One criticism I often see lobbed at product bloggers--and stationery bloggers in particular--is that we review the products we like and largely ignore products we don't (presumably to curry favor with manufacturers and retailers who send out complimentary products for review). I don't see it that way--I think most people just don't like the negativity associated with slamming someone's product, especially where there has been a good-faith attempt to introduce something new into the market. But, reviewing is a public service of sorts, and I do what I must. I've come across an ink that I don't like at all.
I picked up this bottle of vintage (late 1990s, early 2000s) Montblanc Ruby Red ink at Joe Rodgers office supply in Cleveland, Tennessee, when I was in the area over the summer. Remarkably, this bottle also bore the original price tag ($8.50). This ink's name, however, simply does not match the actual color. It turns out that Ruby Red is more of a pinkish coral/peach color, that is so bright at times it almost looks neon. This color just doesn't work for me, and there's not much more to say about it.
If you'd like this bottle of ink, leave a comment here on the blog, and in exactly one week I will number the comments in the order they are received and use a random number generator to pick the lucky reader. Unfortunately, since this is ink, and it's a relatively heavy bottle, I'm going to have to economize and make this giveaway open to U.S. residents only. There is nothing wrong with the ink itself. It behaves like a Montblanc ink should, even though it's red. I had no trouble washing this out of the pen (immediately) after reviewing it. Best of luck, everybody!