Ink Review #636: Birmingham Carrie Furnace Pig Iron

Birmingham Carrie Furnace Pig Iron comes in 30 and 60ml bottles. Each of the Birmingham Inks are based on some historical part or person in Pittsburgh. The bottle’s label states: “In operation from 1884 until 1982, this Monongahela blast furnace produced over 1,000 tons of iron each day as part of the Homestead Steel Works. Andrew Carnegie purchased in 1898 several years after it’s construction. Furnaces #6 & #7 are still standing today.”

The color:

Pig Iron is a dark, unsaturated red. It’s almost a brown but not quite.

Swabs:

In large swabs there is a little bit of shading, but no sheen.

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: Low-there was some feathering in the larger nib sizes.

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

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

Comparison Swabs:

Pig Iron is similar to Diamine Oxblood, but it’s a lot less saturated. Click here to see the Birmingham inks together, and click here to see the red inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Lamy 2000 with a fine nib on Tomoe River paper. The ink had a slightly wet, watery flow.

Overall, I don’t love how unsaturated it is, and the flow is a bit watery. I just don’t love it.

Disclaimer: A sample of this ink was provided by a pen friend, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and this post is not sponsored in any way.