Levenger Cardinal Red Review

Introduction

This is the fourth review in my series on Levenger inks. Thus far I've noticed that their properties are very consistent: most dry quickly and perform well on low-quality, absorbent paper. Cardinal Red mostly continues the trend with the exception of its longer dry time.

I was in no way compensated for this review, and this review contains my honest opinions about the ink.

Specifications:

Manufacturer: Levenger
Color: Red

MSRP: $12

Actual Price: $12

Price I paid: I bought this as part of the Levenger Ink Sampler for $12 while it was on sale.

Amount of Ink: 50 ml

Cost per ml: 24¢/ml at $12
Bottle: Glass; It includes a reservoir

Where to Buy: All of Levenger's inks are exclusive to their website.*

* All prices are the prices at the time of this review's writing on July 1, 2014

Properties:

Sheen: None

Shading: Hardly noticeable

Water Resistance: Somewhat water resistant

Feathering: Minimal on copier paper

Bleed through: Moderate

Show through/ Ghosting: High

Drying Time: Fast

Wetness: Average

Lubrication: Well lubricated

Staining: I haven't noticed any staining.
Cleaning: The ink cleans out of a pen easily
Nib Creep: Minimal

Okay on Copier Paper?: If you're using the ink only for editing or grading papers, it performs very well. For more intensive writing, the show through may be bothersome.

Writing Sample:

Pen: Visconti Rembrandt Fine

Paper 1: Levenger Circa Paper

Paper 2: Copier Paper

Paper 3: Black n' Red Notebook

Paper 4: Flashcard for the Extended Soak Test (2 hours)

Levenger Cardinal Red on Levenger Circa paper- Front

Levenger Cardinal Red on Levenger Circa paper- Back

Levenger Cardinal Red on Copier paper- Front

Levenger Cardinal Red on Copier paper- Back

Levenger Cardinal Red on Black n' Red paper- Front

Levenger Cardinal Red on Black n' Red paper- Back

Levenger Cardinal Red Extended Soak Test- Before

Levenger Cardinal Red Extended Soak Test- After

Levenger Cardinal Red is a fantastic red ink, but it isn't very water resistant. If this ink were water resistant, it would be perfect for my uses. When editing a document or grading something, a small spill would destroy everything written with this ink.

This ink also takes more time to dry than Levenger's other inks. As a dextral writer myself, this doesn't trouble me at all. If you're left-handed and move your hand over freshly written words, the ink will smear and may cause issues.

The redeeming quality of this ink is its color. Cardinal Red is a true red, and when diluted slightly with water, it becomes a nice pink. I may have to buy a bottle of it just for its color.

Pros

A great red color which could be used for editing or grading
Minimal feathering on average and nice paper
Dries quickly
Lightfast according to Levenger's website (I haven't tested this yet.)

Cons

Moderate bleed through and show through
Extreme feathering on highly absorbent papers (e.g. the flashcard)
Not very water resistant

Possible Uses

Editing, correcting, and grading papers
Christmas cards and letters around that time
Sending love letters (Cardinal Red is much better for this while diluted slightly.)

Gallery