Noodler's 54th Massachusetts: Ink Review

From Noodler's today we've got the modern-claissc, 54th Massachusetts. This fast drying water-resistant blue-black ink is a no nonsense choice for those who need a tough ink to use in their pens. The coloration is a very matte slate gray blue and it's about as standard as a blue-black color gets. Read more below!

Ink Review 

Supplies Used:

• LAMY AL-star with medium steel nib
• Rhodia No. 16 dot pad, 80g white paper
• Tomoé River 52 gsm white paper
• Leuchtturm1917 80g notebook

Smear Test (Dry Time):

• 3 seconds – Arguably one of the fastest drying inks we carry. It dries in well under 5 seconds on Rhodia; that's impressive with a LAMY medium nib

Drip Test (Water Resistance):

• High – You really need to look hard to find any sign that this ink was hit with water. It's very water resistant after just a few seconds on the page.

Saturation:

• High – Quite satured and the difference in the swabs is noticeable but the overall tone change is not very dramatic.

Ease of Cleaning:

• Low – With great water-resistance comes a bit more trouble cleaning. Like Baystate Blue this ink will stain some clear fountain pen parts so keep that in mind during usage.

Shading:

• Medium – This is an odd one; shading is present but it's not from the usual action. Shading on 54th comes more from the pen lingering in one spot and the ink absorbing into the page, which creates the darker areas.

Flow:

• Super High – With an ink that dries this fast, it flows from the pen readily and is easily absorbed by the page which gives a feel of super-fast-flow. If you have a really quick writing speed, this ink can keep up.

 Packaging and Aesthetics:

• This ink was named after the the 54th Massachusetts infantry regiment – the second black union regiment to be formed during the American Civil War and depicts that regiment on the label. It's quite an interesting piece of art work! 

If you're interested in similar colors, check out our Swab Shop where you can compare colors side by side.

Summary:

Noodler's 54th Massachusetts it's a highly water proof, fast drying, classic blue-black color. It's a timeless and professional ink that won't turn as many heads as the shimmering or sheening inks, but will always be there to keep your words safe! 

This color is available in 3oz bottles as well as our sample sizes.