Ink Review: Pelikan Edelstein Olivine Ink Of The Year 2018

[Chrissy]

Today I'm reviewing Pelikan Edelstein Olivine ink - Pelikan Edelstein Ink of the Year 2018



Pelikan Edelstein Olivine is a dark green dye based ink, that leans quite blue. It could be used as a standard daily green ink. I agree with other reviewers when they say it isn't necessarily the Olivine shade we were expecting, and I wish it had been less blue and more yellow, but as it is, it's still a very nice ink to use. I find all of the Edelstein inks I've tried to be very nicely lubricated inks that flow very well across the page. I had no flow problems with Olivine. No difficult starts or skips.

I found it flowed very well in the pens I used it with and I saw plenty of shading particularly with broader nibs. It looked more saturated with my Pelikan Go! B nib. Lubrication was good enough, and it felt smooth writing across some of the papers I used.

• Flow Rate: Very good. A little slow to dry.
• Lubrication: Good.
• Nib Dry-out: Not noticed.
• Start-up: Immediate.
• Saturation: A saturated ink.
• Shading Potential: Some shading seen.
• Sheen: None seen.
• Show-Through:
  • Apica Paper
  • Tomoe River 52gsm
  • Silvine lined pad
  • Oxford lined pad
  • Field Notes
  • Royal recycled
  • Hobonichi Techo
• Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Not seen.
• Nib Creep / Crud: Not seen, even after over 1 week in the pen
• Staining (pen): Not seen after several days in the pen - easy clean-up with water.
• Staining (hands): Clean-up needs at least 2 washes with bar soap.
• Clogging: Not seen. Seems unlikely.
• Water resistance: Not sold as waterproof and has little water resistance.
• Availability: Available in 50ml glass bottles from many outlets.

[namrehsnoom]

I too like this one as an everyday writing green - writes smoothly and with good lubrication. I even like the colour, a solid dark green. A pity about the botched marketing campaign, that let us to believe we would get a yellow-leaning olive green. I sincerely hope Pelikan has learned a lesson here.

[lapis]

In the meantime I think I can only repeat what the majority thinks (and does) here... I like the ink, it is a good ink, you just have to get used to the name....

[Bo Bo Olson]

There are different shades of olives, depending on where grown...Spain, Italy, Greece-Turkey...so the color is ok, not all olives are Martini Green.

 

Nib width and flex makes a big difference; I used a wet semi-flex OB nib and it was very dark**. I used a regular flex nib, and it was 'olive' toned.

I was using good papers.

 

** I have to dig out my GvFC Moss Green, to see how it looks in a semi-flex OB vs Olivine....the only green I had that was darker than Olivine in semi-flex, was MB's Winter Forest, which was almost black in a semi-flex nib.

[Chrissy]

There are different shades of olives, depending on where grown...Spain, Italy, Greece-Turkey...so the color is ok, not all olives are Martini Green.

 

Nib width and flex makes a big difference; I used a wet semi-flex OB nib and it was very dark**. I used a regular flex nib, and it was 'olive' toned.

I was using good papers.

 

** I have to dig out my GvFC Moss Green, to see how it looks in a semi-flex OB vs Olivine....the only green I had that was darker than Olivine in semi-flex, was MB's Winter Forest, which was almost black in a semi-flex nib.

 

I swab tested Montblanc White Forest, and it wasn't a similar enough colour to Olivine to make it onto my review form. I decided to pick the closest 6.

[goodpens]

Thanks for the review.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for the review.

 

You're welcome.

[Laurmann2000]

Nice review. Thank you.

[Barkingpig]

I received my bottle yesterday, purchased from Seitz Kreuznach for $19.71, including shipping to USA; I had cancelled my preorder before it arrived because I was bothered by the color. I didn't want to spend $35.00 for an ink that wasn't a color I had anticipated, yet the reviews here had convinced me of it's merits & when I found the bottle @ a greatly lesser cost, I was happy to order it.

