The 9 Best Black Fountain Inks (2023 reviews)

The waterman black fountain ink's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. The glass bottle is classic and can be tipped for filling when it’s lower on ink. It is extremely well behaved with no feathering, sheen, shade, or any other offending properties on any paper. It's a lighter, watery shade of blue that looks slightly faded.

The ink inside the converter doesn't dry up. It flows nicely and the serenity blue is a perfect shade. It is easy to clean out of pens and converters even if left to dry. There's a screw-off lid that is not difficult to open or close. This is very smooth and opaque.

Why We Like This:

Excellent water-based ink for old pens
Signing checks, taking notes, writing letters, drawing on the walls
Lovely shade and easy to use

Best For Ebony wood stain Project: Higgins permanent Ink

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Not everyone likes to purchase ink for their daily usage, but the higgins permanent ink would be an anomoly. If you are looking to do 'Ebony Finish' on wood this is your product. A combination of micro-pulverized pigments and black dyes make up this water-based ink. It is well-controlled, doesn't skip or blot, and leaves a nice fine line, exactly what you put down on the page. It is easy to use with a calligraphy pen. It is a pigmented ink and water-based (it says), but there are better choices such as Waterman Intense Black. It doesn't wash away in water. It has a great quality and consistency. It is used for office and reproduction work.

Why We Like This:

Flows better and stays longer in the nib
Non-waterproof ink is favored for calligraphy
Professional-grade writing ink used for office and reproduction work

Best For taking clear legible notes: Noodler'S Ink Black Fountain Ink

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The noodler's ink black fountain ink is capable of outshining several other ink featured in this list in overall features for the price point. It would take forever to be able to turn pages and when writing notes in a meeting or classes that could be a hard thing to live with. This is the darkest black ink you can find and it dries very fast. It is dark enough and flows so well. It is good for left handed writers.

The color is very dark when you use it and isn't spolotchy. It is dark, but not easily washable either. For any use-on-the-go, even making travel notes or appointment entries, this is a must.

Why We Like This:

Dries fast on shiny paper, good for left handed
Dries super fast, which is necessary for lefties
Stops the smudge and super dark
Very dark, smooth-flowing, and dries "instantly

Best For Luther work: Higgins Black Fountain Ink

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The higgins black fountain ink should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. A combination of micro-pulverized pigments and black dyes make up this water-based ink. It takes about 2-3 coats for a fretboard to look like ebony, and some of it will rub off onto your fingers when you play. The Matte finish also works great. It's black enough, and a decent consistency for fountain pens, and not as likely to clog them as some other inks, but it is not thick or jet black.

The Hawthorn Tree was done with a fine mist, and the shading on the Birch trees was pulled from the tree's left side, inward using a slightly damp brush. The oil will prevent the ink from bonding to the wood. This product works excellent on fretboards in the early manufacturing stages, but is more difficult to use on fretboards that have already been assembled and played.

Why We Like This:

Dried nicely, no smudging or staining of fingers
Non-waterproof, free-flowing professional-grade ink creates beautiful reproduction quality work
Medium drying time produces a matte sheen

Best For Calligraphy: Asvine Black Fountain Ink

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It's really a no-nonsense, everyday ink suitable in an office setting. It works well in a fountain pen without drying up and creating grains. It also has good sheen and wetness and behaves very well in terms of dry time. It is made of high quality ink for smoothly flow, quick-drying, non toxic and ph neutral.

Non carbon bottled ink will not clog your fountain pen, making ink flow smoothly and constantly through your pen. It has a nice blue color to it.

Why We Like This:

Created with the high quality bottled ink components to get vivid and stylish penmanship
Smooth flowing and deep dark ink
Good flow, no feathering on non-premium paper
Sheen and little shading on premium coated paper

Best For every day Use: TWSBI Black Fountain Ink

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The twsbi black fountain ink should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. It flows smoothly on paper without feathering at all. There is no shading, and it dries quick.

Why We Like This:

Delivers what they promise
Good investment for long term

Best For All brands Of Fountain Pen: Diamine Black Fountain Ink

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The diamine black fountain ink should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. This ink is not supposed to be water resistant but rather it is meant to be re-wettable for special effects and it most definitely is. It is suitable for all brands of fountain pen. These are special inks that offer interesting effects. It can be used for writing or art. The colors are vibrant, relatively quick to dry, seldom needing to be blotted before turning the page. It is made from natural dyes.

Why We Like This:

Beautiful (vintage type) colors and warm tones
Absorbs quickly, but somewhat dependent on the type of paper
Lot of satisfied buyers

Best Easy To Use: Cross Black Fountain Ink

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Compared with other ink in this category, the cross black fountain ink has a convenient design.

Why We Like This:

Specially formulated cross fountain pen ink
New bottle design features the new cross lion icon
New and hot release

Best water resistance: セーラー万年筆 Black Fountain Ink

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Next on the list, we've got yet another ink that manages to win our hearts. It's the セーラー万年筆 black fountain ink and it's widely considered as ink that has the most suitable features. Not only does it work outstandingly in them, but it's also great in every other everyday paper. It dries quickly on the page and looks great. It smells good, the colour is dark, it drys quick, and it doesn’t bleed through most paper. It never smears once dry, and it is 100 waterproof. It has very good water resistance and flows well. It flows great, dries quickly, is fairly water resistant, who could ask for more.

Why We Like This: