Just received my first Pelikan last night. 205 in clear (demonstrator). Inked her up with Waterman Florida blue and tested it out. I think this is the smoothest nib I have ever written with. (An Omas demonstrator I have is real close though.) Am I allowed to use the term "Pel" now?

Having read in this forum that nibs can be changed easily, I gently tried (before inking) to unscrew it. It did! I didn't unscrew it all the way, though, and just put it back to finger tight. Is it really that easy to swap nibs? Different nibs for different models, but this is great if true! What swaps with the 205? nibs that fit in the 200?

Now I am going to have to think about what to get next. The 200s look good, as do the 400s and 600s. The 800s and 1000s are little big. Also, based on this network, the big ones have brass pistons and get a little back heavy. I like the lightness of this one. (And my Omas...)

My next pen WAS going to be either a second Parker Sonnet or second Cross Apogee, but I think Pelikan has jumped to the front of the line.

Any words of wisdom or things to watch out for that you would like to pass along to a new member of the Pelikan Club?

Thanks!

My M200 with EF nib is not the smoothest writer I have, but it is good. And it comes with it's own tanker for ink supply. I'd bet this thing would write forever with as much ink as it holds. It definately made my "A" list from the very first time I used it.

Permission granted.


Yep, what you see is what you get.


Richard Binder has a handy nib interchangeability chart on his web site - take a look.


You also have the option of getting a selection of interesting nibs without buying bodies for them. Of the three you mention though, I prefer the M600 - it's more or less a 'standard' size pen. If you want smaller (slightly) and lighter, go for the M400.


Well, of course there are plenty of vintage, special and limited edition Pels out there too, which as a club member you will be entitled to buy...

I also just got my M205 and agree that it is great. The F was not fine enough for me so I sent it along to Dillon Ang so that he can put a custom M400 nib on it. It doubles the price of the pen... but that pen is so cool that it will be worth it to me. Plus, the nib can always go onto a 400 or better at a later date (but I doubt it will!).

Richard Binder's Nib Interchangeability Chart. 2/3 down the page.

While we are on the subject of the M205 - I had mine inked for a day and then I cleaned it out. I noticed ink stuck in the section. I took out the nib and got a q-tip in there. No go. The ink had seeped between two layers of plastic, or behind a very thin layer of plastic. Some more soaking was able to dilute it. I was interested to see this. It is not a problem for me since I know that demos get inky, but thought I would pass the info on.

Welcome to the club! I also have had a similiar experience and after buying my first M805 I stopped buying other brands right away. I am now up to an even dozen! I think the M80x series is not too heavy, unposted. But then I prefer a little heft to my pens...lol.

The M200 can handle the M400 nibs, in fact I just ordered a M400 nib in a (XF + XXF)/2 grind for my smokey grey demo M200. Oh, how I wish the post was not so slow between the USA and England...sigh.

If you are thinking other pens or other demos, have you had a look at the M600 little ocean blue demo? Beautiful pen, even with the gold furniture.

Or for even more unique looking Pelikans look at the M620 series, the city series. I am partical to the Chicago and the Piazzo Novona. I have the Piazzo Novona, beautiful pen, looks just like stone. My wife loved the leather box it came in too, had to hide that...lol. Still looking for a Chicago.

Good luck and enjoy. Don't forget to clean it out every few fills, just keep the junk out. If you want a suggestion on ink, try to find some Parker Penman Sapphire, that is one very nice blue. Cheers.

PP is right, once you have bought a Pelikan then you may well give up on the rest. I only intended to buy one, a P1, then along came an 805 and it was downhill from there. A 605, a 205 and 3 x 200s later I have been somewhat bitten. In my defence I have made a gift of one of the 200s and sold another.

I bought a Parker 51 because I feel that everyone should have what is said to be the best fountain pen. When you have an 805 though you can smile to yourself knowingly though!

Welcome to the tribe, and there is no escape:)

I have M400's, M600's and a pair of M800s. I find my regular go to pens are the M400 or M600.


Bill

hello!

I think I am going to join the Pelikan club as well... 2 hours ago I have ordered my first Pelikan - Pura:)
Waiting for delivery with shaking hands..
Does any of you have some nice experience with Pura ? I have experience mostly with Waterman and Rotring so far (from 2 days I am happy owner of Lamy Studio.. and to be honest I do not know what to expect...

Regards do All !

Thank you, my fellow addicts! I realized I forgot - the pen has an F nib.

Re cleaning the pen out by removing the nib: this does not cause wear that will result in leaks?

Re Rotring and Waterman - I have two older 600s in fine. I really wish I had bot one in medium. I love those pens - lots of 'oooohs' when people see it. The 'aaaahs' follow picking them up.

Well, I am going to have to wait for a show so I can fondle some pens before I make a decision of what to add.

Geez, there are so many pens out there. And then there are all the inks!

I am a pipe smoker, and I have gotten into the same situation. I like a new pipe once in a while but the different tobaccos are where it is as for me. I am not a collector, I just like to smoke them.

Still would like: more Pels, another Sonnet, perhaps a 51, possibly another Apogee, Rotring in M and probably more. Honest, I do not collect. I do acquire, however.....

Hi, my name is Pete and I am a penaholic.

I'm finding, more and more, that I have to narrow my collection focus. One could probably do worse than to focus their collection partially on Pelikans.

Why only partially? Go whole hog, go only Pelikan! (except for ink, then it has to be Parker Penman) Cheers.

Hey Pete - welcome to the Pel circle.

You don't need to remove the nib to clean the pen. Just a simple flushing by using the piston mechanism is all you need to do. Only if you've let the pen go for a long time with lots of ink dried up in the feed would it be advisable to remove the nib for a thorough cleaning.

The nib units of the modern pens are very solidly put together (unlike the old ones with the plastic sleeve to hold the nib to the feed), but it's still a sensitive piece of the pen--a bit of pressure accidentally applied to the nib at the wrong angle while twisting it could cause a tine alignment problem. So, it's best not to make a habit of replacing them frequently.

Enjoy your Pelikan! I'm sure it won't be your last. Here was my order of acquisition: 400NN brown tortoise stripe, rolled gold 60, and 140 green stripe. Next? 100 series!