Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black

[bphollin]

Review of Pelikan 4001 Blue Black ink

In a Pelikan M605 w/ Factory Fine nib on Rhodia No 16

 

Here's my handwritten comments with transcription below:

 

I am a big fan of this pen/ink/[paper] lineup. This pen has a nice juicy F nib that takes the dry Pel ink very nicely. I find Rhodia paper to be a bit dry too, but this is a great combo. I don't notice the dryness others have complained about when it comes to Pel inks.

 

I love this dark color. I can get similar results mixing Waterman Blue-Black and Havana Brown, but Pelikan ink is close enough to suit me. I notice some lovely shading and teh ink is not too grey and washed out for my tastes.

 

The drying time is fast enough for me not to smear or get inks on my fingers, which is my benchmark.

 

It doesn't flee at the sign of water (looking at you W'man) but it isn't bulletproof, either.

 

I'm very happy to have good results with this pen and ink. As ever, your mileage WILL vary...

---

 

Based on previous reviews, I was expecting anything from a beautiful steel blue like SteadyHand's to a dry, grey ink like chuancao's. Instead, I landed closest to declanh's sample, which suits me just fine.

 

I don't have much to add to the previous reviews of this ink. I thought I would share another scan for those who are contemplating--I always appreciate looking at multiple interpretations of the same color. From previous threads, I gather that Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is hit or miss. For me, it is a hit and I'm glad of it. It is a fine looking ink that matches nicely the dark blue body of my M605 pen. Further, it is a great value for the 2 oz bottle. What more could I ask for? Three cheers for my new favorite ink!

 

Huzzah!

Huzzah!

Huzzah!

 

SteadyHand's review of Dec 14 2007

chuancao's review of May 20 2008

declanh's review of Oct 6 2008

 

Enjoy,

 

Brandon

[Breck]

Looks fantastic. Another very well done review. You're on a roll!

[Cursive Child]

Thank you for the review! Also for the refresher on the links to other posts and comments.

 

I have been looking for a Blue Black such as shows up on your scan on my monitor for a while for my Pelikan M605 Medium. I was dreaming of getting a color like Steadyhand's review. I don't want it to be greyish after drying, and have a lot of shading.

 

How different is this ink on a Medium, wet nib and not so good quality paper?

[Ondina]

Pelikan Blue Black is a classic and a beautiful color. For even darker shades mixing it with a bit of Pelikan Black gives very attractive, true old time looks. Many of my German friends use this BB /Black mix, don't ask me why, but is really lovely. And has good water resistance, too!

[bphollin]

For even darker shades mixing it with a bit of Pelikan Black gives very attractive, true old time looks.

Oooh, that sounds fantastic. I don't have any black ink, but I may get some to give this a try.

 

[bossy]

For even darker shades mixing it with a bit of Pelikan Black

Good idea. I should of tried it.

[ethernautrix]

I've liked this color for a long time, particularly coming out of this Conklin Mark Twain (crescent filler with a steel nib), but I couldn't remember if the ink was water-resistant.

 

I just now tested it for water resistance... and I'm very pleased to say, Pelikan Blue Black is water-resistant!

 

It isn't waterPROOF, but the color holds after being submerged for ten seconds.

 

Proof enough for me.

 

Yay!

[AlejoPlay]

This looks like a more attractive color than Pelikan Royal Blue (which only my Pelikan M400 tends to like and produces a sort of periwinkle color with it). I do need some dry inks because I have a couple of gushers, like my M LAMY 2000 (which is inked with PR American Blue at the moment which surprise surprise it behaves with . . . but writes a bit too broad for my liking with this ink).

[kenmc]

Pelikan Blue Black is a classic and a beautiful color. For even darker shades mixing it with a bit of Pelikan Black gives very attractive, true old time looks. Many of my German friends use this BB /Black mix, don't ask me why, but is really lovely. And has good water resistance, too!

Ondina, what is the ratio?

