Compiled from 8 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
Rohrer & Klingner Salix is a German iron gall fountain pen ink sold in a 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) glass bottle. It goes on blue and darkens as it oxidizes. Mountain of Ink measured a 40-second dry time, high water resistance and no feathering; on 24 lb copy paper it saw slight feathering. Goulet advises weekly flushing.
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
Made by Rohrer & Klingner KG, Zella-Mehlis, Germany. Made in Germany: Rohrer & Klingner's English home page gives its address as Meininger Str. 1-3, Zella-Mehlis, and says it has produced ink since 1892. Pure Pens says each bottle is produced by hand and traces the company to Leipzig. We found no 'made in' statement for this bottle itself, and the maker's German pages returned server errors when we tried to open them. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
The glass bottle holds 50 ml (1.7 fl oz); Goulet lists the bottle opening as 21.6 mm.
Mountain of Ink saw no feathering or bleeding on fountain-pen-friendly papers and only slight feathering from a flex nib on 24 lb copy paper.
Dry time was 40 seconds and show-through medium in the same test.
Goulet lists it as iron gall and water resistant, and advises not leaving it in a pen longer than a week.
We couldn't find Salix on Rohrer & Klingner's current English writing-ink page, so check stock before you plan around it.
What is Rohrer & Klingner Salix?
It’s an iron gall fountain pen ink from a German maker, sold in a 50 ml glass bottle. Rohrer & Klingner’s English home page says it has produced ink since 1892 and gives its address as Zella-Mehlis. Pure Pens, a UK retailer, says the company was established in 1892 by Johann Adolf Rohrer in Leipzig and that each bottle is produced by hand. That is the only place we found Leipzig, and we found no source for a Dresden link.
Retailers file Salix under blue (Goulet calls it Salix Blue; Wonder Pens, iron gall blue), and Pure Pens lists it as No. 711.
Salix specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Rohrer & Klingner, Zella-Mehlis, Germany
Ink type
Iron gall; not pigmented (Goulet)
Bottle
50 ml (1.7 fl oz) glass; opening 21.6 mm (Goulet)
Water resistance
Yes (Goulet); high (Mountain of Ink)
Dry time
40 s (Mountain of Ink); not listed as fast drying (Goulet)
Feathering / bleed
None / none on fountain pen papers (Mountain of Ink)
Shading / sheen
High / none (Mountain of Ink)
Price band
$$ ($5–20 per bottle)
We didn’t find a published bottle height, so the cover draws the bottle in proportion.
Fills per bottle (bottle volume ÷ filler capacity, rounded down):
Filler
Holds
Fills per 50 ml bottle
Pilot CON-40 converter
0.4 ml
about 125
LAMY Z28 converter
0.8 ml
about 62
TWSBI ECO piston
1.76 ml
about 28
How does iron gall ink behave?
It goes down paler and darkens as it meets air. Mountain of Ink describes Salix as a periwinkle blue when wet that darkens to a medium dusky blue as it dries, and almost black in large swabs. Wonder Pens’ listing says iron gall colors intensify as they oxidize and that such writing is considered permanent. One Fountain Pen Network commenter saw it turn to a greyish black over time, another reported fading after a few weeks on paper; we couldn’t settle that from the sources.
The trade-off is care. Goulet defines iron gall as made from iron salts and tannic acids, and warns that these inks are known for corroding metal pen parts.
How does Salix write on ordinary paper?
Well, in the tests we found, with one small caveat. Mountain of Ink’s tests on Rhodia, Tomoe River and Leuchtturm1917 found no feathering, no bleeding and medium show-through. On Staples 24 lb copy paper it saw just a little feathering in a flex nib and no bleeding, and called it a good ink for cheap paper. A Fountain Pen Network review on Finocam paper also saw no feathering or bleed-through.
Customer reviews agree, though they are not tests. A Goulet customer wrote that it doesn’t bleed through on a thin work notebook; a Wonder Pens customer called it a little dry. If you want a similar everyday result from a dye ink instead, see Noodler’s Black, which has its own notes on copy paper. For the paper itself, see Hammermill copy paper.
How long does it take to dry?
About 40 seconds in Mountain of Ink’s test. Goulet does not mark it fast drying. A Wonder Pens customer found it dried reasonably quickly, so results vary with pen, paper and how wet the nib runs. We found no copy-paper dry time for Salix.
Is Salix water resistant?
Yes, but not fully waterproof. Goulet lists it as water resistant and Mountain of Ink rates it high. In a Fountain Pen Network review, writing held under warm tap water for 10 seconds lost some saturation but stayed fully legible. For other water-resistant options, see best waterproof pens and inks.
How do you look after a pen with iron gall ink?
Flush it regularly and don’t let it sit. Goulet recommends not leaving Salix in a pen longer than a week because it may stain; Mountain of Ink says Rohrer & Klingner recommends cleaning once a week. A 2013 Fountain Pen Network thread had most owners reporting no damage, though frequency varied from every few fills to every few weeks, and it’s informal. Goulet customers report it stained a clear converter light blue.
The maker is in Germany; we couldn’t confirm the bottle’s origin. Rohrer & Klingner’s English home page gives a Zella-Mehlis address. Its current writing-ink page lists Ebony as an iron gall ink and does not mention Salix, and its German pages returned server errors when we tried to open them. Goulet, Wonder Pens and Pure Pens listed Salix when we checked on Oct 30, 2026, though Pure Pens showed it backordered. We don’t know if the formula has changed, and we found no release date.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rohrer & Klingner Salix blue or blue-black?
Retailers list it as blue (Goulet, Wonder Pens). Mountain of Ink describes a periwinkle blue when wet that darkens to a medium dusky blue, and in large swabs it looks almost black.
Does Salix feather or bleed through on copy paper?
Only slightly in one test. Mountain of Ink saw a little feathering from a flex nib on Staples 24 lb copy paper, and no bleeding. A Goulet customer wrote that it didn't bleed through on a thin work notebook.
How long does Salix take to dry?
Mountain of Ink measured 40 seconds, and Goulet does not list it as fast drying. A Wonder Pens customer found it dried reasonably quickly with no smudging, so allow for some variation by pen and paper.
Is Salix waterproof?
It is water resistant rather than fully waterproof. Mountain of Ink rates resistance high. In a Fountain Pen Network review, writing held under warm tap water for 10 seconds lost some saturation but stayed legible.
How often should I clean a pen used with Salix?
Goulet recommends not leaving it in a pen longer than a week, and Mountain of Ink says Rohrer & Klingner recommends cleaning once a week. Forum users report flushing anywhere from every few fills to every few weeks.
Will iron gall ink damage a fountain pen?
Goulet notes iron gall inks are known for corroding metal parts and suggests using them with less valuable pens. Fountain Pen Network posters report no damage from Salix, but that is anecdotal.
Why did my first lines look paler than the dried ones?
Iron gall ink darkens as it oxidizes in air. Wonder Pens' listing says the colors intensify as they oxidize, and Mountain of Ink saw wet periwinkle turn to a medium dusky blue.
