Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa
- By Adam
- In ink
- With 9 Comments
- Tagged with ink review Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa
- On 2 Aug | '2014
Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa is a difficult ink to capture digitally. The ink is a somewhat muted and dusty purple that brings to mind a late sunset shielded by the clouds of a waning storm. It’s a somewhat melancholy ink color that possesses some interesting subtle features. As an iron gall ink, the water resistant properties are superb and can survive exposure with full legibility. Dry times are average and the ink goes down on the paper with a moderate amount of wetness and zero flow issues. One thing that I have taken note of is that this ink seems to slightly shift color as it ages on paper, which you may notice happening in some of my photos. When it is still fresh, the color has more of a cool gray tone to it, whereas once it’s been allowed to age, it acquires a slightly warmer tone. I’ve always had a thing for dusty purple inks, and the iron gall aspect adds quite a bit of appeal for me. I think this is one of those inks that can really grow on you if you give it time. I definitely recommend trying it out if you like these kinds of purples!
Special thanks to The Goulet Pen Company for sending me this bottle of Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa! Although this ink was provided at no cost, this review contains my 100% honest and unfettered opinion.
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August 4, 2014 at 1:49 am |
I really enjoy this ink. If it weren’t such a pain to clean out of my pens, I would always use it. Alas, IGs are a bit too messy for me to keep them in regular rotation… Thanks for the great review!
August 9, 2014 at 7:07 am |
Iron gall inks do change colour a little as they age due to oxygen exposure.
I love Scabiosa but, like Amanda, I find it a real pain to clean out of pens.
August 13, 2014 at 9:07 pm |
Another characteristic of the i.g. inks is their ability to tame the average workplace paper. A modest pen with Salix or Scabiosa is going to be a fine choice for the office when you have no control over the paper quality.
August 14, 2014 at 4:48 am |
Nice review! Scabiosa is great, I really love it. It also does very well for sketching – I did some testing with that purpose in mind: http://www.pictogramax.com/scabiosa/
August 14, 2014 at 7:38 am |
I have loved fountain pens for a long time, but am fairly new to the wonderful world of inks. I’m sure I have never used an IG ink. Can you explain what is involved in cleaning IG ink out of a pen? What are the steps for cleaning and, also, if you dedicate one pen to it, do you need to clean often or ever? Thanks.
August 14, 2014 at 10:27 am |
Modern iron gall inks are actually rather gentle, but like any high-maintenance ink, it is important to try and prevent the ink from drying out in the pen. Make sure the pen you use it in has a cap that seals well. If you don’t plan on using the pen for a few weeks, it might be best to rinse the pen rather than risking the ink drying out. If you decide to dedicate one pen to your iron gall ink, I would recommend that you clean it out every once in a while, but it really depends on the pen and your usage. I know some people who treat modern IG inks the same as any other ink and have had zero issues, but I tend to err on the side of caution.
August 14, 2014 at 9:48 am |
A great review, certainly the best one I’ve seen – infinitely better than a smudged que tip. About this ink, as an Iron Gall it is ideal for writing on Postcards which have a range of finishes and must be rainproof. I must tell the http://www.postcrossing.com community about this ink and promote fountain pens more. Thank you very much for your time on this review, I am now a subscriber.
January 29, 2021 at 10:46 pm |
Adam,
I just found your website. Thank you for your work. I really like your ink selections and reviews, but I also enjoy where you write out the name in Hangeul, as this is something I am trying to learn. Scabiosa is one of my favorite inks, but I am missing the Hangeul for this one. Any chance you could provide it?
Thanks again,
Philip
January 30, 2021 at 12:29 am |
Hi Philip! Yes, of course. The Hangeul for Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa is 로러 & 클링너 스카비오사. Hope this helps!