Pelikan 4001 Brown

[Sandy1]

☞ For convenient viewing of the images, you may wish to scroll to the menu at the very bottom of this window, then change the FPN Theme from 'IP.Board' to 'IP.Board Mobile'.

 

Please take a moment to adjust your gear to accurately depict the Gray Scale below.

As the patches are neutral gray, that is what you should see.

Mac

http://www.wikihow.c...te-Your-Monitor

Wintel PC

http://www.calibrize.com/

Gray Scale.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/InkyThoughts2010/INK576-1-2.jpg

- = + = -

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/708822ac.jpgFigure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' line-width and pens' relative wetness.

Link:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/th_bb7a6068.jpg

Pens: L → R: Somiko, P99, C74, 45, Phileas & Prelude.

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

 

Row width is 8mm.

 

Figure 3.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/e58020fc.jpgFigure 4.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/b270ea58.jpgFigure 5.

Paper: G Lalo, Verge de France, white.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/168ce676.jpg

Figure 6.

Paper: Royal - 25% rag.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/5b73403f.jpg

Figure 7.

Paper: Staples Pastels, creme, 20 lb.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/7e05e47b.jpg

Figure 8.

Paper: Staples 20 lb. multi use.

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/06063933.jpgFigure 9.

Grocery List

Paper: Pulp. One-a-Day calendar page.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/1499b2b7.jpg

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 10.

Smear/Dry Times.

Wet Tests.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/9af0460f.jpg

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• Dye-based fountain pen ink.

Daily writer?

• Unlikely.

A go-to ink?

• Perhaps more for you than I.

USE

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• I cannot envisage PBrn in a business setting. However ...
• Some may choose to use this ink for personal work product, especially those working on quite absorbent paper.
• It might be used for mark-up and editing.
• Not enough zap for error correction / grading assignments.

Illustrations / Graphics:

• PBrn may do well as a ground, but not as a figure.
• A reasonable transition from a dark/burnt orange/rust to the more 'solid' Browns.
• Line quality is very high, so tight lines, labels, crosshatching, etc. are easily within its grasp - but do watch for uneven density from shading.

Students:

• Doubtful.
• PBrn has no water resistance.
• The unsettled colour makes this ink strangely awkward to read - especially under non-daylight (unbalanced) illumination.
• Not in the running for hand-written assignments.

Personal:

• PBrn seems so transitional that it is not its own colour. (?)
• The indecisive feel of this ink really does not have a place in my array.
• I'll just leave it at that.
• Billets doux?

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• Dry.
• Bone dry.
• Dusty.
• In comparison, i-g inks seem like The Flood.

Nib Dry-out:

• Not seen.

Start-up:

• Immediate.

Lubrication:

• Low.

Nib Creepers:

• Not seen.

Staining:

• Not seen after three days.

Clogging:

• Not seen.
• Seems very unlikely.

Bleed- Show-Through:

• Some show-through on the Staples 20 lb.
• Both sides of all papers could be used.

Feathering / Woolly Line:

• Not seen on papers used.

Smear/Dry Time:

• HPJ1124: 5 - 10 seconds.
• Rhodia: 10 - 20 seconds.
• 20lb.: < 5 seconds

Water Resistance: ☂

⓵ΔC on the 4S Scale:

• Some inky artifacts remain as evidence of activity, but no words legible.
• Significant change of colour.
• Recycle.

Aroma:

• Faint, but definitely ink.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not evident.
• As PBrn can run so lean, I would guard against contamination of the writing surface.

Clean Up:

• Very prompt and thorough with plain water.

Mixing:

• No stated prohibitions.
• Addition of a surfactant may improve the flow.
• As I consider PBrn to be a transitional colour, it can 'nudge' other colours, or be the 'nudgee'. i.e. In and of itself, it is not sufficiently 'pure' to mix as one might with primary/secondary colours.

Archival:

• Not claimed.

THE LOOK

 

Presence:

• Over-stretched.
• Lacking poise.
• Reminiscent of driving a car riding on one limited-use tire.

Saturation:

• Low.

Shading:

• Very nice, thank-you!
  
• Seems to require a wet writer on a smooth paper.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • About as expected.

  [*]Papers used:

  • Far more than expected.
  • Highly sensitive to hardness / absorbency.

  [*]Malleability:

  • ErHmm. I reckon the wily practitioner will choose their paper to establish The Look, then fine tune by choice of writer.

Hi-Res Scans:

 

• Somiko on HPJ1124:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/th_b5a99554.jpg

• C74 on Rhodia:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/th_7e7610dc.jpg

• 45 on G Lalo:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/th_32d823b0.jpg

• Prelude on Royal:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Pelikan%204001%20Brown/th_806436ed.jpg

FIDELITY

 

Is the name appropriate?

