A few weeks ago I did a blog post called ‘If I Could Only Keep 10 Fountain Pens…’, where I theoretically cut my extensive pen collection down to just ten (note the word theoretically!).
I was really excited to see that several other people in the online fountain pen community made their own lists, and it was so interesting to see people’s picks, and the approach that they took to choosing them.
So I thought I’d do another similar exercise, this time with ink, and I’d be really interested to see other people’s answers! I have a similarly large fountain pen ink collection (between 60 – 70 inks), so this was tough, but I managed to narrow it down.
So below are the inks I’d keep if I could only keep ten:
Diamine Jet Black
I think a good black ink is a foundation of any ink collection, since it’s a good everyday colour, and can be used in all the circumstances where bright pink or purple would be inappropriate (official forms, etc!).
I bought a 30ml bottle of Diamine Jet Black as one of my first fountain pen inks, and it’s been my one and only black ink ever since. It’s just a dark and reliable black ink, so I haven’t seen the need to try any other options. So this was definitely the first ink I thought of when making this list!
Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl
My second most obvious choice for this list was my all-time favourite fountain pen ink: Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl. Purple is my favourite colour, and this ink is just the perfect shade! It’s light but vibrant, and very legible, even in a fine nib.
Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu
Speaking of bright inks, I knew I needed a good pink ink in my ten ink collection, and Kosumosu is my favourite. It’s bright without being too neon, and is very legible.
As a Pilot Iroshizuku ink it’s also very well behaved in all pens. I’m glad I have a big bottle of this one, as unfortunately it’s now discontinued!
Pilot Iroshizuku Syun-Gyo
A second Iroshizuku ink I’d need to keep is Syun-Gyo, a beautiful deep reddish purple. I love that this ink is almost dark enough to pass for black, but has a little more personality!
Diamine Aurora Borealis
Another dark ink I’d have to keep was one of the first inks in my collection: Diamine Aurora Borealis. This is a stunning dark teal that in both name and appearance reminds me of the night sky. It’s three years and about 60 inks later, and I still haven’t found a nicer teal ink than this!
Wearingeul Robinson Crusoe
I’m not the biggest blue ink fan, but I would want to have one in my collection, and I loved the brightness and cheerfulness of Robinson Crusoe.
In finer nibs it’s just a vibrant turquoise, but in swatches and thicker nibs, it has some green shading that adds interest.
Diamine Autumn Oak
I would definitely want another interesting shading ink in the collection, as well as a good autumn ink, and Diamine Autumn Oak can double as both. It’s a really unique burnt orange colour which lives up to its name: it reminds me of autumn leaves!
Sailor Shikiori Kamoshika
I was surprised when I got into ink how much I loved brown ink, as I’m not generally a ‘neutral’ person. But I’ve ended up with a lot of them, and Kamoshika is my absolute favourite.
It’s a very unique shade of cool toned brown, that isn’t really comparable to any of my other brown inks!
Ferris Wheel Press Leadcast Letters
Another unexpected colour family I’ve found myself loving is greys. They are neutral, like black, but a lot more interesting!
I have a few grey inks now, but the almost brownish tint of Leadcast Letters really sets it apart, and makes it my favourite. I love how in very fine nibs, it looks like writing with a pencil!
Wearingeul Persephone
I’m not a big shimmer ink person (I only have two!), but I figured I should have at least one on the list for a special occasion. I don’t actually tend to see too much shimmer anyway when I write with Persephone, but I really love the base colour, so I don’t mind too much!
So what inks would you choose if you could only keep ten inks?
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