VersaFine Onyx Black: Ink Pad for Crisp Fine Detail

Full-size VersaFine Onyx Black pigment ink pad with the lid open, drawn to scale at 97 mm (3.825 in) wide with a raised inking surface, beside a crisp fine-line leaf sprig stamped in black — VersaFine's pigment ink sits on top of the paper, so thin lines stay thin.

Product facts

Product: VersaFine Pigment Ink Pad, Onyx Black (VF-82; full size)
Brand: VersaFine
Brand origin: Japan
Made in: Not stated^*
Price range: $$$5–20 per stamp or ink pad

Notes on these facts

Made by Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Japan); sold in the US under its Imagine name. Country of manufacture not stated: Tsukineko's product pages don't state a country of manufacture, and the retailer pages we could load for the Onyx Black pad give none. An eBay.de listing cited in an earlier version said Japan, but it no longer loads. For the VersaFine Clair line, The Journal Shop says made in Japan. Tsukineko's company history lists factories in Yoshikawa, Saitama, and a US subsidiary in Redmond, Washington, producing since 1994, so check the box. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Tsukineko lists the full-size VersaFine Onyx Black pad (VF-000-082, UPC 712353380820) at 99 × 68 × 19 mm with a 76 × 47 mm inking surface; UK retailers list 97 × 63 mm.
Tsukineko lists the VersaFine Clair pad at 97 × 57 × 23 mm, with a 76 × 35 mm (about 3 × 1.4 in) inking surface.
Simon Says Stamp says Clair stays embossable for several minutes after it dries; the original VF-82 is listed as embossable on glossy and coated surfaces.
A VersaFine Clair re-inker holds 0.5 fl oz (15 ml), per Root & Co.
Tsukineko's Japanese site now lists the small VersaFine S pad at ¥380 (about US$2.40) and the 15 ml re-inker at ¥580 (about US$3.70), before tax.

What is VersaFine Onyx Black?

VersaFine Onyx Black is a black pigment stamp ink pad made by Tsukineko, the Japanese ink-pad maker behind StazOn and Memento. Its model number is VF-82 (VF-000-082 on Tsukineko’s site, VF000082 in some listings), and the full-size pad carries UPC 712353380820. Tsukineko calls the full-size pad VersaFine L.

It is a forum favorite for one job: stamping fine lines and small text cleanly. On Splitcoaststampers, members call it the deepest, crispest black they have used for sentiments and detailed images.

VersaFine Onyx Black specs

Spec	Value
Maker	Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Model	VF-82 / VF-000-082 (full size) · VFS-82 / VF-SML-82 (small, UPC 712353400825)
Ink type	Oil-based pigment (Tsukineko); archival and acid-free (retailer copy)
Full-size pad	99 × 68 × 19 mm (3.9 × 2.68 × 0.75 in), per Tsukineko; UK retailers list 97 × 63 mm
Full-size inking surface	76 × 47 mm (3 × 1.85 in), per Tsukineko
Small pad (VersaFine S)	34 × 34 × 20 mm; inking surface 24 × 24 mm, per Tsukineko
Re-inker	15 ml, per Tsukineko’s Japanese site
Drying	Fast on plain paper, per Tsukineko; no time published
Water	Repels water once dry; water- and lightfast, per Tsukineko
Embossing	On glossy and coated surfaces (Simon Says Stamp)
Made in	Not stated for the VF-82 (see below)

Sizes come from Tsukineko’s product pages; Loobi Crafts and Cass Art list the full-size pad about 2 mm narrower and 5 mm shallower, at 97 × 63 mm, and we use Tsukineko’s figure. Tsukineko’s Japanese page adds that a pad lasts more than twice as long as its ColorPalette pads, and that the ink suits planners, cards and tags.

Tsukineko’s Japanese site now lists the small VersaFine S pad at ¥380 (about US$2.40) and the 15 ml re-inker at ¥580 (about US$3.70), both before tax. Its 2024 JAN code table had them at ¥330 (about US$2.10) and ¥440 (about US$2.80); Tsukineko raised prices in January 2026 and again from July 21, 2026.

To-scale drawing: the VersaFine Onyx Black full-size pad is 97 by 63 mm; the VersaFine Clair case is 97 by 55 mm with a 76 by 35 mm ink pad — Clair's ink pad is narrower than the original's case, so wide stamps may need two presses.

Why does VersaFine stamp such fine detail?

Because pigment ink sits on top of the paper instead of soaking in, thin lines stay thin. Tsukineko’s Japanese page says both solid areas and fine details print sharply. Ecstasy Crafts describes VersaFine Clair this way: the ink rests on the surface and gives bold, sharp impressions.

The Journal Shop calls the Clair ink oil-based pigment, and stampers describe the original the same way. That oily base is also why it doesn’t run under watercolor once dry.

How long does VersaFine take to dry?

