I’ve been doing more ink reviews lately, probably because I’ve been doing more writing (including a heck of a lot of writing on cheap paper). One of my most frequently used “workhorse” inks has been TWSBI Blue-Black, a modern iron gall blue-black ink in the tradition of classic Pelikan Blue-Black, Lamy Blue-Black, and old-formulation Montblanc Midnight Blue.
Admittedly, this isn’t a flashy ink. The blue-black color goes on dark and dries to the steel blue color that you may recall seeing on vintage business documents. The big advantage is that iron gall inks tend to perform quite well on even the cheapest recycled copy paper and legal pads. I’ve managed to use this ink in a broad nib at work with decent results, whereas most fountain pen inks are unusable on our stock office paper. Iron gall inks also show good water resistance, so you’re writing will be protected against water (and coffee) spills. See below for an example of how well the TWSBI Blue-Black does after a dunk in a glass of water.
I think TWSBI describes this ink as “water-resistant” out of an abundance of caution. I soaked this writing sample in a glass of water for 5 minutes. I would consider this, in my own personal terminology, “waterproof”. This is HP 28lb copy paper.
But Won’t Iron Gall Inks Hurt My Pens?
One persisting “myth” of pendom is that iron gall ink will corrode your pens. While it’s true that you should exercise caution with vintage and homemade iron gall ink, as well as some of the stronger calligraphy formulations, most modern inks made specifically for use in fountain pens are safe to use provided you practice decent pen hygiene and flush your pen periodically. Even then, I’ve had TWSBI Blue-Black loaded into this Diamond 580 ALR Nickel for a couple of months, and there has been no clogging, staining, or corrosion.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
TWSBI Blue-Black has earned itself a place in my rotation as a go-to work/office ink, and I’ve had at least one pen inked with it for the past year or so. At $15.99 for a giant 70ml bottle, you’ll also get your money’s worth. You can purchase TWSBI Blue-Black ink, as well as other TWSBI products, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Recently, we added the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in “Prussian Blue,” as well as the new TWSBI ECO Lilac, to our offerings!
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