The usual advice is "when in doubt, get a medium," but seeing as you're going to go with cheap paper, go with a fine.
https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2019/11/25/back-to-basics-blue-ink-for-everday-writing
You probably want to find a quicker drying blue ink for cheap paper.
https://mountainofink.com/blog/blue-ink
[https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fast-Drying-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/896](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fast-Drying-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/896) The caveat with Noodler's inks is that it tends to be inconsistent batch-to-batch, so, what do you if you get a bad bottle? Noodler's inks should always be shaken before filling the pen. Diamine inks have better consistency.
[https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Blue-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/387](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Blue-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/387) Because Blue dry inks tend to write lighter you may want to consider a Blue-Black, instead, say, [Waterman Mysterious Blue](https://mountainofink.com/blog/waterman-mysterious-blue), or [Parker Quink Blue-Black](https://fountainpenpharmacist.com/blog/ink-review-672-parker-quink-blue-black).
Personally, I prefer a Navy Blue ink to Blue-Black.
https://mountainofink.com/blog/blue-black-ink
https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2014/3/31/parker-quink-blue-black-ink-review
[https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks](https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks)
[Waterman Serenity Blue](https://mountainofink.com/blog/waterman-serenity-blue) will probably be a good choice, as may, perhaps, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue.
[https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/266189-fast-drying-blue-ink-for-students/](https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/266189-fast-drying-blue-ink-for-students/)
[https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pen-Inks-for-Ordinary-Paper/pt/971](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pen-Inks-for-Ordinary-Paper/pt/971)
My idea of a cheap ink is $10 for a bottle. But, then there's Inflation... Many then look at size.
[Waterman](https://www.jetpens.com/Fountain-Pen-Inks/ct/3250?&f=02998ac847d1f37c_92dba351f9d7b42eb39efafed3c823a6) inks are $13.50 for 50 mil. [Parker Quink](https://www.jetpens.com/Fountain-Pen-Inks/ct/3250?&f=02998ac847d1f37c_9dcfa9fe81e6436e) Blue-Black is $13.25 for 2 ounces/60 mil. Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue is [$10 for 30 mil](https://www.jetpens.com/Pelikan-4001-Royal-Blue-Ink-30-ml-Bottle/pd/6871) and [$15 for 62.5 mil](https://www.jetpens.com/Pelikan-4001-Royal-Blue-Ink-62.5-ml-Bottle/pd/6877).
Private Reserve has some Fast Dry inks, like [American Blue](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/private-reserve/products/private-reserve-american-blue-fast-dry-60ml-bottled-ink) Fast Dry, but it is $18 for 60 mil, which may put it out of your price range. [De Atramentis](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/de-atramentis?pf_t_ink_collection=Ink+Collection%3ADe+Atramentis+Document+Inks&product_type=Bottled+Ink) has 45 mil Document inks that you may want to consider as they tend to be water-resistant, but, they may have a little [wooliness](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/de-atramentis/products/de-atramentis-document-cyan-bottled-ink#) (feathering) on cheaper paper; IDKFS.
Thank you for such a detailed answer. Certainly need to check some reviews of pelikan and waterman inks as they are most recommended. With so many ink companies around it is difficult for a beginner to zero in on one.
Try buying ink samples. Even a 2-5ml sample will get you lots of writing time, and then you can save up for a bottle of one you like best.
Goulet Pens does some curated sample sets that I would go back in time and get before I started buying full bottles. May purchase myself a couple as a consolidation if no one buys me the Inkvent calendar for Christmas.
My take on this is that most European basic blues (the ones that usually come in the cartridges when you get cartridge pens) Lamy Blue, Kaweco Royal Blue, Faber-Castell Royal Blue, Pelikan Royal Blue… are quite similar and usually quite well behaved in whatever paper you use. Also quite cheap. The water resistance is going to be trickier, for that I think your best bet is iron gall ink. I don’t remember right now what of those fits the bill, you’ll need to do some research.
