Sorry it took some time to report back, I've been a bit swamped lately. Anyhow, here are my thoughts:
First off I find this ink very comparable to Moon Palace Sumi ink. It has a similar flow, similar hairlines, similar dense black color. Here's where it's different from Moon Palace:
Pros
No diluting required. It simply flows beautifully straight from the bottle.
Less odor
Glossier. Might be the same gloss level as undiluted Moon Palace, but undiluted Moon Palace does not work well for me.
A bit of a raised effect. I'm not talking like embossed or anything, but definitely something you can feel.
*maybe* dries in the nib a bit slower
Cons
Stickier ( this is especially noticeable when cleaning the nib)
Longer dry time
Mild tendency to get some ink drag when transitioning from swell to hairline. This doesn't happen often, but it basically never happens with Moon Palace.
****Here's the deal breaker*****
I found a practice sheet I completed a few weeks ago and was running my dry fingers along the dried ink and it smeared!!! I've run my fingers over it when it was only an hour old and not had any smearing. I think it's something to do with the carbon particles rising to the top of the dried ink over time??? This has never happened with Moon Palace. Whatever the reason, it makes to ink unsuitable for envelope work as it would probably transfer ink to the backs of stacked envelopes. I'm really bummed about this since I've now got a15 oz bottle of the stuff which is lovely, but I can't use it for work, and I prefer to practice with walnut or Higgins. I wonder if there is some way to prevent the smearing.