 

I think of it as a "pine" green & in a 1.5 wet nib have enjoyed it's look on paper & in the pen. I know I will not keep a pen filled with it as I might have if it was the color I had looked forward to, but will be happy to use it, "on occasion."

 

I thank you for the review & appreciate your decision to order it & share your observations with us. (I do think it is "leaning to blue, yet on the safe side for my taste, with a VERY rich look on paper.)

[The Good Captain]

In the meantime I think I can only repeat what the majority thinks (and does) here... I like the ink, it is a good ink, you just have to get used to the name....

Couldn't agree more, old general! HUZZAH!

[lapis]

Matt, another two, please.

[The Good Captain]

Matt, another two, please.

Cheers!

[Bo Bo Olson]

The only reason I brought up the old MB Winter Forest, was it was my darkest green, and that with a wet middle wide nib, Olivine was dark. Much lighter in a drier regular flex F.

 

I can see from Chrissy's review that GvFC's Moss Green in a regular nib, is more greenish. But I'm wondering about how dark a wide wet nib will make it.....That will be a someday....in I just went from the 5-6 pens inked to 17 in the matter of days, because of new inks.

[invisuu]

There are different shades of olives, depending on where grown...Spain, Italy, Greece-Turkey...so the color is ok, not all olives are Martini Green.

Its named after olivine gemstone though, not after olives. Hence the name of the series Edelstein (precious gemstone).

 

Im glad its a darker green, as I wouldnt like the ink that was first announced anyway.

 

I have extensively tested this ink at home since I got a bottle, because what else is a man tied to bed after a surgery supposed to do, and find the ink pretty unsaturated. Pelikan still cant make inks on Montblanc level. Its an okay ink, but I had my hopes up Pelikan is on the right track after excellent Smoky Quartz.

[Chrissy]

The only reason I brought up the old MB Winter Forest, was it was my darkest green, and that with a wet middle wide nib, Olivine was dark. Much lighter in a drier regular flex F.

 

I can see from Chrissy's review that GvFC's Moss Green in a regular nib, is more greenish. But I'm wondering about how dark a wide wet nib will make it.....That will be a someday....in I just went from the 5-6 pens inked to 17 in the matter of days, because of new inks.

 

BoBo On my bottle it's called White Forest not Winter Forest. I assume you mean that ink. I already tested it against Olivine and they aren't anything like each other.

[Chrissy]

Its named after olivine gemstone though, not after olives. Hence the name of the series Edelstein (precious gemstone).

 

Im glad its a darker green, as I wouldnt like the ink that was first announced anyway.

 

I have extensively tested this ink at home since I got a bottle, because what else is a man tied to bed after a surgery supposed to do, and find the ink pretty unsaturated. Pelikan still cant make inks on Montblanc level. Its an okay ink, but I had my hopes up Pelikan is on the right track after excellent Smoky Quartz.

I found Olivine is saturated enough. Better than J. Herbin inks for example....

[Chrissy]

Nice review. Thank you.

You're welcome.

[invisuu]

I found Olivine is saturated enough. Better than J. Herbin inks for example....

The only experience I have with J. Herbin inks is Rouille d'Ancre and thats basically just water, so I never bought an ink from them again. Id say anything that isnt water is more saturated than that

[Bo Bo Olson]

Chrissy, you are right, White Forest, but the box is sort of 'wintery' looking.

 

Invisuu....I know it's named after a stone, but in all the reviews, or the early ones, many wished for a more olive looking ink, than it is. So being much more the olive expert than when I lived in the states when young, mention there are shades of olives from where grown, also.

[Chrissy]

Chrissy, you are right, White Forest, but the box is sort of 'wintery' looking.

 

Invisuu....I know it's named after a stone, but in all the reviews, or the early ones, many wished for a more olive looking ink, than it is. So being much more the olive expert than when I lived in the states when young, mention there are shades of olives from where grown, also.

 

Yes it is.