Inktend / Ink library / Charcoal

Charcoal

An Australian ink maker known for saturated, often sheening colors and frequent small-batch releases.

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Specs

Color familyBlacks & greys

Approx. hex#3A3E42

SheenNot typically noted

BrandRobert Oster

Paper & pairing

As a near-neutral tone, it reads as professional and safe for anything from journaling to signatures. This ink will behave predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Cheap, highly absorbent paper (standard copier paper) will dull any ink's saturation and can cause feathering or bleed-through with wetter nibs.

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About Robert Oster

An Australian ink maker known for saturated, frequently sheening small-batch colors.

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Storing and using the bottle

Bottled fountain pen ink has an effectively long shelf life when kept capped and out of direct sunlight: most inks remain usable for years. The main risk isn't the ink spoiling, it's a pen sitting inked and unused for weeks: that's what causes clogs, not the ink's age.

Frequently asked questions

What color family is Charcoal?

Charcoal falls into Inktend's blacks & greys family based on its typical swatch color.

Does Charcoal have sheen?

Charcoal is not typically noted for sheen. If you want that effect, browse similarly colored inks tagged with sheen in the ink library.

How should I store a bottle of Charcoal?

Years, easily, as long as it stays capped and out of direct sunlight. The thing that actually shortens an ink's usable life is sitting unused inside a pen, not sitting on a shelf.

What paper works best with Charcoal?

It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

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Stipula

Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.