The nib of my first M 400 was slightly annoying right from the start.

It was a bit scratchy and now the nib itself sits not exactly in the middle of the feeder. Does not effect the performance but it annoys me even more. I could easily screw another nib into this very pen but I cannot get myself to do so. This pen was my first M 400. My mother gave it to me for my university degree and this very pen has high sentimental value.

Sending the pen to Pelikan would get me a nib that is right in place but still scratchy. Not a big improvement.

This leaves me with two options: get the nib adjusted by Richard Binder or buy a new nib.
Considering the costs it makes no difference if I

• buy a new nib in Germany
• send the pen to Richard for adjustment
• or buy a new nib from Richard

So what shall I do?

If the nib exchange is free, I'd try a replacement from Pel first.

Personally I'd ship it off to Richard. You keep the pen complete as your mother gave it to you and you also get a wicked sweet writer out of it.

I'd forego the nib exchange or new nib purchase from Germany, you risk getting another bad nib. While the chances are slim, why risk it when you know you'll get something in perfect working order when you get it back from Richard.

Take a look at some other pen repairers as well out there. I think Richard does wonderful work, but there are some other guys out there that do just as well.

-penguin

If you haven't done this already, maybe you could first check to make sure the nib unit is fully screwed in. Sometimes they loosen a bit over time.

I know. I could have done this but for some reason I did not do it until now. Instead of changing the nib I used other pens as daily writers. I even got the same model from ebay with the intention to switch the nib. Now I use the other M 400. Would not mind if anything happens to the pen because it is an ebay purchase. My M 400 is the only pen I am irrational about and the nib problen is still unsolved.



No, the nib is screwed in ok. That is not the issue, anyway. The nib does not write as I would like it to write. It is slightly scratchy and this is what annoyd me all these years. It is a medium oblique, normally my favoured nib size.




I think you are right. The only reason I was reluctant to ship the pen to somebody was because I am afraid of loosing the pen. Thinking of it I can srew the nib into the other M 400 and send it in for repair.

Any other guys you would recommend?
I don't mind turn around time. Right now I don't use the pen anyway.

For great nib work and rapid turnaround I recommend Greg Minuskin without any hesitation.
He worked on a MB 149 that had a lot of sentimental value. It is now perfect.
www.gregminuskin.com

For the 400 nib, Richard should be able to work on it without the pen. He has a 200 or 400 body that he uses to make his "custom stock" 200 nibs. My 400 nibs he did required only that I send the nib.

Edit to add: Check with Greg and other nibmeisters if the turn-around bothers you (given the number of years you've left it unused, I doubt that) to see if they can work Pelikan nibs without the body.

Update: Went for the pragmatic answer to the question.

I have sent the pen to Pelikan Hannover today. If they can improve the nibs performance, great.

And I have contacted Richard for advice regarding the order of a new nib. Don't think I need a coustomized nib but would like to have a soft medium nib with wet inkflow, not one as stiff as a nail. So I will get an additional nib that I either srew into this greenstriped M 400 if Pelikan is not sucessfull with the nib or into my bluestriped M 400 that has a wonderful soft and smooth BB nib. Unfortunately the BB is not suitable for daily use.