Pelikan M200 Blue Demonstrator With A M205 Xf/xxf Binder Full Flex

[PacificCoastPen]

Since I am going through a dip nib/Copperplate phase, I was curious about a full flex nib. This is more a nib review on a Pelikan M200 Body. I'm a noob and a weekend hack with Copperplate, so indugle a beginner. I already own 4 Pelikan M200 with a F,M,0.9IC, 0.7IC. So, needless to say, I absolutely love these pens. All purchased from Richard Binder.

 

1. First impressions/size/weight. The Blue Demonstrator is a beauty of a blue translucent plastic pen. It is a standard size and a lighter weight pen. I have a medium ladie's hand; the pen fits perfectly and easily. As with the Pelikans, this is a reliable piston filler

 

 

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0645.jpg

 

2. Nib and performance.

 

This is a stock Pelikan 205 EF that Binder reground to an XF/XXF. 14K. It is a pretty nib with chevron engravings and a delightful Pelikan in the middle. It is very wet with Noodler's Blue, almost too wet. 10/10 flow when flexed. 8/10 not flexed. The nib was ground to be used upside down to an XF. It's a smooth ride both up and down. I can press the tines to 1mm apart. Compared to the Gillott 303, it does not attain the delicacy nor the line variation. I have to write quite a bit bigger to get to show off the line variation...being a bigger nib than the Gillott. The nib writes AS WELL AS the Pelikan 200 fine. So, credits to the Pelikan steel nibs.

 

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0647-1.jpg

 

I used Noodler's Blue for the demo.

 

I debated a long time whether to buy a vintage full flex pen and a lever to boot (I can't stand lever fill pens) or buy a nib from a quality nibmeister I know already and not deal with dipping nor levering. More practice with the nib and time......It cost $150 (S/H $162). The XXF/XXXF cost $208 now (price ust went up). But, I have a nib with two usable sides, an XF and full flex on the other. I also wanted to have a modern 14K nib in the collection.

Edited April 23, 2011 by PacificCoastPen

[Wave Rider]

Thanks for your review. As a general question, I wonder how the nib compares against Lamy nibs?

[fabrimedeiros]

Great pen and nib! I'm jealous!

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Fabricio

Edited May 8, 2011 by fabrimedeiros

[PacificCoastPen]

Thanks for your review. As a general question, I wonder how the nib compares against Lamy nibs?

 

There is no comparison to this nib to a Lamy. I have a slew of Safari's from EF, F, M, 1.1mm, 1.5mm. The full flex does what is says...flex, not like a trampoline..like a dip Gillott, but from tines together to 1mm apart. I have a light hand, so for me, the flex needs a bit of pressure. The Lamy nibs are pretty stiff, but not as stiff as a Visconti Van Gogh or my Bexley Simplicity fine...both steel nibs. Since the Lamy nib has fixed line width, you don't need that up and down motion in a flex. I liken the motion of using a dip nib and likely an XXXF full flex to carving turns while skiing...that up and down body motion combined with some directional use of the legs. I will post a sample of the Lamy 1.1 mm vs Gillott 303.

 

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0001-1.jpg

 

The Gillott got wrecked, so the Brause steps in.

Edited May 10, 2011 by PacificCoastPen

[PacificCoastPen]

Since I am going through a dip nib/Copperplate phase, I was curious about a full flex nib. This is more a nib review on a Pelikan M200 Body. I'm a noob and a weekend hack with Copperplate, so indugle a beginner. I already own 4 Pelikan M200 with a F,M,0.9IC, 0.7IC. So, needless to say, I absolutely love these pens. All purchased from Richard Binder.

