Pleas Date My 400Nn

[Bringiton]

Hi all,

 

Got this not long ago from a reputable dealer claiming this was a NOS. But the engraving on the nib is different.... as in the chevrons arent touching the slit... is this the right nib?

 

Bio

 

[daffie]

The later 400NN has a nib with such chevrons, which aren't touching the slit.

That nib could be correct for the time of the pen.

[Bringiton]

Apparently its from 1956... also, it came with the rubber nib collar as opposed to the clear plastic kind if that helps...

The nib looks pretty similar to that of the m400 from the 80s (i think but may be wrong).

Edited November 20, 2014 by Bringiton

[daffie]

Is the nibwidth-letter straight up or cursive?

[Bringiton]

Upright capitals.

[Bo Bo Olson]

My 400nn, is straight capitols for a OF. Rudigier thought mine was '56 because it was one of those rare friction feed ones, when some idiot tried to penny pinch in the first year of the make....like with the first '50 400's.

 

Mine is 'flexi'/maxi-flex but as with all the '50-65 400's the original owner picked which pf the two flexs and width or if it was oblique at the corner pen shop.

 

It is possible to get a D-daur/manifold nib, but they are marked.

 

400nn, '56-65

400n-'55

400-'50-54.

 

In spite of never expecting to have them all, I do, even if the 400 is a fancied up rolled gold cap and piston cap 500 '51-54. That was never one I even thought about until grail pen money burnt a hole in my pocket and there it was on Ebay.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Bringiton]

My 400nn, is straight capitols for a OF. Rudigier thought mine was '56 because it was one of those rare friction feed ones, when some idiot tried to penny pinch in the first year of the make....like with the first '50 400's.

 

Mine is 'flexi'/maxi-flex but as with all the '50-65 400's the original owner picked which pf the two flexs and width or if it was oblique at the corner pen shop.

 

It is possible to get a D-daur/manifold nib, but they are marked.

 

400nn, '56-65

400n-'55

400-'50-54.

 

In spite of never expecting to have them all, I do, even if the 400 is a fancied up rolled gold cap and piston cap 500 '51-54. That was never one I even thought about until grail pen money burnt a hole in my pocket and there it was on Ebay.

So how could one tell how flexy the nib was?

 

So the upright capitals show that its vintage and right for its age?

[daffie]

Upright capitals.

Then you have an original nib from that era!

[Bringiton]

Then you have an original nib from that era!

Thats good to know. Many thanks.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Do you have a semi-vintage or vintage pen in regular flex?

 

Most modern pens are nails, or semi-nail, like a P-75 or a Pelikan 600. Therefore some think a true springy regular flex nib, is a 'flex' nib or is semi-flex.

 

One needs to mash a regular flex nib, until it's nib gives you 3X tine spread vs. a light down stroke.

Semi-flex requires half that pressure to do 3X.

'Flexi'/maxi-semi-flex requires half of that of a semi-flex or 1/4th the pressure to mash a regular flex to 3X.

All three are in that 3X set....don't try to mash any of them more than 3X or you can spring the nib.

 

Depends on how ham fisted you are. Most of us start out ham fisted, I was.....then I got my first semi-flex a Pelikan 140, and after three months was no longer ham fisted.....I was slightly ham fisted....which is ok a maxi-semi-flex can handle that .

I don't know how good it goes with being ham fisted....write lightly.

 

Don't mash the nib hard all the time, only when you want to make a certain fancy stroke. Part of learning not to be ham fisted.

 

There are some six basic fancy strokes one can find in a stiff Italic nibbed Calligraphy book.

 

OK, back to how to tell.....(If one has a regular flex) Wow that's nice....got a real, real good spring to it....springy ++ =semi-flex.

Or if you only have semi-nail, then it's much harder. First, it will spread it's tines 3 X real easy compared to a semi-nail's hard to press 2X..... but you have to push the nib a bit, to make it flex to 3X..... sort of low case wow v. WOW of the next flex set.

Gee, is that a "Flex" nib, no, but it is a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. Don't have to press much at all.

Pelikan didn't make "Flex"/Superflex nibs in that era.**.

 

A "Flex" or Superflex nib takes half that pressure in the lowest stage of Superflex, what I call Easy Full Flex. 1/8th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex. Superflex nibs spread 4-5-6 or even 7X a light down stroke.

Half a gain less pressure is a Wet Noodle half of that or 1/16th a mashed regular flex.

 

My 100n is that first stage of superflex; Easy Full Flex. It will spread to 5X, but I never take it above 4x. (I always stay under the one time max check in Superflex....going 3X with the semi&maxi is ok, but not needed all the time!!!) The '50-65 are not Superflex.

**Perhaps the famed rare Pelikan steno is a wet noodle.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Bringiton]

The only vintage pens i have are the pelikan 400nn that's pictured and a 100n. And seems like i can spread the tines with pressure but isnt that the same with all nibs?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Nails not hardly at all...semi-nails only 2X a light down stroke.

 

Regular flex, semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are in the tines spread 3X a light down stroke but at different pressures.

It is possible to have a 400nn with either semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex, depending on what the original owner wanted along with width. Those were the flexes of the era.

 

With a 100n, ...well I have a CN (steel nib) that is regular flex, but my gold nib is the first stage of Superflex, Easy Full Flex. That nib will spread 5X but I never take it over 4X in I don't want to overstress the nib, and spring it. So it could well be the 100-101 came also in semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex as could be expected.

 

So if your 100n & 400nn seem the same, it could be semi or maxi. Either way fun nibs.

 

Go to Richard Binders site, the basics of fountain pen, nibs, filling systems and good advice on ink.

 

Superflex spreads more 4-5-6 or 7 X with even less pressure.