How Long Do Pelikans Last?

[inkstainedruth]

They would probably last longer if locked up in a display case, unlinked, with the occasional caress and murmer of "my precious..."

But what's the fun in that?

My oldest bird is a 50s era 400. Great condition. The OB nib is fun to write with. The newest (both in manufacture and acquisition) is the M200 Café Crème, which arrived in the mail on Saturday, and got inked up for the first time on Tuesday.

Yes, I know. But I was out of town over the weekend, so it didn't get opened and flushed out till Monday....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Dickkooty2]

While I don't collect Pels beyond the 400/500 vintage because I don't like the bigger size, my small grouping runs back to 1932 and I find that I can use them all! ... 100s, Rappen, Ibis, 120s, 140s, 150, 200, 250s, 320. vintage Pelikanos, 400s, and a lone 500/450 set. I can also use the grouping of 30s-60s German classics that were pens of the people. I am trying to build a nice representation of the more popular brands ERO, Matador, Senator, Metropol, Geha, off the top of my head without looking.

 

Ignore my dislike of the pen as a piece of art (I like a pen for sheer design and functionality rather than applied art) or, Gott bewahre, the pen as a piece of personal jewelry. Pelikans are here to stay! I have already filled my daughter-in-law (whose father was a pen collector) in on what I have.

 

That Dick in Hood River

[caoquocdat]

i intend to buy an m400, i love pelikan, i think everything is so perfect except the piston can't be disassembled, so i want to know can i keep it smooth for a long time if it have a well-care.

[SujiCorp12345]

i intend to buy an m400, i love pelikan, i think everything is so perfect except the piston can't be disassembled, so i want to know can i keep it smooth for a long time if it have a well-care.

Using a Q-tip and some silicon grease, you can easily keep the piston running smoothly.

[vans4444]

I have a WW2 era Pelikan 100 that was bought off eBay from a non pen collector. I expected to have to send it away to be repaired, but it worked perfectly. So that is 70 or 75 years

[Ron Z]

Most of the modern pens are some kind of acrylic. Vintage are celluloid. Don't ask me when the transition was or what was in between.

 

The most common failures that I have seen are wear to the piston seal, damage from being dropped, and damage from not cleaning the pen before storing so dried ink gumming things up.. Bent nibs, broken off sections being the typical result of being dropped.

 

The wear to the piston is cork seal failing with age, and scoring of the piston seal or barrel wall. A little (and I do mean little) silicone grease on the inside of the barrel when the action gets stiff will help to prevent the wear. It also helps to prevent things like the grip knob from coming off, and damage to the piston mechanism.

 

Use a little grease on a cotton swab, not a toothpick. If you can see it, you likely have too much. Remove the nib, wipe it around the inside of the barrel, and then work the piston up and down a couple of times.

[Christopher Godfrey]

My two 100Ns are now perhaps closer to eighty years old than seventy (well, close enough) and they are both still used daily! Long may they continue to give sterling service, for I love them!

 

<...I have already filled my daughter-in-law...>: until I read the following completion of the sentence, Dick, I began to wonder if she is a piston-filler or whether she is one of these modern cartridge jobs? ;^)

 

Nimmireth, if you buy one or two <old> Pelikans, just think what ancient pens you'll <then> have to leave your grandchildren! (Do you fancy a sweet little Ibis with flexible nib, by any chance? Shameless plug!)

Edited May 4, 2015 by Christopher Godfrey

[Matlock]

I use a 1937 100 fitted with a heart nib (I replaced the original nib as the collar was broken). The nib being about six years older than the pen I suppose makes it a frankenpen, but it still performs extremly well for it's age.

[vans4444]

Perhaps off topic, but perhaps it is worth adding, that I have an eyedropper Waterman's that is over 100 years old and it is still a very good pen for everyday use. Apart from the nib on paper, it has no moving parts.

[mirosc]

How long do Pelikans last?

