My Favorite Red Inks in 2026 (and Why I Still Decided to Make My Own)

As a red ink aficionado, I often get asked for a “Top 5” list of my favorites. I’ve deferred publishing any sort of definitive list because there are simply so many good ones out there. But since we’ve launched our own ink collaborations this week, I thought it made sense to revisit this question and offer up a “best of” list based on the red inks I find myself using the most.

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Top 5 Red Inks, in order they appear on the list below. Inks are swatched on dot grid Tomoe River 68g paper.

Joe’s Top 5 Red Inks

1. Tono & Lims Superstar T. The ink that started me thinking on my own collaboration with Tono & Lims. Superstar T is a dark red/almost burgundy ink from the Tono & Lims “Friendship” Line, which are inks designed in collaboration with influencers and other friends of the brand. On certain papers, it reminds me very much of my all-time favorite Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock (unfortunately discontinued).

2. Teranishi Modern Red. Another darker red that definitely leans more red than burgundy, Teranishi inks flow exceptionally well and features a richness of color that I enjoy. This particular ink has been in one of our shop tester pens for the past year, and people always ask what it is.

3. Laban Greek Mythology Ares Red. My substitute for old-school Sheaffer Skrip Red, and probably the brightest red I use regularly. It’s saturated without causing issues with dry times or smearing. (This goes for all of the Laban Greek Mythology Inks.)

4. Private Reserve Burgundy Mist. The first burgundy ink I ever bought, and the one that caused me to really dive deep into the broader red color family. Is it the best ink out there? No. It doesn’t have much subtlety, it can be wet, and the wide-mouth bottle is messy to use, but it’s still one of the best “pure burgundies” on the market. For nostalgia’s sake, I keep it on hand and use it fairly frequently.

5. Pilot Iroshizuku Syun-Gyo. Is it a red? Is it a red black? Is it a brown? While it leans a bit too brown to be my perfect ink, I still enjoy these dark murky shades with burgundy and red undertones. I find myself using Syun-Gyo quite a bit, if for no other reason than it’s an unusual, somewhat adventurous color for the Iroshizuku line.

Introducing Two New TGS-Exclusive Inks from Tono & Lims

So what is missing from the list above? A true “Red-Black” or “Burgundy-Black”. For the 12th Anniversary of The Gentleman Stationer, we wanted to formulate some special inks, and are happy to introduce our first two releases "Classic Burgundy" and "Black Shimmer". I strongly prefer dark red inks, and have never been able to find a red-black without overly predominant brown, purple, or pink undertones. While all those are components of most reds or burgundies, I wanted an ink with more black.

T.G.S. 12th Anniversary Classic Burgundy

Classic Burgundy is formulated to match the background dark burgundy on the classic TGS website, with the darker red-black hue I've been looking for, especially when used in a wet pen. Black Shimmer is my attempt at a subtly playful shimmer ink that can still be used as an everyday writer. It's a black that has purple and blue undertones on certain papers, and if you write with a wet pen that can lay down the shimmer, the red shimmer particles make the ink look like an actual standard red-black.

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TGS 12th Anniversary Black Shimmer

Both of these inks are now available in our shop, priced at the same price point as the rest of the Tono & Lims inks. Come see them in person this weekend in our Nashville shop, open normal hours from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-5pm on Saturday.

Thursday Drops: Lamy and Pilot Restocks (including Specialty Nibs), Plus More Tono & Lims Inks!

This week we focused on bringing back some old favorites, including some that have been out of stock for a year or more. First up is the Lamy Logo Tri Pen, which is an excellent Lamy multi pen if you prefer a slimmer format. (Similar options include the Lamy ST and Lamy CP1 Multi Pen line.) We also have additional Lamy 2000 stock, including fine and extra fine fountain pens and 4-Color multipens.

As we noted on Tuesday, we also received a large shipment of inks from Tono & Lims, as well as a restock of Lamy bottled ink and Pilot Iroshizuku. But most exciting is that we have enough stock to be able to open our latest TGS Curated Box to the general customer base. There are a couple left, so if you’d like to participate in this round get yours soon.

The Nashville shop is open normal hours this weekend, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and 10am-5pm on Saturday. If you are interested in attending our upcoming On the Paper Trail Live in Nashville event in October, we strongly encourage you to purchase a ticket in advance, as we are unsure how many can be made available at the door.

1. Lamy Logo Tri-Pen Multi-Pen. By customer request, we’ve brought back the Lamy Logo Tri-Pen, which is a slimmer multi pen that takes universal D1 refills. This one features a stainless steel body with a matte black cap.

2. Lamy 2000 Fountain Pens. We have additional stock of all Lamy 2000 nib sizes available! Some of you have been waiting for the EF and F nibs to arrive, and they are here.

