Ink Review #592: KWZ Hawaii Blue

I love blue inks. There are so many good ones out there that I love, but I still love trying every new blue ink that’s released. KWZ Hawaii Blue was created exclusively for Hippo Noto. A sample of this ink was sent to me by a pen friend for this review.

The color:

Hawaii Blue is a pretty medium blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs there is a little bit of shading and some beautiful pink sheen. Like other KWZ inks, this one dries to a slightly slick finish.

Writing samples:

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

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, high sheen, and no shimmer. The sheen is visible in all nib sizes on Tomoe River paper, and in the larger nib sizes on Rhodia and Leuchtturm.

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

Comparison Swabs:

Hawaii Blue is close to a lot of blues, but Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue has a similar color, sheen and flow. Click here to see the KWZ inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Pelikan M805 Vibrant Blue with a broad nib on Tomoe River paper. The ink had a wet flow, and is just slightly smeary when freshly dried.

Overall, I enjoyed this ink. It performed well and is a pretty color. Since this ink isn’t currently available, Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue is a good alternative.

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