Pelikan M800 Trivia Question

[Barkingpig]

 

Yes! That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, Barkingpig.

 

I've been playing around with the M800 tortoise this week and it is indeed quite the phenomenal writer. Much larger than I expected, but not heavy by my standards. The medium smooth writes smoother than any of my other pens (wow). Definitely not what I'm used to, but it's really growing on me! Who knew pens could get any smoother? There may not be a truly perfect pen out there, but at the least I'm happy to have this one in the family now.

 

 

 

It really is convenient to clean and maintenance. I can also see the M800 being too big for some people, but I suppose that's why Pelikan has the wide variety of sizes (for every and any hand!) I'm curious to try the M600 size now.

 

By chance where did you hear about the M600 Tortoise release? That would be irresistible.

AH,

 

You MAY indeed be bitten by the Pelikan probiscus if you are entertaining the "least" thought about trying the M600............I wanted & got my M800 Brown Tortoise & "COULD NOT UNDERSTAND why ANYONE would want the M600 White one. Could NOT understand it." For the LONGEEEEST time...........UNTIl I started "looking @ it AGAIN, & AGAIN, etc............I finally decided I could always POST the cap, & after all I had & liked the Kaweco Sports, HOW much difference could the 600 be?

 

I went to Regina Martini's auction, where you could STILL get a nice new OBB nib, albeit for a small "upcharge," even tho Chartpak had decreed Broads WERE as Broad as the US market could have. Lo & behold, it arrived & I do NOT see any real difference in size when I am USING it. Sure, if I place them side by side, BUT the smaller size has NEVER bothered me (it is LARGER than the Esterbrook J, my Aurora Africa & other pens I use & enjoy) BUT I swear if you LIKE the M800 Tortoise, then the WHITE tortoise will REALLY make a believer out of you! It is "just lighter, a bit greenish & really a show off against the white body."

 

I consider them my "winter & summer," tortoises.

[DrCodfish]

 

Yes! That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, Barkingpig.

 

I've been playing around with the M800 tortoise this week and it is indeed quite the phenomenal writer. Much larger than I expected, but not heavy by my standards. The medium smooth writes smoother than any of my other pens (wow). Definitely not what I'm used to, but it's really growing on me! Who knew pens could get any smoother? There may not be a truly perfect pen out there, but at the least I'm happy to have this one in the family now.

 

 

 

It really is convenient to clean and maintenance. I can also see the M800 being too big for some people, but I suppose that's why Pelikan has the wide variety of sizes (for every and any hand!) I'm curious to try the M600 size now.

 

By chance where did you hear about the M600 Tortoise release? That would be irresistible.

 

Ah, the oft dreamt of M600 Tortoise. People who know me know that the 600 is my sweet spot and I often carp that Pelikan does not produce enough options in the range. For me the most obvious, and glaring hole in the coverage is a Tortoise M600. So yeah, just a hope, a dream, a wish.

 

Perhaps we could set a time and date for a world wide chant for the release of a M600 Tortoise. Who's with me?

[BillH]

I will. But can we wait a bit please for my wallet to catch up? Between torts, oranges, and grey pinstripes the old leather folder is looking pretty puny. Never had that problem when Sheaffer school pens and Parker 45s were the passing fancies.

[Lam1]

Lam1, try to get a W.Germany 800. I had the pleasure of writing with one for a couple of days, and it has a very, very nice springy 'true' regular flex nib.

Some idiot in Germany wouldn't mail to Spain, so I trans-mailed.

Some day, and I don't see how...if my wallet is filled by my wandering money tree, it is the only 800 I'd buy.

Just for the nib.

I don't know when the 800 turned into a nail. I'd think it about the same time the nice regular flex M400....whose W.Germany nibs are rated better than the Germany @'90-97.

I'd let my arm get twisted for one of the '90's ones if only I could tell if it was a '90's with the as good as the M400 nib.

 

Penboard de.....might be a place where W. Germany 800 or '90's regular flex nibs could be had.

Those are the ones with the 14 k nibs, right?

They are very hard to come by and, when they do show up, they cost the big $$$. But I'll keep looking, sometimes one does get lucky!!

[Lam1]

Perhaps we could set a time and date for a world wide chant for the release of a M600 Tortoise. Who's with me?

 

Count me in Doc. I am completely unable to resist a torty, of any size, and M600 is a very nice size.

But my real dream is a M800 white tortoise. But hey, they listened to people asking for the a M405 Stresemann, maybe if we chant loud enough they will give us the M600 Brown Tortoise and the M800 White Tortoise!

 

I will. But can we wait a bit please for my wallet to catch up? Between torts, oranges, and grey pinstripes the old leather folder is looking pretty puny. Never had that problem when Sheaffer school pens and Parker 45s were the passing fancies.

Totally agree. My wallet is also beat up after 1 and a half year of collecting Pelikans, and I certainly could use a few months to recover.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Lam1

[Bo Bo Olson]

Yes, springy 14 K, and you are right they cost the big $$$ in they are rare 2 years or so of making only.....If only someone knew how to tell the difference between the '90's springy nib and when the nails started....in this case second class.... would do.

A passed Lady who had a very good selection of Pelikans, told me in I have a nice '90-96 Tortoise...the ring less M400 was made until 1997, not to 'waste' my money on a W. Germany 400, in I'd been spoiled by my semi&maxi-semi-flex 400's.

