Rohrer & Klingner 50ml Fountain Pen Ink Set - 2 Pack - Scabiosa & Salix Review (2026)

What it is

This listing is a 2-bottle set from Rohrer and Klingner, a long-established German ink maker, pairing two of its traditional iron gall inks: Salix, a blue ink, and Scabiosa, a purple ink with a grey-blue undertone. Each bottle holds 50ml. Iron gall inks are a distinct ink family that has been used for writing for centuries, valued for good waterproofness and archival permanence once fully dry, which sets them apart from standard, non-permanent fountain pen inks that stay water soluble even after drying on paper and can smudge or wash out over time.

Two colors in one set

Buying Salix and Scabiosa together lets a calligrapher or fountain pen user try both of Rohrer and Klingner's core iron gall shades without committing to two separate full-price bottles up front before knowing which one they prefer. Salix shifts in color as it dries and oxidizes in the air, moving from a lighter blue toward a darker blue-black over time, while Scabiosa is described as a rich, grapey purple with cooler, greyer undertones rather than a bright violet. Having both on hand gives a letterer a cool blue-black and a deeper purple option from the same ink family and similar handling characteristics side by side.

Iron gall care

Iron gall inks are more acidic than typical fountain pen inks, and while they are safe to use in fountain pens, that acidity means nibs and feeds need regular cleaning, roughly every 4 weeks with routine use, to avoid corrosion building up, particularly in pens with steel nibs rather than gold ones. It is also recommended not to leave iron gall ink sitting unused in a pen for longer than about a week, since prolonged exposure raises the risk of staining or internal buildup inside the feed. For dip pen use, thorough rinsing after each session is the simplest way to avoid the same issue over time.

Durability once dry

The main practical appeal of iron gall ink for calligraphers and letter writers is permanence: once Salix or Scabiosa has fully dried and oxidized on the page, the writing becomes water resistant, meaning finished pieces hold up better against smudging or accidental moisture than most standard fountain pen inks would. That durability makes iron gall a common choice for envelope addressing, correspondence, and other pieces expected to survive handling or mailing across distances. The trade-off is the extra maintenance step of cleaning pens more diligently than would be needed with a standard, non-acidic dye-based ink.

Who it suits and value

Two 50ml bottles is a substantial amount of ink for a casual letterer, likely enough to last a long time through regular practice and finished pieces, so this set suits someone who already knows they want to explore iron gall inks seriously rather than someone testing the ink family for the first time on a whim. Buying the pair together is also often less expensive than purchasing each bottle separately, based on current listings, which adds value for anyone planning to keep both colors in rotation for different projects. Fountain pen users who are not ready to commit to the extra cleaning routine iron gall ink requires may want to start with a single bottle instead of a full 2-pack.

Frequently asked questions