Pelikan 400: What To Do?

[kircher]

Hello everybody! today, I've got my first Pelikan 400. It's a model from the 1950s with an OB nib. In principle I'm not to favourable to O nibs, but this pen was too beautiful. I'm now wondering what I should do first, because I almost don't there to touch it. Should I fill the reservoir with lukewarm water before using it? Thanks for your experienced suggestions!

[DrCodfish]

I assume it has been used, in which case, I'd rinse once w/water to see if it has any ink residue, and if the water comes out, and it's clean, and there are no leaks, .......... I'd fill it with my favorite ink and start in with it.

 

Congrats by the way, it appears you are starting out with a very nice pen.

[kircher]

the pen seems perfectly clean. it must have been flushed by the seller. there is something inside that looks like lubrifiant, though. and, yes, it's great (although with nibs that are as flexible as the old pelikans i think there is no need for an oblique nib).

[brewsky]

Are you looking to get rid of the nib?

[kircher]

not really would you exchange it with an F?

[JulioPB]

Just enjy it, ¡writing!

 

Julio MX

[Bo Bo Olson]

You will find that if you hold the nib canted (15 or 30 degrees matching the grind) as it should be; it has it's own stubbish line that is different than a normal nail stub.

A normal nail stub is max line variation all the time.

The OB in either semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex is max on demand.

 

You are lucky to have an OB....my first semi-flex was a Pelikan 140, not only that it was my first oblique in B.

 

OB has a big sweet spot...if you were to hold it non-canted, it would be a tad 'toothy'. When held canted, smooth, with great line variation. In that vintage Pelikan nibs are 1/2 a width narrower than modern, your OB is a writing nib like a modern Fat M. It is not a signature nib, like the modern OB...which has little line variation in it has too little flex.

OM or OF demands a finer hold on the smaller footprint....one must hold the pen more precise. It can not be written straight...it is scratchy then. They must be canted.

 

I have 26 semi-flex pens, 14 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

14 or so Obliques in a mix of both flexes. In @15&30 degree grinds I have OBB, OB, OM&OF. (pure luck)

Yep you need every one of them.

 

My Pelikan 140's OB&OF semi-flex are 15 degree grinds like my 400n's OF which is a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. My 500 (fancy rolled gold cap and piston capped 400 ('51-54) 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex OBB has an @ 30 degree grind.

I had not expected a 30 degree grind from Pelikan. That 500 is one hell of a signature nib.

 

Have as much fun as I did with my 140.

Do tell me if your 400 is semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. The original owner picked what flex he wanted at the corner pen shop. I have 400's in both.

 

To use an oblique, place the nib canted flat on the paper and regrip and write normal.

Some folks try to 'make' the nib do something, by twisting their fingers, hand, arm or hang on the chandeliers.

With normal writing you will get natural flare from the flex of the nib, and the obliqueness.

 

(**New thought....could be some folks had a nail stub before and are trying to max the line variation all the time instead of writing normal and letting the nib do what is natural to it.

It is not a stub nib.

It has because of it's flattish 'iridium' tipping some stubbish character to go with it's flex, then the oblique adds it's own style to it. )

Yep, in then 'iridium' was more expensive than gold, many of the German Companies like Soeneccken, MB, Pelikan, Kaweco and Geha and a few others did not use the American Bump under. The buyers liked the clear clean line such a tipping gave while having that stubbish flare.

 

After many long threads on folks having problems with their oblique with a tad of flex, I came up with a trick. If the grind is 15 degrees align the clip when posting the pen, so it is aligned on the right, in the middle between the slit and the edge of the nib.

If the grind is 30 degrees, align the clip at the right hand edge of the nib.

 

Then Richard said, some folks have problems with having the paper lay at 45 degrees, so use 90 or 180 if it still don't work as you wish. I have no problems with 45 degrees.**

 

I never had any problems at all, but condense a couple of years of threads of folks having problems with obliques with some flex. Many to most never had any problems. Some did, in they as I think wanted max line variation at all times like a stub, not willing to accept max on demand.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[kircher]

Thank you mr Olson for your suggestion. Actually I bougth an OM nib rather than an OB, i got confused while writing and it's quite broad indeed with respect to my other Pelikan OM nib. I am not really sure I've got your classification of flex semiflex and flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs

Edited November 8, 2014 by kircher

[Bo Bo Olson]

A true regular flex....not a modern semi-nail can be mashed so it writes 3X a light down stroke.

Semi-flex takes half that pressure.

'Flexi'/maxi-semi-flex half of that or needs only 1/4th the pressure of a well mashed regular flex to spread it's tines 3X.

All there are in the same tine spread set....3X a light down stroke.

 

Is it real soft springy++ then it's semi-flex.

If it's 'oh, is this a "Flex" nib, it's 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. It IS NOT a "Flex Nib".

It is a full flex sage under easy full flex/ the first stage of super flex.

Those are even easier and were not made in that era '50-65, out side the fabled Pelikan Steno nib....which spreads it's tines more than 3X.

It being a super flex nib like some of the '30's pens.

 

Of course you can spread the nibs more than 3X. It only costs $80 to get them repaired, and won't be quite as good as it once was.

Don't do it. 3 X is fine. And that need not be done all the time.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[PAKMAN]

I would flush it with cool water. Oblique nibs can be a lot of fun and produce a nice line variation if you can get used to writing with them.

[kircher]

Oh no, I won't spread more than 3x that often.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Good.

 

It's still very easy to have fun writing with them. You get that nice 'old fashioned' fountain pen flair with a touch of stubbieness with out forcing it, it comes natural.

 

I only have a 140 OF inked right now....trying to run pens out of ink, to use others. I usually have one or two obliques from that era inked.

 

Edited November 10, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson