When it comes to ink specific reviews, usually not something I spend a lot of time on, but I'm working my way up to it I think. I've been acquiring inks quite a bit recently (probably need to slow it down) so there may be more ink reviews than usual in the coming months.
I've always been more of a blue ink guy, so probably 80% of my inks are blue. Upon placing a recent Pen Chalet order to buy some paper and a Neon Lamy Safari (it was only $20 and came with a 1.5mm stub which is why I bought it), I decided to toss in a couple of ink bottles one being Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher. And with the CLICKYPOST promo code, an extra 10% off.
The BBK, as I will likely refer to it from now on because the name is a bit excessive, is a blue black ink which I've actually grown pretty fond of.
In this review I am using Clairefontaine Triomphe paper.
From a blue to black type ratio, BBK is definitely more on the blue side. Some blue black inks come through as almost a dark grey, but this stays more to a nice darker blue. A good shade that can stand out a little, but still maintain a low profile.
For kicks, some other "blue black" inks to compare:
From my experience, BBK is well lubricated and creates a smooth writing experience and a lot of excellent shading. Granted, I've been using it primarily with a stub which helps in the shading area, but it is pretty dramatic.
On more fountain pen friendly papers, the dry time (I was also using a stub...) was pretty long needing over 30 seconds to finish. If you use a broader nib, could be a problem, but I'd imagine with finer lines the dry time would reduce dramatically.
What I like about Noodler's ink is that it comes in a huge range of colors and is generally pretty cheap. I don't think I've ever spent more than $13 on a bottle which makes trying out new ones easier.
I like BBK.
