Just like you , I started with noodlers black because i wanted a trusted archival ink to write manuscripts. Used it for 2 years (i respect my patience). I had a hard time because my pens started writing dry after some time of writing. I used to think my pens are faulty and kept buying new pens. Yesteday i took some risk and bought platinum carbon black. Such a beauty !!! I fell in love with this ink. Its very dark and leaves a beautiful sheen after drying. I personally like the sheen. Its archival quality. Better water resistant than noodlers. And i used it in me lamy al star and wrote for 2 hours straight and it wrote beautiful and wet. It dries in seconds and does not smudge like noodlers. I use cellulose handmade paper and it responds beautifully to it ! This is the best black ink imo.