Inktend / Ink library / Black cartridge ink

Sailor

Black cartridge ink

Blacks & greys#130C0C

A Japanese ink house whose bottled inks are formulated for their own fine, precise nibs, with several well-known sheening colors in the lineup.

Track this bottle → Find this ink ↗Also on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Specs

Color familyBlacks & greys
Approx. hex#130C0C
SheenNot typically noted
BrandSailor

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.

Own a bottle of Black cartridge ink?
Track fills, remaining bottle life, and your real paper swatch in Inktend.
Track it →

About Sailor

Founded in Hiroshima in 1911, Sailor is Japan's oldest fountain pen maker, known for precisely ground gold nibs and its own line of bottled inks.

Japan Founded 1911
See all Sailor products →

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 Black cartridge ink?
Black cartridge ink falls into Inktend's blacks & greys family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Black cartridge ink have sheen?
Black cartridge ink 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 Black cartridge ink?
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 Black cartridge ink?
It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

Similar shades By colour distance

Black 4
Deleter
2025 - October Honey Bee
Van Dieman's
Black
Majohn
Black
Atelier simoni
Free Flowing Dye based Ink - Deep Black
Daytone
Dark Desert
Ellington Pens

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