Admittedly this is a little late for me to be asking the question since I just today ordered this pen but have they resolved the issue of the cap cracks or does it still remain a problem?

I didn't realize that was a known issue. My cap has tiny cracks and I'm peeved about it, as I've always tried to be very very careful with it.

Love the pen, though. It is a beauty and writes like a dream.

I only know that after having read this tonight on this forum. I hope they have resolved this issue.

Playpen,
Glad to hear you decided to try a Pelikan.

No way to know really - certainly they were made aware of the issue with photos, caps and description from me. But Pelikan Germany doesn't always tell their distributors what's up.

Fortunately, if it does present a problem and you are in the US, Chartpak is very good about replacing very quickly. I now have a cap that has not shown any sign of developing those open seams and cracks.

sonia simone - when I get time this afternoon, if no one has beat me to it, there is at least one thread in the Repair Q&A forum that talks about this.

For most it will be "cosmetic" but not always. IOW, i had one cap that had not only the open "seams" but one had become a crack that went beyond the upper cap band and up the cap about 1/3"

I can provide images if someone needs them. But I am heading out to run errands now. just had to check email (and FPN) before I took off.

I am so hoping that nothing will go wrong with the one I have on order. It will totally ruin the experience and the fun of the entire thing. I hate when I am hassled and have to start sending things back and forth in the mail which is the reason that I never return anything. I am always quite sure I will love whatever I purchase. Trouble is...I love everything.....

well, working with Chartpak was incredible and caused me little in the way of time or effort. At first I sent the pen - the concern being I suppose that some caps might not thread just right on some pens. But the final and so-far good cap was shipped directly to me. There's very little wait time either. For me, the beauty of this pen made it well worth the problem though of course I wish there had never been a problem. Obviously, Pelikan doesn't do white plastic often these days and didn't choose the right mix or process. But hopefully they have learned from this.

Wow, I had no idea I had any recourse. I will definitely be in touch with Chartpak--thanks so much!

It's a wonderful pen, I really do love it.

here is the earliest thread with pics.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...p?showtopic=842

of course, you may have a perfectly good specimen with no problems. But this is the data to refer to if you do have a problem.

I just received notification that the pen is on its way.....the pacing begins!!

My Pelikan Honey went away for its new cap in late April. It was back in time for my birthday in mid-May. I'm sorry I don't remember exact dates.

I emailed about the small crack in my pen's cap which really was only a cosmetic issue. I got instructions to return the pen for a cap replacement which I did. There was never any question but what Chartpak would replace the cap.

I got the pen for Christmas in 2004.

I would really like to know if Pelikan Germany has communicated with Chartpak on this one or not. I don't know if it's "polite" to ask Chartpak. Especially given that I've not had any problems with the cap I got in... well, whenever that was. It's hard for me to believe it's been as long as it has been!

Hi, I ordered mine just this past Friday and the wait is a killer. I wasn't aware of the cap issue until after I ordered it, but I've dealt with Chartpak and they're so nice, I'm not going to sweat it. Hopefully, both of our pens will be gorgeous and cap perfect. Please post when you get your pen and the condition of the cap, and I will do the same.

Hi Elena,
My pen is supposedly being delivered tomorrow. I will let you know when it arrives. I intend to examine the cap with a loupe to make sure it is ok.

Ok, now tomorrow is today and I see on the DHL website that my pen is with the courier...I am literally pacing back and forth here and waiting for the doorbell to ring...but you know what happens with a watched pot right?!!!

According to UPS, my pen started on it's way on 6/27th, but is stuck in Hodgkins, IL due to "adverse weather conditions". Enjoy your pen when it gets there, and please post on the quality of the pen cap.

If you would believe it..I am literally sitting here waiting for that bell to ring...I called DHL and the very patient person on the other end of the phone laughingly informed me that they can deliver it up to FIVE o'clock. I then asked for the address so that I can go to their facility and wrest the pen away from them if it doesn't come to my house. ARGHGHGHG!! This is total torture!! and yes, you can bet I'll run right in here and report every last detail.....not to worry!

