Another Pilot Custom 823 Review!

[ImThatGuy]

Can anyone compare the pilot 823 with the Pelikan M 600 or for that matter the M400 and m200? I’ve been thinking about getting a Pelikan pen and I really don’t know which to buy. I don’t have a lot of money to work with but I wanted just one either the top-of-the-line or near there. I have Pilot 74,91 and 92 and a few Deltas. But I’ve never spent more than $130 for a pen. Spending 200+ dollars just seems so excessive to me. Would anyone give me some advice and a evaluation of the Pelikans and the Pilot 823?

 

I have 2 823s (Fine and Medium) and Pelikan 215 (Medium). I don't have them in front of me so I can't give dimensions/weighst (but I imagine that info is available pretty widely). I'll talk about usage and feel.

 

The Pilot is longer and heavier than the PeliKan. The difference is quite pronounced. The PeliKan feels like a note-taker - small, light, easy to carry, nice to handle. I haven't tried very lengthy sessions with it, but it feels to me as if I'd start to cramp after a while, because it's so small and light. I'll happily accept that it's my writing style rather than a fault in the pen, but I feel as if I have to grip relatively tightly.

 

The 823 is more substantial and feels like a pen you can write with for a long while. There's a substantial difference in feel between the F and the M - the M is a lot smoother - just glides over the paper. The extra weight makes it easier for me to control with limited effort.

 

If I absolutely had to keep only one, it would be the 823 medium. If I had to get rid of one, it would be the 823 fine - only because the 823 and the Pelikan are a very nicely balanced pair. The small size of the Pelican makes it a good choice for an everyday carry.

[ImThatGuy]

My "close personal" friend Neil Gaiman suggested I should get a Custom 823. He used one to sign copies of his book "The Ocean at the End Of Ocean Lane." I did and most of a serial novel with this pen. 35,000 words.

 

But I think he uses a Lamy 2000 to do the actual writing? 823 for signing?

[hari317]

...or perhaps I misunderstood and you were just interested in his tip and not a comparison.

I was only interested to learn if his nib tip had worn out a little bit after all that writing.

[minddance]

Interesting why the review or anyone here who owns this pen does not mention anything about cleaning the pen.

 

This is a difficult pen to clean thoroughly, even with an ultrasonic cleaner. For people who enjoy using the same ink and keep refilling with the same ink, then this might be less of an issue. But for people who want to change ink after every fill or two, then this is a problem.

 

For people who have this pen, you will realise that after flushing and everything, you might still get residue from the previous ink.

[displacermoose]

Interesting why the review or anyone here who owns this pen does not mention anything about cleaning the pen.

 

This is a difficult pen to clean thoroughly, even with an ultrasonic cleaner. For people who enjoy using the same ink and keep refilling with the same ink, then this might be less of an issue. But for people who want to change ink after every fill or two, then this is a problem.

 

For people who have this pen, you will realise that after flushing and everything, you might still get residue from the previous ink.

 

Perhaps, but not so much if you're patient. If I'm worried about the next ink (I don't think I've ever filled the same pen with the same ink twice in a row) I get it mostly flushed then fill it with water and let it soak for an hour or so then flush a few times. With the vast majority of inks drop or two left over from the previous fill isn't going to be an issue. The ones that might cause trouble from so small a concentration of foreign ink are also going to be the kind of inks that you won't want to put in a demonstrator anyway because they stain.

[DipIt]

I cannot add a lot to the above. I find my 823 (Waverly nib) is slightly larger than my pelican 605 (fine). I need to post the 605 to feel comfortable. The 823 isn't ungainly by any stretch, just a useful increase in size. I have not had any trouble cleaning the 823 but I do fill it with water overnight before the switchover. I cannot compare the nibs as they are too different in design. Both pens are among my most reliable and seem to start instantly after periods of disuse.