As a red ink aficionado, I often get asked for a “Top 5” list of my favorites. I’ve deferred publishing any sort of definitive list because there are simply so many good ones out there. But since we’ve launched our own ink collaborations this week, I thought it made sense to revisit this question and offer up a “best of” list based on the red inks I find myself using the most.
Top 5 Red Inks, in order they appear on the list below. Inks are swatched on dot grid Tomoe River 68g paper.
Joe’s Top 5 Red Inks
Tono & Lims Superstar T. The ink that started me thinking on my own collaboration with Tono & Lims. Superstar T is a dark red/almost burgundy ink from the Tono & Lims “Friendship” Line, which are inks designed in collaboration with influencers and other friends of the brand. On certain papers, it reminds me very much of my all-time favorite Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock (unfortunately discontinued).
Teranishi Modern Red. Another darker red that definitely leans more red than burgundy, Teranishi inks flow exceptionally well and features a richness of color that I enjoy. This particular ink has been in one of our shop tester pens for the past year, and people always ask what it is.
Laban Greek Mythology Ares Red. My substitute for old-school Sheaffer Skrip Red, and probably the brightest red I use regularly. It’s saturated without causing issues with dry times or smearing. (This goes for all of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks.)
Private Reserve Burgundy Mist. The first burgundy ink I ever bought, and the one that caused me to really dive deep into the broader red color family. Is it the best ink out there? No. It doesn’t have much subtlety, it can be wet, and the wide-mouth bottle is messy to use, but it’s still one of the best “pure burgundies” on the market. For nostalgia’s sake, I keep it on hand and use it fairly frequently.
Pilot Iroshizuku Syun-Gyo. Is it a red? Is it a red black? Is it a brown? While it leans a bit too brown to be my perfect ink, I still enjoy these dark murky shades with burgundy and red undertones. I find myself using Syun-Gyo quite a bit, if for no other reason than it’s an unusual, somewhat adventurous color for the Iroshizuku line.
Introducing Two New TGS-Exclusive Inks from Tono & Lims
So what is missing from the list above? A true “Red-Black” or “Burgundy-Black”. For the 12th Anniversary of The Gentleman Stationer, we wanted to formulate some special inks, and are happy to introduce our first two releases "Classic Burgundy" and "Black Shimmer". I strongly prefer dark red inks, and have never been able to find a red-black without overly predominant brown, purple, or pink undertones. While all those are components of most reds or burgundies, I wanted an ink with more black.
T.G.S. 12th Anniversary Classic Burgundy
Classic Burgundy is formulated to match the background dark burgundy on the classic TGS website, with the darker red-black hue I've been looking for, especially when used in a wet pen. Black Shimmer is my attempt at a subtly playful shimmer ink that can still be used as an everyday writer. It's a black that has purple and blue undertones on certain papers, and if you write with a wet pen that can lay down the shimmer, the red shimmer particles make the ink look like an actual standard red-black.
TGS 12th Anniversary Black Shimmer
Both of these inks are now available in our shop, priced at the same price point as the rest of the Tono & Lims inks. Come see them in person this weekend in our Nashville shop, open normal hours from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-5pm on Saturday.