Pen used: Stipula Ventidue ’22’ with an 1.1 mm italic nib.
Paper used: Elco of Switzerland
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This is a quite special ink – it is both bulletproof and freezeproof. The bulletproof properties are excellent – it doesn’t bleed any colour when put under the water tap or soaked in water for a long time. The colour is quite special – it is a bit muted, very cold, icy, medium dark blue. It is not a blurple, but it has a faint tinge of violet due to its mutedness. It really suits the label ‘polar’. It suits well as an all round ink – both for personal and professional use. Its muted characteristics don’t make it boring – just frosty with a polar feel. Beside the bulletproof and freezeproof properties this may well be the most well lubricating ink I have ever tried. It has sweetened all the nibs I’ve used it in – adding a buttery feel to all kinds of nibs. It is a sheer delight to write with . The feathering and bleed through on various paper qualities are rather minor – neither better or worse than the average inks.
The biggest drawback with this ink is its massive nib creep – it practically covers the nib with ink. Another little drawback is that it doesn’t shade – not even in this broad, juicy nib. In all: this ink has become one of my favourite inks; it is such a tactile pleasure to write with and a very good all-purpose ink. You find comparisons with other inks here.
I agree that some already very sweet nibs can be oversweetened by this ink. :) It works very good in italics and Japanese EFs. One good thing I’ve also noticed, that I forgot to write in the review, is that it is very easy to flush.
It looks really nice coming from that nib: I think it’s an ink which probably suits a broader line better. I have this ink, and thus far have only tried it in an EF Lamy 2000. As the pen is very smooth, I actually felt there was a bit too much lubrication, but it’s a nice shade of blue. I must try it with my italics, or a less smooth nib. Oh, and yes, it really does creep a lot! My whole nib was blue with it.