Graf Von Faber-Castell Royal Blue

[paul1962]

Hello

 

Noob's first ink review... the attachment has a number of flaws & omissions I now realise --also it uses my handwriting which is another big hindrance-- so this text may be more helpful in the end

 

Graf von Faber-Castell Royal Blue (cartridge) in a Faber-Castell e-motion (med nib).

My hoped-for synergy of matched ink & pen manufacturer came off partly; this ink writes very smoothly, flow & lubricity being presumably assisting here. The paper is HP Everyday (75g, re-order code CHP650).

 

Drying times here were ludicrously quick -- I slightly fluffed the first 1-second test & had to redo it as I couldn't smear the text. On the second attempt some smearing did occur. I did not think to test leaving the pen uncapped to see if it stopped-- the e-motion can easily dry out anyway so I reflexively put the cap back on at all times.

 

My more conventional writing paper is the Oxford Campus stationery range found widely in the UK, including a supermarket chain. This uses a white 90gsm paper which can readily accept fountain pens writing on both sides. In this the ink shows minimal showthrough & no bleedthrough. Dry times are still good, but not as lightning-fast as the HP.

 

I see evidence of shading, but it seems sort of "abrupt." There's a kind of quantised quality to it, where it suddenly becomes more intense, with a strong demarkation. As though I'd run the pen over part of the line a second time.

 

In general writing the appearance is most like the final paragraph. It has a tendency to low saturatation and text can appear rather washed-out. When it's good it's a bright blue with vibrancy, but often notes look a little anaemic.

 

Probably a 3.5 out of 5 -- very well-behaved and good colour, but can be too pale

 

Hope this helps

 

[Patrick L]

Thanks for your great review.

 

" washed-out , anaemic , pale " , it's very unlikely that I'll buy this ink.

 

 

[amberleadavis]

I think you did a GREAT job. Thank you. Welcome aboard.

[Patrick L]

I think you did a GREAT job. Thank you. Welcome aboard.

 

I now realise that we are near twins. I was born on the 26th March 1970. Was your new avatar painted with fountain pen inks ?

[visvamitra]

Thank you for this review.

[amberleadavis]

 

I now realise that we are near twins. I was born on the 26th March 1970. Was your new avatar painted with fountain pen inks ?

 

Oooh, another spring baby!

 

The avatar changes each day and all have been doodled, drawn or painted by others. Check out the link in my signature.

[paul1962]

 

Thanks for your great review.

 

" washed-out , anaemic , pale " , it's very unlikely that I'll buy this ink.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Patrick L

 

I'm aware now I may be over-stressing this point & perhaps my lack of experience may give unrealistic expectations. But I have an image from the back page of the notebook which (colour accuracy apart) may help; as I try a new ink I write a line in the back page for reference. You can see how in this company the Royal Blue looks a bit 'apologetic';

[amberleadavis]

Uckk... what happened to the rest of the dye? Anemic is too tame. Great description.

[inkstainedruth]

Wow, what a difference between the review and and that last scan.

Given the price of the GFvC inks, I'll pass, even though the initial review made me sit up and go "Oooh".

Reviews that make me *not* want an ink are easily as useful as ones that want to make me spend more money.... Thanks for posting.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jmccarty3]

This is not one of the new GvFC inks, surely? The new blue is Cobalt Blue, not Royal--it is much darker and more aristocratic. The Goulet scan of the Cobalt Blue is lighter and less saturated than the sample they sent me.

[paul1962]

This is not one of the new GvFC inks, surely? The new blue is Cobalt Blue, not Royal--it is much darker and more aristocratic. The Goulet scan of the Cobalt Blue is lighter and less saturated than the sample they sent me.

 

I confess I'm not well-versed in which is newer in their ranges, jmcarty--apologies. It identifies itself on the box as "royalblau", "bleu royal" etc, so I suspect it is distinct from the cobalt blue. It's perhaps noteworthy that on the same day in the same shop I bought a Waterman South Sea Blue, not Inspired Blue.

 

So maybe their stock turnover isn't among the most lively

 

Certainly the GvFC cobalt sounds more appealing from your desription -- thanks

[lapis]

Don't confuse the older GvFC edition (Black and Royal Blue only; 62.5 ml bottles) with the newer edition (launched about 1-2 years ago) which now consists of 6 completely different names, and 75-ml bottles which IMO are much better. Check the reviews.

[arcadeflow]

Is this ink the same as Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue? I got this cartridge in new Ambition. This ink is sold as regular Faber-Castell ink now that they have the Graf von Faber lineup. Horrible ink, too dry, too pale, worse than Lamy Blue. And this pen is pretty wet with Diamine ink. With Asa Blue it was gushing ink.

[lapis]

Graf von Faber-Castell Royal Blue same as Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue?

Easy answer: no, they're two different companies, like Ford and Chev. Different bottles, different boxes.

Tougher answer: they may in fact be the same inks. Alongside each other, written with an Herbin glass dip pen on Leuchtturm 1917 paper, they both represent the same shade of blue, and chromatographies on paper seem to yield practically the same components:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/Royal%20Blues%20--%20GvFC%20vs%204001.jpg

 

Mike

[Tas]

Graf von Faber-Castell Royal Blue same as Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue?

Easy answer: no, they're two different companies, like Ford and Chev. Different bottles, different boxes.

Tougher answer: they may in fact be the same inks. Alongside each other, written with an Herbin glass dip pen on Leuchtturm 1917 paper, they both represent the same shade of blue, and chromatographies on paper seem to yield practically the same components:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu264/peli46/Royal%20Blues%20--%20GvFC%20vs%204001.jpg

 

Mike

 

Brilliant comparison lapis.

I've just watched this gorgeous clip and have subsequently fallen for the ink. I love how it changes colour so quickly and it's shading.

 

I took a screen grab and searched for the ink, make and colour. My investigations concluded, GVFC Royal Blue - sadly no longer made.

 

5 mins of FPN searching and your PERFECT comparison has helped me add yet one more to the unfeasibly long ink wish list.

 

Thank you.

[meiers]

Great strand.

[NicolausPiscator]

Nice review! Thank you!

[Safari_Camo]

Seems that Photobucket have change the image embedding policy

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/30/photobucket_charging_400yr_3rdparty_pgs/

[lapis]

I heard that recently, too.

I've been using PB for the last 10-12 years. What are the "best" substitutes/replacements?

[Jamerelbe]

I heard that recently, too.

I've been using PB for the last 10-12 years. What are the "best" substitutes/replacements?

 

I don't know about "best", but I've been using imgur.com for the past few years without trouble or incident.