With me: vintage ones last a lifetime, modern Pelikans haven't made it beyond three years before we separated - despite several attempts they don't seem to be able to satisfy me.

[tacitus]

I have the first year fountain pen (1929) and 100s in 1930's, and 100 demonstrator (1935).

Time has proved that if well kept (or unused), gold, ebonite, bakelite, celluloid, and cork(!) last for more than 80 years.

But modern pens, especially M200s use different materials (steel nib, resin etc.) and adhesive. Considering that newer materials are not necessary more durable than older one (cf. Lascaux), further observation is needed to answer this question.

[ink-syringe]

I have had a small army of 400/n/nns

 

I was surprised how many of them had hairline cracks in the sections and were slowly leaking and messy.

 

Maybe I just have bad luck but more that 50% of the 50s 400s were cracked and leaky. I think the sections get brittle and especially for flex pens the stress makes them crack and the cracks slowly creep over time.

 

Not a pro. Not a restorer or even a real Pelikan person and sample size is small (8-10) but in my experience there is a 50% chance you are going to get a pen with a leaky section if you buy a used 400nn. Bought 2 from folks known on here who swore up and down that they tested the pens and they didn't leak. Both showed up and were inky. A looksee with a loupe made clear small cracks at the lip of the section. Once that happens, it is all downhill. The cracks will go down the sections all the way to the binde.

 

YMMV. In fact I anticipate that most will think I am exaggerating and will counter with their own empirical experience that trumps mine. But that is my experience. My advice to anyone buying a vintage Pelikan is to make sure you have a loupe and make sure you buy from someone who will back what they sell. Get a good one that does not have a leaky section. Be sure not to drop it or bang it as it is very easy to chip or crack the lip of the section. The pen will probably last as long as the section does.

[Matlock]

That's interesting, ink-syringe, I looked at my 2 400s and my 400nn and no sign of any problems. As you say some may think that you are exaggerating etc. but unless we hear of problems we cannot judge. Perhaps someone else can give examples of such cracking? Just to comment further, one of my 400s has had very little use and so is not a good example but the other one has been misused, if anything, and still no signs.

[caoquocdat]

Anyone has had any problems with the piston m200 yet ? I'm quite hesitate to own one because it can't be disassembled. i have pilot custom 92, the piston is really good but i don't like its design so much, i think pelikan's design is better for me

[Christopher Godfrey]

Neither of my 400NNs leak at all -- nor my slightly-older 400. Sorry to read of ink-syringe's problems...

[Matlock]

Anyone has had any problems with the piston m200 yet ? I'm quite hesitate to own one because it can't be disassembled. i have pilot custom 92, the piston is really good but i don't like its design so much, i think pelikan's design is better for me

I haven't heard of any M200 piston problems. Seem to be nearly bullet proof.

[vans4444]

Neither of my 400NNs leak at all -- nor my slightly-older 400. Sorry to read of ink-syringe's problems...

Same, no problems with any of my 400s

[tinta]

In my experience, a 400NN lasted 43 years of daily use & (now that I think of it ) some abuse.

After this length of time this Pelikan did not owe me a thing.

My pen is now gone but somewhere that fabulous 14K OBB nib probably still lives on.

I've yet to find a current nib (of any make) that matches it.

Edited May 5, 2015 by tinta

[vans4444]

In my experience, a 400NN lasted 43 years of daily use & (now that I think of it ) some abuse.

After this length of time this Pelikan did not owe me a thing.

My pen is now gone but somewhere that fabulous 14K OBB nib probably still lives on.

I've yet to find a current nib (of any make) that matches it.

I agree. I much prefer the nibs in my vintage Pelicans to the ones in my modern Pelicans. Even the steel WW2 era nibs.

[sargetalon]

No issues with the M2xx seals that I'm aware of. I own 54 pens in that line and they have all proven durable. Also for what it's worth, my 400, 400N, and 2 400NN's have not had any issues with the sections or ink leakage. Now hairlines in the caps is a different story.