Ink Pairing Guide: Best Inks for Your Favorite Pens

At Makoba, we believe the right ink elevates your writing experience. Pairing your favorite pen with the perfect ink can make every stroke smoother, richer, and more enjoyable. Here’s our curated guide of the 10 best-selling ink brands and 5 multi-brand pen pairings for each.

1. Pilot Iroshizuku

Rich, vibrant colors with smooth flow — perfect for all premium pens. 

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Pilot Custom 823 – Vacuum filling ensures consistent ink flow; Iroshizuku’s wet ink fully expresses color and shading.

·  Pelikan Souverän M600 – Medium nib and smooth piston filling let the ink glide effortlessly, showing depth and sheen.

·  Sailor 1911 Large – Soft gold nib highlights subtle shading variations of Iroshizuku inks. 

·  Kaweco Classic Sport – Compact pen allows for controlled flow, perfect for small, precise strokes with vibrant ink.

·  TWSBI Eco – Demonstrator pen shows off the ink’s color beautifully while piston filling handles the wet flow.

2. Montblanc Inks

Premium quality inks with timeless colors.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Montblanc Meisterstück 149 – Piston filler matches high-quality Montblanc ink for smooth, luxurious writing.

·  Pelikan Souverän M800 – Wet nib allows Montblanc ink to demonstrate rich color and shading.

·  Pilot Vanishing Point – Retractable nib works well with premium ink’s viscosity, providing smooth, uninterrupted flow.

·  Lamy 2000 – Balanced nib and modern design allow Montblanc ink to flow consistently without feathering.

·  Aurora Optima – Italian craftsmanship and smooth nib complement the high saturation and shading of Montblanc ink.

3. Lamy Inks

Affordable, vibrant inks that perform reliably.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Lamy Safari – Lamy ink flows perfectly with Lamy’s steel nib for smooth, everyday writing.

·  Pelikan Twist – Lightweight, easy-flowing pen highlights Lamy’s bright colors without oversaturation. 

·  TWSBI Diamond Mini – Compact demonstrator shows color clearly; piston filling handles medium ink flow.

·  Kaweco Supra – Short, portable pen pairs well with consistent, non-saturated ink.

·  Pilot Metropolitan – Smooth nib and moderate ink flow enhance vibrancy while preventing feathering.

4. Pelikan Edelstein

Deep, jewel-like colors for smooth, elegant writing.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Pelikan Souverän M1000 – Large nib allows maximum shading and depth of Edelstein’s jewel tones.

·  Montblanc 146 – Luxury nib shows rich color, ideal for formal writing.

·  Sailor Pro Gear Slim – Soft nib highlights subtle shading while maintaining control over ink flow.

·  Aurora Ipsilon – Lightweight design and smooth nib make jewel-tone inks pop without skipping.   

·  TWSBI 580ALR – Aluminum demonstrator showcases depth of color while the piston mechanism handles ink volume.

5. J. Herbin

Historical inks with shimmering and vibrant shades.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Kaweco Perkeo – Lightweight, fun pen enhances playful shimmer and color without ink pooling. 

·  Lamy Al-Star – Metal barrel maintains consistent flow and shows off bright J. Herbin colors.

·  Pilot Kakuno – Beginner-friendly nib pairs with subtle shimmer inks for learning and casual writing.

·  TWSBI Go – Easy-to-fill, demonstrator pen highlights color and light shimmer perfectly.

·  Pelikan M200 Classic – Balanced nib brings out elegant shading and metallic shimmer.

6. Diamine

A huge palette of colors for expressive writing.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  TWSBI Eco-T – Transparent demonstrator highlights vibrant Diamine colors and shading.

·  Faber-Castell Loom – Smooth steel nib shows color clearly, ideal for daily writing.

·  Sailor 1911 Standard – Soft nib allows subtle color shading to shine.

·  Kaweco Student – Lightweight, practical pen for experimenting with expressive colors.

·  Pilot Custom 74 – Medium nib brings out shading and depth of multiple colors in long-form writing.

7. Sailor Inks

High-quality pigments with smooth and consistent flow.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  Sailor Pro Gear Realo – 21k nib brings out smoothness and shading perfectly.
·  Pelikan Souverän M400 – Balanced nib enhances rich pigment without bleeding.
·  Montblanc 146 Calligraphy Nib – Calligraphy nib shows off ink flow and subtle color gradients.

·  TWSBI Precision – Durable pen handles wet-flowing ink with precision.

·  Pilot Prera – Compact nib makes subtle shading noticeable on small pages.

8. Robert Oster

Unique colors and excellent shading properties.

Best Pen Pairings:

·  TWSBI 580 Rose Gold – Demonstrator showcases ink’s shading properties.

·  Kaweco Sport – Small, portable pen highlights bright shades in short writing.

·  Pelikan M600 – Smooth nib emphasizes ink’s shading and sheen.

·  Pilot Custom 912 – Fine-to-medium nib shows off subtle color shifts.

·  Sailor 1911 Large – Luxury nib brings out color depth and shading.

9. KWZ Inks – Highly saturated, fast-drying, and expressive

Best Pen Pairings:

1. TWSBI Eco-T – Demonstrator barrel showcases KWZ’s vibrant colors while piston filling handles its slightly wet flow.
2. Pelikan M600 Vibrant Green – Smooth medium nib brings out shading and depth of KWZ inks.
3. Pilot Custom 823 – Vacuum filling ensures consistent flow for long writing sessions with highly pigmented ink.
4. Sailor 1911 Standard – Soft nib enhances subtle variations in shading.
5. Aurora Optima – Italian craftsmanship and smooth nib complement KWZ’s rich saturation.

