Pelikan 140 Black Vs. Green - Rarity, Differences And History

[kapilapshankar]

I have been browsing some options for a Pelikan 140. Green ones outnumber Black significantly. Are there specific reasons?

 

Is the black "rarer" than green?

 

Any difference in the material?

 

Any specific history?

 

Which color would you recommend? I really like the green ones, but don't want to foreclose on black if they are more precious.

Cheers!

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a black and a green one, the 140 comes in other colors also.

Black is rarer than green, no difference. 140's are 'all***' semi-flex.The '50-65 400, 400n, 400nn, & and 500 can have either semi-flex or maxi-semi-flex. Those will be a gamble if they are semi or maxi.

 

To get the line variation that a vintage '50-65 nib can give you is due to it being a stub to go with the semi or maxi-semi-flex of the nib.

 

In there are so many black and gold 140's if you want a rarer one, look for other colors....it might take a while.....but think of all the fun you will have in the meanwhile. There are ever so many black and gold pens.... 3/5ths of all my German pens are black and gold. I said years ago, no more black and gold pens....and still it seems....might not be but seems even though I said I'd buy no more black and gold....ended up with black and gold pens. So buy a green one....or one of the rarer other color 140's.

 

*** of course the 140 also comes in the rarer H...hart...hard, and D nibs. The D is the Nail's nail. Something you can use climbing cliffs or poking into tanks.

 

If you have not had a semi-flex, you 'need' one. I do suggest the 140, in it is semi-flex....later 400, 400n or 400nn could be ordered from someone who knows the difference in maxi-semi-flex. The 140 posts exactly as long as a 400/400n. The 400nn is the same width but a medium-long pen like the modern 600. It took me some two or more years to finally decide the 400nn was a tad better in balance.

 

I do suggest a 140 if possible, in OB, in you get the stubbish '50-65 nib, with the oblique grind.

In the semi-vintage and vintage nibs are 1/2 a width narrower than modern, an OB is a writing nib...more towards a modern M....could be a fat M....or perhaps a 200's B.

The OB is an easy nib to get use to oblique; in it's sweet spot is larger. I recommend that before going OM or OF, which need a more precise nib to paper placement.

To get use to placing the nib to paper, if the nib has @ 15 degree grind, aim the clip half way between the slit and the right hand edge.

If @ 30 degree grind, aim the posted clip at the right hand edge of the nib. Grip the pen in the air, so the clip aims and just write.

You don't have to do anything fancy with the hand, arm or hang from the chandelier. Then just write.

Some folks think they have to make the nib 'do something', causing problems, when the nib does it all.

 

Do not waste money buying the semi-vintage '82-97 'true regular flex' M400/200** they do not work as a line variation to my disappointment. Because some German idiots refuse to ship to England, I have trans-mailed nibs to a pal....and the 'true' regular flex 200's OM , and the perhaps better...(the gold 'true' regular flex) W. Germany OM that I have did not have any line variation unless you are Conan the Barbarian.

 

I'd the slightest hope that the W. Germany nib might have a bit more....but compared to the semi&maxi. Nothing to waste money on.

Unless you are left eye dominate and always cant your nib, I do not recommend semi-vintage or even less the stiffer semi-nail of the modern. Vintage German semi or maxi-semi-flex is the only way to go with oblique....if you want line variation.

 

It is a different pattern of a nail, or semi-nail stub or CI.

 

** Both have the American Bump Under tipping.

the same as the modern post '97 fat and blobby nibs.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson

[mana]

I have a minty black 140 that is one of my all time favorite pens, despite being a smaller pen it just works a treat as a package. And that nib... dreamy, smooth, flexy F > B that has just the right amount of feedback and springiness. Tactility and fun wise it is up there with the best juicy stubby Parker 51's and the best of the 100N I have (flexy EF / F / M / B / BB+). It is way classier than the green or the green striped ones (have had a few 120 which is the same pen but with a steel nib).

 

Anyway, yeah, it is just lovely to write with and yeah, of course it was a complete steal (paid 20€ for it at a local fleamarket). In hindsight, I should have picked the rest of them (2 x black 120 and one more black 140 in somewhat poorer shape).

[Bo Bo Olson]

With hindsight, we'd all be telling Bill Gates what time he has to be at work.

[The Good Captain]

My black 140 has a wonderful KF nib. A real treat.

[bluemagic]

My black 140 has a wonderful KF nib. A real treat.

 

Could you pls explain a little bit about KF? What does the K mean?

[sargetalon]

KF = Kugel Fine. It's a ball tipped nib meaning that it's more forgiving to varying angles of writing.

[Olya]

KF nibs, or ball nibs, are commonplace today. The old way of doing nibs is the way they are still done on the Lamy 2000, it is a bit stub-like, hence the famous "sweet spot". Literally all other nib manufacturers have adopted doing the KF nib. Only Sailor nibs have also a sweet spot, they are a bit like a hoof though..