In addition to a MB 149, I have another Pelikan on my short list. I once owned an M200 which I loved, but sold as it was a touch too small for my hands. I also have a Pelikan M75 GO that is great.

I'd like to get a larger Pelikan some time. What do I want? 600? 800? I think the 1000 is larger than I want for everyday use.

A few questions:
1.
Is there a reference around that shows the various Pelikans next to a Lamy 2000 for instance?

2.
There seem to be a large number of similar models. For example, what is the difference between an 800 and an 805? Or a 600, 605 and 625?

3.
Is the piston filling mechanism the same in all of these models? Any appreciable differences?

4.
I can't recall, do the Pelikan caps snap or screw on?

5.
Any other great things about Pelikan I should know? ;-)

Thanks very much in advance!!

Chris

p.s. re sizes, I found these:
http://www.cajunpen.com/html/pelikan_sizechart.html
http://www.nibs.com/pen_measures/

1. I don't know. For a size comparison of Pelikan models, see Richard Binder's web site, which shows the following for the M200, M400, M600 and M800 respectively:





2. The most common series are: m2xx, m4xx, m6xx, and m8xx. All pens from the series share the same kind of nib, the same functionality, and the same ink capacity. Usually, the last two digits of the series identifies a aesthetic feature of the pen. For instance, 05 means rhodium trim. So, whereas a M800 would have gold trim, the M805 would only differentiate by its rhodium trim.

3. The design of the piston mechanism is the same, from the engineering stand point, but the actual piston varies in materials vary. m4xx and m6xx have a plastic mechanism, whereas m8xx have a metal mechanism; thus the former feel lighter, and the latter heavier. Plastic mechanism, though, can be very resilient. I have a M200 with a plastic mechanism for five years, and it work as well as the first day. The capacity increases with the series; the m8xx having the larger capacity--although, I should say that not as much as some EDs and the Tibaldi Iride.

4. The caps of all mxxx series screw on.

5. There are many great things about Pelikan pens, but I'll mention two that set them apart. 1. Nibs are easily interchangeable. Which means that you can have more than one nib for a pen (see Richard Binder's site), but also that you can really clean them well if you plan to put them in storage for a while. 2. The repair service is the best in the business. Their turnaround is about 10 days, and they seldom charge anything.

Chris -

You have received good information. Sizes: David Nishimura has a chart listing sizes of lots of pens, and Cajun Pen has a picture of all the Pelikans with a ruler - both available on the web. If difficulty finding, email me and I'll send you them (I have copies of my hard drive, too).

Unless your hands are huge, 6XX or 8XX are fine, with 8XX being a bit bigger and heavier and more expensive. My hand's about 9 1/2", and a 600 fits it fine. In fact, I've been using a 200, and, as my holiday treat, I'm moving up to a 600 body and using the same nib as I have and like in the 200.

Enjoyable, easy to use, Chartpak is easy to do business with. Several good Pelikan folks around to choose from.

Emjoy!

Paul

I have a Lamy 2000 and M2xx, M4xx, M6xx, and M8xx Pels. It sounds like you want comparison shots?

Actually, I must disagree on the capacity from model to model. There have been a number of times people have checked this and with very minor variations, all 200-800 models hold about 1.3 mls. I'm not sure about the 1000.

Yes, this is my major complaint with modern Pelikans. I'm pretty sure a vintage 400 holds more ink than a modern m800.

I haven't had the pleasure of comparing vintage with modern but it wouldn't shock me if vintage holds more. One of those things that modern pen manufacturers aren't terribly concerned about.