sheen, and gold shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes but very little bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Shimmering Seas is pretty close to De Atramentis Indian Blue Gold. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Kaweco Al-sport Anthracite with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a pretty shimmer ink. I wish it had silver shimmer instead of gold, simply because I prefer silver. The shimmer is not very consistent, a bit more inconsistent than other shimmer inks I’ve tried.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1301: Robert Oster Blood Rose

Robert Oster Blood Rose is from the Shake ‘N’ Shimmy collection. I purchased my sample of ink at Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Blood Rose is a medium red ink with rose gold shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has plenty of shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: low shading, no sheen, and rose gold shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Blood Rose is lighter than Diamine Red Lustre, but darker than Diamine Firestorm Red. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the red inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot Custom 74 Merlot with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, I enjoyed this ink. It’s pretty well-behaved, a gorgeous color and fun rose gold sheen. It’s a perfect ink for Valentine’s day or Christmas holidays.

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

Ink Review #1300: Diamine Night Sky

Diamine Night Sky is from the original 2015 Shimmertastic collection. I purchased my sample of ink from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Night Sky is a light black with silver shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has plenty of silver shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: no shading, no sheen, and silver shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Night Sky is closest to Diamine Sparkling Shadows, but it has silver shimmer to Sparkling Shadow’s gold. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the black inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Franklin-Christoph 45 Charcoal & Creme with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a great black shimmer ink, well-behaved and perfect for special occasion writing. It matches the FC Charcoal & Creme pen material so well too!

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1299: Robert Oster Barossa Gilt

Robert Oster Barossa Gilt is from the Shake ‘N’ Shimmy collection. I purchased my bottle of ink at Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Barossa Gilt is a blue-violet with gold shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some shading and gold shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low shading, no sheen, and gold shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Barossa Gilt is closest to Birmingham Stage Velvet Luster, but it has gold shimmer instead of Velvet’s silver. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the purple inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Lamy Safari Violet with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a slightly dry flow.

Overall, this is a fun shimmer ink. I didn’t have any clogging problems, and it’s generally pretty well behaved. It’s a pretty color, but it is a bit on the dry side for me.

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

Ink Review #1298: Diamine Firestorm Red

The holidays are coming up, which means it’s time to find some fun shimmer inks. Let’s take a look at Diamine Firestorm Red from the 2016 Shimmertastic collection. I purchased my sample of ink from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Firestorm is a bright red with silver shimmer.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has plenty of silver shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: no shading, no sheen, and silver shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Firestorm Red is closest to De Atramentis Camelian Red Silver. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the red inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Esterbrook Estie Maraschino with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely, well-behaved ink. It’s perfect for the holidays and matches the Esterbrook Estie Maraschino pen pretty well too!

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1297: Monteverde Scotch Brown

I’m slowly making my way through all of Monteverde’s inks. Today it’s Monteverde Scotch Brown from the standard lineup. You can find this ink at most retailers including Pen Chalet (aff. link) and Vanness Pens.

The color:

Scotch Brown is a dark red-brown.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks much darker and less saturated.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Scotch Brown is darker than Monteverde Pumpkin Cake, and a little bit warmer than Montblanc Toffee Brown. Click here to see the Monteverde inks together, and click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot VP Copper with a fine nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely brown ink. It’s a great budget alternative for Montblanc Toffee Brown.

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

Backpack Inks Set 2

Yesterday we looked at the first four Backpack Inks so today we are going to look at the second four. Thanks to Pen Realm for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Dublin Green, Athens Blue, London Navy and Reykjavik Black.

Dry Time:

All four inks dried in 50-80 seconds.

Writing samples:

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

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low to medium shading, no sheen except Dublin Green and Athens Blue, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Dublin Green is brighter than Diamine Woodland Green, but a little more yellow than Robert Oster Emerald. Athens Blue is close to Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue. London Navy is similar to Bungubox 4B. Reykjavik Black is a little more blue than Sailor Ink Studio 024.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All four inks had a wet flow.

Overall, London Navy is my favorite of these four, but all of them do take quite a while to fully dry.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Pen Realm for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.

Backpack Inks Set 1

Backpack Inks is a new brand to me this year, I was so excited when they came in the mail. Today we are going to look at four of the eight Backpack Inks. Thanks to Pen Realm for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Rome Purple, Berlin Brown, Moscow Red and Amsterdam Orange.

Dry Time:

All four inks dried in 70-80 seconds. Out of all the inks I’ve reviewed I only know of three inks that take longer to dry than these four.

Writing samples:

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

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: medium shading, no sheen except Rome Purple, which has high sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Rome Purple is more blue than Sailor Colorado, but less blue than Sailor Shigure. Berlin Brown is a little more yellow than Papier Plume Pecan. Moscow Red is a little less saturated than Monteverde Love. Amsterdam Orange is in-between Robert Oster Terracotta and Monteverde Mandarin Orange.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All four inks had an average to wet flow.

Overall, Rome Purple is my favorite out of these four, but I’m really disappointed in how long they take to dry.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Pen Realm for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.