3. Pilot Custom 912 (FA Nib). The Pilot Custom 912 is now available from us in the softest nib that Pilot makes - the FA “Falcon” nib. The 912 version of this nib is slightly softer than the version on the Custom 743, so this nib will really show off multi-shading inks.

4. Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Fog. We have additional stock of Pilot’s latest North American exclusive release, including stock of the Soft Fine and Soft Medium nibs. Those looking for a nib to grind at an upcoming pen show should consider the double broad, which gives a nibmeister a lot of tipping to work with!

5. Lamy 2000 Multi-Pens (4-Color Ballpoints). Possibly our favorite multi pen of all time, the Lamy 2000 version comes in the same Black Makrolon as the rest of the Lamy 2000 line, and accepts universal D1 refills for maximum flexibility.

6. Tono & Lims Friendship Fountain Pen Inks. We’ve received a large shipment of the Tono & Lims “Friendship” collaboration inks, including the Bechorium series inks in all variants (yes, even the turquoise shimmer HexacyanidoferrateII).

7. Tono & Lims “Deep Field” Fountain Pen Inks. These two inks are some of the craziest multi-shaders we carry in the shop, and during our last shipment both sold out nearly instantaneously. We made sure to order more this time around.

8. Tono & Lims Remastered Limited Edition Fountain Pen Inks. Certain limited edition inks are re-released for the overseas market. This batch includes the “Beyond the Horizon” inks with coveted multi-shaders like “Turbulent Sea”.

9. Lamy Safari Meteorite and Meteora Pens. The latest Lamy Safari release includes two textured models in black and dark purple. We have a restock of the fountain pens as well as rollerballs.

10. Lamy Safari Mechanical Pencil “Kuru-Toga Inside”. The Japanese market has access to the Lamy Safari mechanical pencil that also includes Uni’s patented rotating Kuru Toga engine. We managed to secure a small supply of these. Available both online and in-store.

Multi-shader “Turbulent Sea” is a customer favorite that we’re happy to bring back!

New Arrivals: Tono & Lims Restock, Including More Bechorium Inks!

This weekend we received a fresh restock of Tono & Lims inks, including the customer favorite Bechorium series. Tono & Lims is a Japanese-South Korean collaboration between Japanese fountain pen enthusiasts and the South Korean ink producer Lim’s Lab. Tono & Lims loves to experiment with color, sheen, shimmer, and inside jokes, so the inks end up being a lot of fun (especially the names). Some of these colors are in low-supply, so if you’ve been waiting on a restock of a favorite color don’t hesitate. (But don’t worry, we’re constantly restocking!).

In addition to online, you can find these in our Nashville store, which will be open normal hours this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturday. We hope to see you there!

Thursday Drops: New Inks from Tono & Lims, TV-Inspired Blackwings, and More Lamy Studios!

After an extended detour courtesy of Fedex, our most recent shipment of Tono & Lims Fountain pen inks has arrived! We’ve added additional inks from the Friendship line, including the entire “Bechorium” series, selections from the Remastered Limited Edition lines, and the new “Deep Field” inks that include some of the craziest multi-shading inks I’ve used. On the ink side, we’ve also restocked on Herbin 1670 Anniversary shimmer inks, the Colorverse Top 3 pen and ink sets, and Anderillium Inks!

The latest shimmer ink from the Tono & Lims Bechorium Series (part of the “Friendship” line).

Since graduation season already has started, we thought it might be helpful to spotlight a couple of gift ideas for graduation presents. The Lamy Studio and Lamy Swift are go-to recommendations, since they feature a modern design and and accessible price point. We recently added rollerball and ballpoint versions of the standard Studio to our lineup.

Come see these and more in person this weekend! We are open standard hours, 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check our posted shop hours for any updates.

1. Tono & Lims “Deep Field” Fountain Pens Inks. Or “Deeep Field”, as they sometimes style it! These two inks, “Laniakea” and “Great Attractor”, might be my favorite from this most recent batch, showing some of the wildest multi-shading out there.

2. Tono & Lims Remastered Limited Edition Fountain Pen Inks. How did they come up with the hundreds of inks in their lines? Many of them are exclusives made for shops and pen shows around the world, but Tono & Lims recently has started to “remaster” and release certain of these show inks for the overseas market. We have eight or so currently in stock, many of which showcase lots of shading.

3. Tono & Lims “Friendship Line” Fountain Pen Inks. Our last batch of inks included “Bechorium Chloride,” a shading green with shimmer, and we’ve added three other inks from the Bechorium series that complement this one. You can see these (along with their swatches) in-store.

4. MD Product Cotton A5 Notebooks. We use MD Cotton paper to swatch all of our inks, as I love how this paper reproduces color. It’s also an excellent workhorse ink for everyday writing, as it’s more absorbent while remaining fountain pen friendly. Cotton paper has better dry times than coated papers like Tomoe River or Clairefontaine. Also available in writing pad format.