But Perhaps someone like Rick Propas or Ruttiginger would know when or how to tell a '90's 800 with a nice 'normal', Pelikan springy nib of that era.

I have a M400, two Celebries, 38x/39x and some 200's with good springy 'true' regular flex nibs.....

 

Perhaps some nail lover wants to get rid of the 'soft' nib of his 800????? Even Steven swap....?

 

Just think of how your liver will thank you....saving up all that money.

 

Penboard de....is not cheap....but would be cheaper if you got lucky with getting one of those nibs than having to buy the whole pen.

[cellardoor04]

Those are the ones with the 14 k nibs, right?

They are very hard to come by and, when they do show up, they cost the big $$$. But I'll keep looking, sometimes one does get lucky!!

 

 

Yes, springy 14 K, and you are right they cost the big $$$ in they are rare 2 years or so of making only.....If only someone knew how to tell the difference between the '90's springy nib and when the nails started....in this case second class.... would do.

 

 

I have in my collection a M800 14c B and a 14c O3B nib. The B is a little springy but not soft; the O3B on the other hand, is delightfully soft. It is like a paintbrush! I have no idea how to tell which nib would be softer than another (the B nib was on a first year pen, while I bought the O3B nib on its own and don't know which year it came from). Neither of them are Pf/En marked.

 

Here is a writing sample of the O3B:

 

http://i.imgur.com/I97VOvE.jpg

[MarkTrain]

Yes, springy 14 K, and you are right they cost the big $$$ in they are rare 2 years or so of making only.....If only someone knew how to tell the difference between the '90's springy nib and when the nails started....in this case second class.... would do.

The best is too look for first generation 14K/18K nibs, which were what I would call slightly flexible. First generation (1989 - ~1992) 18K M800 nibs are marked E|N on the lower right and have a crescent-shape dimple on the lower left. The 14K version does not have these marks, but was only produced in 1987/1988*.

While these nibs in a M800 make nice writers, I find I don't use them that much as I do find the M800 too big and not well balanced. My EDC is either one of my M200's fitted with a sem-vintage M250/M400 nib or one of my 400NN's.

 

*There were some medium 14K M800 nibs produced for a limited edition in the 90's.

Edited October 17, 2016 by MarkTrain

[Lam1]

 

Here is a writing sample of the O3B:

 

http://i.imgur.com/I97VOvE.jpg

 

Now, that is just mean!!

 

Congrats on the great pens. I'll keep looking around till I find one at the right moment (that is, when I still have some of the pen money).

[dunc3862]

I remember reading (or hearing?) somewhere that one prominent pen expert considered the Pelikan m800 to be the perfect fountain pen in terms of design, aesthetic, and writing ability. I haven't formed an opinion about that myself, but I'm wondering if anyone has an idea of who or where I might have heard that from. My hunch was that it was written in a book about fountain pens, though I'm not entirely sure. It's been on my mind for a few days now, so I'm eager to receive help in finding the answer!

 

Some of this trivia hunt is probably just me excited for my new M800 in brown tortoise to arrive in the mail, but oh well.

 

Whoever said the M800 is the perfect fountain pen was spot on imho.

[Freddy]

 

Whoever said the M800 is the perfect fountain pen was spot on imho.

 

Re source "the perfect pen"

See citation below

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/313951-pelikan-m800-trivia-question/?p=3712063

 

Still your friend and mine

 

Fred

 

who never met a pen he didn't like

[Calabria]

I think Rick Propas has said that his first M800 turned him into the PENguin ...

[Quadratus]

Just saw this thread, a little late... But could not resist adding my own contribution.

I agree with Peter Twyddle’s opinion that the Pelikan 800 is an incomparably good pen. In fact it was his book that started me off, and I bought the Blue striated 800 many years ago.

 

A decade later, I own over a dozen 800s (!) and always carry at least one if not two 800s. They combine very solid design, brilliant nibs and huge ink capacity. My only criticism is that the nib sizes can be misleading, often a medium turns out to be a broad.

 

Another complaint is that Pelikan does not seem to listen to the clamour of fans, shouting from the rooftops that they would want a Tortoise 600 or an 800 vibrant red- whatever. Instead, they tease us and entice us with annual limited editions... Good marketing but...

 

But one should not forgo the pleasure of having some of the wonderful Japanese pens, particularly Sailors.

[Bo Bo Olson]

When the M400 got rings, it and the 600 became semi-nail and 1/2 a width wider due to a double kugal/ball fatter tipped nib, so those who refuse to learn how to hold a fountain pen, continue to hold it before the big knuckle like a ball point could write with them too.

 

I have Kugal fountain pens from the '50-60's that have the Kugal/ball on top of the nib....like the modern 400/600/800 (my 1005 has had that ground off.) But the bottom of those nibs were flat, stubs. That way one could write low and stubbed or high as one wished. They were of course semi-flex so that does make a difference to the pattern wanted.

 

Once and I have an old chart, the 800 had it's very own nib width size, narrower than the 'pre 98 400. In between Pelikan 400 and the narrower Waterman. It was after that that the 800 went nail............I've not read anywhere that the 800 is thinner than the 400/600 now.

So I guess the modern 800 is @ the same width as the 400/600.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson