on saleRobert Oster Motor Oil - 50ml Bottled Ink

My first ink from Robert Oster. A slightly olive-y brown that writes very smoothly from my Pilot Decimo M on Clairefontaine paper. Subtle shading, perfect flow, no feathering, dries pretty quickly. Very, very pleased.

This ink doesn't call attention to it's self. It's a soothing ink that you can use without being splashy. It's introverted ink.You could probably get away with using this in an office that requires black ink, but it isn't black. Not black, not grey, not brown, not green, definitely not blue... It just is what it is without any fanfare. I think I will use it for journaling.

The color is interesting, almost unplaceable. Sludgy brown or black or even grey in shade/low light, but with tones of dirty bamboo green (the trunk of the plant not the leaves) in bright light/close inspection. Motor oil is an apt name. It's a very interesting but sober and serious color. Moody, in a nice way, yet suitable for all audiences. Under appreciated and under reviewed on the web, I feel. Re. some other reviews complaining about hard starts and clogging, they may have a point, but it does not seem too serious and it may depend on the pen. My experience so far is with a (an otherwise perfect) sailor 1911L (M). Has not clogged at all, but had a hard start when writing fast once.

One of the first samples I got and the first sample ink that I just had to get a bottle of - this is my usual daily use ink any time I don't need water resistance. This may become my 'signature' ink. The pictures below show it on River, Rhodia, and my offbrand mixed media journal, respectively.

I was looking for an ink that when dry resembled the oxidized iron ink they used to use that you see on old documents from history. It was dead on. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because it was hard starting in my pen even with the cap off for only a short period of time. Made it difficult for completing or creating check lists quickly. But other than that it is great!