No they have not. I just got a "tortoise white" 400 in this morning from Swisher (my very first Pelikan) and while I was lurking the forum for instructions on how to use the piston fill (yes, hate to admit it, but all my new pens are cartridge/converter and the ones from my youth used a squeezable rubber bulb with a metal bit to push it flat) I found the posts about cracks on the 400 "tortoise white".

Wouldn't you know it, but a careful examination under a strong light (2D cell maglight with the new LED lamp) clearly shows 4 clear and deep 'cracks' on the exterior plastic between the 2 rings, directly over the "web" that connects the 2 bands. At least they do not extend all the way through to the interior, nor do they extend beyond the area circumscribed by the rings.

There is no way it is a question of 'posting' or 'overtightening' since I just opened the box and inspected.

It is a bit of a heartbreaker, since I love the cosmetics on this pen. It is bit of a change from the Sailor 1911's and Sapporo's that have now become the backbone of my pen collection (no offense to my Carene, but it's nib is not in the same league with a Sailor Extra Fine).

What should I do now? Send the 400 back to Swisher for a refund, or a replacement, or is there some other repair agency with whom to deal should I decide to keep it?

Also, would someone let me know (correctly and without fear of overstressing or damaging the mechanism) how best to use the piston fill on a Pelikan. I may yet decide to give the Pelikan thing a try (this has been a huge disappointment to me - I will admit to being a perfectionist). However, at this moment I am not so sure. Maybe I will just send it back uninked, request a refund, and stay with the Japanese made pens that have brought joy back to my writing.

Thanks in advance for any advice or assistance,
Morse

Hi,

I bought a honey a few years ago, before I found this site. The cap cracked after about 6 months and I took it back to my dealer, who sent it back to Pelikan in the UK and got me a new cap. I've had no problems since.

The cracks on my cap were confusing as they were straight and obviously followed a feature in the cap moulding; I notice on this site that it was thought to be some sort of weld or split line in the cap moulding. I would be careful about studying a cap too hard looking for cracks, as you may think you see a crack, especially under bright light or magnification, that is in fact just a split line. The cracks in my cap only became visible as they filled with ink or dirt; if the crack isn't dark, it is most likely a split line. Also, if it hasn't progressed though to the ID of the cap, it is unlikely to be a crack.

This is all just my opinion, and if you are sure you have a crack, then you are sure; but sometimes you can see things that aren't there just because you expect to see them. I would say, if you can't see it with normal eyesight, don't worry about it.


To fill the Pelikan, place the pen nib down in the bottle of ink, making sure the nib is fully immersed. Turn the white knob on the end of the pen anticlockwise until it stops turning (you will see the piston move down inside the barrel all the way to the section), then turn the knob clockwise until the gao between the knob and the barrel closes up. Then remove the pen from the ink, but leave it in the neck of the bottle, unscrew the knob anti clockwise again until a couple of drops drop back into the bottle. finally screw clockwise again until the knob stops and the gap is closed. wipe off excess ink with a kitchen towel and enjoy! As long as you are even slightly careful, you are unlikely to damage the pen during filling.

Regards,

Antony

Hi Anthony;

Thanks very much for the instructions! They will be of use since I have indeed decided to get a replacement 400 Tortoise White and not give up on Pelikans due to a single mishap (my appologies if I sounded a bit stressed about it, but I worked through the night on my dissertation until 7am today - just taking a break now before it's back to work!). It really irritated me to find something for which I had been waiting with such expectation to be flawed in so fundamental a way.

After I posted here, I took a minute to check the cap under a microscope and there's no doubt - 4 easily naked-eye visible cracks on the outside, and a 5th approximately 1cm long hairline fracture that I initially missed. It is on the inside lip, and is not lined up with any of the internal structure linking the two bands. Sadly, there is no doubt. The cap is cracked in several places, and from a close inspection the big hairline fracture is nearly all the way through to the outside.

On the bright side, the people at Swisher seem very professional, and it's on it's way back to them. Hopefully all will be well with the replacement, since I really do like the cosmetics on this one! Now the waiting begins again...and it's time to get back to work.

