Are you ready for the Chou Kuro vs. Carbon Black ink in the blackest-of-black ink comparison? Today, we’re pitting the new Platinum blackest of black ink, Chou Kuro fountain pen ink, against the previous Blackest of Black ink title holder, Platinum Carbon Black ink. Let’s learn a little bit more about these two contenders and then see how they compare to each other so we can decide who’s going home with the title.

Get to Know the Brand: Platinum

Both of the contenders in today’s ink comparison (Chou Kuro vs. Carbon Black) and competition for the title, Blackest of Black Ink, are made by the same brand. Platinum has been in the business of pens and inks for almost a century. Founded in 1919, this Japanese pen company is well respected for its fine nibs and maki-e art pens.

Get to Know the Contenders: Carbon Black Ink v. Chou Kuro Ink

Platinum Chou Kuro ink is a 2023 release that was developed in pursuit of the ultimate black ink and has been touted as the “blackest of black inks” since its concept was introduced. The black color in Chou Kuro ink is produced by pigment particles that react with the mineral content of your paper when you write. The ink advertised as Platinum as blacker than their Carbon Black is definitely a dark black – it shows no traces of other colors – not even gray.

Platinum Carbon Black ink was originally released in May of 2001. The Platinum Bottled Carbon Ink is water resistant and lightfast and known for its intense black color. Originally, it was only available as an ink cartridge, but Platinum later released the ink in bottled form. Carbon Black goes down black, but with hints of gray, the more it dries.

Both inks come in a 60ml glass ink bottle. So, in the Chou Kuro vs. Carbon Black battle, the ink bottle doesn’t help determine a winner.

Get a Look at Them In Action: Writing Samples and Ink Swatches

In the video featuring the two inks in today’s ink comparison, we’re using a promotional 20ml bottle of Platinum Chou Kuro ink that isn’t available for retail sale. When you look for Platinum Chou Kuro fountain pen ink, you’ll find it in a 60ml ink bottle.

The Ink Tests: How Fast Does that Black Ink Dry?

We did a standard dry test for our black ink comparison where we put down a writing sample with each ink and then tested it repeatedly to see how quickly the ink dried on paper. Here are the dry times we saw during our test for the two blackest of black ink contenders:

Platinum Carbon Black ink showed a dry time of about 30 seconds.

Platinum Chou Kuro ink showed a dry time of about 30 seconds.

So dry time isn’t going to be our deciding factor in the Chou Kuro vs. Carbon Black ink comparison, and as you’re about to see, water resistance won’t be a deciding factor either.

The Ink Tests: Is That Black Ink Resistant to Water?

We usually do a standard water test with all of our ink reviews and ink comparisons. However, our two contenders for blackest of black ink for today’s ink comparison are both waterproof inks, so they’re not much of a contest between the two in this area. These two pigmented waterproof inks are not just resistant to water; they are waterproof. If you put either of them down on paper, they are staying there.

The Winning Contender: Platinum Chou Kuro Takes the Blackest of Black Ink Title

And once the results were in – we can’t deny that Platinum Chou Kuro ink is “blacker” on paper than Platinum Carbon Black ink. The dry time of both inks was very similar. Both inks are equally waterproof. Both inks are packaged in a 60ml glass ink bottle. HOWEVER, Chou Kuro ink is typically twice as expensive as the Platinum Carbon Black ink. So, while Platinum Chou Kuro ink takes the Blackest of Black ink title, it’s still not necessarily the black ink for you. Whether or not Chou Kuro joins your ink collection will likely depend not on whether or not it’s the blackest ink of all, but how important HAVING the blackest ink of all is to you. Shop your Platinum Chou Kuro ink and Platinum Carbon Black ink at PenChalet.com.