As we approach the solar solstice, sunset comes earlier every day. Since the sun is gone by 4:30 around here, it seems like a good time to bring out black pens. Not just any black pens, however. Black pens with black trim as well.
Above (top to bottom): Strathmore 500 Series Multi Media paper sketchbook; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Retro 51 Solar System; Yookers Gun Metal; Leonardo Matte Black Momento Zero; Aurora Black Mamba; Blackwing 33 1/3.
As I pulled out any items in my collection that might have black trim, a few stood out from the rest. My favorite group was this:
Above (left to right): Aurora Black Mamba; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Yookers Gun Metal; Blackwing 33 1/3 on top
Another group seemed to separate itself out as well. Those with a Ruthenium or black ionized coating to the trim.
Above (left to right): Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black; Nakaya Decograph Twist; Sailor Sweet Love Pink.
A few pens had matte black fittings but plenty of color to offset the trim that seems to suck up any light around.
Above (left to right): Retro 51 Bump in the Night; Diplomat Aero Factory; Diplomat Aero Green; Diplomat Aero Flame; Retro 51 Zodiac.
The pens from Pilot looked so nice together (even though I couldn’t balance both the model type and the color):
Above: Pilot Vanishing Point Metallic Green; Pilot Explorer Green; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black.
Another bonus picture with a few more black trim pens:
Top: Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black
Middle (left to right): Retro 51 Solar System; Spoke Pens Purple; Monteverde ; Monteverde Ritma Red and Gun Metal, Retro 51 Monarchs
Bottom: Opus 88 Bela Blue
You may be a person who enjoys mixing up your colors with pen and ink combinations, but in keeping with today’s BLACK OUT theme, here are some great choices for black inks:
Above (left to right): Platinum Carbon Black (pigmented, permanent, and true black); Aurora Black (incredibly wet ink); Sailor Kiwa-Guro (pigmented, drier ink)
Above (left to right): Kyo-no-oto Nurebairo (very dry, silvery sheen); Omas Black (vintage); Kingdom Note Stag Beetle (greenish sheen); Franklin Christoph Graphite 4B (lighter, pencil-like finish)
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this post were provided free of charge by Appleboom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
Black-on-black pens are the ZEXAAAAAY. My office pocket pen right now is a matte black Cross Selectip, with the fiber tip refill.
How about a Lamy 2000?
Nice! Thanks for the reminder I’m STILL waiting for my matte black Parker 25 to show up from Blighty!
Very nice selection.
I have been wanting a Sailor Imperial Black for a while. Would fit this theme nicely.
Thanks for the article.
I have the Retro 51 Solar System mechanical pencil. Black on black in my collection are a Lamy Al-Star called Stealth at the time and a special edition Karas Kustoms Covert pen. My favorite mostly black pen is the Bronze Age Visconti Homo Sapiens.
One thing. It’s the Winter Solstice coming on the 21st.