Ink Review #2449: Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black

Today let’s take a look at Pelikan 4001 Black. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Brilliant Black is a medium black ink.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has a little bit of black sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

*For my writing samples I use:

• EF Pilot Vanishing Point

• F, M, B Pilot Ishime

• Vintage Mabie Todd Swan (flex nib)

• Rhodia Goalbook

• Taroko Enigma notebooks (68gsm TR)

• Leuchtturm A5

• Pen & Gear Paper from Walmart

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: low shading, low black sheen, and no shimmer.

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

4001 Black is closest to Kobe Fragrance of Sumi. Click here to see the black inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Pelikan M605 Black Tortoise with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a dry flow.

Overall, this is a good classic black ink with a little shading and sheen. It is very dry, but works really well in wet Pelikan nibs.

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Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does notcontain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored.