Pelikan Edelstein - General Opinions?

[tonybelding]

It's been some years now since Edelstein was introduced. I remember at the time there was a lot of excitement, followed by disappointment (for some, at least) when we found out that Edelstein inks were less saturated than other boutique inks. Pelikan offered us "soft" colors, which I think was out-of-step with the trends at that time.

 

Now a lot more people have had experience with these inks. I myself find my own enthusiasm for dark and super-saturated inks has waned, and I've been receiving more inks that I feel an urge to dilute. So I guess what I'm asking is, what's the general feeling toward Edelstein today? How do they hold up against other fancy-bottle inks like Iroshizuku and Mont Blanc — or even to standbys like Diamine and Herbin? Those of you who've been using Edelstein, what do you like about them?

Edited May 20, 2019 by tonybelding

[MHBru]

I use a lot of iroshizuku but also use edelstein topaz cartridges where needed and am quite satisfied with it

[Runnin_Ute]

I have three bottles of Edelstein inks (Olivine, Aventurine and Sapphire). I like them all, but my least favorite is the Sapphire, and the most the Olivine. I like the colors as much as anything.

 

Not everything has to be super saturated. The Edelstein ink in my opinion behave better than the one Iroshizuku ink I have. That one drives me nuts. Like the color (Kon Peki), but the behavior in the pens I have tried it in is unacceptable. Especially for an ink in this price range.

[tonybelding]

Not everything has to be super saturated. The Edelstein ink in my opinion behave better than the one Iroshizuku ink I have. That one drives me nuts. Like the color (Kon Peki), but the behavior in the pens I have tried it in is unacceptable. Especially for an ink in this price range.

 

OK, I really don't know what to make of that. Kon-Peki is also the only Iroshizuku that I've tried, and I found it among the best-behaved inks that I've ever used. It doesn't have any exotic properties, but it works well in just about every pen. (In fact, I can't even remember hearing about anybody else having any bad experience with Iroshizuku before now.)

[aurore]

In general I really don't find anything above average in terms of behaviour about Edelstein. They are among the quickest faders, the lubrication is average and water resistance is between none and average. Colours - whether you prefer to call them soft or not - are in fact rather generic.

A couple of those inks (Tanzanite, Topaz, Olivine) are very good but faders nevertheless.

Honestly I would hardly rate Edelstein above Diamine.

[Intensity]

Curious about the fading bit—is that in a closed notebook or pinned somewhere exposed to artificial light or daylight?

[silverlifter]

I still can't tell the difference between Tanzanite and Shin-Kai; pretty sure I have refilled from the wrong bottle in the past...

[aurore]

Curious about the fading bit—is that in a closed notebook or pinned somewhere exposed to artificial light or daylight?

Both. But of course it is way faster if exposed. As Amberlea Davis correctly mentioned somewhere here the UV is a kind of catalyzer, so basically if it fades super quickly comparing to other inks when exposed to sunlight it will fade quickly comparing to other inks in notebooks too.

I am not saying if you write a few pages with Tanzanite, close the notebook and store it for a year the text will disappear, no. But via testing Edelstein inks are superfaders comparing to the most of other (much cheaper) inks. This does not mean they are not nice or suitable to use, just not premium at all imho

 

A nice thread on Edelstein fading.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/264613-edelstein-inks-fading-on-moleskine/

Edited May 20, 2019 by aurore

[Inky-Republic]

A bet both ways for me. I like Pelikan inks in general, since I get no issues in the pen and they flush out nicely when you change over colour or service and clean.

 

I do think the Edelstein range has colour swatch "voids" and the gimmick of brewing an "Ink of the year" really ticks me off, since those releases are usually my favourite colours - but disappear from the market in quick order!

 

A lot of the basic range of Edelstein colours don't do a lot for me either - and indeed a some of the 4001 Pelican equivalent inks are to be preferred (except violet and brilliant red ugh!)

 

So in summary:

• I like the chemistry and don't have any tech issues.
• I wish they'd just formulate a comprehensive range and leave the damn colours on the market to sink or swim!
• I absolutely hate the ink of the year gimmick
• I don't have any issues with fading.
• I do think the Edelstein range is a bit pricey - especially compared with Pelikan's 4001 range (over here in Aus. anyway).

[welch]

When the Edelstein inks were released, I bought a bottle of Sapphire, assuming it would be something like Diamine's Sapphire Blue but more saturated, like Iroshizuku Asa-gao. No...it was just purple. A few weeks later, as I was grumbling about Edelstein Sapphire at the display at Art Brown's, another browser said they had found a beautiful ink by mixing Sapphire with Edelstein Topaz.

 

(Note: that's why I miss Art Brown's...a store where you might could chat with other pen fanatics.)