 

1. First impressions/size/weight. The Blue Demonstrator is a beauty of a blue translucent plastic pen. It is a standard size and a lighter weight pen. I have a medium ladie's hand; the pen fits perfectly and easily. As with the Pelikans, this is a reliable piston filler

 

 

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0645.jpg

 

2. Nib and performance.

 

This is a stock Pelikan 205 EF that Binder reground to an XF/XXF. 14K. It is a pretty nib with chevron engravings and a delightful Pelikan in the middle. It is very wet with Noodler's Blue, almost too wet. 10/10 flow when flexed. 8/10 not flexed. The nib was ground to be used upside down to an XF. It's a smooth ride both up and down. I can press the tines to 1mm apart. Compared to the Gillott 303, it does not attain the delicacy nor the line variation. I have to write quite a bit bigger to get to show off the line variation...being a bigger nib than the Gillott. The nib writes AS WELL AS the Pelikan 200 fine. So, credits to the Pelikan steel nibs.

 

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0644.jpg

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/Wandalo54/IMG_0647-1.jpg

 

I used Noodler's Blue for the demo.

 

I debated a long time whether to buy a vintage full flex pen and a lever to boot (I can't stand lever fill pens) or buy a nib from a quality nibmeister I know already and not deal with dipping nor levering. More practice with the nib and time......It cost $150 (S/H $162). The XXF/XXXF cost $208 now (price ust went up). But, I have a nib with two usable sides, an XF and full flex on the other. I also wanted to have a modern 14K nib in the collection.

[mbradley]

Nicely done. It is nice to see how a " Binderized Flex" steel nib performs, I believe he prefers the gold but I still have to take others word for which is superior.

 

 

Michael

 

 

[PacificCoastPen]

Nicely done. It is nice to see how a " Binderized Flex" steel nib performs, I believe he prefers the gold but I still have to take others word for which is superior.

 

 

Michael

 

If you go to Binder's website under flexible nibs...he posts a beautiful rendering of the Gettysburg Address with a professional calligrapher..most likely using an xxxf flex. Gorgeous hand. But, think about it...you take a dip pen which is a very thin piece of stamped metal compared to a normal nib that has been shaved and thinned. Binder warns that you can't ask a full flex nib to flex past the point of no return. However, the dip nibs are more forgiving comparatively. The Gillott 303 is a veritable whisker of a nib, more delicate than the Brause EF 66. The Brause EF that I used on the sample has way more flex than the Pel XF/XXF. It's just the mechanics of the metal. There is a place for all nibs, flex or not. But, for small script, the dip nibs will win every time in my limited noob's experience.

[mbradley]

Nicely done. It is nice to see how a " Binderized Flex" steel nib performs, I believe he prefers the gold but I still have to take others word for which is superior.

 

 

Michael

 

If you go to Binder's website under flexible nibs...he posts a beautiful rendering of the Gettysburg Address with a professional calligrapher..most likely using an xxxf flex. Gorgeous hand. But, think about it...you take a dip pen which is a very thin piece of stamped metal compared to a normal nib that has been shaved and thinned. Binder warns that you can't ask a full flex nib to flex past the point of no return. However, the dip nibs are more forgiving comparatively. The Gillott 303 is a veritable whisker of a nib, more delicate than the Brause EF 66. The Brause EF that I used on the sample has way more flex than the Pel XF/XXF. It's just the mechanics of the metal. There is a place for all nibs, flex or not. But, for small script, the dip nibs will win every time in my limited noob's experience.

 

 

 

Thank you for the informative and eloquent response.

 

 

[lpanades]

The color or this pen is terrible but it seens to be nice.

I love extra fine nibs and flexible ones specially for spencerian writing. Normally I thicken the ink to produce a line a little bit thinner and a dryier nib. To softem writting it is fine and the result in the paper is just nice. I use Arabic Gun. It's more suitable for mediun nibs but you can do it with fine and extra fine if thikens it less.

 

Pelikans are a bit widder body to callygraphy, for me that has little hands specially, but even thought ideal to calligraphy they are still very nice to regular writting specailly when used in the correct position they produce a nice stub result even in not flexible nibs.