On ordinary paper it dries quickly, but Tsukineko doesn’t publish a time. Its Japanese page says it dries fast on plain paper, depending on the surface, climate and ink color, and Simon Says Stamp’s listing says it dries quickly on porous surfaces.

On coated or glossy card the ink has nothing to soak into, so it stays wet much longer. That slow drying is a feature for embossing and a smudge risk for everything else.

Can you heat emboss with VersaFine?

Yes, with limits on the original. Simon Says Stamp lists Onyx Black as embossable on glossy and coated surfaces.

VersaFine Clair is sold for embossing on paper. The Journal Shop describes the process as stamp, add embossing powder and heat, and Simon Says Stamp says Clair stays embossable for several minutes after it dries. Our Ranger clear embossing powder guide walks through the steps.

What is the difference between VersaFine and VersaFine Clair?

Clair is the newer Tsukineko pigment line, announced in 2017 per Tsukineko’s company history, and sold as a deeper, slower-drying ink in a narrower pad. A UK retailer, Loobi Crafts, calls it the same water-resistant ink as the original but improved, with stronger pigment.

	VersaFine (Onyx Black)	VersaFine Clair (Nocturne)
Ink	Pigment	Oil-based pigment
Full-size case	99 × 68 × 19 mm	97 × 57 × 23 mm
Inking surface	76 × 47 mm	76 × 35 mm (about 3 × 1.4 in)
Drying	Quick on porous paper	Slower, per Loobi Crafts
Embossing	Glossy and coated surfaces	On paper, for several minutes after drying
Water	Water-resistant once dry	Waterproof once dry
Re-inker	15 ml (Tsukineko Japan)	0.5 fl oz (15 ml)

Sizes come from Tsukineko’s product pages (The Journal Shop gives the Clair case as 97 × 55 mm); the Clair re-inker size from Root & Co. Tsukineko hasn’t published a side-by-side comparison in the sources we found.

Can you color VersaFine with alcohol markers?

Not reliably. Simon Says Stamp says its Nocturne Clair ink is not compatible with alcohol markers like Copics, and Splitcoaststampers members report smearing unless they heat-set the image with clear embossing powder.

For Copic coloring, stampers point to a dye ink like Memento Tuxedo Black. For glass, metal or plastic, Tsukineko’s solvent ink is StazOn. For blending on paper, see the Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink pad.

Which should you choose?

Pick the original Onyx Black for crisp black stamping under watercolor, and Clair if you also want to emboss on paper.

VersaFine Onyx Black: fine text and detailed images, colored afterwards with watercolor or water-based markers.
VersaFine Clair Nocturne: the same jobs, plus embossing with powder.
Neither: if you color with alcohol markers.

To stamp a solid image twice in exactly the same place, a MISTI stamping tool holds the stamp in register.

Where is VersaFine Onyx Black made?

Tsukineko doesn’t say, and we found no current listing that states it for the Onyx Black pad. The Journal Shop lists VersaFine Clair pads as made in Japan; an eBay.de listing that gave Japan for the VF-82 no longer loads.

Tsukineko’s Japanese company history lists factories in Yoshikawa, Saitama, and a US subsidiary, TSUKINEKO, INC., founded in Redmond, Washington in 1993 and producing there since 1994, so check the packaging of the pad you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Why do stampers like VersaFine Onyx Black for fine detail?

Members of Splitcoaststampers describe it as the densest, crispest black they have used for small text and detailed stamps. Retailers add that the pad has a raised surface that is easy to tap onto large or small stamps.

Is VersaFine ink waterproof?

Tsukineko's Japanese site says VersaFine repels water once dry, doesn't feather, and resists water and light; Simon Says Stamp calls it water-resistant when dry. Tsukineko says you can color over it with water-based markers.

Can you heat emboss with VersaFine Onyx Black?

Simon Says Stamp lists the original pad as embossable on glossy and coated surfaces. VersaFine Clair is sold as embossable on paper, with Simon Says Stamp saying it stays tacky enough for powder for several minutes after drying.

Can you use Copic markers over VersaFine?

It is not the usual choice. Simon Says Stamp says its Nocturne Clair ink is not compatible with alcohol markers like Copics, and stampers on Splitcoaststampers report smearing unless the image is heat-set with clear embossing powder.

What is the difference between VersaFine and VersaFine Clair?

Both are Tsukineko pigment inks for detailed stamping. A UK retailer says Clair has deeper pigment and dries more slowly, which suits embossing, and its full-size pad is narrower than the original's.

How long does VersaFine take to dry?

Tsukineko says only that it dries fast on plain paper, varying with the surface, climate and ink color; it publishes no time in seconds. On coated or glossy card it stays wet much longer, which is what makes embossing possible.

Where is VersaFine Onyx Black made?

Tsukineko doesn't say, and we found no current listing that states it for the VF-82 pad; The Journal Shop lists VersaFine Clair as made in Japan. Tsukineko makes ink pads in Yoshikawa, Japan, and has had a US factory since 1994, so check the box.

Sources (20)

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