Noodler's Red Black Ink

First off, let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Noodler's inks. Not only do they have a large color selection, but most of the inks that I have experimented with perform absolutely beautiful!

In this review I used two different pens in hopes that it might show you some of the color characteristics this ink has to offer.

Quick Specifications

Ink Brand & Name: Noodler's Red Black
Color Category: Dark red or Burgundy
Price: $12.50 for 3oz bottle
Pen(s) Used: Lamy Joy 1.1mm Italic nib and a Lamy Vista Extra Fine nib
Paper Used: Rhodia Ice No. 18 Graph
Flow: Smooth as Butter! (Scale of 1-10, it rates a '9' - depending on the pen and paper used can depend on how well it flows and how wet the ink is)
Saturation: High

The Low-Down

While writing with this ink in my Lamy Joy, it did feel a tad bit dryer and scratchy at times... and only a few times. However this can be in part to the pen or part in how I was writing. I have used other inks with better performance. I guess it just depends on the ink.
I tend to like little to no feedback when I write. Being that I was using a 1.1mm stub italic nib...well, yea, that might have something to do with the feedback I was getting.

Now, put this ink in my Lamy Vista Extra Fine point nib and this ink just glides across the paper like butter. I wrote with this pen on Piccadilly journal paper, Clairefontaine, Apica, and Rhodia. The result was excellent straight across the board.


Feathering, flow, other issues.

As one would expect, there was some feathering on cheap photocopy paper (Bleed through as well). However, when fountain pen quality paper was used (Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Apica, and Picadilly high quality paper) show through (Ghosting) was minimal to none, and there was no feathering.

 

Now on Clairefontaine paper, this ink took some time to dry - longer than it would on other papers. It is not uncommon to hear the complaint that inks take way longer to dry on Clairefontaine paper than many others. 

Conclusion.

Noodler's Red Black ink is definitely high on the list for saturation and has beautiful shading and characteristics. Yet another beautiful ink made by Noodler's. With such great performance, shading and price, you can't afford not to own a bottle of this ink!