5. Colorverse Colorvent “Top 3” Pen & Ink Sets. Each year following the release of the annual “Colorvent” Calendar, Colorverse has released a selection of the Top 3 inks from that year’s calendar in larger bottles and an exclusive set. This year’s set finally arrived, and features three bottles of ink plus a fountain pen!

6. Blackwing Volume 343 (The TV Pencil). Anyone of a certain age (including my own) will recognize this color pattern! The latest Blackwing pencil release features extra-firm graphite in addition to the classic TV test pattern.

7. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Inks. This line of shimmer inks includes some classics like Emerald of Chivor and the more recently released Opale Nocturne. We now offer smaller 15ml bottles in addition to the larger 50ml.

8. Lamy Studio Pens. It’s graduation season, and we’ve restocked on one of the best all-around “gifting pens” out there - the Lamy Studio. Available not just in a fountain pen format but in an excellent rollerball and ballpoint, the Studio makes a reasonably priced, modern gift for graduates at any level. Special edition colors are also available.

9. Lamy Swift Capless Rollerball. Those looking for a capless pen should consider the Lamy Swift. An excellent workhorse, it likewise makes a great gift or just an everyday driver for yourself. Read more about why we like this pen here.

10. Nicolau Washi Tape. Our friend Nick Dominguez (who also designed our exclusive Rickshaw design) has released his first round of washi tapes! These look amazing, so be sure to pick one up while this first batch is still available.

Weekly Drops: Tono & Lims Inks, Kakimori Restock, and More!

We’re happy to announce that we’ve received three new lines of ink from Tono & Lims, which is now available for purchase both in shop and online! Those familiar with Tono & Lims know that the brand is the result of a Japanese-South Korean collaboration between Japanese fountain pen enthusiasts and the South Korean ink producer Lim’s Lab. Tono & Lims loves to experiment with color, sheen, shimmer, and inside jokes, so the inks end up being a lot of fun (especially the names). We’ve swatched these inks on multiple papers to showcase how they can look different depending on which specific paper you use!

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My personal favorite. A shimmer red with black sheen and a great name.

As noted in Tuesday’s post, we have also restocked products from Kakimori and Object Index, including the Kakimori dip nibs and a new line of miniature nib holders that are slightly smaller than the traditional calligraphy nib holder.

Our Nashville shop will be open from 1-6pm on Friday January 2, and from 10-6pm on Saturday January 3 (normal hours). We’re looking forward to getting back into the swing of things after a busy holiday season!

1. Tono & Lims Standard Line Inks. The standard line of Tono & Lims inks, with the numbered colors. To start I’ve picked a handful and we will be bringing in more as we get a sense of what people like.

2. Tono & Lims “Friendship” Line Inks. Ok, so I added some shimmer inks to the T.G.S. curation! This particular ink series is inspired by friends of the Tono & Lims brand, whether that’s collaborators or partner shops or others. There are some particularly interesting color combinations, and shimmer and other special properties are not overwhelming.

3. Tono & Lims “Adult Night” Inks. No, there’s nothing inappropriate going on here. This line of inks - mostly lightly scented - is themed around coffee, tea, and chocolate, with a touch of insomnia thrown in. (And Dynamite?)

4. Kakimori Dip Nibs. We’ve received a restock of the Kakimori conical metal nibs, as well as the standard writing nib which functions much like a fountain pen only there is no feed and is intended more for writing.

5. Kakimori Nib Holders. The standard Kakimori nib holders are available again in the Sakura wood finish. This is the longer nib holder in the classic shape.

6. Kakimori Mini Nib Holders. These “mini” nib holders are slightly smaller and more compact than a traditional nib holder, making it perfect for travel, portability, and those with smaller hands. It’s also a fun range of colors!

7. Object Index Modular Marker. We’ve brought back a selection of Kakimori’s popular “Object Index” line of high-end office supplies, including these “Modular Markers” that allow you to build a set of customizable fineliners and highlighters that stack in a way that lets you easily cycle through different tip sizes.

8. Kakimori Colour Liners Fineliner Markers. Kakimori first popularized fineliners that you can fill with your own inks to create a truly custom set. Several different tip sizes are available, ranging from standard writing points to chisel-tip markers for highlighting or drawing.

9. Pilot Prera Fountain Pens. The popular solid-color Pilot Prera fountain pens are back in stock, including the coveted Honey Yellow in both nib sizes.

10. The Roterfaden Shop at T.G.S. We are restocked on most versions of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, including many different A5 designs and a handful of remaining TGS_25 in Grey. While we want to keep this special release in stock, there is no scheduled restock date at the moment on either the grey or green A5-Slim, and we are unable to take pre-orders or deposits.

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Allex Desk Scissors from Japan are now available in four different formats. Black Fluorine version is restocked, and we also have Jagged Blade (for cutting vinyl, etc.) and Thin Blade (for fine detail work) versions available.