Review on 🖤 Koh-I-Noor Ultradraw Pigment-Based Ink - 0.75 Ounce Bottle - Black (3085F.BLA) by Gelin Battle

Be very careful - photo dated 24/08/20 does not match description. Pictured is Rapiddraw but description is for Ultradraw. I also received a Universal when I ordered an Ultradraw. These are three very different products. This review is about Ultradraw, a pigmented ink specially designed for technical pens. It is waterproof, fade resistant and archival quality. Universal inks, which come in a nearly identical container, are dye-based and not lightfast. I use Ultradraw in most of my tech pens including Koh-I-Noor, K&E Leroy, Alvin Reform and Faber-Castell Ink Liner. It works very well in any of these brands when used on good quality paper. I do most of my work with smaller nibs - from 0.13mm to 0.35mm - and this ink flows very smoothly. I've also had good success with Ultradraw in Rotring Isograph pens, as well as Staedtler Mars 700 and Marsmatic pens. The only reason I don't currently use Ultradraw in these pens is because I have a good supply of Rotring and Staedtler inks. When this stock runs out I will be transferring these pens to Ultradraw as well. I don't necessarily prefer Ultradraw over Rotring Isograph inks or Staedtler Marsmatic 745R inks, but I found them just as good and cheaper. especially when buying the much larger 250ml/8oz bottles. I often apply watercolors to my drawings and have never had this ink that ran or bled while drying. I'm not sure what the manufacturer recommends, but I often wash off within 30 minutes of completing a painting. However, if it's a drawing that I've spent a lot of time on, I let the ink dry overnight. Clogging hasn't been a problem as long as I use good quality paper and take good care of my pens. Although these inks are waterproof, once dry they wash off easily with water. I usually disassemble and wash the pen every time I refill a cartridge, unless I'm going to use the pen heavily for a few days, in which case I clean the pen less often. Be careful not to overfill the cartridge. If it gets too full - depending on the brand of pen - when you reattach the cartridge to the base of the pen unit, ink will be expelled through the base and into a vent slot cut into the pen's threads. You'll know if you did because the ink will be squeezed out of the filaments at the tip of the pen and will likely be on your fingers and possibly anything you touch. The gap prevents the ink from flowing properly - regardless of the brand of ink. To resolve the issue, remove the ink cartridge, partially disassemble the nib assembly (but not the nib itself), wash and dry the nib filaments and the corresponding filaments in the base. Assemble it, making sure you only fill the cartridge to within 3/8 inch of the top. When I'm not using my pens, I store them tip up. I've found that the pens almost always start right up the next time I use them. If they hesitate, I use a Koh-I-Noor squirt to draw some ink out of the pen, which I find works a lot better than tapping or shaking. Koh-I-Noor Ultradraw is my pick. Inks for pen drawings and for use under watercolors. While I can't say they're any better than Rotring or Staedtler technical inks, I've found them to be just as good and generally cheaper. I also highly recommend this Koh-I - Noor Ultradraw over Koh-I-Noor Universal ink Ultradraw is archival and very opaque, while Universal is dye-based, less opaque and lightfast.