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The Best Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks

The Best Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks


The Best Blue Black Fountain Pen Inks

Blue black is a complex color, covering everything from a grayish dark blue to a blue-tinted black. As if by magic, these captivating inks manage to be attractive but not gaudy, professional but not stuffy, and suitable for pretty much any purpose.

What is the Best Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink?
Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai embodies everything beautiful about blue black ink.
Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai embodies everything beautiful about blue black ink.

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Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai is the best blue black fountain pen ink. It's a rich blue gray that embodies everything beautiful about blue black ink, with subtle yet evocative shading. Shin-kai is delightfully smooth and performs well in virtually any fountain pen.

As an added bonus, the 50 ml version comes in a beautiful glass bottle that is a work of art in its own right. Its bottom-heavy design helps to keep it from tipping over, and the small divot in the bottom lets you insert your fountain pens deeper and fill them more times before the ink level gets too low. Smaller 15 ml bottles as well as convenient proprietary cartridges are also available.

The only downside to Shin-kai is that it isn’t waterproof at all. If you need an ink that will withstand the occasional spill or coffee ring, read on for our other top picks.

Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink Recommendations
Best Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink for Students: Rohrer & Klingner Eisen-Gallus-Tinte Salix
Rohrer & Klingner Eisen-Gallus-Tinte Salix is perfect for students who don’t always get to pick the paper they’re writing on.
Rohrer & Klingner Eisen-Gallus-Tinte Salix is perfect for students who don’t always get to pick the paper they’re writing on.

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Rohrer & Klingner Eisen-Gallus-Tinte Salix is perfect for students (and office workers) who don’t always get to pick the paper they’re writing on. It’s well-behaved on ordinary copy paper and stands up well to highlighting. It’s highly water resistant, too, so your precious work won’t be eradicated by a careless spill or sudden rain.

The reason for all these great properties is that Salix is an iron gall ink. Historically, iron gall inks were used for important documents because they were waterproof and incredibly durable. However, they were also highly acidic, and could sometimes “eat” through the paper. Modern iron gall inks like Salix are much gentler and safe for fountain pens, but we still recommend cleaning your pen regularly to avoid any risk of staining.

Like many iron gall inks, Salix has a fairly dry flow. This makes it a particularly good choice for use in wetter pens.

Also Consider: Sailor Pigment Souboku
Another great option is Sailor Pigment Souboku, a pigment-based blue black ink. A pigment-based ink contains large particles that remain suspended in water and become embedded in the writing surface. They’re almost always waterproof once they’ve dried, so your work will stay put. Similar to iron gall inks, pigment-based inks are a little more finicky, and fountain pens filled with them should be cleaned regularly.
Best Everyday Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink: LAMY Blue Black
LAMY Blue Black is an affordable, well-behaved ink that can be used in almost any situation.
LAMY Blue Black is an affordable, well-behaved ink that can be used in almost any situation.

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Like Rohrer and Klingner Salix, LAMY Blue Black is an affordable, well-behaved ink that can be used in almost any situation. Though it isn’t waterproof, it’s extremely low maintenance. True to LAMY’s design philosophy—which emphasizes function—the 50 ml ink bottle is strikingly unique and impressively practical. It’s shaped like a spinning top, which lets you fill large-nibbed fountain pens with as much ink as possible before the ink level gets too low. An integrated roll of blotting paper makes it easy to clean any lingering ink drops from your pen’s nib and grip section.

LAMY Blue Black is also available in proprietary cartridges. If you pair them with a practically indestructible Safari fountain pen, you’ll have a rugged and dependable EDC pen.

Also Consider: Aurora Blue Black
Aurora may only make a few colors of ink, but Aurora Blue Black is considered a staple of the fountain pen community. It flows well in any pen and is beautifully saturated. In terms of water resistance, it performs about the same as LAMY Blue Black and is just as easy to clean out of your pen, though it smears a bit more under highlighters.
Best Fast-Drying Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink: Noodler's Brevity Blue Black
Noodler's Brevity Blue Black was specially formulated to save left-handed writers from making a smeary mess of their notes.
Noodler's Brevity Blue Black was specially formulated to save left-handed writers from making a smeary mess of their notes.

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Noodler's Brevity Blue Black was specially formulated to save left-handed writers from making a smeary mess of their notes. According to Noodler’s, the trick is that the ink is not simply fast drying but also absorbs as quickly as possible into the fibers of the paper instead of pooling on top.

Because of this fast-penetrating formula, though, Brevity Blue Black will create wider, more feathered lines than typical fountain pen inks. It also isn’t waterproof, so you can still smear it with wet fingers after it dries.

Like all Noodler’s inks, Brevity Blue Black comes in a bottle filled to the very brim, making it a budget-friendly choice for verbose writers and note-takers. Just be careful when you’re opening the bottle!