• Dial 110! Summon GSG 9!!
• Perhaps:
  
  • Rusty Tin Can?
  • Burnt Kumquat??
  • Tandoori Sienna?!?

N.B. The FPN Ink Review Index entry is for 'Pelikan 4001Brilliant Brown'. The packaging of the ink depicted here does not include the word 'Brilliant'.

 

Are swatches accurate?

• No - the swatch density is much darker.

SIMILAR COLOURS:

• Please chime in - I have nothing remotely similar in my array.

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• I prefer the warm tinted papers, yet an absorbent pure white is grand.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• Those which are too hard-surfaced, and/or are not very absorbent.
• Dirty whites.

Tinted Papers:

• Very pale warm tints.
• A pale gray-ish tint, such as G Lalo Velin de France, may dim the yellow of this ink.
  

Pre-Printed Papers:

• Forms, etc.
  • You must be joking.

  [*]For charts & graphs:

  • Not really.
  • Being a transitional colour, it does not extend the range; it only adds 'to the right of the decimal point' to give more precision.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• Possible.
• Searching for a high performance absorbent paper that does not suppress the shading may be 'worth it'.

OTHER THAN INK

 

Presentation :

• 30ml bottle in a box.*
• No HazMat warnings.

Country of origin:

• Germany.

Container:

• A clear glass broad-shouldered bottle; with a maximum width of 57mm, capped height of 55mm, and 33mm deep. When ink level is low, the shape of the bottle allows it to be tipped to draw more of the remaining ink.
• The centred round opening is a roomy 24mm ∅.
• Single tank, no sediment collector. Tsk
• The bottle label does not include the word 'ink'.
• The hard plastic screw cap has adequate grippy bits, and is a good height for an easy grip.
• The cap seal seems to be plastic foam.
• The cap is not child-proof.

Box:

• 57x60x36mm
• Lightly coated card stock.
• The box has five swatch-like dots on all but the bottom side.
• Ink name is written on those five sides in German and English languages; and once in eight languages.

Eco-Green:

• OK.
• All should be recyclable or benign.

Availability:

• I had to ask a local B&M retailer to add this bottle to an order. They brought in two bottles: one for yours truly, the other for Justin Case.

* Also available in the 62.5 ml size, which is scaled-up to 70x65x37mm with the same 24mm∅ opening.

 

ETC.

 

Majik:

• Impossible.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• Pass.

Yickity Yackity:

• Oh dear. Another ink without appeal.
• My inky voyage of discovery into the Brown zone has run aground.
• Ah kushbaby, did you take power nap after the swabs?

======

 

NUTS & BOLTS

______

 

Pens:

Link

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/Pen_Scans/th_1541b447.jpg

Written Samples:

• Sailor Somiko + TIGP F nib.
• Pelikan P99 + steel F nib.
• Pilot Custom 74 + 14K SFM nib.
• Parker 45 + g-p steel M nib.
• Waterman Phileas + steel B nib.
• Sheaffer Prelude + factory stock steel B stub nib.

For lines & labels: Noodler's Burgundy from a Pilot 'Lady' + H882 g-p steel F nib.

______

Papers:

• HPJ1124 24 lb. Laser Copy.
• Rhodia.
• G Lalo, Verge de France, white.
• Royal, 25% cotton rag.
• Staples Pastel, creme. 20 lb.
• Pulp.
• Staples 20lb. general purpose.

______

 

Images:

• Scans were made on an Epson V600 scanner; factory defaults were accepted.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• HiRes Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Scans were not adjusted, so went straight to the file sharing thingy.

______

 

Densitometer Readings (FWIW)

HPJ1124:

• Red 199
• Grn 122
• Blu 94
• Lum 134

______

 

Fine Print

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of materiel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff in the bottle I used, and that in bottle/s you may have.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

 

-30-

Tags: FPN Fountain Pen Ink Review Pelikan Brown Sandy1

Edited May 19, 2011 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Pelikan 4001 Brown is the fourth ink to be reviewed in the 'One of the Eleven' (OOTE) group of Brown inks.

 

When complete, the intention is to have the OOTE inks reviewed in the same manner, to the maximum practical extent.

 

Hopefully the OOTE reviews will assist practitioners in choosing their Brown/s, and avoid unintentional purchase of equivalent ink/s.

 

I have learned from my experience with the One Of The Ten series of Blue inks, that side-by-side comparisons may be of questionable value; and they are soooo tedious. Consequently, for the OOTE series, comparisons will be generated only from material included in the Ink Reviews; and as I see fit after the OOTE series is complete and upon Members' request. So no pro forma Comparisons. However, the Written Samples format and scans are designed to support comparisons by the reader, through manipulation of their 'net browser windows.

 

I will be the first to admit that my experience with Brown inks is somewhat lean, so OOTE may be an interesting voyage of discovery - for me at least.

