Pelikan Brilliant Black Bottled Ink for Fountain Pens, 30ml (4001)

This is my first ink, and I think it will probably be my last.I say this as someone who has been using Pelikan 4001 ink for over a year now. It was the first ink recommended to me online, so I decided to purchase a bottle—and I have not been disappointed.Pelikan 4001 is certainly a wet ink, depending on the pen you use, but it dries very quickly on subpar paper—and even on expensive paper. It’s not an ink you have to worry about smudging, unless you have very clumsy fingers and tend to run them across the page before turning it. Other than that, it’s a wonderful ink. It dries quickly enough despite being wet, and it performs well in both high-tier and mid-tier pens.I’ve used it with my Zebra G nib as well as my Lamy Safari fine-point fountain pen, and I found it works well with both fountain pens and dip pens, particularly with those nibs. I’ll soon be getting a Pilot Custom 743, and I plan to run this ink through that pen too. I’m not really concerned about how it will perform in a higher-end pen.All around, this is a wonderful ink. You won’t be disappointed when writing with Pelikan 4001. Pelikan has a long and respected history in the fountain pen industry. At one point, I even considered purchasing one of their M800s just because of the impression this ink made on me.This ink is affordable compared to higher-end options like Pilot’s premium inks. It’s budget-friendly, and what you get is a very solid ink. As a little tip, I highly recommend buying the 60-milliliter bottle instead of the 30-milliliter one—it’s usually only two or three dollars more, and the value is excellent.I didn’t forget to mention that Pelikan 4001 ink, as shown in the pictures, comes in a gorgeous black bottle. It has a timeless feel and will certainly make you feel like you’re writing in the 1930s, whether you’re dipping a dip pen or refilling a cartridge. It’s a beautiful bottle you won’t mind leaving on your desk, unlike something like Higgins Eternal ink, which comes in a hideous plastic bottle.Altogether, I give Pelikan 4001 ink a thumbs up. Whether you’re using a Montblanc 146, a Pelikan M800, or even the humble Lamy Safari, you won’t be disappointed.

Excellent, deep black ink that flows better!

An excellent, dark black ink. I have used this formulation from Pelikan for several years. The ink flows smoothly from my fountain pens and lays down a fine ink line. The ink rarely clogs the nib and the pen starts up again even after sitting for a few days. I use this ink in a Conklin Crescent Writer and a Kaweco Sport Writer. Both pens perform flawlessly with this ink. Highly recommended.

Loved the flow of this ink, it runs pretty wet in my jinhao 10 and twsbi caffe bronze. I haven’t tried it in any of my Lamy’s yet.The only reason I’m giving it a 4 on 5 is bc it’s not truly a brown in my eyes. I’d categorize it more under orange. To be specific, autumn/fall yellowish orangish ochre. I showed it to a couple of my friends and none of them thought this was a brown ink. If they had named this something more appropriate, I’d have given 5/5 so customers know exactly what they’re getting into.It doesn’t bleed on thinner non-cotton, under 100gsm paper as well. Loving the flow of this ink

The decision of Sheaffer to discontinue the Skrip line left me scrambling to find replacements. I use all kinds of black inks in my pens, from Kaweco, Pilot, Sailor (I quite love Gentle Black), Platinum (carbon black is another favorite), Monteverde . et al..But Sheaffer had a very special place on my shelf. It was THE black ink that i used in any pen, regardless of vintage or how long i was planning on leaving it in there. I knew it would flow easily, wash out easily and give me a dark black line. I've used it since i was a boy in old Sheaffer pens, from the mid90s flat top range (which were the first such pens i used), to Parkers, Vintage pens of all kinds. I've just never had trouble with this ink.I never was easily able to find a replacement. Parker Quink Black is a very easy ink to clean but is not terribly dark, even as it is very wet. Herbin Perle is gorgeous but i find it tends to dry out very quickly and it is so saturated, i try to use it very quickly in vintage pens. Pelikan, i initially bought to use in pens that have noticeable nib creep, but it is such a phenomenal ink, I've just switched bit by bit, to using it in everything. It isn't as dry an ink as i assumed it would be; nevertheless, in pens with very light flow, i find this ink actually shades up a bit. It's super dark, matte-black normally. It writes smoothly in every pen i've tried. Funnily, Pelikan Blue-Black has taken Skrip Blue-Black's place on my shelf as well. It's every bit as good (if not better).I should mention waterfastness, or "bulletproofness" is not something i typically look for in an ink. I don't care in the slightest for such properties - I actively seek inks that don't have these properties - i just use these inks as daily writers, and so weigh my opinions accordingly. For anyone with a vintage pen collection trying to avoid more alkaline Japanese inks and looking for a nice dark black which won't dry out in a sac or aerometric convertor, this is really the first (and maybe only) ink you should need.

It works and is a fair price. Shipping is fast.

Totally exceeded my expectations! Tested with various pens and different papers from 140 to 60 gsm no bleeding, nice shading crisp black, of course your mileage may vary based on the strength of your grip or stroke, really smooth, will order other 4001 colors, definitely recommended for writing and calligraphy.

very beautiful rich color. smooth and comfortable to write with whether you are refilling a pen or using a dip pen of any kind. It doesn't spread or bleed like some of the other inks i have tried. I also like the shape of the bottle because once i use about a quarter of it i can tilt it to make an easier access to the ink. nice permanent ink with a smooth fine finish at a good price.