For a truer blue black ink that is less feather prone and dries nearly as quickly, we recommend Nagasawa Pen Style Kobe #7 Kaikyou Blue. We should note, however, that it is less water resistant than Brevity Blue Black.

Best Waterproof Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink: Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black
Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black was made for, as its name suggests, registrars and clergy to use as they wrote official documents.
Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black was made for, as its name suggests, registrars and clergy to use as they wrote official documents.

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So dark you could mistake it for black, Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black was made for, as its name suggests, registrars and clergy to use as they wrote official documents. Because it is an iron gall ink, it barely budged during our water resistance tests and had no problem handling our highlighter tests. It does take some time to dry, but it is permanent once “cured.” Whether you’re a writer who never wants to worry about an accidental spill or an artist whose line work needs to stay put, Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black is up to the task.

Another blue black ink specially formulated for official use is De Atramentis Document Dark Blue. Not only is it exceptionally waterproof and highlighter resistant, it is also fast drying. Its only downside is that it absorbs into paper quickly, which does lead to some feathering.

Best Shimmering Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink: Diamine Shimmering Seas
Diamine Shimmering Seas is a blue black ink with gold shimmer, evoking the feeling of glistening grains of sand swirling in dark ocean waters.
Diamine Shimmering Seas is a blue black ink with gold shimmer, evoking the feeling of glistening grains of sand swirling in dark ocean waters.

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While blue black is often considered a serious color, some of these inks are paired with shimmer, adding extra intrigue to your words or art. Diamine Shimmering Seas features gold shimmer, evoking the feeling of glistening grains of sand swirling in dark ocean waters. Be sure to shake the bottle before filling your pen and gently agitate your pen before writing as the shimmer particles will settle in the ink when not in use.

Like other Diamine Shimmering Inks, Diamine Shimmering Seas is perfectly safe to use in all fountain pens. It does require a thorough cleaning when changing inks—unless you want your next ink to have gold sparkles, too. To get the most dramatic shimmering effect possible, use a broad, wet pen and smooth, fountain pen friendly paper like Rhodia or Tomoe River.

Another delightful shimmering blue black ink is Colorverse Ham #65 Glistening Ink (No. 48), which boasts reddish sheen along with pink shimmer. It is available in a two-color set with a non-shimmering Ham #65 ink or as a single 30 ml bottle for those who just want the shimmer.

Blue Black Fountain Pen Ink Considerations
Shades of Blue Black

Blue black inks are a diverse bunch, but they generally fall into these groups.

Neutral Blue Blacks

Classy and well-balanced, these dark blue-gray inks are suitable for virtually any occasion.

Aurora Blue Black
Caran d'Ache Magnetic Blue
Colorverse Mariner 4
Colorverse Blue Black (Office Series)
Colorverse Proxima B
De Atramentis Document Dark Blue
Diamine Denim
Diamine Oxford Blue
Diamine Shimmering Seas (Shimmering)
Graf von Faber-Castell Midnight Blue
Nagasawa Pen Style Kobe #7 Kaikyou Blue
Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai
Robert Oster Carbon Fire
Robert Oster Midnight Sapphire
Rohrer & Klingner Salix
Sailor Blue Black
Sailor Shikiori Yonaga
TWSBI Blue-Black
Black-Leaning Blue Blacks

Some blue blacks lean more toward black, with just a hint of blue to make them stand out.

Colorverse Aquarii
Diamine 150th Anniversary 1864 Blue Black
Diamine 150th Anniversary Regency Blue
Diamine Registrar's Blue Black
Monteverde Blue/Black
Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite
Robert Oster Blue Black
Robert Oster Blue Night
Robert Oster Thunderstorm
Blue-Leaning Blue Blacks

Other blue blacks resemble a medium or royal blue with just a slight cast of black or gray to give them added depth.

Pilot Blue Black
Platinum Blue Black
Private Reserve Midnight Blue
Private Reserve Midnight Blue Fast Dry
Robert Oster Evening Sapphire
Teal-Leaning Blue Blacks

Blue black inks with a distinctive teal tone can give your work a cool, vintage feel. Check out our dedicated guide for true teal inks.

3 Oysters Hangangmul
Bungubox 4B
Colorverse Extra Dimension
Colorverse Ham #65
Colorverse Ham #65 Glistening
Diamine Blue Black
Diamine Shimmering Starlit Sea
LAMY Blue Black
Noodler's Bad Blue Heron
Noodler's Blue-Black
Noodler's Brevity Blue Black
Noodler's Midnight Blue
Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo
Robert Oster Great Southern Ocean
Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris
Sailor Pigment Seiboku
Sailor Pigment Souboku
Taccia Ukiyo-e Hokusai Koiai
Takeda Jimuki Kyo No Oto Aonibi
Gray-Leaning Blue Blacks

Neither strongly black nor blue, but not quite gray either, these blue blacks have a mysterious, faded feel.

