Pelikan Blue Black Or Cross Blue Black?

[grmbrk]

For me, Pelikan B-B is too weak in color and incredibly dry, to the point that it doesnt flow at all in cartridges.

[eharriett]

I'm a fan of the Pelikan BB. I have not found it overly dry. Plus it has the added benefit (to me) or containing a bit of iron gall like the old BB inks to lend it a bit of old time permanence. I honestly have no idea about Cross's ink. I have not had occasion or desire to use. I do also use and recommend the Akkerman #10 BB (a sort of gray but also has iron gall), pretty much any BB ink by KWZ, vintage Skrip BB (the ones in the glass bottles with fill-wells), and Noodlers Ellis Island Blue (another favorite).

[tinta]

I'm a fan of the Pelikan BB. I have not found it overly dry. Plus it has the added benefit (to me) or containing a bit of iron gall like the old BB inks to lend it a bit of old time permanence. I honestly have no idea about Cross's ink. I have not had occasion or desire to use. I do also use and recommend the Akkerman #10 BB (a sort of gray but also has iron gall), pretty much any BB ink by KWZ, vintage Skrip BB (the ones in the glass bottles with fill-wells), and Noodlers Ellis Island Blue (another favorite).

I too am a big fan of Pelikan 4001 b/b.

There have been a number of discussions on FPN whether this old favourite has a ferrogallic component. Folks much more knowledgeable than I have suggested that old Pel. b/b "may" have been mildly iron-gall in the past, but the current stuff available in the UK or in Europe is just a conventional dye-based ink.

 

Chartpak, the main Pelikan distributor in America, AFAIK does not list blue-black as one of their available 4001 inks. I've wondered what secret component makes Pel. b/b not eligible for (North) American distribution. Vanness has been able to get some bottles of this ink, from "somewhere".

[eharriett]

I too am a big fan of Pelikan 4001 b/b.

There have been a number of discussions on FPN whether this old favourite has a ferrogallic component. Folks much more knowledgeable than I have suggested that old Pel. b/b "may" have been mildly iron-gall in the past, but the current stuff available in the UK or in Europe is just a conventional dye-based ink.

 

Chartpak, the main Pelikan distributor in America, AFAIK does not list blue-black as one of their available 4001 inks. I've wondered what secret component makes Pel. b/b not eligible for (North) American distribution. Vanness has been able to get some bottles of this ink, from "somewhere".

 

My understanding is it is the mild iron gall component that is what makes this ink hard to come by in North America. And yes, I know other inks don’t have this problem and why Pelikan does has always perplexed me.

 

Here’s the documentation from Pelikan confirming there’s still IG in it (not much, but it is there): https://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.CMS.displayCMS.252360./document-proof-ink

 

I get mine from Pendemonium. Never thought to check Vanness. Pendemonium too doesn’t have it in stock regularly, but they do seem to have it available more often than not lately.

[tinta]

.

 

Here’s the documentation from Pelikan confirming there’s still IG in it (not much, but it is there): https://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.CMS.displayCMS.252360./document-proof-ink

 

..

Very interesting. This is quite specific & from Pelikan.

I was just on the Chartpac site where I clicked on the Pelikan logo. My search there could not find the above info or even what Pel inks are available through the American distributor.

Edited January 11, 2020 by tinta

[aardvarkbark]

I am looking for a darker blue black that still retains some blue for general use. I am looking at Pelikan and Cross currently. I like the Pelikan better, but am fearful it will be too dry in my Japanese medium and fine nibs. Any advice?

 

 

I went ahead and ordered the Cross Blue Black. I will update with my findings when I get it.

 

 

I have Mike Masuyama grind all my nibs to the equivalent of a Sailor EF. I originally started using Pelikan 4001 BB to tame a couple Viscontis that still produced too wide a line. I have used it in multiple Deltas that Mike has ground to produce an even finer line than that produced by Diamine in those. My only Japanese pen in use now is a Sailor King of Pen which was only offered in M and Mike ground to EF. No problems with flow when using Pelikan in it. I wouldn't think you'd have problems with the Pelikan ink in a Japanese M or F.