 

Result is a nice ink, a color that is just right. Ink that does not bleed through or show through a page. I can't tell if it lubricates a piston, but it writes smoothly. Cleans off my hands with just soap and water, which is great for the drips and splops from filling.

 

Still expensive, so a mix of Sapphire and Topaz goes a long way.

[welch]

Fading? I have not seen anything fade when written by my Sapphire-Topaz mix. That goes back to whenever the Edelsteins were released.

[whichwatch]

I find the Edelstein inks too dry for my taste. I prefer Iroshizuku, Sailor, and Diamine as well as Aurora or Visconti Blue. I have only tried a small number of KWZ and while I like that they have been well lubricated, the ones I have tried have been harder than average to clean out of the pen.

[welch]

It seems unlikely that Edelstein inks fade over any length of time we might need.

 

I just read the "Edelstein fades on Moleskine" thread, http://www.fountainp...g-on-moleskine/. It appears that Edelstein fades more than Ink X or Ink Y in fade tests, where something written is taped to a window and hit with sunlight. It is clear that such a test shows some comparison among all the inks tested, but there seems to be no link between how long writing lasts in direct sunlight and how long it lasts absolutely, when stored normally -- in a notebook, in a file, in a room, in a building.

 

 

[carlos.q]

Fading? I have not seen anything fade when written by my Sapphire-Topaz mix. That goes back to whenever the Edelsteins were released.

Some pictures of this mix would be nice...

[eharriett]

A bit on the dry side, which is okay. But they are inks I have no problem putting into a vintage pen. Any vintage pen.

[welch]

Some pictures of this mix would be nice...

 

Hmmm. My handwriting is worse than anyone's, but will try tomorrow. It looks a lot like Asa-Gao or a slightly more saturated Diamine Sapphire.

Edited May 21, 2019 by welch

[tonybelding]

On the subject of fading, today I dug out my oldest pen-and-ink testing journal, which is one of the old Quo Vadis Habana journals with white Rhodia paper. It's almost ten years old now. I was happy to see that most inks show no evidence of any deterioration. The exceptions were:

• Sheaffer Skrip Blue - weak and lost almost all color
• Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue - somewhat weak
• Waterman Florida Blue - slightly weak
• Noodler's Baystate Blue - blurry and nasty looking

What looks good? Basically everything else, including Edelstein Topaz, which was the only Edelstein that I had.

 

My old favorite Noodler's Texas Bluebonnet looks better, though.

[penzel_washinkton]

Own 3 of them; Tanzanite, Olivine and Smoky Quartz and all of them has been really good to be honest.

The dryness is a personal taste but I feel it is a nice change to use after using wet inks most of the time.

[sansenri]

When the Edelstein inks were released, I bought a bottle of Sapphire, assuming it would be something like Diamine's Sapphire Blue but more saturated, like Iroshizuku Asa-gao. No...it was just purple. A few weeks later, as I was grumbling about Edelstein Sapphire at the display at Art Brown's, another browser said they had found a beautiful ink by mixing Sapphire with Edelstein Topaz.

 

(Note: that's why I miss Art Brown's...a store where you might could chat with other pen fanatics.)

 

Result is a nice ink, a color that is just right. Ink that does not bleed through or show through a page. I can't tell if it lubricates a piston, but it writes smoothly. Cleans off my hands with just soap and water, which is great for the drips and splops from filling.

 

Still expensive, so a mix of Sapphire and Topaz goes a long way.

 

I like Edelstein inks, I find them similar to 4001, J.H, Aurora, Visconti, Waterman, and a few other older inks, in the way they behave.

 

I do also like some more saturated inks (Diamine, PR), but when I start having skipping issues and ink drying out in my pen, I flush out whatever is in there and use Sapphire or Tanzanite (or of course Royal blue 4001, Waterman Florida, Aurora or Visconti blue, etc), to make sure my pen runs all day even if left open for a while.

 

I actually like Sapphire, it's rather similar to JH Eclat de Saphir, and it is purplish, but then again sapphire IS purplish!

 

I also have Aquamarine but I'm not really fond of the colour (although I like the pen it came with).

 

Like welch did, I also tried out a mix. With Sapphire, preferred ratio 4 parts Sapphire : 2.5 parts Aquamarine..

The resulting blue is a rather interesting neutral blue, not much shading but nice behaviour.

A slightly darker shade can be obtained with a small amout of Tanzanite (less than 0.5 part).

[tonybelding]

I actually like Sapphire, it's rather similar to JH Eclat de Saphir, and it is purplish, but then again sapphire IS purplish!

 

Funny you should mention Herbin. Today I was just thinking, if I want softer colors, maybe I should take another look at Herbin. I actually have bottles of Vert Empire and Bleu Nuit here, and I've had a few other carts and sample vials in the past, but I'd sort of forgotten about them.