Kaweco Midnight Blue
Sailor Shikiori Shimoyo
Drying Time
Fountain pen inks take longer to dry than other inks, so if you’re a left-handed writer or take a lot of quick notes it’s especially important to choose an ink that dries quickly. De Atramentis Document Dark Blue was our clear winner in this category, although it is important to remember that it absorbs quickly into the paper and therefore feathers more than most inks.

Other fast-drying blue black inks include Noodler’s Brevity Blue Black, Nagasawa Pen Style Kobe #7 Kaikyou Blue, and Sailor Blue Black.

Water and Highlighter Resistance
Most fountain pen inks will smear if they get wet or are highlighted. If you want to be able to highlight your notes or ensure that they can’t be eradicated by an errant spill, it’s important to choose an ink with good water resistance.

We tested each ink’s water and highlighter resistance by soaking it in water for 30 seconds, smearing it with a water brush, and writing over it with ink and gel highlighters.

Our most waterproof and highlighter-proof blue black inks are De Atramentis Document Dark Blue, Diamine Registrar’s Blue Black, and Sailor Pigment Souboku.

Compare These Inks
Would you like to see more side-by-side comparisons of our favorite blue black fountain pen inks? Check them out in our comparison tool here!
Conclusion
With so many subtle variations, blue black inks are a perfect choice when you want your writing to stand out while still fitting in. Do you have a favorite blue black ink? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

Blue black ink isn’t limited to just fountain pens, though. Check out our guide to see the best blue black ballpoint pens, markers, and more.

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Blue Black Fountain Pen InkShade of Blue BlackDrying TimeWater ResistanceHighlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
3 Oysters HangangmulTeal-Leaning Blue BlackSlow Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Aurora Blue BlackNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Bungubox 4BTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Caran d'Ache Magnetic BlueNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Colorverse α AquariiBlack-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery Low Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Colorverse Extra DimensionTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Colorverse Ham #65Teal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Colorverse Ham #65 GlisteningTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Colorverse 4Neutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Colorverse Office Blue BlackNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Colorverse Proxima BNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
De Atramentis Document Dark BlueNeutral Blue BlackVery Fast Dry TimeVery High Highlighter ResistanceVery High Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Diamine 150th Anniversary Blue BlackBlack-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery Low Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Diamine 150th Anniversary Regency BlueBlack-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeVery Low Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Diamine Blue BlackTeal-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Diamine DenimNeutral Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Diamine Oxford BlueNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Diamine Registrar's Blue BlackBlack-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery High Highlighter ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Diamine Shimmering Seas (Shimmering)Neutral Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Diamine Starlit Sea ShimmeringTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Graf von Faber-Castell Midnight BlueNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Kaweco Midnight Blue Gray-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
LAMY Blue Black Teal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Monteverde Blue/Black Black-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Nagasawa Pen Style Kobe #7 Kaikyou BlueNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Noodler's Bad Blue Heron Teal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery High Highlighter ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Noodler's Blue-Black Teal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeHigh Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Noodler's Brevity Blue Blue Teal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Noodler's Midnight Blue Teal-Leaning Blue Black Slow Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite Black-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Pilot Blue Black Blue-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai Neutral Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yoTeal-Leaning Blue Black Moderate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Platinum Blue Black Blue-Leaning Blue BlackSlow Dry TimeHigh Water ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Private Reserve Midnight BlueBlue-Leaning Blue BlackFast Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Private Reserve Midnight Blue Fast DryBlue-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Blue BlackBlack-Leaning Blue BlackSlow Dry TimeVery Low Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Blue NightBlack-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Carbon FireNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Evening SapphireBlue-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Great Southern OceanTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery Low Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster Midnight SapphireNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Robert Oster ThunderstormBlack-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Rohrer & Klingner Eisen-Gallus-Tinte SalixNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeVery High Highlighter ResistanceVery High Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Rohrer & Klingner VerdigrisTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeLow Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Sailor Blue BlackNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Sailor Pigment SeibokuTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeHigh Water ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Sailor Pigment SoubokuTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeHigh Water ResistanceVery High Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Sailor Shikiori ShimoyoGray-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceModerate Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Sailor Shikiori YonagaNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd Items to Cart
Taccia Ukiyo-e Hokusai KoiaiTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
Takeda Jimuki Kyo No Oto AonibiTeal-Leaning Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeModerate Water ResistanceLow Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart
TWSBI Blue-BlackNeutral Blue BlackModerate Dry TimeHigh Water ResistanceHigh Highlighter ResistanceAdd to Cart