Shocking Blue, No.5  
P.W. Akkerman




     Like I keep saying.... I don't like to use blue ink but do like the colour. Akkerman No.5 is one of those bright blue inks that are hard resist. The ink has a character that could only be topped by the unique bottle it comes in. I can only speak for myself but I am sure I speak for many fountain pen users in saying that the Akkerman bottle is what attracts us. The bottle's shape has an hourglass likeness featuring a glass bead that creates a smaller reservoir in its neck for filling pens and helps when ink levels are low.

No.5 - Shocking Blue test plate after 3mL of water

     Akerman No.5 'shocking blue' has a colour spectrum from an ultramarine blue to a deep navy with a red sheen when the ink is really heavy. The shading is moderate but noticeable on both Hilroy and Clairefontaine papers. The dry time surprized me in that this ink dries faster on Clairefontaine over the less ink resistant Hilroy paper. It is a normal flowing ink, with no feathering or bleed through. Water will remove the ink from paper and it is relatively easy to clean from pens. The test plate only showed traces in the roughest section.
  
Shocking Blue is a nice bright blue ink that jumps off the page and has a colour spectrum that make it plain fun to use. It behaves and performs well enough for me to use in any of my pens. That bottle steals the show though. It is amazing, I use it religiously. I could not say enough good things about the bottle.

Akkerman #5 on Clairefontaine paper

Akkerman #5 on Hilroy paper

Ink diagrams prepared using:
1.  Speedball C-4 nib in dip pen
2.  Esterbrook #0 nib in dip pen