Does Pelikan 4001 Series Inks Contain Any Iron Gall?

[plinius]

Hi All,

 

just curious to find out does Pelikan 4001 series inks contain any iron gall?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers

 

[carlos.q]

No they don't have iron gall. However, Pelikan blue black and Brilliant black have surprising water resistance.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

According to several analyses, the Pelikan Blue-Black has iron gall content. I'm not sure what the case is with it anymore since it is no longer available in the states. The other inks don't though.

 

Dillon

[lapis]

A. Yes, a few posts have said "yes".

B. No, a phone call to Hanover "reveals" that this ink does not have any iron-gall anymore since 27 years.

C. Our captain has a bottle stating that it did, and that was seen to be clearly legible on the lable, but I don't know how old his bottle was (the ink, of course).

 

Mike

[MarkTrain]

Pelikan Blue-Black may not be iron-gall, but it does contain iron. The use of iron (or other metal salts) tends to make dyes "permanant" (or at least more permanant). Other modern "permanant" blue blacks that have iron are Sheaffer Scrip (made in usa) and Parker Quink.

 

Mark

[The Good Captain]

As Lapis says, I've an old bottle of Pelikan 'Ferro-Gallic'Blue-Black which I bought last year, but empty of course.

And although Hanover have denied the inclusion of 'iron'gall' in the current 4001 Blue-Black I'm sure that someone has posted the text from an e-mail from Pelikan saying that it has 'a little' but I am probably wrong.

However; whatever is, or isn't in the stuff, it's one hell-of an ink!

[twdpens]

Pelikan Blue/Black has fairly good water resistance so my assumption is either:

1. it has a small iron gall content, so Pelikan is telling porkies

or

2. it has a magic ingredient which confers good water resistance, in which case why don't they make more of this fact?

 

Martin

[martinbir]

I recall a lawyer talking about the "duck test" - if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

 

On that basis I would say 4001 Blue Black is iron gall because it behaves just like the other iron gall inks I have tried.

[plinius]

Thanks for all replies. So can i confirm that only Pelikan Blue-Black is in doubt, the rest like Turquoise, Red, Royal Blue etc are "iron gall" free?

 

Cheers

[Dillo]

Thanks for all replies. So can i confirm that only Pelikan Blue-Black is in doubt, the rest like Turquoise, Red, Royal Blue etc are "iron gall" free?

 

Cheers

Yes, that's pretty much what we know. The Blue-Black isn't available in a lot of places. I'm sure it's still being made though.

 

Dillon

[MHfernandes]

"So can i confirm that only Pelikan Blue-Black is in doubt, the rest like Turquoise, Red, Royal Blue etc are "iron gall" free?"

 

I think that pelikan 4001 brilliant black is also an iron-gall, despite what pelikan-hanover said. The "ghostly" print leaved by the ink, after washing the paper on water, tells me, that this is, in fact, an iron-gall ink. I never used pelikan blue-black so I cannot say about that. But the other ones are for sure not iron-gall, but I really believe that pelikan black is a iron-gall ink, even if they dont tell you that.

Edited October 21, 2013 by MHfernandes

[Pterodactylus]

http://imageshack.us/a/img833/8583/pbwo.jpg

(Pelikan M600 - M ..... Pelikan Blue-Black)

 

I trust Pelikan when they say there is no IG in Blue-Black.

Why should they hide this information, imo to have an IG ink would improve their selling position of the ink not weaken it.

[The Good Captain]

And as I've said before, many times: I don't care what's in it or what it's made of; it's one of the great inks out there and should be enjoyed.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have no Pelikan blue-black....that must be remedied, ASAP. That will give me 6 BB's.

My mix of Royal Blue and Back don't count ...at all.

 

What paper did you use, Petrodactylus?

[Pterodactylus]

I have no Pelikan blue-black....that must be remedied, ASAP. That will give me 6 BB's.

My mix of Royal Blue and Back don't count ...at all.

 

What paper did you use, Petrodactylus?

 

It is a Clairefontaine spiral bound notepad 90g/m2.

I always use this paper for my posts (I love this paper).

[Dillo]

"So can i confirm that only Pelikan Blue-Black is in doubt, the rest like Turquoise, Red, Royal Blue etc are "iron gall" free?"

 

I think that pelikan 4001 brilliant black is also an iron-gall, despite what pelikan-hanover said. The "ghostly" print leaved by the ink, after washing the paper on water, tells me, that this is, in fact, an iron-gall ink. I never used pelikan blue-black so I cannot say about that. But the other ones are for sure not iron-gall, but I really believe that pelikan black is a iron-gall ink, even if they dont tell you that.

I wouldn't say so because I've seen a lot of inks that leave similar shadows behind but have no iron-gall content. Someone did a chemical analysis on the modern Pelikan blue black to test for the iron-gall content and found it in the ink. Someone else also talked to Pelikan and was told that it was ferro-gallic. You can look at that here. Interestingly enough, Lapis also talked to them and was told otherwise, and the post appears just below that one. Another person talked to Pelikan later and was told that it does contain iron-gall, but only a small amount. Look here.

 

Dillon

[The Good Captain]

It is a Clairefontaine spiral bound notepad 90g/m2.

I always use this paper for my posts (I love this paper).

I love this paper too. Even though Lapis refers to it as 'glass', I've never had any problems with it and any of my pen/nib/ink combinations. Maybe I'm just lucky!

[Tunnip]

Yes it contains Iron Gall.

 

http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.CMS.displayCMS.205950./document-proof-ink

 

The least complicated ink which is still relatively light resistant, is the ink "4001 blue-black", our item no. 310 607. This ink contains iron gall, which makes it much more resistant than for example the ink shades 4001 royal blue or 4001 brilliant black, but due to the addition of special ingredients, you can still use this ink without qualm in piston or cartridge fountain pens.

[BobR]

Yes it contains Iron Gall.

 

http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.CMS.displayCMS.205950./document-proof-ink

 

The least complicated ink which is still relatively light resistant, is the ink "4001 blue-black", our item no. 310 607. This ink contains iron gall, which makes it much more resistant than for example the ink shades 4001 royal blue or 4001 brilliant black, but due to the addition of special ingredients, you can still use this ink without qualm in piston or cartridge fountain pens.

Bingo! Thanks for that reference, it finally settles the issue as it's on their website and with their current production ink.

[jthole]

http://imageshack.us/a/img833/8583/pbwo.jpg

 

(Pelikan M600 - M ..... Pelikan Blue-Black)

 

I trust Pelikan when they say there is no IG in Blue-Black.

Why should they hide this information, imo to have an IG ink would improve their selling position of the ink not weaken it.

Customer service reps don't always know exactly what is in their products, in my experience (shaving soaps and aftershave). They don't always check with manufacturing either, is my impression.