thINKthursday
Parker Blue-Black

Parker Blue-Black is a straight-shootin’ classic.

thINKthursday – Parker Blue-Black

Parker ink is as utilitarian as it gets; they only produce a black, a blue, and a blue-black. The black and blue-black are meant to be permanent, while the blue is washable. Parker Blue-Black is a lovely color that makes for a great workhorse ink. The ink comes in a 60ml glass bottle and is economically priced. This review was done with a Pilot Metropolitan F, Lamy AL-Star B and on Rhodia blank No.18 paper.

At the time of this review, there are a couple different types of Parker Blue-Black floating around out there. The more teal version is the older version, while this review is for the newer formula. Parker Blue-Black is on the bluer side of blue-black inks. The ink has some green to it and shades nicely. At its lightest, the ink is a lapis blue. From there, it shades to a traditional dark navy blue. At its darkest, the ink is a deep denim color. Some blue-black inks can lean towards grey, but Parker Blue-Black stays firmly in the blue category.

For delicate vintage pens, we always recommend either Sheaffer, Waterman or Parker inks. These are tried-and-true ink-makers that reliably produce safe inks. Parker Blue-Black has good flow with no feathering or bleedthrough on Rhodia paper. The ink is moderately saturated with great dry times of 15-25 seconds. While the ink is marketed as permanent, it is only moderately water-resistant. Even with its slight water resistance, the ink cleans up very easily.

When you need an ink for that one office pen, or something that’ll keep working day after day, Parker Blue-Black is a great ink to count on. It has a lot of personality for a blue-black, and a no-fuss demeanor that gets the job done.

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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