 

Bye,

Sandy1

 

==========

 

Prior OOTE Ink Reviews:

• Monteverde Brown: http://www.fountainp...67#entry1769767
• Private Reserve Chocolate [sic]: http://www.fountainp...ost__p__1890629
• Nooder's #41 Brown: http://www.fountainp...ost__p__1922093

Edited May 19, 2011 by Sandy1

[chrisoslo]

Wow! This was impressive. I really like the format you have chosen for the reviews.

 

I second your view that PBB may not be suitable for long texts, but I find it does live up to the "brilliant" part of its name. I like it for being a relatively neutral brown, not as red as many, and use it for notes at work.

 

I hope you include the FPN Gallielo brown in your round-up of brown inks!

[Trebster]

Another top drawer review. We are in your debt.

 

Public school teachers take note: due to the transitional hue of 4001 Brilliant Brown, it is an ink that students will find impossible to forge.

[Sandy1]

Wow! This was impressive. I really like the format you have chosen for the reviews.

 

I second your view that PBB may not be suitable for long texts, but I find it does live up to the "brilliant" part of its name. I like it for being a relatively neutral brown, not as red as many, and use it for notes at work.

 

I hope you include the FPN Gallielo brown in your round-up of brown inks!

Hi,

 

I'm glad you like the Review.

 

The format of the Written Samples started as a way to depict changes of an ink's appearance and performance due to use of different pen+paper combos being used. Over time, the format developed to better depict appearance through the change from rows to fixed-size blocks/cells; repetition of the same text within the cells/blocks supports comparison to other inks in the same colour 'family'.

 

As mentioned, neither the box nor bottle included the word 'brilliant', but the strong yellow-orange shift does give the ink considerable animation that I would find best suited for short (scattered) notes, not page upon page of a tome.

 

The density achieved would be the key factor influencing how I would use this ink.

 

Ah, The Eleven List. Still not finalised; early days yet.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited May 19, 2011 by Sandy1

[Red Tape]

Thanks for another great review, Sandy.

 

How do you make the Densitometer Readings?

[Sandy1]

Thanks for another great review, Sandy.

 

How do you make the Densitometer Readings?

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

The scanner has a Densitometer feature that gives a read-out of the Red, Green and Blue composition of (white) light reflected from the target I choose. It also captures light-dark (Lum).

 

To remain relevant to the Written Samples, I sample each of the NIB-ism pen strokes, then take the simple numerical average for each of the four values. e.g. (A+B+C+D+E+F)/6

 

While I consider densitometry to be very tangential to the Ink Review itself, it does provide a means for comparison of colour only. None of the subtle aspects, such as lustre, glow, etc. can be expressed by those numbers. For those aspects that cannot be conveyed from my scanner to your monitor, you're stuck with my descriptions; so sorry for you.

 

While I do not have the experience or training or hubris to declare the numbers accurate, all I can say is my method is consistent, so the numbers should be most useful for gross relative comparisons - not stand-alone depictions of one ink. As I recognise my limitations and perhaps those of the scanner, there is very much a FWIW in addition to YMMV when it comes to those numbers - which can add up to nothing.

 

The last thing I want is to reduce ink to a series of numbers; and Ink Reviews / Comparisons to a numbers game.

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Another top drawer review. We are in your debt.

 

Public school teachers take note: due to the transitional hue of 4001 Brilliant Brown, it is an ink that students will find impossible to forge.

Hi,

 

I'm glad you like the review.

 

Thank-you for pointing-out the 'unique' aspect of this ink. I've not seen anything similar from BPs, RBs, GPs, etc. Also, I think the colour shift / degradation upon being wet helps detect attempts to alter what was written.

 

Bye,

S1

[Trebster]

As mentioned, neither the box nor bottle included the word 'brilliant'

 

Bye,

S1

 

Could be batches/years/country of sale.

 

A check of an "old" bottle sans box confirms the label is printed thusly:

 

Brillant-Braun - Brilliant Brown

Brun-Brillant - Prado Brillante

 

A recently acquired bottle (December '10) shows no mention of "Brilliant" on the box but the label shows:

 

Brillant-Braun

Brilliant brown (sic)

 

I've not broken into the new bottle to see if it is the same as the old, and have not inked a pen with the old 4001 Brown in I can't remember when. None of my browns are due up for rotation until after Labor Day.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

By addressing the ink packaging / presentation, I hoped (amongst other things) that would identify the specific ink - as many brands do not carry dates, Batch No.s, etc. It happened recently with the Pilot BlBk: 'Namiki' not apparent anywhere and an odd 70ml size; and the shape/size of the PR Chocolat_ bottle.

 

Perhaps by being so detailed I am only causing confusion & doubt, rather than promoting clarity & transparency.

