on saleRobert Oster Motor Oil - 50ml Bottled Ink

While the name "Motor Oil" might give one pause before placing it into a premium pen, I purchased a bottle, nevertheless, to complement the black-olive-brown celluloid of my new Maiora pen. This ink is a fascinating admixture of colors, definitely containing olive and drying to more of an understated green pewter color. I don't detect the brown, red or yellow component colors that others have mentioned. To me this is just olive reducing the harshness from basic black, just as red does with "Writer's Blood", but resulting in more pleasant undertones from this middle part of the visual spectrum. If there's any doubt about olive green playing a major role here, just empty your pen in running water and you'll be amazed by how much green there is. "Dirty Olive" or "Pewter Green" might better define this ink color. Whatever you call it, I like it so much that it's replaced "Writer's Blood" as my new favorite ink. It also behaves flawlessly, flowing freely and drying quickly. Despite its name, it doesn't contain lubricants (!), so I hope there are no clogging problems down the road, as mentioned by another reviewer. Overall, a winner for me.

My first ink from Robert Oster. A slightly olive-y brown that writes very smoothly from my Pilot Decimo M on Clairefontaine paper. Subtle shading, perfect flow, no feathering, dries pretty quickly. Very, very pleased.

This ink doesn't call attention to it's self. It's a soothing ink that you can use without being splashy. It's introverted ink.You could probably get away with using this in an office that requires black ink, but it isn't black. Not black, not grey, not brown, not green, definitely not blue... It just is what it is without any fanfare. I think I will use it for journaling.

The color is interesting, almost unplaceable. Sludgy brown or black or even grey in shade/low light, but with tones of dirty bamboo green (the trunk of the plant not the leaves) in bright light/close inspection. Motor oil is an apt name. It's a very interesting but sober and serious color. Moody, in a nice way, yet suitable for all audiences. Under appreciated and under reviewed on the web, I feel. Re. some other reviews complaining about hard starts and clogging, they may have a point, but it does not seem too serious and it may depend on the pen. My experience so far is with a (an otherwise perfect) sailor 1911L (M). Has not clogged at all, but had a hard start when writing fast once.

One of the first samples I got and the first sample ink that I just had to get a bottle of - this is my usual daily use ink any time I don't need water resistance. This may become my 'signature' ink. The pictures below show it on River, Rhodia, and my offbrand mixed media journal, respectively.