Pelikan Souveran- Worst Pen Design Ever

[adamselene]

My only comment is that the op seems to be in a minority of one, and that support for his POV is, as far as I can see, nil.

 

Of course, that doesn't necessarily make him wrong, but....

 

I am definitely a minority when it comes to using fountain pens for the long-hours writing sessions. How many people here have written a novel with your M800? "none". let's take it down a notch, how many people here actually use the pen continuously for more than 30 minutes. The pen was not designed for high caliber work, which is why I find it to be disappointing. Before you can criticize my hands for being too sensitive, why don't you take out your M800 and see how long you can last writing before you have to put it down for another pen.

 

 

I received my second Pelikan, an M800 "mint" IB, about a week ago. It initially had a skipping problem, but even so, it was so smooth and comfortable a writer (for me) that it became the pen I used almost exclusively last week (of the 17 I had inked) (I chose MB BB for this, though the others are mainly filled with Noodlers Black lately, to cope with my tea dripping problem)

 

I write 10 hrs a day, 4 days a week, taking down psychotherapy process notes.. Day two I flushed with NH4 and H20, and solved the skipping problem. It is a little broad, and I am hoping that John Mottishaw will be kind enough to modify it at the LA pen show, which should improve my legibility.

 

Or else I could just learn to write bigger.

 

My first Pel, a Mottishawed Italic m400 that started as a BB, is a wonderful writer, but a little unsubstantial in my hand, and somehow this becomes tiring after a few hours. I think I start gripping it too tightly.

 

(BTW, even though I have been infatuated with my M800 for the last week, still my true love is my Churchill Classic Green with IF nib, lever filler, charged with MB BRG)

 

* * *

 

I had a second grade teacher who had us memorize a Latin motto: De gustibus non disputandum est .

 

Taste is subjective, and opinions about matters of taste are not classifiable as "right" or "wrong."

 

 

 

The OP's experience with this pen was markedly at odds with my own, to my good fortune and his frustration. I will accept his statement that he had no malevolent intentions of behaving like a Troll. I prefer to give him responsibility for knowing his own mind, and to acknowledge his frustration with a the M800, and that his intention was to express his frustration and share the experiences of his peers.

 

Unfortunately, I have had extensive experience on a Boards were there are active Trolls, and inactive moderators, and the result is a horrible (to me) climate, It occurs to me that if one were to want to play the part of the Troll on this Board, it would not be successful, as our community is so wonderfully humane and civil. I really appreciate every one here!

 

Cheers!

 

Adam

Edited February 5, 2012 by adamselene

[haziz]

No, never had a problem. My experience now covers Pelikans from the m150 (love it) to the M1000 (not so sure but getting used to it. I also have the m400 and m600.

[79spitfire]

Well.. At least they write!

 

Could be worse....

[Sidestreaker]

The only thing I hate about Pelikan pens are how they always distract me from my other precious collections.... annoying little pens they are, no matter how impressive other brands are, they seem to be able to find their way to my hands, somehow... trying really hard to push them away... it would be so much easier for other pen makers in this world to shine without them...

[captain1796]

I keep buying other brands, even a couple Nakayas. I can't get away from a Pelikan with a Mottishaw stub on it. They work so well they are kind of boring. I have a 400nn that has an ob on it that writes and works stupid well. I use a 605 everyday, and its perfect if not a little bland. I have a 710 Toledo that is beautiful, but I find a little heavy. They work, don't leak, hold a bunch of ink, etc.

[simar]

I actually do find the theads quite uncomfortable , but there are so many good features about these pens that I try to overlook this .

[whoelse]

I know this is an old thread but since I'm new to Pelikan, I want to resurrect it

 

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5599/img20111030171312.jpg

 

Using this picture as example from my observation.

 

1. In order to move the threads higher up from the grip section, the threads on the cap have to be lowered. If you look inside the Pelikan cap, the threads are quite deep into the cap. This is a good design because the threads are the main stress point when one capping the pen. When the cap is lower the stress is in the threads as well as the opening of the cap and potentially cracking issue. Commonly, manufacturer install metal cap band to help relieving the stress. However, there will still be stress especially in different weather condition, metal and plastic expand and contract in different rate. So potentially it will still be a problem especially when the plastic ages, it's more fragile.

 

2. By moving the threads deeper into the cap, the whole cap will absorb the stress so it's a engineering design and a good move while still have metal cap band relieving the opening of the cap.

 

3. Another solution is to install a metal cap ring with thread so now the threads is not part of the cap but a separate unit.

 

So what to do about it? Adjust the holding habit, grip the pen lighter or simply if it doesn't feel good it's a personal thing, change another pen. I have some pen that is beautiful to look at (to me) and write exceptionally well but some how when I hold it, it doesn't speak to me (a spiritual thing).

 

I love my M205, size and the way it writes. My hand is very small (7.5 inches middle finder to wrist joint), I was at a pen shop last Friday and I held a blue M400 I was in love. Although I have the M205 and have seen the M400 many times in the shop and felt nothing about it, the moment I hold it in my hand (the blue one), it connects to me, talking to me right there! The celluloid feels warm, very beautifully made and I gotta have one.

 

I am not keen in larger Souveran because of my small hand, even Parker 51 barrel is a bit far for me. The M400 is a nice size and I think I saw price tag $220. Is that a good price?

Edited December 8, 2013 by whoelse

[Gamma Goblin]

I have looked at the threads on my M600 under a loupe and found that they are in fact rounded and have no sharp edges. And because I was educated at school to use the light tripod grip I never get in their way.

So they are no big deal for me.

And where should they be if not in their current place? Right at the front end of the pen so one`s fingers slip upon them and ink gets caught in them when filling the pen? Or further up the barrel, making the whole pen design look imbalanced and ugly?

Pelikan has placed them where they are since they brought out their very first piston filler. They did that for a reason.

[pajaro]

Pelikans are so good they are boring. Well, I always can rely on mine to write and not skip. If they dry out they are easily restarted. There are other pens that are more exciting, because it's more challenging to keep them writing. That gets tedious. Some dry out and need a flush to restart. I leave a couple of Pelikans inked for months, and after long lack of use they write right off. Boring can be a good thing.

Edited December 8, 2013 by pajaro

[Nibwitz]

I thought very hard about it, but I must say if anything about Pelikan fountainpens can be said, it's that they're very well designed. I can see no design flaws. I can however sometimes see production faults. Pelikan's are among the best and most reliable pen design on this planet. They need however to think about what happened with good old German 'Gründlichkeit'. See also the thread about quality control.

But design-wise? Unbeatable.