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KA-KU

Cafe Noir

Browns#6E6059

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

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Specs

Color familyBrowns
Approx. hex#6E6059
SheenNot typically noted
BrandKA-KU

Paper & pairing

Browns tend to photograph and scan a little darker than they look in person, worth testing before using one for anything that will be digitized. 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 KA-KU

KA-KU is a Japanese fountain pen specialty retailer operated by KAKU Co., Ltd., headquartered in the Osaka area. The name means 'to write' in Japanese, and the company runs pen shop counters in department stores along with an online store carrying fountain pens, world stationery, and art supplies, and serves as the Japanese importer of TWSBI. KA-KU also offers original fountain pen inks, including region-themed colors and its mixable 'ink mazeru' line.

Japan Founded Unknown
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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 Cafe Noir?
Cafe Noir falls into Inktend's browns family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Cafe Noir have sheen?
Cafe Noir 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 Cafe Noir?
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 Cafe Noir?
It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

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