I have a Pelikan M200 with an M400 nib. I'm considering another purchase, but I'm torn between Oman Paragon and M800. Can anyone help me decide based on the best nib?

I'm also interested in any other suggestions for purchases (Pelikan or Omas or something else) that might be a little less expensive, but still provide a great writing experience.

thanks in advance for the advice!

I have an M140 and M400, but no experience with the M800 nor with Omas. I would, however, enjoy others' comparison of nibs by these companies.

[Question: Does Bock make nibs for both Pelikan and Omas?]

If you order an 800 from Richard Binder your guaranteed a pen that writes perfectly. Thats my recommendation.

Full disclosure: I've tried or used four steel Pelikan nibs and eight gold ones. I have never used an 18k Pelikan nib, nor have I used a pen that's been tuned by Richard Binder.

If you're talking out of box, I'd go with the Omas. I've only used a couple of Omas pens, but color me impressed. I'm very picky about nibs, or at least that's what it seems to me. I've used a few pens with 18k or 21k nibs, and the nibs on the old style Omas Paragon and Omas 1930 were two of the best gold nibs in the modern style I've used. By modern style, I mean that they have a fair bit of spring, but without a lot of real flex- but very soft and pliant. I've been so focused on German and American pens that I hadn't really thought too hard about Omas and many other companies, but I was impressed enough with a friend's 1930- such a small nib, but even at funny angles the pen still wrote well because the softness of the nib let a tine give way to a place that the nib would still glide.

In the end: try both! If I were to buy a new Pelikan, I would buy it from Richard Binder; personally, I've had a series of disappointments with modern Pelikans that I've sworn off anything that hasn't been vetted and tuned by a someone at least somewhat skilled in nibwork. Vintage Pelikans... that's another matter. I've not had to do anything but some tine adjustment to get them writing well, and they never had to see any sort of professional.

Can't say a lot of of folks will agree with me, but that's the experience I've had.

Depending on what you were thinking of doing, the Pelikan will likely be a better value. I just snagged a used old-style Paragon from the FS forum at a great price, but if I were buying the pens new I'd be thinking Pelikan. Depending on where you price them, the M800 is between $100 and $200 cheaper than the Paragon. That price break will not only cover the premium you pay for a Binder Pelikan, but it'll also get you a custom grind if that's your thing and leave money to spare.

I'll be able to say a bit more once my new-to-me Paragon shows up at my house.

Aaron

Yes.

My understanding is that Pelikan started reinsourcing the nibs few years ago (2006?). But I can be wrong.

Going to the OP question...
I have both Pelikans (including an M800) and Omases (Milord and 360). They are both excellent nibs. Pelikans are wetter and less consistent in quality, Omases are stiffer but butter to use.

Anyway, I guess it is very subjective, you should go in a penshop and try them!

Ciao,

Andrea

I think Pelikan has a more liberal nib exchange than OMAS does. As well if you buy from someone who tests it there shouldn't be a problem.

K

Yes, that's a very good point if you are concerned about nib quality. And it's a nice feature too. Aurora has a similar policy for the piston filler FP.

I have had two 75th Anniversary Omases (Omi?) and both had severe ink flow problems. I still have the 360 but don't use it.

I have a dozen Pelikans and they write great.

Pelikan all the Way!

I didn't want to bring up the difference in total quality of the two brands

Thanks to everyone for the insight. I think I'll go with the Pelikan and save pennies for an Omas later. Thanks again!

Diplomat- where did you hear that? I don't think that's the case, I've not heard it at least- but, it'd be great news if it would happen.

That's so cute - coming on the Pelikan board, asking "Which is better, Pelikan or XYZ?"

Go for both. I have a Pelikan M250 EF, M600 old style OBB, M600 new style EF, M650 F, Omas 1930 EF, Milord EF, and Paragon F all pre2005. All are great pens. The 1930 isn't to my liking in size but it's a cute family!

I made a quick search and came out with the following:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=4043
post 3

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...mp;#entry483750
post 27

But I remember one more at least.

Cheers,

i think the pelikan nibs are better than omas nibs (out of the box).

I find these two nibs have a very different feel...both in flex and smoothness.
I've always liked Omas celluloids, but after using Pelikan's piston, the Omas is very stiff and tight...especially those in celluloid bodies.

Pelikanyo Paul

Like you, I own two Pelikan pens, although mine are a model 600 and a Grand Place. Both are utterly reliable. I also own two Omas pens, a 360 and an Extra. Both are uttery reliable. While all pens mentioned here have nice nibs, my personnal preference in nibs leans toward the Omas nibs. Why? I can't describe it. However, my impression is that the Omas nibs are more true to their stated size, as my Pelikans seem a little broader than marked.

If cost is a constraint, stay with Pelikan. You can't go wrong. If you want a pen with different styling than your 200, then by all means try an Omas.

You might also post this question on the Italian pen board.

Craig

I own a 1987 m800 medium full flexible nib, a 1999 m1000 flexible nib and a 1997 omas 360 magnum, a 2002 omas 360 colonial and a 2005 omas arte italiana paragon oversize ht. I like them equally. In my case, I find the omas nibs wetter and a very little bit smoother than pelikan nibs but when it comes to consistency, pelikan nibs win. About the piston filler, my omas 360s piston fillers are easy to fill as is my pel m1000, on the other hand I always found my m800 a bit too stiff kinda like my 2005 arte italiana.

What do you look for in a nib? I prefer nibs that "do" something - flex and/or oblique combined with a fairly crisp stub. Omas can provide a degree of flex (especially Emoticas), but modern Pelikans don't (they bend a bit, that's all); I've not tried an Omas Italic or oblique, but the modern Pelikan obliques are just as boring as their regular nibs - they provide as close to zero line variation as makes no difference, and don't flex either. Go back 50 years (or more), however, and Pelikan made fantastic oblique and stub nibs which came in varying degrees of flex, or plain round-tipped nibs that came in varying degrees of flex. For the price of a Pelikan 800 you could buy at least two 400s from the 1950s and try two different types of nib. For my taste, this is a preferable writing experience to anything a modern Pelikan can provide. (I have a 800 I bought 20 years ago; never use it.) If you don't do vintage but would like at least a hint of flex, Omas nibs are fantastic. I wish, though, they hadn't changed the look of their pens - I don't care for the metal sections on the new Paragons.

If it doesn't matter to you whether a nib "does" anything, the range of options is vast. Why not consider a custom made pen? You don't even need a gold nib. For instance, the Taccia steel nibs used by Brian Gray in his excellent pens (http://pencraftonline.com/page.cfm/About-Us) are tuned to your specification; no firm regular round-tipped nib writes better than these. What's more, they look quite distinctive and are far cheaper. Or go in the other price direction and consider Nakaya.... Or if you like conservative black pens, a Pilot Custom 743 with their wide range of nibs (the semi-flexible "soft" nibs are especially nice). Or....

Simon

Personally I prefer the feel of an Omas nib. There's enough variety there to make me aware of the pen's individuality. However, for practical reason, Pelikan may be a better choice. The ease with which a screwed on nib can be changed makes it far less risky to try out a Pelikan...

sorry for sitting on the fence. I guess this answer won't give you much help