Justification For M800

[herberteuler]

Sorry I didn't read your post carefully.

The normal price for my old M800s with 18c nibs is around $350 though.

[MarkTrain]

Pricing for M800's can vary quite a bit. The list price for a M800 is $715. Most dealers discount around %20 ($570) and a few discount up to %40 ($435), so $375 is pretty good, especially, one considers that this has one of the early 18K nibs, which were much nicer than what is produced today (as Bo Bo will confirm.) I have an old-style Blue-striped M800 with one of those early "E|N" marked EF nibs and it is flawless. You can buy a tortoise M800 (with one of the newer less desirable 18K nibs), but that will cost you $500+ from a dealer. I bought my tortoise M800 sans nib and put in a lovely vintage 14K OM nib that I purchased some time ago when they were not so hard to get. Of course you can get cheaper if you buy from EBAY (and are lucky) or buy used.

[herberteuler]

Pricing for M800's can vary quite a bit. The list price for a M800 is $715. Most dealers discount around %20 ($570) and a few discount up to %40 ($435), so $375 is pretty good, especially, one considers that this has one of the early 18K nibs, which were much nicer than what is produced today (as Bo Bo will confirm.) I have an old-style Blue-striped M800 with one of those early "E|N" marked EF nibs and it is flawless. You can buy a tortoise M800 (with one of the newer less desirable 18K nibs), but that will cost you $500+ from a dealer. I bought my tortoise M800 sans nib and put in a lovely vintage 14K OM nib that I purchased some time ago when they were not so hard to get. Of course you can get cheaper if you buy from EBAY (and are lucky) or buy used.

 

Hello, is 14c OM suitable for flex writing, or is it suitable for normal writing but with line variations?

Thanks.

[MarkTrain]

 

Hello, is 14c OM suitable for flex writing, or is it suitable for normal writing but with line variations?

Thanks.

Would hestitate to call this a flex nib. More semi-flexible or what some might say soft.

[fljones3]

$375 for a new-old-stock older M800 sounds okay to me. i can't see how 18c would be worse than 14c.

 

I agree. Anything lower than that sweetens the deal. Offer $350 or $325 but if the pen writes well I would be prepared for $375.

Edited April 6, 2014 by fljones3

[Bo Bo Olson]

14 C is a nib with more spring than a 18K.

It is not a pen to get '50's line variation out of, but a real nice ride.

 

First you have to learn the trick of placing a nib on your thumb nail and pressing to see what flex it has. Experience is the teacher.

A nail is hard to make the tines spread.

Then there is modern Pelikan semi-nail....the '90's real true regular flex...also the nice 120's from the '50's or the modern 200's nibs.

Once you can do that....semi-flex (which this nib will not be) is On first press.

In this case a 14 C nib is better than an 18C/K pen IMO, but I chase nibs with spring or some flex....I got a Townsend nail, and a Persona one (now CI....something real good to do with a nail...or make it a stub).....don't need another.

 

It could be that pen was made for the French market where it has to be 18K/C or 750 to be gold, or someone got caught up in the more gold the more bling....who didn't do much writing, with out bragging.

Or some one swapped out the good nib for his new tortoise 800 and put the poor modern 800 nib on that W. Germany pen body.

[AustinMalone1999]

Wow! This thread reminds me of how many price increases Pelikan has underwent.