It wasn’t until I started writing with KWZ Menthol Green ($12 for 60ml bottle) that I realized what I liked about it so much – it’s essentially Emerald of Chivor without the sparkle. It might be a tad bit bluer when actually writing with it, but KWZ Menthol Green is probably the closest I’ve found to a sparkle-free substitute for Emerald of Chivor. It’s not water proof but it stands up to a little water without completely losing its shape so that’s handy. It’s a good shading ink, and its priced right too!
I testedd the ink with several different Esterbrook nibs which will account for the color variations. I used wide nibs, fine nibs, flex nibs and even a slightly janky nib. All worked well with the Menthol Green, even Mr. Janky Nib.
KWZ Menthol Green doesn’t have the red halo that Pilot Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku has either and its a considerably cheaper ink as well.
All-in-all, I can’t say enough nice things about the ink. The only bad thing is that KWZ inks sells out fast. Keep your eyes peeled for it. Vanness usually tries to get it in stock for pen shows so save your pennies for the next big show (DC and SF, for sure).
DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Vanness Pens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
Thanks for the review!
The ink looks great but it needs a better name…
Oh man, another ink I really want! I was looking for a EoC base color and this is dead on! Thanks for enabling me again, Ana! 😉
OMG, i just tried this ink, and I absolutely love it! The color is my favorite shade of green teal. It makes my eyes happy. It flows nice and wet, and it has a little shading. I’ve ordered a bottle and I’m already sad because I’m running out of my sample, and I won’t have any now for about a week. Boy, talk about an impatient ink junkie! I’m the epitome.