The Confusion on Pelikan M Series

[pathologyliu]

I 'm longing for a German pen, to suit my Leica microscope. In fact ,I'm saving money for a Pelikan M150~250 now .I get to know that M150~250 has a "built -in piston" and couln't use cartridge.But Pelikan converters are sold as well,whether they're prepared for other Pelikans except for M Series and Level 5?

Any suggestion for a guy chasing Pelikan?

I will contiue my graduate study in China International Neurology Institute,which cooperates with the INI(International Neurology Institute)located in Hannover ,Germany(the" nest" of Pelikan)

PS :I always grade the German FP as following:

Mont Blanc=Mercedes-Benz

Pelikan=BMW

Lamy=Audi

Rotring=Volkswagen

Do you agree with me ?

Take care!

[Leslie J.]

I don't know about your grading system. I have a VW and love it to death, so I'd put it higher on the list. And since it's my opinion, I'd put Pelikan at the top, not MB. But to each his own.

 

Pelikan makes converters for some of the lower level series. The Future takes a converter as well as the others you mentioned.

 

You probably would be best off starting with an M200 and above, since the 200-400-600 series nibs are interchangeable among those series of pens, and they do have integrated piston fillers. Great system really.

 

The integrated piston filling system is smooth and reliable, and holds a good deal of ink. I think KCat measured it at 1.3ml, but I could be wrong. The converters are rather cheap IMO, and naturally they don't hold as much ink as an integrated filling system. Good luck!

[KCat]

of course, being a Pelikan nut and particularly enamored with the 200s, I'd say it's the best choice as long as you don't have to have a large pen.

 

i would equate the Rotring with the VW - but only in the sense that these are reliable pens with great nibs even if they can be ugly at times. Some are too heavy for me.

[southpaw]

Go for the M200, without a doubt. As for the rating system, IMHO, I would do it quite differently. At least here in the US, recently produced Mercedes and BMWs have had serious quality control problems, with reliability being worse than many Chevys, Dodges, and Fords. Perhaps the Pelikan, although German, is better compared to a Lexus (Japanese), which is one of the most reliable on the market (don't have one). Just my $0.01.

[inkyfingers]

I certainly wish the lower-scale Souveran piston assemblies were more easily disassembled for servicing.

 

I work on my own car, and on my motorcycles (and my wife's too). I would prefer to be able to service my favorite pens too. I can't imagine that such an instrument (like the M200/400/600) will last long enough without needing (costly) service. If they do last, I'll be happy!

[Leslie J.]

I certainly wish the lower-scale Souveran piston assemblies were more easily disassembled for servicing.

 

I work on my own car, and on my motorcycles (and my wife's too). I would prefer to be able to service my favorite pens too. I can't imagine that such an instrument (like the M200/400/600) will last long enough without needing (costly) service. If they do last, I'll be happy!

None of my Pelikans has ever need servicing, except maybe a dab of silicone grease for a sticky piston. But that's something anyone can do themselves. I think in general they're very reliable and durable. Same goes for vintage Pelikans.

[Titivillus]

of course, being a Pelikan nut and particularly enamored with the 200s, I'd say it's the best choice as long as you don't have to have a large pen.

 

i would equate the Rotring with the VW - but only in the sense that these are reliable pens with great nibs even if they can be ugly at times. Some are too heavy for me.

Let's not forget that the VW was designed by Herr Porsche! Maybe Lamy might be a better comparison. As they are reliable and also have the sense that they've been designed.

 

 

Kurt H

[pathologyliu]

I made a mistake,that without putting the grading standard together with the result.The main factor I concerned are their prices and styles,definitly not their qualities.

But as Southpaw said Mercedes' quality is dropping down in US .I hear the same thing is happening on Mont Blanc.

Audi is the most successful foreign car in China.It may sounds very strange to westerners.Most officials choose them .Of course,Benz and BMW are chosen by fat cats here ,many of them even just graduated from elementary schools. But there's an old Chinese saying ,"No matter a white cat or a black cat,the one can catch a rat is the best."

The main problem of China is the extending gap between rich and poor.

[pathologyliu]

Whether M200 is sold with their metal box in States?Any details about the classical pencil-box? Aluminum ot Steel?

PS:The most ironic old Chinese saying I know is "You could look down upon a begger ,but never laugh at a prostitute. "

[ednerdtheonly]

First off, Liu, it's good to have you on the boards. I don't know anything about the packaging for the Pelikan M200, but I'd like to add that the pen truly is great. I'd suggest it over the M150 (too small for many, not much cheaper than the M200), the M250 (at the price of one, you could almost buy a far more beautiful M400).

 

As far as I know, any pen from the M series uses piston filling, the "Level" series uses it's own unique filling system with it's own body, and all other models use cartridges or converters.

 

By the way, I agree completely with the car brands that you compared each of the pen manufacturers to, especially the audi-lamy connection.

 

I'm always interested in issues facing China. How would you describe how China has changed in the last ten years?

 

Your english is great, hope to see you later.

 

Edward T.

[pathologyliu]

China's GDP has kept on growing at 8% per year in the last decade.Our life is much better than ever.The situation now exsiting in North Korea is what my parents had experienced in their childhood.(about 1960s) We're a lucky generation.We don't know what is starvation,but my parents do.

Of course,development also brings new problems:1.The eastern China is very prosperous ,people rush into there.The western part although is very vast and never lack of natural resourses, seldom attracts college students,even those who come from western provinces.2.People who are extremely rich can't monitor themselves properly.The so called privileged -class is forming. But it's not surprising when you get to know China had a feudatorial history for over 2,000years,until 1911.

Luckily,the new generation of Chinese leaders are very practical and solving the problems I mentioned.So I think they 're the right men .

Regards!

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

My M200 came with the Pelikan G5 presentation case. www.pelikan.de

 

Dillon