Thank you again and all the best,
Morse

Morse,

You're welcome; i hope i didn't sound patronising and i hope your replacement cap is perfect.

Regards,

Antony

So this is why everyone was blowing them out for cheap?

Hi Antony;

No problem at all, and thanks again on the instructions - it turns out the first pen had the rear bit on tighter than a miser's grip on a gold sovereign. The replacement is in and it is much easier to work with. I can see why Pelikan fanciers are so enamored of these pens. It's nice not to have to remove the barrel to refill, and the pen writes a wet, smooth line with some nice variation. Not quite what I'd call a 'fine' nib - more of a 'medium' in my book, but most of my pens are Sailors and older Pilots, so that may have skewed my sense of scale a bit. Now this has added a third competitor to the role of my 'next' pen. I had been thinking Conway Stewart Churchill, or perhaps a Sailor Naginata Togi , but now I've got to consider something like a Pelikan 1000 too.

All the best,
Morse

Morse,

Talking of next pens, I've been thinking of a Sailor, a C-S 100 or a Pelikan 600; a colleague had a Churchill and i found it a bit big.

Anyway, Good to hear your sorted,

Antony

Hi Antony;

Thanks for the tip on the Churchill - I'll have to think about that before I do any spending.

With regards to your "next pen" thoughts, here are my experiences with Sailor.

Sailor has terrific quality control - I have never had one with ANY problems out of the box, and that is a total of 6 pens now. However, they differ in surprising ways (to me anyway). Here are some comparisons with relation to my recently bought Pelikan (still haven't gone through my first fill of Noodler's black on that one!).

The Sapporo is a real gem, but it's "F" nib has more "drag" on the paper than the effortless feeling of this Pelikan 400 "F" nib. The Sapporo's nib is pretty stiff too, in comparison to the Pelikan, and it is definitely smaller in the hand than is the Pellikan 400. So if the Pelikan 400 is plenty big for you, no problem. If it's just on the edge of acceptable to you, that could be a problem. Balance-wise, the Sapporo is one of the few pens I like to post. It really does improve the balance of the thing.

Now, the 1911 "EF" nib is a different beast altogether - less "drag" than the Sapporo on good paper (still more than the Pelikan 400 "F" nib), and springy too. But that smooth EF nib is a beast on "fountain pen unfriendly" paper - you can feel every fibre of the paper being cut by that needle fine nib. The Sailor Sterling Silver nib is the same as the regular 1911 nib, but the pen is weightier in my hand, and that produces a different feel when writing. It would make a great signature pen, since it's drop dead gorgeous. Be aware that it's a very revealing finish though - any scuffs or scratches WILL be visible. And hang onto it - it screams "expensive!" in a way that a lot of plastic pens don't; it could "grow legs and walk off" depending on where you work. Where those "F" and "EF" Japanese nibs really excel though is in any kind of detail work. If you want to write something like the tinier details in Kanji characters, these nibs cannot be beaten, period. I'm starting to wish I had a 3 pen case for my jacket pocket, since I like what each nib brings to the table - the Pelikan for English cursive, the Sapporo "F" for quick lab notes, and the 1911 "EF" for Kanji characters. If I only had one pen though, it would probably be my Sailor Sterling with an "F" nib - I don't like to use it as an everyday pen because of the scuffing issue, but it's such a gem in every other way...though it would be a close call with the Pelikan, since it's such a terrific pen for English cursive.

If you are thinking of the Sapporo Mini, it is only capable of using cartridge ink. That's a turnoff to me, though I am still considering buying one - I would just pipette Noodler's into an empty Sailor cartridge and load that into the pen. I could always use parafilm over the openings of a few others and keep them stored upright in my desk for quick reloads of the ink of my choice...hmmm....

If you're thinking about a Pelikan 600, how about a 605? I see they're being clearanced all over the place and I've seen quotes of $125 to $150 online.

Sorry if the preceding was overlong and strayed a bit OT, but I haven't seen any side by side comparisons of these very different pens.

