Gutenberg Museum — Bible Ink — Ink Review #9
Bible Ink
Ink Review # 9
Originally posted on FPN: Feb 22, 2021
Description
This is an iron gall ink sold by the Museum of Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany. They also have a line of Aniline inks, dip pen inks (including a dip pen (quill) iron gall ink), handmade paper, papyri, notebooks etc. Enough that will make stationery junkies salivate.
However, this all comes with a hitch: the shipping. They use FedEx, so it’s very expensive. Through happenstance and a mysterious internet glitch, I got hold of this ink, my third iron gall ink after Scabiosa and Salix.
Photo of the bottle - The Herbin bottle is to give an idea of scale - The other inks are dip-pen inks from the same store.
Ink review
It’s a true iron gall blue-black. A drop of ink on paper turns black, but on a paper towel it remains sky blue.
It oxidizes from a royal blue to a very dark blue or black over time. With absorbent paper, it turns black almost instantly but with other papers it can retain some of the blue dye.
It’s waterproof, dry and has a funky scent. If I didn’t know better, I would say it’s similar to Essri, but as I’ve never used it, I can’t say.
Blue dye in the transparent section:
Video Writing Sample with Unic vintage flex
https://youtu.be/99_jXl7aBHM?si=U3c5abMylrwM1R9O
I’ve been using this ink for the past month exclusively. For a long time, I wondered why people gravitate towards blue blacks, I understand now. I have used almost half of the bottle. If I could take only one ink with me on a desert island, it would be this or a similar iron gall ink. I have abandoned all my other pens and inks. This ink shines in vintage flexy pens and tames the excessive wetness. The combination is magical, as if the pen is inhabited by the ink it was meant to be. Writing experience was least pleasant with the Pilot, like a nail. Ironically with the Chinese Kaweco knock off when I wrote with an EF wet nib it was more pleasant (I later changed the nib to an italic).
Cleaning Note: Like all IG inks, flush with water first. For stubborn residue, use a small pinch of pure ascorbic acid in water, then rinse thoroughly. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners with iron gall inks.
Note: Iron gall inks can change over time and may develop sediment or precipitate, especially with age or poor storage. If the ink has visibly changed, use caution before putting it in a fountain pen.
Chroma
Writing Samples
The text is from Willis Barnstone's translation of the New Testament.
Every two lines I changed the pen.
F, M, Oblique-flex, Italic, Wet-noodle flex
Rhodia
3 days after
Photo (LED)
Writing Samples
Midori
Note how it retained the blue. This is not reflective of the normal pages of Midori. On a normal page the oxidation happens very fast.
A week after
Photo – Before oxidation
Tomoe River 52 gsm
Photo (LED)
There’s some ghosting and bleed-through with flex nibs.
Tomoe River 68 gsm
Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews.
Photo (LED)
Now two notebooks which are not fountain pen ink friendly:
Midori Cotton
Photo
Field Notes
Photo
Back (almost no show-through)
Comparison
Comparison with Salix
Top line - Salix fude - Middle Bible Ink - Vintage flex- Bottom - Salix medium
I didn’t swatch the ink when I first got it. The current swatch is from the precipitated ink. I would say the color is close to Essri or Diamine Registrars.
Ink Characteristics
Feel free to share your experience, feedback, or any other comments. The more the merrier. 😊
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