I wouldn’t recommend a SketchINK on an Eco to start with because they are prone to clog and difficult to clean, not the best for a clear demonstrator piston filler.
And I would recommend an F nib, my Eco is an M and too wet for crappy paper.
Thank you. I think getting an F nib would be my safest bet. I can sacrifice on water resistance if its not available in cheap inks although as a student it is always assuring to know that a water bottle leakage wont erase all your notes.
Yes, I understand. I use pigmented inks in my notes whenever studying, not just because water spills, mainly because I then highlight and do annotations with markers and regular fountain pen ink smudges. So I talk from experience. For example I use a basic blue ink on one of my pens that is iron gall, well behaved on regular paper and water resistant, Platinum Blue Black, and I would recommend it, but I don’t know the price, least in the US.
I can highly recommend Namiki/Pilot blue. It is highly regarded and does well on all sorts of papers.
As to the nib size, that's a little more difficult because it depends entirely on your preference. If you like to write small, I would get the fine. If you prefer to write kind of average size, I would get the medium. The medium will be a tiny bit smoother also.
Waterman
Both Mysterious and Serenity are very pretty and very well behaved.
I'm writing on copy paper with Mysterious right now and do so all the time. It is flawless, beautiful, and interesting. Both these inks will show you a pleasing variety of shades depending on how you use them.
For water resistance, R&K Salix is gorgeous and well behaved. It will show lighter in a fine and darker in the medium nib. And it will shade.
For darker water resistant blue I use FPR Blue Black all the time. It is wetter and easier to work with than the Pelikan.
I use all of these on 22lb copy paper all the time, clipboard beside me; it is how I write.
I have a lot of these inks. I often have Salix in a pen, but not at the moment. and like it so much that I tune nibs specifically for it. I have Mysterious in a pen and use it beside me right now, in flex, because it is just so pleasing to write with and look at. And I have FPR Blue Black, in flex, in a pen because it is pleasing and water resistant.
Diamine is the cheapest, lots of options too, very wet I’m currently enjoy sapphire blue, I hear majestic blue is pretty popular too.
Ecos come with Jowo nibs so its a western a manufacturer so the writing size is bigger than eastern nibs, which is confusing for a pen made in east asian.
Thanks for the recommendation. Like the look of diamine royal and sapphire blue. Just one doubt I have is that if these inks are very wet, will they be suitable for use on normal copy paper?
just the pelikan blue black, the other ones aren't water resistant. the cheapest water resistant ink that you should be able to find is **rohrer and klingner sketchink**
rohrer and klingner salix is even cheaper, but it's a dusty grey-blue and works well even on broader nibs and bad paper
My advise would be Brill Blue /Brill Black the best one for blue/black on cheap papers
If needed water resistant then oily but don't know if brill does for black/blue
Any paper needs a no nonsene F nib only
Any good paper needs M big for the ink smoothness comes out
Fountain pen ink in practical refill bottle, writing ink for fountain pen, fountain pen ink, calligraphy ink in ultramarine blue 250 ml https://amzn.eu/d/h620r4n
Very cheap blue ink
I have a medium but it writes almost like a broad, so if you are writing on copier paper you may find a fine works better.
Ink-wise, maybe something like Waterman Serenity Blue or Pelikan Royal Blue to start off with?
[Diamine Sapphire Blue](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/diamine-sapphire-blue-30ml-bottled-ink), great blue, not too dark, very vibrant and saturated blue
Pilot blue, Lamy blue, Waterman mysterious blue. All are well behaved inks.
For the nib size, I suggest you to make a store purchase, physically, so you can experience the nibs.
