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Pelikan M1000 - My First Review.


tawanda

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Hello to all

 

I am not known for writing reviews here, but someone very kindly loaned me a Pelikan M1000 in return for writng a review of it. A few days ago I received an e-mail reminding me that the 'rent' is overdue, so here goes. This will by no means be a technical review. I don't do technical, it will be merely based on my thoughts and obsevations. And I hope my 'landlord' will be satisfied with that! (Sorry, no pics as my camera died just an hour ago):

 

Design and Appearance (9/10)

 

Its a Pelikan Souveran, in green stripe, which we all know and love (well, the vast majority do). This is the largest model in the series . And I have to say its HUGE! I didn't expect it to be such a monster, having only ever handled a 400NN before. Its comparable in size to a MB 149. (I don't have a 149, but a mate visiting me two weeks ago did, and we compared them, if I remember correctly we decided it was slightly shorter, but slightly fatter. It may be the other way round, we sat in the garden, it was hot, there was food and drink involved, and many other pens to caress)!

 

It holds a gallon of ink, which for me, is a great bonus. Its a piston filler, my favourite type of filling system. Ticks all the boxes so far...

 

My only disappointment is the limited colour choice: Black or green stripe. Its the only Souervan, I believe, which is so limited in colour choice. I wonder if Pelikan don't expect the ladies to go for this one, so have kept it to what they feel is the more masculine colours. Shame, I would have loved to see it in red. That's why it lost a point.

 

Nib: 10/10

 

Once more, its a whopper; a real spade. But that's a good thing. One common complaint levied at Cross is that their chunky Apogee has the same delicate nib as the slim CII. It looks ridiculous. Not so with the M1000, the nib size is perfect. Its 18K two tone with its engraved pelikan logo in the centre, is very pleasing to the eye, and offsets the slightly 'bank manager austereness' of the Souveran design. (Those pinstripes remind me of the stripes in a traditional banker's suit. Was it intentional, do you think?)

 

Writing Experience 10/10

 

This was the fun part. Sitting in my hand, the pen was well balanced. (I didn't post it as its not mine. In any case I'm not a poster by nature). The most amusing bit of the whole experience is that this pen has an extra fine nib. Seeing a tiny, wet dribble of ink appear from such a colossal pen and nib, just made me giggle - several times, actually. The nib is 'soft' and so line variation is easily possible. I like the soft nibs that Pelikan do, It makes for a very responsive writing experience. But, for some folk, I can see why it might feel like the pen is a little out of control. Although its and extra fine, it lays down a wet line, which to my eye is more like a fine rather than x/f.

 

Overall 9/10:

I love this pen. I love the fact its so huge. I love the softness of the nib, and the resposiveness that engenders, it feels organic, somehow. Its not one for those with small hands, that's for sure. I'm fine with it becasue, using a manual wheelchair for the first 35 years of my life has given me strong, well developed hand and wrist muscles. But I'm sure a lot of women or men for that matter, with small hands, would struggle to tame the beast.

 

Were it mine, I would have had it with a medium oblique nib (I'm an italic nut), and ideally, in red stripe. That said, anyone with a yen for a truly big pen should stick this on their wishlist. Its a great fountain pen, built to last, and fun to use.

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Once more, its a whopper; a real spade. But that's a good thing. One common complaint levied at Cross is that their chunky Apogee has the same delicate nib as the slim CII. It looks ridiculous. Not so with the M1000, the nib size is perfect. Its 18K two tone with its engraved pelikan logo in the centre, is very pleasing to the eye, and offsets the slightly 'bank manager austereness' of the Souveran design. (Those pinstripes remind me of the stripes in a traditional banker's suit. Was it intentional, do you think?)

 

I read somewhere that the stripes were based on a famous, dandyish German politician's trousers. Pelikan experts will no doubt have the truth of it!

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png
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Yup,

 

The Man

 

 

 

 

The Suit

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-08487%2C_Berlin%2C_deutsch-litauische_Verhandlungen.jpg

 

 

 

Edited by JMX

Pelikan 140 OB

Pelikan M605 blue F

Pelikan M200 transparent (Demonstrator Japan) M

Pelikan Level 65 yellow M

Pelikan Level 65 red B  

Pelikan Go! black/magenta M

Pelikan Go! black/petrol M

Pelikan M70/Go! (C/C) magenta B

Pelikan Steno red (70s)

Lamy Safari charcoal 1.5 mm italic

Lamy Safari yellow EF

Lamy Vista Eyedropper 1.9 mm italic

Reform P 120

2x Reform 1745

 

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Recently, I bought one M1000 Green Striated M nib. It's hard to describe it, wonderful. It provides hours of writting pleasure to my everyday!

Edited by fabrimedeiros
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Thanks for adding pics for me. It provides a great writing experience, that's for sure.

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Thanks for adding pics for me. It provides a great writing experience, that's for sure.

 

 

You're welcome. I like 2nd picture, because it shows brass piston filler through the stripes. The smaller pen is my M800 blue striated.

 

Thanks for this nice review!

 

Best regards,

 

Fabricio in São Paulo

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I have a methodological question. You gave 9/10 for design, while the other categories are assessed 10/10.

 

So we have: 9+10+10= 29 which makes 29/3 = 9,66 average. Yet, you say that overall assessment is 9/10. Does that mean that you value the priority of design (compared to other categories that you mention in your review) much higher?

