Pelikan 120

[ColeWardell]

So my father has had this Pelikan 120 since his days in architecture school in the 70's-- which lines up perfectly with the dates that Pelikan was manufacturing the 120.

 

I came across it recently, sitting around in a cup on his desk, and cleaned it up for him, and posted a brief review on my blog: The Orchard.

 

My only gripe is that the nib is a bit scratchy on a specific angle (which you can see if you click on the images in my review). This must result from the fact that he uses it mostly for drafting, and not writing (so, far more straight lines and not an all-around usage) I smoothed it up a bit on some kraft paper, but it's not totally smooth yet.

 

enjoy the review!

[MYU]

Thanks for the link to your review, Cole. What a great find, a pen handed down across 40 years. Definitely check for nib alignment under a loupe, to be sure this isn't contributing to the problem. Micromesh is very good for smoothing nibs, being careful to use a grade that isn't too aggressive. What is "kraft" paper? I've not heard of it before.

[Robert Alan]

So my father has had this Pelikan 120 since his days in architecture school in the 70's-- which lines up perfectly with the dates that Pelikan was manufacturing the 120.

 

I came across it recently, sitting around in a cup on his desk, and cleaned it up for him, and posted a brief review on my blog: The Orchard.

 

My only gripe is that the nib is a bit scratchy on a specific angle (which you can see if you click on the images in my review). This must result from the fact that he uses it mostly for drafting, and not writing (so, far more straight lines and not an all-around usage) I smoothed it up a bit on some kraft paper, but it's not totally smooth yet.

 

enjoy the review!

 

I bought one of these with a fine nib at Seattle Art around 1972 for $10. Not long after, I got an extra-fine threaded nib unit to use for drawing. That pen has gone through numerous bottles of Pelikan "Fount India" which was labeled as "drawing ink for fountain pens" and cost $1/bottle in the 70s. The extra-fine nib was a bit scratchy if I pressed too hard while drawing or writng.

 

The model 120 was reborn in the 80s and, if I remember correctly, it had flatter ends--more like today's Pelikans, and I think it was shorter. It came in all black and solid green and black.

 

The 120 worked for me. It is a basic yet elegant, well-made writing instrument, and it went with me on many sojourns.

 

Thanks for your review. I like your blog.

 

Happy Holidays!

Robert

[stez]

Does anyone know where I can buy nibs for a Pelikan 120 Merz & Krell?

I need a Medium nib.

Did they make any nibs larger for this pen, like say a broad, or double broad?

stez

P.S. Robert, is that picture of Heinz Edelmann?

darn, the emoticons are yellow, but none of them are submarine shaped.

[mjkuras]

Cole,

 

Great review! Maybe someday one of your kids will inherit the pen and write a follow-up review.

 

Regards,

Mike

[Ed Ronax]

Great review and blog, thanks.

[1000km]

I love the classic black with green ink-window combination. It's become a Pelikan trademark.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thank you. I'd been given a Pelikan 120 14 K, F. and a Geha 790 14K KM two weeks ago.

After flushing, a quick light polish and they were both good to go. Both great writers.I am very very happy with that F nib. It is one of my best nibs.

The Geha KM is also one of my best. K=kugle or ball nib.

 

I was going to look up the Pelikan on Rudiger's com, but "forgot."

I have one I think is first model 1955-65.

Solid green and black.

 

On the band just after the 120 is a small x and a point. x. point at the same height as the middle of the x.

 

Does any one know what that could be?

[DanDeM]

Does anyone know where I can buy nibs for a Pelikan 120 Merz & Krell?

I need a Medium nib.

Did they make any nibs larger for this pen, like say a broad, or double broad?

stez

P.S. Robert, is that picture of Heinz Edelmann?

darn, the emoticons are yellow, but none of them are submarine shaped.

I bought a 120 at the LAPen Show a few months back and had my new 200 with me at the time. The nib/feed assemblies were interchangeable.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Wouldn't' a normal Pelikan nib fit?

[bigstick]

It truly is a great pen. I bought mine in 1972 with a medium oblique nib and it took me through college, university, grad school and into biotech. It didn't get put away until I took up flying for a living, when a Fisher Astronaut put it down for the count. Now it is back in the rotation, taking as you said, no more than a quick cleaning and a fill (black Skrip...the only other ink it has ever known is Pelikan 4001 Blau). I love this pen. I now prefer a finer nib, but write my best hand with the 120. It is smoother than my Lamy 2000 with a larger sweet spot. It's a pity they don't make this anymore (but I've never handled a 2XX series.) Thanks for the splendid review on your blog.

[Turlough]

Thanks for your review.

 

I purchased my 120 about 1981. It is cigar shaped and black with a green transparent ink window. I was into calligraphy in those years so I also bought several nibs for it: F&M reg nibs,F&M Italic nibs,and one oblique midium nib.

 

I hadn't used it again until the middle 90's when my interest in fountain pens returned. During that time it was in regular usage. Then,having several other pens,it had lain idle until recently when I decided to revisit it.

 

I've noticed the nibs have a little more flex than my other Pelikans, especially the fine and the medium. My biggest complaint would be the ink capacity; it is small. That doesn't bother me because I have a tendency to change ink colours often,... but for those inclined to travel it would be a bother.

[jjaberg]

Took a gamble on a 120 M&K from an estate sale on Ebay and got the pen for a low price. You get what you pay for sometimes. The piston assembly worked fine but one of the nib tines was bent. Couldn't find a replacement nib anywhere and at that time I didn't come across the great info that the 200 nib assembly would fit it. Anyway, I sent the nib off to Richard Binder and spent more on it than I had originally spent for the whole pen. But it was worth it. Bottom line, the pen now writes beautifully and is one of my favorite, frequent users and I have less than $100 in it. All's well that ends well.

[Runnin_Ute]

Love my Pelikan M&K 120 with an EF - it is a wonderful pen. Mine was NOS when I got it.

[SB129]

Cap almost looks like an old MB