I'm giving Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue a one star because of a problem that is a first for me. I purchased the ink about six months ago. I have other Pelikan colors and have not experienced this same problem. I had a new fountain pen arrive yesterday (12/2020) so I wanted to try it out with the Royal Blue. I filled the pen up as usual and when I started to write I noticed the ink was a very watery light green in color. I checked the bottle and sure enough the ink in the bottle had the appearance of ugly watery split pea soup. When shaking the bottle it foamed up some. I have no idea of what caused this. My pretty blue turned green. I have about six other colors and none of the others have changed. Does anyone know what caused this? Is this normal? I would like to know ... MoreI'm giving Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue a one star because of a problem that is a first for me. I purchased the ink about six months ago. I have other Pelikan colors and have not experienced this same problem. I had a new fountain pen arrive yesterday (12/2020) so I wanted to try it out with the Royal Blue. I filled the pen up as usual and when I started to write I noticed the ink was a very watery light green in color. I checked the bottle and sure enough the ink in the bottle had the appearance of ugly watery split pea soup. When shaking the bottle it foamed up some. I have no idea of what caused this. My pretty blue turned green. I have about six other colors and none of the others have changed. Does anyone know what caused this? Is this normal? I would like to know the answer to this problem. Thank you.

This has been my go-to purple ink for years. It's on the magenta side of purple, which accounts for its brightness and saturation. It's a free-flowing ink, but gives no noticeable feathering, even on cheap bond paper. It leaves no residue in my pens, and cleans out easily with water. If you're looking for a permanent, archival ink, this isn't it; but if you're looking for an ink that says "Purple!" on just about any paper and provides good value, the 62.5 ml bottle of Pelikan 4001 Violet is a bargain.

An ink with its own personality

I have a lot of fountain pens and a lot of different inks. Brian has in his catalog some of the best inks available, but Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue ink has some special characteristics that make it very valuable depending on your needs. The color of Pelikan Royal Blue falls into the category of true blues, with a great tone similar to Diamine Majestic Blue, but more brilliant. It's a bit darker than Noodler's Blue and also similar to Waterman's Florida Blue, but richer in tone and a bit darker. The main characteristic though is not the color (that is really pleasant and versatile), is that it's a very "dry" ink. I use it with a couple of pens that tend to be too wet and could produce feathering and show on the back of the paper. Pelikan has solved those problems. It's ... MoreI have a lot of fountain pens and a lot of different inks. Brian has in his catalog some of the best inks available, but Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue ink has some special characteristics that make it very valuable depending on your needs. The color of Pelikan Royal Blue falls into the category of true blues, with a great tone similar to Diamine Majestic Blue, but more brilliant. It's a bit darker than Noodler's Blue and also similar to Waterman's Florida Blue, but richer in tone and a bit darker. The main characteristic though is not the color (that is really pleasant and versatile), is that it's a very "dry" ink. I use it with a couple of pens that tend to be too wet and could produce feathering and show on the back of the paper. Pelikan has solved those problems. It's like suddenly you are using a different pen. If you have a pen that is too wet for your taste, try Pelikan. Great ink. Plus, you get the best service available from Goulet Pen Co. Thanks Brian.

Good Black Ink, Be Aware of Flow

When matched with a pen that it pairs well with, this is an excellent black ink. The color is deep with minimal gray shading, although it is not as saturated as some blacks (e.g., Aurora or Noodler's). It dries quickly even on Rhodia paper. The flow of the ink is somewhat different however and may cause issues. It's hard to call it truly wet or dry, the better word might be "sticky". In wetter pens and broader nibs, the flow is excellent and produces a solid black line. In finer nibs the flow becomes quite difficult and it will often skip or stop entirely. I was becoming frustrated with the ink myself until I eventually found a pen it worked well with (cheap Platinum and Faber-Castell pens worked poorly, Diplomat was better suited).

Great ink, brilliant, stays well, mixes well

I'm happy to recommend this ink without reservations. It's very fluid and free from grain, impurities and bubbles. I used it with fountain pens with very picky feeds (like a Sheaffer Saratoga) and it didn't clog it, unlike many other inks of lesser quality. It works well with an extra fine nib like the EF ones for Sheaffer Award. It works very well also with calligraphic pens like the Rotring ArtPens and it leaves consistent, thick lines. I was able to mix it with Sheaffer Skirp emerald green, purple and gold brown inks, and it behaved well without unpredictable shades of color. The only complaint I have is that when used to make thick lines, it smells while drying. Not a big deal. Just make sure you let your work dry for a while before delivering it.

My favorite blue

This is my very favorite blue ink. It's relatively economical, easy to clean, flows well, and looks great. The bottle is designed nicely, as well. I don't have much else to say, really. If you want a professional-looking blue ink that's vintage-safe and easily washed and cleaned, just buy this one! It's good stuff.

Nice color, and performs well

I was specifically looking for a "dry" purple ink to use in my LAMY Imporium that writes very wet. My research suggested that Pelikan 4001 inks were fast drying, so I gave it a try. Success! My EF nib which was writing like a medium with several other inks settled down to a nice EF/fine line width using the Pelikan ink. With the LAMY, it puts down a wet but crisp line that delivers nice shading with the Violet color. It's a bit more on the "red" vs. "blue" side of purple, but still a pleasant violet shade. With this ink, I now have this pen in my daily rotation, and will certainly try more Pelikan 4001 colors in the future.

No Fuss and Reliable

Just as the title reads, this ink has been my default everyday writing ink. As other reviewers say, it is very good about not bleeding through cheap and thin paper as a general rule; I have only found the exception to be when I am sketching and applying ink repeatedly in an area. There is very slight feathering if you look closely on your basic lined notebook paper. On more robust paper, there is no visible feathering (though, I have not looked with a magnifying glass or anything). I will buy it again, for sure.

Superb Value, Reliable

This has been one of every day work inks for almost 3 years now. As others have noted, it dries very well on standard copy paper and performs very well in a variety of different pens from different brands. My work involves a lot of signing of contracts, waivers, and financial documents which require clarity and clear scanning and photocopying for which this is perfect. While perhaps not the most imaginative and distinctive hue, it has kept in production far longer than most other inks on the market today. I highly recommend this for anyone getting started in fountain pens.

The Standard Student Blue

I don't really care much about blue inks, having grown up with this one. It has actually been the standard ink for fountain pen starters at elementary school since 1960 in Germany (I started learning cursive in first grade, using a fountain pen was obligate from second grade- we didn't bother learning printed letters anyway). I have been using this ink for almost 40 years now in different pens (mostly Pelikanos), because it I try it in every Pen I have or purchase, and in my workhorse pens, this is my workhorse ink. It works good in most pens and on most papers. Dry time is ok. You get a very nice bit of shading, even with fine nibs (it actually even shades when used in rollerballs!). It may not be outstanding in single properties but its overall properties make it ... MoreI don't really care much about blue inks, having grown up with this one. It has actually been the standard ink for fountain pen starters at elementary school since 1960 in Germany (I started learning cursive in first grade, using a fountain pen was obligate from second grade- we didn't bother learning printed letters anyway). I have been using this ink for almost 40 years now in different pens (mostly Pelikanos), because it I try it in every Pen I have or purchase, and in my workhorse pens, this is my workhorse ink. It works good in most pens and on most papers. Dry time is ok. You get a very nice bit of shading, even with fine nibs (it actually even shades when used in rollerballs!). It may not be outstanding in single properties but its overall properties make it the perfect workhorse ink. Plus, you get at least the standard international cartridges in literally every store that sells the tiniest bit of stationery in Germany.