10. Noodler’s Inks – Durable, unique colors, and often bulletproof

Unique Pen Pairings:

1. TWSBI Diamond 580ALR – Aluminum demonstrator highlights color shifts and handles Noodler’s wet-flowing inks efficiently.
2. Pelikan Souverän M800 – Large nib and piston filler manage high ink flow while showing shading.
3. Pilot Custom 74 Clear Demonstrator – Transparency allows users to appreciate unique colors fully.
4. Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black – Soft nib showcases sheen and subtle color variation.
5. Montblanc 146 LeGrand – Luxury nib emphasizes depth, shading, and ink characteristics perfectly.

👉 Explore our curated ink & pen collection today and find your perfect match!

Ink Brand	Recommended Pen	Why This Pairing Works
Pilot Iroshizuku	Pilot Custom 823	Vacuum filling ensures smooth flow; shows vibrant shading
	Pelikan Souverän M600	Medium nib highlights ink depth and sheen
	Sailor 1911 Large	Soft nib brings out subtle color variations
	Kaweco Classic Sport	Compact pen allows controlled, precise strokes
	TWSBI Eco	Demonstrator showcases color; piston handles wet flow
Montblanc Inks	Montblanc Meisterstück 149	Luxury nib with piston filling matches high-quality ink
	Pelikan Souverän M800	Wet nib highlights rich color and shading
	Pilot Vanishing Point	Retractable nib manages viscosity for smooth flow
	Lamy 2000	Balanced nib prevents feathering and ensures consistency
	Aurora Optima	Smooth nib complements high saturation and shading
Lamy Inks	Lamy Safari	Steel nib flows perfectly for everyday writing
	Pelikan Twist	Lightweight pen highlights bright colors without oversaturation
	TWSBI Diamond Mini	Compact demonstrator shows color clearly
	Kaweco Supra	Short pen handles consistent flow efficiently
	Pilot Metropolitan	Smooth nib enhances vibrancy and prevents feathering
Pelikan Edelstein	Pelikan Souverän M1000	Large nib maximizes shading and jewel-tone depth
	Montblanc 146	Luxury nib shows rich color, ideal for formal writing
	Sailor Pro Gear Slim	Soft nib controls ink flow while highlighting shading
	Aurora Ipsilon	Lightweight, smooth nib makes colors pop without skipping
	TWSBI 580ALR	Aluminum demonstrator showcases ink depth; piston handles volume
J. Herbin Inks	Kaweco Perkeo	Lightweight pen enhances shimmer and playful color
	Lamy Al-Star	Metal barrel ensures consistent flow for bright colors
	Pilot Kakuno	Beginner-friendly nib pairs with subtle shimmer
	TWSBI Go	Demonstrator highlights color and light shimmer perfectly
	Pelikan M200 Classic	Balanced nib emphasizes shading and metallic shimmer
Diamine Inks	TWSBI Eco-T	Transparent demonstrator shows vibrant colors and shading
	Faber-Castell Loom	Smooth steel nib displays color clearly
	Sailor 1911 Standard	Soft nib allows subtle shading to shine
	Kaweco Student	Lightweight, practical pen for expressive colors
	Pilot Custom 74	Medium nib brings out depth in long-form writing
Sailor Inks	Sailor Pro Gear Realo	21k nib brings out smoothness and shading perfectly
	Pelikan Souverän M400 Tortoise	Balanced nib enhances rich pigment without bleeding
	Montblanc 146 Calligraphy Nib	Calligraphy nib shows off ink flow and color gradients
	TWSBI Precision	Durable pen handles wet-flowing ink efficiently
	Pilot Prera	Compact nib makes subtle shading noticeable
Robert Oster Inks	TWSBI 580 Rose Gold	Demonstrator highlights shading properties beautifully
	Kaweco Sport Stonewashed	Small pen emphasizes bright shades for short writing
	Pelikan M600 Vibrant Green	Smooth nib brings out shading and sheen
	Pilot Custom 912	Fine-medium nib displays subtle color shifts
	Sailor 1911 Large Black	Luxury nib highlights ink depth and shading
KWZ Inks	TWSBI Eco-T	Demonstrator showcases vibrant colors; piston handles wet flow
	Pelikan M600 Vibrant Green	Smooth nib emphasizes shading and depth
	Pilot Custom 823	Vacuum filling ensures consistent flow for highly pigmented ink
	Sailor 1911 Standard	Soft nib highlights subtle shading variations
	Aurora Optima	Smooth Italian nib complements rich saturation
Noodler’s Inks	TWSBI Diamond 580ALR	Aluminum demonstrator handles wet ink and showcases color shifts
	Pelikan Souverän M800	Large nib manages high flow while showing shading
	Pilot Custom 74 Clear Demonstrator	Transparency allows full appreciation of unique colors
	Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black	Soft nib showcases sheen and subtle color variations
	Montblanc 146 LeGrand	Luxury nib emphasizes depth, shading, and characteristics

🛒 Shop the Best Inks at Makoba

At Makoba, we stock premium inks and pens from all these brands, ensuring perfect pairing for your writing experience. Whether you’re exploring shimmering inks or deep jewel tones, our team can help you find your ideal combination.