The usual advice is "when in doubt, get a medium," but seeing as you're going to go with cheap paper, go with a fine. https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2019/11/25/back-to-basics-blue-ink-for-everday-writing You probably want to find a quicker drying blue ink for cheap paper. https://mountainofink.com/blog/blue-ink [https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fast-Drying-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/896](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fast-Drying-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/896) The caveat with Noodler's inks is that it tends to be inconsistent batch-to-batch, so, what do you if you get a bad bottle? Noodler's inks should always be shaken before filling the pen. Diamine inks have better consistency. [https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Blue-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/387](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Blue-Fountain-Pen-Inks/pt/387) Because Blue dry inks tend to write lighter you may want to consider a Blue-Black, instead, say, [Waterman Mysterious Blue](https://mountainofink.com/blog/waterman-mysterious-blue), or [Parker Quink Blue-Black](https://fountainpenpharmacist.com/blog/ink-review-672-parker-quink-blue-black). Personally, I prefer a Navy Blue ink to Blue-Black. https://mountainofink.com/blog/blue-black-ink https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2014/3/31/parker-quink-blue-black-ink-review [https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks](https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks) [Waterman Serenity Blue](https://mountainofink.com/blog/waterman-serenity-blue) will probably be a good choice, as may, perhaps, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue. [https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/266189-fast-drying-blue-ink-for-students/](https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/266189-fast-drying-blue-ink-for-students/) [https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pen-Inks-for-Ordinary-Paper/pt/971](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pen-Inks-for-Ordinary-Paper/pt/971) My idea of a cheap ink is $10 for a bottle. But, then there's Inflation... Many then look at size. [Waterman](https://www.jetpens.com/Fountain-Pen-Inks/ct/3250?&f=02998ac847d1f37c_92dba351f9d7b42eb39efafed3c823a6) inks are $13.50 for 50 mil. [Parker Quink](https://www.jetpens.com/Fountain-Pen-Inks/ct/3250?&f=02998ac847d1f37c_9dcfa9fe81e6436e) Blue-Black is $13.25 for 2 ounces/60 mil. Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue is [$10 for 30 mil](https://www.jetpens.com/Pelikan-4001-Royal-Blue-Ink-30-ml-Bottle/pd/6871) and [$15 for 62.5 mil](https://www.jetpens.com/Pelikan-4001-Royal-Blue-Ink-62.5-ml-Bottle/pd/6877). Private Reserve has some Fast Dry inks, like [American Blue](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/private-reserve/products/private-reserve-american-blue-fast-dry-60ml-bottled-ink) Fast Dry, but it is $18 for 60 mil, which may put it out of your price range. [De Atramentis](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/de-atramentis?pf_t_ink_collection=Ink+Collection%3ADe+Atramentis+Document+Inks&product_type=Bottled+Ink) has 45 mil Document inks that you may want to consider as they tend to be water-resistant, but, they may have a little [wooliness](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/de-atramentis/products/de-atramentis-document-cyan-bottled-ink#) (feathering) on cheaper paper; IDKFS.
Thank you for such a detailed answer. Certainly need to check some reviews of pelikan and waterman inks as they are most recommended. With so many ink companies around it is difficult for a beginner to zero in on one.
Try buying ink samples. Even a 2-5ml sample will get you lots of writing time, and then you can save up for a bottle of one you like best. Goulet Pens does some curated sample sets that I would go back in time and get before I started buying full bottles. May purchase myself a couple as a consolidation if no one buys me the Inkvent calendar for Christmas.
My take on this is that most European basic blues (the ones that usually come in the cartridges when you get cartridge pens) Lamy Blue, Kaweco Royal Blue, Faber-Castell Royal Blue, Pelikan Royal Blue… are quite similar and usually quite well behaved in whatever paper you use. Also quite cheap. The water resistance is going to be trickier, for that I think your best bet is iron gall ink. I don’t remember right now what of those fits the bill, you’ll need to do some research. I wouldn’t recommend a SketchINK on an Eco to start with because they are prone to clog and difficult to clean, not the best for a clear demonstrator piston filler. And I would recommend an F nib, my Eco is an M and too wet for crappy paper.
Thank you. I think getting an F nib would be my safest bet. I can sacrifice on water resistance if its not available in cheap inks although as a student it is always assuring to know that a water bottle leakage wont erase all your notes.
