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Retro 51 x Mann Inc

Merlin Blue

Greens#56736C

Retro 51 x Mann Inc is one of the 713 brands in Inktend's built-in ink catalog.

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Specs

Color familyGreens
Approx. hex#56736C
SheenNot typically noted

Paper & pairing

Greens read as more expressive than blue or black, a common choice for people who want color without leaving the realm of "still looks professional." 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 Retro 51 x Mann Inc

Retro 51 is an American pen brand founded in 1990 and based in Texas, best known for its Tornado rollerball pens. This line covers limited editions produced with Mann Inc Ltd, a family-run UK pen retailer that is also the UK distributor of Retro 51.

United States Founded 1990
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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 Merlin Blue?
Merlin Blue falls into Inktend's greens family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Merlin Blue have sheen?
Merlin Blue 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 Merlin Blue?
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 Merlin Blue?
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.