Pelikan fountain pens are revered in the fountain pen community for their elegant design and smooth writing experience. To fully appreciate the qualities of these writing instruments, it helps to pair them with the right ink. A suitable ink can affect your writing experience, ensuring optimal performance, longevity, and a truly satisfying writing journey. Here, we’ll explore the best options for your Pelikan fountain pen to help you choose the best ink for your needs.
What Makes a Good Fountain Pen Ink?
A good fountain pen ink is essential for a smooth and enjoyable writing experience. It should flow evenly from the nib to the paper without any skipping or hard starts. While some writers prefer wetter or drier inks based on personal preference, generally, fountain pen ink should have a lubricating quality that reduces friction between the nib and the paper. This gives you a smooth writing experience.
Good fountain pen inks should produce vibrant and well-saturated colors on paper unless they are specifically designed otherwise. It should also minimize feathering, which occurs when the ink spreads beyond the pen stroke. The ink should also not bleed through paper. While it isn’t a must for all writers, water resistance can be beneficial for documents that need to withstand accidental spills or exposure to moisture.
Most importantly, your fountain pen ink should be compatible with your specific fountain pen model to ensure optimal performance. It should also work well with various paper types, from high-quality fountain pen paper to standard copy paper. Ink should maintain its color vibrancy over time without fading or turning brown.
Ink Compatibility with Pelikan Fountain Pens
Pelikan M1000 Souverän Fountain Pen
We’ve gone through the general qualities of good fountain pen inks above. However, one big factor to consider which is best for your Pelikan depends on how these particular fountain pens write. Only then can we determine the ink that is most suitable.
Many people enjoy using Pelikan fountain pens because they are smooth, wet writers. They deposit a fair amount of ink on the paper’s surface and have nibs that are ground to a smooth tip. If you don’t mind a broader line and prefer a well-lubricated ink, then wetter inks will be more pronounced in your Pelikan fountain pens. Sometimes this can lead to things like nib crawl or nib creep, which happens when ink accumulates on the surface of the nib. It may also result in slower dry times and feathering, depending on the paper you use.
Dry or moderately lubricated inks tend to work well in Pelikan fountain pens without any skipping or hard starts. Usually, writers who use this combination will produce a more controlled line. For this reason, we are recommending inks with these qualities for Pelikan fountain pens.
Best Inks for Pelikan Fountain Pens
Given how these fountain pens write and the qualities of good fountain pen inks, we’ve chosen some great options you can use for your Pelikan.
Pelikan 4001 Fountain Pen Inks
Pelikan 4001 series fountain pen inks write fairly dry and are great to pair with your Pelikan fountain pens. They are a classic and safe choice for many fountain pen writers.
Pelikan Edelstein Fountain Pen Inks
Pelikan Edelstein inks are also known for their great quality and vibrant colors inspired by precious gemstones. These inks give you a smooth writing experience with minimal feathering and excellent shading properties. They are, overall, less dry than the 4001 line.
J. Herbin Fountain Pen Inks
Another brand that carries drier inks that work well in very wet writing pens is J. Herbin. They also have some excellent options for shimmering and sheening inks. If you decide to go with shimmering inks, we recommend using them in steel-nibbed Pelikan fountain pens in case they need more vigorous cleaning. It is best to avoid shimmering particles getting stuck in delicate gold nibs.
LAMY Blue-Black Fountain Pen Ink
Another favorite of many fountain pen enthusiasts that leans dry is the LAMY Blue-Black fountain pen ink. This is perfect for your Pelikan if you want a safe color that is suitable for daily writing.
Wearingeul Fountain Pen Inks
Wearingeul fountain pens are not as lubricated as other popular inks on the market, so you might find that they work well with your Pelikan fountain pens. They have a wide range of colors to choose from and beautiful shimmering and shading options.
Diamine Fountain Pen Inks
Most Diamine fountain pen inks write a bit wetter than the ones on our list, but they are generally well-behaved in most fountain pens, including Pelikan. They also have an incredible selection of colors that you can choose from. If you’re looking for a dependable yet versatile ink for your Pelikan, this is a great option.
Maintaining Your Pelikan Fountain Pen and Inks
Regular cleaning is essential to ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your Pelikan fountain pen. As much as possible, observe best practices in fountain pen maintenance and cleaning to keep your Pelikan working well.
Whatever ink you choose from the list above should be stored in a cool, dark place to prevent ink evaporation and color fading. Store your ink bottles upright to avoid ink seeping into the cap. Extreme temperatures can affect ink quality, so avoid exposing your ink to direct sunlight or heat sources.
By following these simple tips, you can keep your Pelikan fountain pen and your chosen ink in good condition and enjoy years of smooth, reliable writing.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, this blog post has helped you select a good ink that will complement your Pelikan fountain pen. Whether you prefer the classic elegance of Pelikan 4001 inks, the vibrant colors of Edelstein, or the unique properties of J. Herbin, LAMY, or Wearingeul, there is an ink out there to suit every taste and writing style.
Remember, regular cleaning and proper storage of both your pen and ink are essential for maintaining optimal performance. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your Pelikan fountain pen continues to deliver a smooth, enjoyable, and visually stunning writing experience for years to come.
Written by EndlessPens Blogger Ramona Kabigting
