Inktend / Ink library / 204 Black (Diluted)

Hero

204 Black (Diluted)

Blacks & greys#393939

Hero is one of the 713 brands in Inktend's built-in ink catalog.

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Specs

Color familyBlacks & greys
Approx. hex#393939
SheenNot typically noted
BrandHero

Paper & pairing

As a near-neutral tone, it reads as professional and safe for anything from journaling to signatures. This ink will behave predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Cheap, highly absorbent paper (standard copier paper) will dull any ink's saturation and can cause feathering or bleed-through with wetter nibs.

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About Hero

Founded in Shanghai in 1931, Hero is China's oldest fountain pen brand and was for decades the standard pen of Chinese schools and offices. The Hero 616 remains a well-known budget classic.

China Founded 1931
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Storing and using the bottle

Bottled fountain pen ink has an effectively long shelf life when kept capped and out of direct sunlight: most inks remain usable for years. The main risk isn't the ink spoiling, it's a pen sitting inked and unused for weeks: that's what causes clogs, not the ink's age.

Frequently asked questions

What color family is 204 Black (Diluted)?
204 Black (Diluted) falls into Inktend's blacks & greys family based on its typical swatch color.
Does 204 Black (Diluted) have sheen?
204 Black (Diluted) is not typically noted for sheen. If you want that effect, browse similarly colored inks tagged with sheen in the ink library.
How should I store a bottle of 204 Black (Diluted)?
Years, easily, as long as it stays capped and out of direct sunlight. The thing that actually shortens an ink's usable life is sitting unused inside a pen, not sitting on a shelf.
What paper works best with 204 Black (Diluted)?
It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

Similar shades By colour distance

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Robert Oster
Black
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Kakimori
Nebelgrau
De Atramentis
Coal Black
Standardgraph
Sohayanotsuruki
Bungukan Kobayashi

Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.