Royal Blue - Pelikan 4001®

[DrDebG]

Like others, this was a "staple" ink for me for many years when I was in graduate school. I just came across several cartridges of this ink and popped one into my Delta Vintage. The ink is dry but works very well with this wet Fusion nib, and there is absolutely no bleed through on any of the papers I am work with, particularly as I mark up very cheap copy paper. Because of the low price of this ink, I may just have purchase a bottle.

 

Oh, I also ran across one of my lab journals from when I was in grad school where I had used this ink. The ink had not faded at all - although very slightly grayer, but same intensity - even though the journal is over 15 years old.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Many thanks for sharing your experience.

 

It is good news that your lab journals are in good nick after 15 years. Even though I didn't use P4RBl for my lab notes, I wish some of them, especially bio-science, would have faded.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited March 13, 2017 by Sandy1

[Ron Z]

According to this article, fountain pens are designed and optimised by using blue ink. The Pelikan Royal blue is my standard ink, pretty much the only ink I use. It is what I use to test every pen that I've restored, and I buy it by the liter. Solid, reliable, utterly safe for any pen.

[dcwaites]

For me, it's most important feature is its dryness. I can use it, admittedly in a fine-nibbed pen, on pretty well any paper without bleeding or feathering. For this reason, it is one of my office inks (along with Noodler's Black) because it works on the dreadful stationery we are supplied.

 

Also, when used in a fine-nibbed pen, the colour is not washed-out or boring.

[Bluey]

This is one of my favourite inks, and I have very few from the ones that I've used. I find it similar to Sailor Nioi Sumire. Thanks for the review, V. It has that easy going appearance that the eye can just melt into.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Ah Ha...I now have a reason to open an old bottle of Lamy blue ink....having thought it a twin of 4001.

 

I like DA Royal Blue ....stopped using Waterman's blue for it. I have Pelikan royal blue in I have an ink bottle of it in my Pelikan two pen ink stand.

 

I did fill a pen that I was having a sudden problem with 4001 Royal Blue....and the problem stopped.

 

Old bottles of Lamy Blue.

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o707/boboolson1/KGrHqJg4E9s8j9cIEBPsBsUs5-60_58_zpsnl2gmbqu.jpg

Edited March 14, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Anne-Sophie]

Not the most exiting ink, for certain.

 

But, erasable blues were and still are lifesavers for European students: from elementary school to practice cursive to high school copious notes to university even more involved note taking.

 

In some schools, a smudge from a bic ballpoint meant re-doing the whole page, some of my teachers were strict about that and erasable blue ink was a life saver because of the ink erasors.

 

The ability to disapear quickly and be safe for all pens is an asset, it is also available in giant bottles which is economical.

 

However, it is wonderful to be able to play with all the colors available now and be able to get away from plain vanilla Pelikan blue.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Anne-Sophie

[Safari_Camo]

Hello Bo Bo, those inks looks kind weird colour...

I have the same ink and looks more royal blue than yours

 

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/rendergroup/Blackberry%20Passport/lam_01_zpsm2nni8jq.jpg

[chromantic]

Wow, the Empyrean looks really interesting!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Safari-Camo, the guy who gave me the inks had shown me the 'art' pictures....which are much better than those taken with my Brownie. So I took the pictures too.

 

I took a look at the Geha 960 I have the 4001 ink in....and it's rather full, so it will be a while before I put the Lamy in it.

It will shade well on that Gmund 170g paper, and is darker than normal by a bit.

With good paper 4001 Royal Blue will shade.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Bo Bo Olson]

A long, long time ago, (@ 7ears years ago) I put glycerine as then recommended in my Pelikan 4001 to lube non-twist nibbed piston pens. Sort of making an Eel ink. It never seemed to work much.

I had poured that half bottle of royal blue into the 1/2 bottle royal blue bottle designed to rest a pen on, that fits the square on my Pelikan twin pen holder stand.

 

I just noticed on a very, very good....almost perfect paper, Gmund 170g, that 4001 Royal Blue feathered.. ..which is not expected on such a great paper....nor really expected at all.

It shades nice and dark and very well on that paper.

 

Well I needed empty ink bottles as is...so that Gunter Wagner bottle now has the very nice shading 4001 Green in it. Half the old bottle and the full new one.

 

It is also a way to get at my old bottles of Lamy Blue ahead of time.

[Diderot]

Has anybody tried mixing Pelikan 4001 Royal blue with P4001 blue black to make it just that bit darker?

[The Good Captain]

Has anybody tried mixing Pelikan 4001 Royal blue with P4001 blue black to make it just that bit darker?

No, not yet but I think this could be a really interesting idea. I'll give it a go.

[Diderot]

Has anybody tried mixing Pelikan 4001 Royal blue with P4001 blue black to make it just that bit darker?

 

 

No, not yet but I think this could be a really interesting idea. I'll give it a go.

 

A gentle bump as an aide-memoire?

[The Good Captain]

 

 

 

A gentle bump as an aide-memoire?

Maybe a bit of Brilliant Black instead?

[lapis]

Black instead of a bump?

[The Good Captain]

Black instead of a bump?

Well, black bruising, caused by a bump, usually fades to the correct shade of blue-black after a period of time. If you have the gall that is...!

[lapis]

My friend, you put it better than I thought you would. I was only trying to save you the black eye. (The German translation of "black eye" is "blue eye".)

[The Good Captain]

My friend, you put it better than I thought you would. I was only trying to save you the black eye. (The German translation of "black eye" is "blue eye".)

One does one's best. With limited budget and number of remaining brain cells, I think I cope remarkably well!

[RoyalBlueNotebooks]

This ink is so nostalgic for me. I've used it as my primary ink from the beginning of middle school until the end of my undergraduate degree, 11 years of notebooks! That's why it's in my username.

 

I like this ink because it performed admirably on every paper I used, and it's easily found in supermarkets in my area (in cartridges).

I bought a bottle primarily for my mother, sisters and nieces to use, since the cheap Jinhaos I got them come with the converter, but I don't use it myself much these days.

I don't know if there's an English idiom that translates well, but in Italian I'd say "Il troppo storpia," meaning the excessive ruins things. I've used this color for so long that I don't feel like using it anymore.

 

Despite this, the Pelikan 4001 Konigsblau and blau-schwarz are my primary suggestions for all students who approach fountain pens. Use these, and you're good to go on pretty much any kind of notebook paper out there.