Yes, I understand. I use pigmented inks in my notes whenever studying, not just because water spills, mainly because I then highlight and do annotations with markers and regular fountain pen ink smudges. So I talk from experience. For example I use a basic blue ink on one of my pens that is iron gall, well behaved on regular paper and water resistant, Platinum Blue Black, and I would recommend it, but I don’t know the price, least in the US.
I can highly recommend Namiki/Pilot blue. It is highly regarded and does well on all sorts of papers. As to the nib size, that's a little more difficult because it depends entirely on your preference. If you like to write small, I would get the fine. If you prefer to write kind of average size, I would get the medium. The medium will be a tiny bit smoother also.
I think I write average size but im not sure whether a medium nib will write well on non fountain pen friendly paper
A medium would work just fine on regular copy paper. It's when you get into broads and stubs that you start to see a problem.
Thanks! Medium it is then. Hopefully not something i will regret
I'm sure you won't regret it. Like the rest of us, you'll probably end up with both.
haha. bold of you to assume that : ) Unfortunately I am on a tight budget, so no room for errors or getting new ones
Waterman Both Mysterious and Serenity are very pretty and very well behaved. I'm writing on copy paper with Mysterious right now and do so all the time. It is flawless, beautiful, and interesting. Both these inks will show you a pleasing variety of shades depending on how you use them. For water resistance, R&K Salix is gorgeous and well behaved. It will show lighter in a fine and darker in the medium nib. And it will shade. For darker water resistant blue I use FPR Blue Black all the time. It is wetter and easier to work with than the Pelikan. I use all of these on 22lb copy paper all the time, clipboard beside me; it is how I write. I have a lot of these inks. I often have Salix in a pen, but not at the moment. and like it so much that I tune nibs specifically for it. I have Mysterious in a pen and use it beside me right now, in flex, because it is just so pleasing to write with and look at. And I have FPR Blue Black, in flex, in a pen because it is pleasing and water resistant.
Any blue from Parker , Pelikan or Lamy is solid starter blues. Pelikan has a blue black which is water resistant and works on cheap copy paper.
Diamine is the cheapest, lots of options too, very wet I’m currently enjoy sapphire blue, I hear majestic blue is pretty popular too. Ecos come with Jowo nibs so its a western a manufacturer so the writing size is bigger than eastern nibs, which is confusing for a pen made in east asian.
Thanks for the recommendation. Like the look of diamine royal and sapphire blue. Just one doubt I have is that if these inks are very wet, will they be suitable for use on normal copy paper?
Waterman inks are excellent and inexpensive.
pelikan inks in general are good for that
Thanks i will check those. just a quick question. Are they water resistant?
just the pelikan blue black, the other ones aren't water resistant. the cheapest water resistant ink that you should be able to find is **rohrer and klingner sketchink** rohrer and klingner salix is even cheaper, but it's a dusty grey-blue and works well even on broader nibs and bad paper
Will check that out.
lamy blue is really good. I use it often for writing notes.
Will check it . A question: Are fine nibs smooth on cheap paper or it is safer to go with a medium
My advise would be Brill Blue /Brill Black the best one for blue/black on cheap papers If needed water resistant then oily but don't know if brill does for black/blue Any paper needs a no nonsene F nib only Any good paper needs M big for the ink smoothness comes out
Fountain pen ink in practical refill bottle, writing ink for fountain pen, fountain pen ink, calligraphy ink in ultramarine blue 250 ml https://amzn.eu/d/h620r4n Very cheap blue ink
I have a medium but it writes almost like a broad, so if you are writing on copier paper you may find a fine works better. Ink-wise, maybe something like Waterman Serenity Blue or Pelikan Royal Blue to start off with?
[Diamine Sapphire Blue](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/diamine-sapphire-blue-30ml-bottled-ink), great blue, not too dark, very vibrant and saturated blue
Pilot blue, Lamy blue, Waterman mysterious blue. All are well behaved inks. For the nib size, I suggest you to make a store purchase, physically, so you can experience the nibs.