[kenmc]

I love this dark color. I can get similar results mixing Waterman Blue-Black and Havana Brown, but Pelikan ink is close enough to suit me. I notice some lovely shading and teh ink is not too grey and washed out for my tastes.

Brandon

Brandon, what ratio do you mix the Waterman blue/black and Havana?

 

THanks!

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

The colour in this scan is very close to my experience. I have been using 4001 Blue-Black in a Aurora Idea with a fine nib and it has been a very dependable performer.

[Tweel]

I just now tested it for water resistance... and I'm very pleased to say, Pelikan Blue Black is water-resistant!

 

It isn't waterPROOF, but the color holds after being submerged for ten seconds.

 

I think that's because it contains, if not iron gall per se, then some similar iron compound. The Pelikan company seems to refer obliquely to this on their website, and you can see it if you put some bleach on your writing. The blue disappears and the black turns to rust.

 

-- Brian

[bphollin]

Brandon, what ratio do you mix the Waterman blue/black and Havana?

Ken, I've been so tickled with Pel BB that I traded away my Wman BB many moons ago. I think the ratio is 5:1 (BB to Brown). Someone posted a recipe for it in the inky thoughts section a while back -- that's where I snagged the idea. I seem to recall something about the red in Havana canceling out the green in BB.

[Inka]

Very nice ink, very nicely reviewed, love the shading on the RHODIA paper you've used and now I want to try it for myself!

I still have nearly a full bottle of it, I'd received as a gift from my ink-swapping friend [we've swapped many inks, this was one of the first I'd ever gotten and/or used].

This was the very first Pelikan ink I'd ever tried, a good match to my Pelikan M800 blue/black pen and a very good flowing semi-dry ink for such a wet writer as my M800 tends to be.

I did a wash-test too, it really is water-resistant, even after a HOT flush & soak it was still legible, while the Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red & Turquoise I have are not water-resistant in the least.

[kenmc]

Thanks Brandon!

 

Is the Pelikan cartridge ink the same as bottled?

[tawanda]

Im totally addicted to Pel BB! I got a bottle from a dear friend here on FPN a while back. And, having been put off by Royal Blue and Waterman's BB and Florida, I was rather reluctant to try another less saturated ink (having developed an addiction to PR inks) But I am soooo glad I did. The shading is incredible, and I love the slightly dry feel to it. It works fantastic in italic pens in particular (something else that's a growing addiction! )

 

I usually ink up about ten pens in a two week period, and I'm finding that at least half of those are with Pel BB. And that's unusual for me, I don't normally do duplicates.

[Zenas]

Sold...I on the way to get some...it is the color I have been looking for.

[beluga]

Sold...I on the way to get some...it is the color I have been looking for.

 

 

At the moment, this is my second-most frequently used ink.

It is fairly water resistant, the hues remind me of classic iron-gall inks, and it does not tend to smear too badly when you use a highlighter to mark text passages written with this ink.

 

If only Pelikan made this ink available in 250 bottles like their Brilliant Black and Royal Blue!

 

 

 

 

B.

[kwpalzang]

I just now tested it for water resistance... and I'm very pleased to say, Pelikan Blue Black is water-resistant!

 

It isn't waterPROOF, but the color holds after being submerged for ten seconds.

 

I think that's because it contains, if not iron gall per se, then some similar iron compound. The Pelikan company seems to refer obliquely to this on their website, and you can see it if you put some bleach on your writing. The blue disappears and the black turns to rust.

 

-- Brian

 

Can anyone else offer their input on this? So far, all of the ferro-gallic inks I know of are: Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa, R&K Salix, Montblanc Blue-Black, Lamy Blue-Black, and Diamine Registrar's. Do you have the link to the page on their website that implies iron content? I also wonder about my Pilot Blue-Black, because I recall it smelling like blood, and also being somewhat water-resistant. Not vital information, just curious.

[Bo Bo Olson]

This ink has just moved way up my list, it shades oh so well,and for me living in Germany it is cheap.