New Vs Old Pelikan

[JDV]

I recently gave back a Pelikan 400 (Germany, noit West Germany) which I had received with a broken piston.. I managed to fix the piston so that it filled properly, and I got a feel for the nib, which I liked very much. But the nib did need some work, possibly baby's bottom, tines misaligned, scratchy, hard starts, skips, etc...so feeling guilty that I got a pen for nothing, I did my best to repair/restore it and gave it back for the original owner to sell.

 

The experience picqued my interest in Pelikans, though, as the nib felt very lively and expressive despite it's condition. I wonder if the new Pelikans' nibs are similarly lively and expressive? I may be interested in a Pelikan M600?

 

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[sargetalon]

The modern Pelikan nibs, by and large, are anything but lively and expressive. They are firm with large non-expressive tipping. They really lack character and run about a size wider than stated. A very different experience from their very highly regarded vintage offerings. They certainly get the job done, don't get me wrong, and are wonderfully wet and smooth. What the modern nibs do well is lend themselves to customization with that large blob of tipping.

Edited April 22, 2015 by sargetalon

[JDV]

Thanks,

 

The modern Pelikan nibs, by and large, are anything but lively and expressive. They are firm with large non-expressive tipping. They really lack character and run about a size wider than stated. A very different experience from their very highly regarded vintage offerings. They certainly get the job done, don't get me wrong, and are wonderfully wet and smooth. What the modern nibs do well is lend themselves to customization with that large blob of tipping.

 

..maybe I should have held onto the older one... oh well.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a semi-flex B from a 400n on my 605.

Some day when money comes for a short visit I'm going to have that BB 605 nib made a Fat M or skinny vintage size B stub. Perhaps have the top of the fat top made F.

 

Like many modern nibs, one has to do something to give the fat and blobby modern nib some character; so one makes them stubs or CI's. I have a fat M (was a useless nail oblique), CI....nail so will go with a stub I think.

 

I like the size and girth of the 600....luckily I have an adequate supply of vintage 400 nibs to put on it.

Not quite so pretty, but sure write better.

[JDV]

Glad I didn't blow money on a new Pelikans on the hope the nib would be like the old ones.

Can I get any modern nib that will perform like that old one?

[Joe in Seattle]

Agree with Sargetalon. My 120 and my 250 have vastly more expressive nibs than a current 400 or 800.

[Dickkooty2]

Yes, this is why I collect vintage Pelikans!

[Bo Bo Olson]

A 14 K nib can be made semi-flex....can be ground flat and stubbish on the bottom, like the vintage '50-65 nibs, made narrower like vintage.

 

Ask at Penboard .de if they have any semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs as stand a lone buy, for any 200/400/600.

Will not be cheap....but you get a superior nib, that will last a life time.

 

I'd look for the 400nn, easiest to get or a '50-54 400, the '55 400n is more seldom. It's luck to which nib flex, semi or maxi of the bay (depended on which of the two flex rates the original owner wanted when he bought it at the corner store.).....if you order from Rick or Penboard or some one on this com's sale sup section....you can get choice of the two flexes.

 

I suggest getting a 140 first in they are semi-flex...outside the H&D nibs which are semi-nail and nail's nail.

Then three months after you have your 140, get one of the vintage 400's in 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. You need those three months to lighten your hand from what you now have a nail-semi-nail Hand to slightly ham fisted. Semi-flex like the 140 can be used by the Ham Fisted.

[savingbirds]

Glad I didn't blow money on a new Pelikans on the hope the nib would be like the old ones.

Can I get any modern nib that will perform like that old one?

To my knowledge, no modern Pelikan nib comes close to the much sought-after vintage nibs. The M1000 nib is claimed by some to be springy, but it can't be made flexible due to its 18k alloy. Modern obliques also are very rounded and don't offer much in terms of flexibility and natural oblique line variation. The good thing about modern nibs are they they have a large amount of tipping (especially if you can get your hands on some the of the few remaining BB and 3B nibs), are very wet, and have feeds that can keep up, making them excellent candidates for stubs and italic regrinds.

[Christopher Godfrey]

JDV, listen to what the above have told you -- and vintage 400NNs are fairly easy to find (someone advertised one here in these classifieds only a week or so ago, which had a very flexible nib). Not only are the nibs <far> more satisfactory, but the 400s carry just as much ink as the moderns -- refer to Sargetalon's website for a comparison! There is nothing fragile or delicate about them either: they are robust, everyday pens, which will last a lifetime.

 

You should be able to find a lovely 400NN for between 200-300USD, with change to spare...

[Bo Bo Olson]

On German Ebay....€100-120.

Of course there has been a big price jump in '50-60 Geha's lately, so it might be 140 now.

Tortoise goes for the same price as regular almost.

 

State side prices are very high....