Review: Pelikan M215

[TheGreatRoe]

Pelikan M215 - Overall: 8.2/10

 

The story of me and my Pelikan M215 is a rocky one—but ultimately, it’s a story of patience and understanding with an upbeat ending. The week I graduated college I bought myself my first nice pen—a Pelikan rollerball. At the time I knew almost nothing about pens—I got it because it was a nice black marble pattern, thin, and $30. And, wow, did I ever love that pen. I must have used it—almost exclusively—for 10-12 years before I lost it (I suspect it got nicked by my ex, not because she liked the pen, but because she knew I did).

 

Many years later and I’m getting into fountain pens. With my limited budget I’m trolling ebay once in a while looking for en entry level Pelikan to see if I like it as much as I did my rollerball. And I did. I snagged a M215 for the minimum bid of $66. I suspect the final price was so low because the seller had listed the pen as a “Pelican”.

 

After a couple of days I hated the pen. It was solid and well-built, but it didn’t write very well. A lot of skipping and hard starts. I persevered with the pen, partially because of my own experience with the brand, and partially because of the way people talk about their Pelikans. But still, it wasn’t a great writer. So I put it away. But I came back to it from time to time because…well…I just really WANTED to like it. And each time I came back to the pen, it worked better. It skipped less. And it didn’t dry start nearly as much.

 

Now, I know that I didn’t like the pen because it didn’t suit my writing style. I wrote with too heavy a hand. My pens with the stiffer nibs, didn’t mind the heavy hand—but my M215, and my Visconti Dreamtouch nibs didn’t care for it. Ultimately I listened to what the pen was telling me. With a softer touch the skips and hard starts are almost gone, and by watching closely I know that with a heavy hand this nib railroads fairly easily.

 

http://www.dcroe.com/images/pens/M215_pen.jpg

 

Appearance: 7/10

Let’s face it…the M215 is an understated pen. At least, the Rings version is. It’s black with conservative rhodium hardware. It’s got nice lines, but nothing special.

 

Construction: 10/10

But it’s a solid little pen. It’s got a nice heft for its size, and while I’d like it to be bigger, I know it’s a lower-level pen. The piston is solid, the cap posts securely. It’s reliable.

 

Filling: 7/10

While normally a piston-filler would rate higher, this one suffers from being extremely stiff. I’ve tried to lubricate it with lubricated inks, but I’m going to have to try to grease the piston. I know it was a used pen, but looking around this seems to be fairly common issue with this pen.

 

Nib: 8/10

I won’t lie. It’s a sensitive nib. It’s easy to railroad. But, when I can keep my heavy hand in check, it’s the perfect level of wetness and of feedback for me. I’ve since bought another nib from Binder and had the original one ground into a Pendleton stub, but for the price, it’s a nice nib with decent flexibility.

 

Test Drive: 9/10

The pen has its problems, but taken as a whole it’s a fairly impressive little pen. And while I tend toward thicker pens, I can write with this one for a long time before my hand gets tired. This is a pen that is greater than its individual components.

 

Overall: 8.2/10

A solid performer at a more than fair price. This pen knows a lot about writing…more than some writers.

 

http://www.dcroe.com/images/pens/m215_sample.jpg

[brewsky]

my piston also got stiff over the course of a few years i have owned mine. if you clean the pen, and remove the nib unit... take a toothpick or something similar and put silicon grease on the tip and run it along the edge of the piston filler (piston must be all the way toward the nib to get it just right), then work the piston back and fourth ten or so times.. should be good to go for a long while.

 

I enjoyed your review, i however disagree with the appearance rating. I think my m215 rings s absolutely stunning. I understand that liking the looks of something is very subjective

[papabear16]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5517/12198531964_67b083c146_c.jpg

Untitled by papabear163, on Flickr

[LordBeldingford]

Very elegant looking pen, nice review!

[Mesu]

Nice and balanced review.

[Steven]

Nice review. I am glad you kept at it until the nib feeder got inked enough to start flowing well. If a new pen does not start off well for me I give it a good soaking in soapy water then flush it with fresh water. This cleans out any factory residue and the pen starts doing it thing.

[Sasha Royale]

Rings, Othogonal, and Lozenge. What's the fourth pattern ?

[TheGreatRoe]

Rings, Othogonal, and Lozenge. What's the fourth pattern ?

 

There's only the 3 that I know of.

[papabear16]

Wasn't there a diamond pattern, or is that the lozenge you refer to?

[sargetalon]

Great review! I love my 215's. I have Rings and Orthogons.

 

 

 

There's only the 3 that I know of.

 

There were 4 total M215's. Rings, Orthogons, Lozenge, and Blue barrel/Stripes. The blue pen with stripes is now out of prodcution and hard to come by.

 

 

 

[penrivers]

Thanks God, I have the blue from I sell pens.

[watch_art]

I think the "rings" version is the best looking. And I think it's REALLY good looking. I have one right now on loan from a friend and I think the weight and look of it is just heads and tails better than the M200. SUCH a good looking pen.

[papabear16]

I think the "rings" version is the best looking. And I think it's REALLY good looking. I have one right now on loan from a friend and I think the weight and look of it is just heads and tails better than the M200. SUCH a good looking pen.

 

Then buy one from Binder. I think it's the last style he has in stock. I'm not sure if more are coming, it's discontinued, or what. But an M215 with a Binder nib is a wonderful, wonderful pen.

[The Good Captain]

I live my three - haven't got the blue version - and mainly use Akkerman inks in them. Because, that's me.

[sotto2]

I have the blue stripes version. I believe the stripes are palladium. I took a crack at grinding and polishing the nib shortly after I got it. It turned out well and I use it often. I've since picked up an M600 Ruby Red Special Edition which I will not, under any circumstances, grind the nib on.

[new2writing]

Mine was arrived on Monday. Look very good. Write very smooth too.

[a m a r g o]

Does it weight more than the m205? It would feel sturdier than the m200 and m205 Pelikans...

[TheGreatRoe]

Does it weight more than the m205? It would feel sturdier than the m200 and m205 Pelikans...

 

Although I have no direct experience with the M200 or M205, one of the reasons I chose the M215 was that brass barrel (interior), which does make it heavier.

[a m a r g o]

 

Although I have no direct experience with the M200 or M205, one of the reasons I chose the M215 was that brass barrel (interior), which does make it heavier.

A nice feeling for sure, almost like holding a M405...

 

[watch_art]

Vanness has all three black versions and it was HARD not to buy the rings the other night. May have to get it anyways.