thINKthursday
kyo-no-oto Aonibi

Enjoy the simpler things with this traditional Blue Black by kyo-no-oto.

thINKthursday – kyo-no-to Aobini

Aonibi is a gentle blue black made from plant based materials. Kyoto Tag makes both the kyo-no-oto and kyo-iro lines of ink that have an assortment of excellent colors. The ink comes in a beautiful 40ml glass bottle. The accompanying box is equally elegant with simple graphics and subtle embossing. This review was done with a Sailor 1911 F, Lamy Studio B and on Rhodia blank No.18 paper.

Aonibi is a traditional looking blue black that learns towards blue. In a fine nib the ink had a much darker appearance and has a uniform blue black color that can at times look black. I find a lot of blue black inks can look grey, however with a broad nib, Aonibi shows off its blue tones. The ink shades much more from a grey blue to a dark blue/black.

J. Herbin is the other major ink manufacturer to use plant based materials for their ink. Similarly, Aonibi felt like a drier ink with only moderate flow. Feathering and bleedthrough were low, and the ink was moderately saturated. Dry times were very low with a fine nib, however the jump way up with a broader nib. The ink has little water resistance, but clean up was easy.

The longer I experiment with different ink colors the more I appreciate a good blue black, and Aonibi is certainly that. While a business friendly color, it has enough character that you won’t get tired of it easily. If you have a heavy flowing pen that you wish would write a little dryer then Aonibi would be a perfect ink.

As with any ink review, the pen, paper, and person doing the writing will influence the way the ink looks. If you’re not sure about a color, try a sample to see if it’s the one for you.

Ink it Up!
Chris

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