On the 'cracked cap' business, I've got a "hit and a miss" going. I ended up buying a second 400, since I was so smitten with the cosmetics (and price!) of the one I had sent back. Sadly one of the two replacement pens has the same 4 tiny cracks. But at least it does NOT have the big crack that was on the inside of my first one. And it writes so cursedly well (springier than my 1911 "EF" and it has good line variation too) that I guess I'll just keep an eye on the cracks and if they start to migrate I'll call Chartpak and see if I can just send them the cap. Frankly they're both keepers, and if it means I need to monkey around with the caps a bit to make them 'just right', so be it.

All the best,
Morse

Morse,

I really recommend contacting Chartpak (or local Pelikan distributor if you live outside the US) and get a new cap. Swisher's stock could be old ones with old caps. I was one of the posters in the fist thread, and the replacement cap was a newer production. On the jewel it has just one pelican chick vs. two on the original cracked one. One chick cap indicates a newer production cap, and I believe the older batch(es) with two chicks had an issue. BTW I have no problems with the new cap since I got it two years ago.

BTW I just got a Sapporo Mini and love it!! That's the only pen I feel comfortable posting

Konnichiwa Taki;

I was beginning to think all the 400 Tortoise White caps had the issue (after I spotted a single tiny crack on the one I thought was okay) - not just a batch of older ones. All 3 of the ones I have had possessed the older "2 chick" cap. At your prompting I just sent in an email to Chartpak asking about their procedures etc. Hopefully I will be able to exchange the caps, one at a time to keep my original pens in rotation.

Thanks also for letting me know about your experiences with the Sapporo Mini - it reminds me a little of the older "short pens" I remember from Sailor, Platinum, and Pilot in the 70's, in that it's designed to be used posted. Now that I'm giving it some thought, maybe I really will buy a new Mini next month and try 'loading my own' Sailor cartridges with Noodlers.

BTW, what nib have you got on your Sapporo Mini? I've got "F" nibs on both my Sapporos, and have considered ordering up a zoom nib to try it out.

Doumo arigatou gozaimasu,
Morse

Konnichiwa and dou itashimashite, Morse-san,

Hope Chartpak will mntch your pens with one-chick caps:) Their turn-around is VERY quick (less than a week every time I sent my pens) so hopefully that's the case.

My Sapporo Mini has an F nib. I would have gotten EF if I had the choice, but F is very good, too. I have tried a Zoom nib on Professional Gear, but it was very broad. If possible I'd try in person as it is a big leap if you are used to their F nib.

My first FP was one of those short-long pens, too. I really like the way Sapporo Mini screws on the end

Konnichiwa to arrigatou for the advice and information, Taki-san;

I can't believe it has been a year since I was writing about the problems I was having with my Pelikans - it was an incredibly busy year (completed my PhD, changed career, moved three times(!!), spent 5 weeks in Hiroshima with my wife's family, etc) so I held off on sending the pens anywhere until I both had the time to pack them properly and knew I was going to be in one location for long enough to get them back. Anyway, I just sent the pens in and got the caps replaced - they are back and I am really pleased! Thanks again for the advice - it was really worth it to get the pens back into service....now to ink one with Noodler's Walnut Brown and get back to Kanji practice....

Arrigatou gozaimasu!
Morse

Uh-oh. Sounds like it's just a matter of time until I'll be doing the Chartpak rotation again, as my new cap has two chicks. I thought maybe I was crazy for thinking "this feels exactly the same as the old one did!"

I suppose next time I'll be sure to ask specifically for a one-chick cap...

not necessarily - seems there's been some variation on that and probably has a lot to do with the changeover to one chick taking place during the time that the caps started having trouble. IOW, I suspect that crack-prone caps were sold with both and that possibly, two-chick jewels have been used on repaired cracked caps once back in Germany.

How do I minimize the chances of cracking mine?

I don't think there's a lot to do. This seems to have been largely a manufacturing error wherein small spaces deliberately created in cap desgin were then not properly sealed. I guess one thing would be to not jam the cap on the pen when posting. Otherwise it seems to be luck of the draw. The cap I've had for a over couple of years now continues to hold up just fine.

My replacement cap obtained from Chartpak seems to be holding up OK. I have had it for about 6 months.

Danielle