thINKthursday
Platinum Forest Black

Six new Platinum inks that are all iron gall?!
Yes, please, and thank you Platinum.
We see if these inks can stand the test of time.

thINKthursday – Platinum Forest Black

Written instructions for making iron gall inks have been in existence for over 2000 years. Some of western civilization’s greatest works were written with the ink which is produced using vegetable sources – primarily iron salts and tannic acids. The result is an ink that bonds with the paper and has a high degree of water resistance.

As the name would imply, when the iron comes into contact with the oxygen, it oxidizes causing the ink to gradually turn black over time. Platinum continues this tradition and also expands the normal array of iron gall colors which traditionally are limited to shades of blue.

This review was done with a Pilot Metro F, Monteverde Invincia B, and on Rhodia No. 18 blank paper.

Forest Black in an attractive moss green. In a fine nib, the ink didn’t shade much and led to a monotone appearance. There was more shading in a broad nib, which offered a range of greens from pear, to moss, to a rich pine color where the ink pooled the most.

I’ve used some iron gall inks that didn’t have the best performance, but Forest Black performed like any normal ink.  The flow was good with no feathering or bleedthrough. Dry times were good at 15-25 seconds with moderate saturation and shading. The ink was water resistant, although a yellow dye was washed away. I’m sure that all the colors start as an iron gall blue and then dyes are added to make the other colors, in this case a yellow with a blue would make green.

It will be fun to see how the ink changes over time, and how long it takes to turn black. I’ll be sure to post an update when that occurs. In the mean time, if you’re looking for a waterproof ink that will stand the test of time, definitely check these inks out. The other five colors are just as interesting and unique for iron gall inks.

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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