Edited by rx170
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I'm gonna piggyback on this review to add a dissenting voice. I bought a Pelikan M1000 based on some glowing reviews, and, of course, its exalted status as the flagship of the Souveran line. I was disappointed in it for a few reasons.

 

Now, I don't want to say it's a bad pen. It's well constructed and attractive. I just want to say it's not the pen for me, or people who have preferences similar to mine.

 

1) I bought an EF nib, and was shocked by how fat it was. I sent to pen off to Mr. Binder to get it modified, and it came back as an EEF Waverly. I still wasn't happy because...

2) It is a super wet pen. Wettest I've ever owned. I prefer a little drier pen anyway, but this was beyond normal wetness. I tried many different inks, and was unsatisfied with them all. I might try Iron Gall based on reports that they run particularly dry, but I'm still not hopeful I'll like it because...

3) The nib is too soft. I mean, I swear the weight of the pen alone causes it to flex. I don't mind a nib that can open up a little, like a titanium nib or Visconti's palladium nibs. But I want to have to intend to do it. Maybe this nib was designed to hover over the paper, and maybe I just have poor writing habits from a lifetime of ballpoint use. Whatever the reason, it wasn't working for me.

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Firstly, rx 170 - I did say it wasn't a technical review, and that included basic maths. If it makes you happier, I give it 39/40. I do think design (and choice) is important. I can no more use a pen I find displeasing to my eye, than I can one I don't enjoy writing with. The two go hand in hand, for me. Take the Lamy Safari, for example. I love the way that pen writes, and the amazing variety of nibs you can get for it, but I loathe the childish design (esp that ridiculous paper clip) and naff plastic materials. On the other hand, I really admire the Sailor 1911 styling (have a thing for cigar shaped fp's) but I just cannot abide Sailor's nail hard, unresponsive nibs. Neither pen stayed in my stable long. These are very personal and subjective observations, as are all pen reviews,I guess.

 

opus7600 - I agree with you about the softness of the nib. It is very soft indeed, and can feel like it has a will of its own. But I quite like the challenge. That said, its not the kind of pen you could rush off class notes with, its likely to rebel if you write very quickly. I also agree that the nib, for all its x/f size, is a real gusher. I think that is a characteristic of these Peikan nibs. I once had a medium M200 and had to change down a size because it was so free flowing. I tried the M1000 with Pelikan BB, the driest ink in my stock and usually one which slows down the hydrants, but it had little effect. I think that Pels of this size will just be wet writers, you either love or loathe 'em.

 

The great thing about that, though, is the pen needs absolutely no pressure to lay down a line, so if you can cope with the slight lack of control, it works fine. If your writing is not too neat or precise, though (to put it politely) I think this pen would make dog's dinner of your script. Its not one for the faint hearted - You have to show no fear!

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Yup,

 

The Man

 

 

 

 

The Suit

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-08487%2C_Berlin%2C_deutsch-litauische_Verhandlungen.jpg

 

fascinating! thx for the info/links!!

 

Tawanda: thanx for the nice review!

Edited by lovemy51
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Really appreciated this review and many of the observations of many of our forum members, partly because I am just beginning to understand flexible nibs and the different challenges that come with writing with them. It does appear that practice is needed, and I appreciated the observation that note taking with a flexible nib can difficult too. Perhaps these more expensive and more flexible pens and nibs are for slower, more enjoyable writing; that is, they were made to make the writing experience more conscious and more enjoyable. It is taking me time, however, to get to the more enjoyable part with a flexible nib.

 

All the best,

T

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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree completely. I use the more flexible nibs for writing letters and postcards to family and friends, and use the stiffer nibs for dashing off stuff quickly.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Fantastic review! It is definitely on my 'list'!

 

Thanks

Fountain pens aren't a collection, it's an insatiable obsession!

 

Shotokan Karate: Respect, Etiquette, Discipline, Perseverance

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Nice points of view. I'd pay real money (well maybe not retail) for a red one too.

 

Or an M1005, blue striped with Rhodium! That'd be gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

"We are all atheists about most of the gods humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." - Richard Dawkins

 

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

My only disappointment is the limited colour choice: Black or green stripe. Its the only Souervan, I believe, which is so limited in colour choice. I wonder if Pelikan don't expect the ladies to go for this one, so have kept it to what they feel is the more masculine colours. Shame, I would have loved to see it in red. That's why it lost a point.

 

Good review!

 

You are almost right in saying this big boy only came in two variants, but there is one other. Classic Pens managed to get permission to do one in sterling silver with the CP-6 Marguerite, and it is one of my favourite pens. Now very hard to find, because although 500 pens were made, no one seems to be selling theirs (wonder why) :puddle: I agree that a red would be wonderful.

 

Picture of the pair, based on the M1000 and M800:

 

http://classicpensinc.com/CP/CP6_800_18.jpg

 

BTW, although I like a very fine nib, I haven't had any problem using the factory F in this pen.

 

 

Bill Spohn

Vancouver BC

"Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence"

 

Robert Fripp

https://www.rhodoworld.com/fountain-pens.html

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  • 2 years later...

Thanks to all of you who posted here. The more I read about the M1000 the more I'm convinced that it is a sound investment.

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

Ik tik

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