 

FWIW, Diamine Denim is my favorite BB. Plenty of threads on BB inks, but thought I'd mention it.

Edited January 11, 2020 by aardvarkbark

[sansenri]

I like Pelikan BB, but find it's slightly too black.

I also have Salix, I love the colour but it's dreadfully dry! I have to drag the pen to get it to write...

Recently I have been doing this:

10 parts of Pelikan Royal blue to 1 part of Visconti black.

Compared to Pelikan blue-black my mix is slightly more blue.

I have tons of Royal blue as it often comes with Pelikan pens... Probably any other "mild" black (like Pelikan itself, Aurora, JH, etc.) would also do.

You can experiment with slightly more or less black to get the preferred shade.

I don't find Royal blue to be dry and adding the black also stops the typical fading of Royal blue.

[bokaba]

I like Pelikan BB, but find it's slightly too black.

I also have Salix, I love the colour but it's dreadfully dry! I have to drag the pen to get it to write...

Recently I have been doing this:

10 parts of Pelikan Royal blue to 1 part of Visconti black.

Compared to Pelikan blue-black my mix is slightly more blue.

I have tons of Royal blue as it often comes with Pelikan pens... Probably any other "mild" black (like Pelikan itself, Aurora, JH, etc.) would also do.

You can experiment with slightly more or less black to get the preferred shade.

I don't find Royal blue to be dry and adding the black also stops the typical fading of Royal blue.

 

I like Salix, too, and had the same flow problem. I added a dab of detergent into the converter with the ink and got it to gush. I wouldn't recommend doing that with an expensive pen or adding detergent directly to the bottle as it may neutralize the biocide in the ink and allow mold to grow.

[bone215]

Cross Blue Black

 

I use cartridges in my old Cross Century and it performs without problem. This is my desk pen that I keep in a horizontal position on my desk and it writes right away after sitting for a week.

 

No complaints.

[Runnin_Ute]

Very interesting. This is quite specific & from Pelikan.

I was just on the Chartpac site where I clicked on the Pelikan logo. My search there could not find the above info or even what Pel inks are available through the American distributor.

Don't go to the Chartpak site, go to the Pelikan site.

 

https://thepelikansperch.com/

 

Search blue black

[bokaba]

To speak to the iron gall component of Pelikan 4001 BB (I ordered a bottle from Amazon), I strongly believe there is some iron gall content based on observations similar to Salix and Diamine Registrars. First, the BB has a strong rust-like odor; second, it has good water resistance (not great); and third, the blue dye washed away when soaked and leaves a black/gray line.

[DrDebG]

I suggest trying a new ink - Sailor Manyo Kikyou. It is a nice dark blue but has a beautiful red sheen to it. It is also fairly wet and lubricated and should work well. I have it in an Lamy Safari with EF nib which is a dry nib, and in Faber Castel Emotion in Broad nib, which is a fairly wet nib. The ink performs wonderfully in both.

 

The ink on the right side is Sailor Manyo Kuzu which is a wine red, and the yellow ink below is Sailor Manyo Yamabuki. All are very nice.

Edited February 17, 2020 by 5Cavaliers

[A Smug Dill]

I am looking for a darker blue black that still retains some blue for general use.

 

I don't have Cross Blue-Black, so I can't and won't comment on it. I've had no problem using Pelikan 4001 Blue/Black in a Fine-nibbed Sailor fountain pen.

 

I doubt anyone employs G nibs "for general use", so however an ink performs with a G nib (on a dip pen or a "frankenpen") seems completely irrelevant to your quest or question.

 

There are so many excellent blue-black inks in the market today. It's your choice and prerogative to restrict your search space to Pelikan and Cross branded ink, but I don't see why one would start with exploring Sailor souboku and (né Jentle) blue-black, Platinum blue-black and Pilot blue-black for use on Japanese pens. Then there's Sailor Shikiori yonaga, Pilot Iroshizuku shin-kai, and so on. J.Herbin Bleu de Profoundeurs, which I've just started using the other day in a Fine-nibbed Pilot Capless pen, is pretty sweet. Maybe Diamine 150th Anniversary 1864 Blue Black?