I've had my eye out for a good deal on a Pelikan 100N from a reputable dealer for some time now. Several times I was outbid on Ebay 100Ns - I wasn't willing to spend as much on an Ebay 100N as I am from a reliable dealer, no matter how good the pics look. At last I have ordered my 100N. I purchased it from David Nishimura's site - an all black circa 1948 100N with flexible fine nib, graded "fine" by his criteria. Here are the pics from his site:





I think it looks elegant in all black, but I don't think I can resist a custom Burton binde. I hope Chris doesn't mind me linking the following pics from his site, but I was thinking of going with one of the following materials (all pics from http://home.earthlink.net/~custombindes/ ):
*Edit - Pics removed. Please see below.*

He has a number of great choices, and I am very indecisive. I realize it's a personal decision, but please help me decide which binde will go best with the new 100N.

Anyone who makes a recommendation for something as personal and subjective as this, amin, is a fool! Now watch all the recommendations that you get.

In ink recommendation is an entirely different matter. You can dump an ink in favor of another, but this pen with its custom binde is going to become a part of your very being!

What I will recommend is that you buy whichever appeals most to you. Chris' photographs are very accurate and his workmanship is simply, the best! You will love having made this decision more and more as the years go by. Here's what I chose for an 800.

Photo courtesy Chris Burton

That is a gorgeous binde Roger. I remember it well from your earlier thread, without which I might not even know about the Chris' work/magic. I know that asking for opinions on such a personal thing is somewhat silly, but I like so many of them. My wife and I even asked for similar advice when it came to naming our children! It's not as if I am having a poll where the material that comes first in votes will definitely be the one. I just want to get a little opinion - who knows, in the end I may pick something no one liked but me!

Okay, after a some quick and dirty Photoshop experimentation, I think I have made a decision. How does this look (Binde material excised from Chris Burton's pic and Photoshopped into my pen as a test image):

In a word, amin...classy! Good for the long haul! You're gonna go nuts waiting for it. Chris only had a two week backlog when I got mine.

I'm sitting here thinking of more. It's an enhancement that seems to hold its value. Look at what the Paul Rossi custom pens go for years later.

Thanks Roger, I know I'm going to treasure this pen. I'm going to see if David Nishimura can send it directly to Chris.

Here is a rough Photoshop job of the other I am still considering. If anyone thinks this is a way better choice, please let me know!

*Edit - pics removed - please see comparison photo below*

*Edit - My wife likes the crimson much better than the Tiger, so I am now totally undecided between these two :doh:*

I like both of them as well, and I would have a hard time choosing between the two. I think, for my tastes (which matter less than zero), I like the tigre a little better and think it looks better with the black and gold of that vintage pen, especially with the amber ink window.

Just my .02

Dean

The tiger looks GREAT and as though it really belongs to the pen. Picks up both the black and gold.

The crimson looks alien -- like it definitely does NOT belong to the pen. The Crimson is a great color, but not for this pen, in my opinion anyway.

Petra

Caboose and petra, thank you for your helpful comments! I agree that the Tiger looks to be a much better fit. I am wondering though, if the crimson looks a bit more alien here because I photoshopped it poorly (light source, quality, etc).

Anyone know which Sheaffer pen the Tiger pattern was used in?

One more binde I was considering, the Amber Glow pattern. Again, this is a sub-par Photoshop job just to get a sense of the three bindes together.



*Added - a couple more possibilities based on suggestions I received at PT*:




**Edited again - I have decided to go with my first instinct, the Tiger Eye. Please no one talk me out of this .**

I LOVE the Tiger version. Very classy look.

Bob

Thanks Bob! I received the pen today. It's in great condition, and what a nib! Chris has confirmed that he is holding some of the tiger eye material for me. I'm going to send the pen off to him on Monday, and then it's going to be a long, long, long 10 weeks .

Amin, beautiful Pelikan 100N. I have two, and their nib is really especial. Are you sure that custom bindes can be installed in plain Pelikans? It was my understanding that only those with a celluloid sleeve were suitable for bindes.

Escribiente, I hope that's not true, but I don't know. Are you sure? I do love the pen as is, but was really looking forward to the custom binde. I'll have to make sure Chris knows what kind of pen I'm sending before I send it.

Amin, you and I have very similar tastes in pens, it seems. I too have had a 100N quite high up on my wants list, but sadly, I've somehow managed to resist the temptation for sometime.

I guess I'm the boring type who would actually keep this all-black pen as it is - this was in fact the finishI wanted. However, if I had no choice but to have it binde-d, out of your options, I would also go for the Tiger too.

A favour, Amin, please convince me that it's a (Potty Mouth) pen, so that I don't feel the urge to rush out and get one. :doh:


raf.

G, I've been resisting this purchase for some time now as well. In fact, I almost bought an Etruria on the Green Board instead of this pen. The major downside to me is that it definitely doesn't seem have the durability of, say, a "51" - the window can cloud, develop stress marks or cracks, piston get stuck, etc. What an amazing writing tool though! It holds a ton of ink, and the smooth wet nib has the perfect amount of flex for me. Small and light enough to be at home in any front shirt pocket, yet a very comfortable girth for my grip. Quite long and reasonably well-balanced posted, but I don't post it. Overall raf, I'd have to say it's a (Potty Mouth) pen .

I too can definitely appreciate the styling in black. If custom bindes were not available, I prefer the simple black to the most common type of green marble sleeves. Hopefully I'll be able to get a custom binde though. Still waiting to hear back from Chris as to whether these plain black models are eligible for his magic.

Amin, very very classy, I think nothing beats black for that understated classy elegance, real beauty

Enjoy

Daniel