 

So - what to do? I believe I shall simply use the ink name as it appears on the bottle (w/o spell cheque), and whether it is in a cartridge or some other atypical package. Old / discontinued inks will still be identified as such. I reckon if Members are curious, they can Post a question. That approach may also have a side benefit of having fewer readers doze-off whilst reading a Review.

 

Bye,

Sandy1

Edited May 20, 2011 by Sandy1

[Trebster]

Hi,

 

By addressing the ink packaging / presentation, I hoped (amongst other things) that would identify the specific ink - as many brands do not carry dates, Batch No.s, etc. It happened recently with the Pilot BlBk: 'Namiki' not apparent anywhere and an odd 70ml size; and the shape/size of the PR Chocolat_ bottle.

 

Perhaps by being so detailed I am only causing confusion & doubt, rather than promoting clarity & transparency.

 

So - what to do? I believe I shall simply use the ink name as it appears on the bottle (w/o spell cheque), and whether it is in a cartridge or some other atypical package. Old / discontinued inks will still be identified as such. I reckon if Members are curious, they can Post a question. That approach may also have a side benefit of having fewer readers doze-off whilst reading a Review.

 

Bye,

Sandy1

 

No slight intended and hope none taken! We are, collectively, among the very best at picking the fly poop out of the pepper!

[bphollin]

It is my experience that Pelikan Brilliant Brown and Private Reserve Orange Crush look similar in certain situations, mostly in finer nibs. See below:

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5274346631_1594324006.jpg

PR-Orange-Crush-Rhodia Grid

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/4559030275_69f861ebd4.jpg

Pelikan Brilliant Brown 4001 fountain pen ink on Rhodia No.14 grid paper.

 

Fountain pen inks shown written by the standard Lamy Safari nib sizes: EF, F, M, B, 1.1 italic, 1.5 italic, and 1.9 italic.

[Sandy1]

It is my experience that Pelikan Brilliant Brown and Private Reserve Orange Crush look similar in certain situations, mostly in finer nibs.

^✃ snip _✁

Hi,

 

Many thanks for posting the comparison with so many nib widths! And the Italics!!

 

I very much agree that your samples show a strong similarity of the two inks from the narrow nibs which seem to 'submerge' the colour and much of the inks' nuances. As the nibs increase in width, the differences become apparent. I speculate that the differences would be less on more absorbent paper/s.

 

Even though the PROC is more animated, it seems much more stable / settled than the indecisive Pelikan.

 

I will take this opportunity to thank you for your Review of the PROC. LINK (Passing strange that you have ink fairies, while I have the Ink Putti.)

 

Bye,

S1

[adallak]

Sandy 1,

 

Thank you for another great review! I found Pelikan 4001 Brown to be particularly nice on a nice ivory paper if it is put down with a WET pen. The same ink looks like $%^& if the pen is dry. That ink is definitely drier than Quink.

Edited September 24, 2011 by adallak

[saketb]

Your reviews are great and in detail. The Brown from Pelikan is indeed a nice ink. It writes well.

[Sandy1]

Sandy 1,

 

Thank you for another great review! I found Pelikan 4001 Brown to be particularly nice on a nice ivory paper if it is put down with a WET pen. The same ink looks like $%^& if the pen is dry. That ink is definitely drier than Quink.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

I agree with you on using 4001 Brown in a wet pen. Yet it seems that's not only an off-set for the ink's dryness, but also to 'submerge' the colour. I also agree that it is more dry than Quink BlBk.

 

Recently I've noticed the same preference for wet pens as expressed in my Waterman Havana and Lamy BlBk Reviews. To me it doesn't seem that my pens are all dry - hence skewing the Written samples' appearance. (?) Or is it just that some Co.s have a dry house style and it is only coincidence that I have encountered a patch of such inks? Or is there a general preference for darker inks and the 'wet line'?

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Your reviews are great and in detail. The Brown from Pelikan is indeed a nice ink. It writes well.

Hi,

 

Thank-you very much!

 

Bye,

S1

[Bo Bo Olson]

I too have far to go with browns...I have far to go with many inks being under 20.

 

My first 'brown' ink was MB sepia, then MB Toffee.

The only other brown I have is Pelikan Brown.

At first it was too 'red' for my taste. It grew on me.

I find it an ok ink. Then again, I don't have many browns.

 

I was surprised that I only have it in one pen right now, I sometimes have it in two, but right now I have a pen with MB Toffee and two with MB Sepia in them.

 

I keep it in my 1948-52 Esterbrook 2968 a Broad nail, with the original sac, which is on it's last legs. It barely sucks up any ink at all any more. In that I must keep that old sac 'wet' I've been using Pelikan Brown in it for the last year or so, after I noticed that the sac was dieing. It was in there and I'm not going to try and change inks in that old sac now.

Any month or week I expect the sac to finally die.