Pelikan M800 Used Price

[Antonio90]

First of all, sorry if this is not the right forum for what I'm going to ask.

I know most of you are probably Pelikan lovers, and I can understand why, but I'm seriously thinking of selling my M800. it's been with me just a bit longer than 6 months, and I just cannot find use for it's F nib. It's too broad and wet for my writing style and I find myself always taking my pilot CH92 and Justus 95 with fine nibs.

Also, for the filling system and size, there's a Conid bulkfiller regular arriving home in some weeks with extra fine nibs and it will probably lower the use I give to my M800.

Right now I cannot post photos of the pen, maybe later today, is the all black and gold one it has some tiny microscratches in the body (very few) and only visible with a loupe, and also on the cap band. It has been very lightly used and, of course, everything works perfectly.

What prize would you say it's fair? I'm likely listing it in Ebay and would like to put a fair price on it.

If I cannot sell it for a decent price, is a "swap" for a Pro Gear new or used Pro Gear realo a good deal?

Any insight in the matter, whatever its nature, will be appreciated.

 

Another option I'm thinking about is sending it to Pablo from FPnibs to grind it way finer, or a bit cursive-y.

 

EDIT: a comma and two words I forgot to write.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Antonio90

[Fermata]

I would go for the regrind from Pablo, it can then be tuned just for you.

 

If you are thinking of selling my brother bought a black 800 for 170 euros, he thought that was a fair price, no box but in very good condition.

 

Not sure that I would sell a Pelikan right now, within a year I think that the new price will be much above inflation which will push up second hand prices.

[Antonio90]

Thanks for your answer! Yeah, I'm thinking I will likely regret selling it not long from now. I'll probably send it to Pablo; the pen is lovely in the hand, I just can't like the way it writes at all.

Also, the fact that sailor nibs are compatible with the bock #6 feed in the conids (at least that's what I've seen around) made them even prettier to my eye right now.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pablo has a good name...you like the size of the 800.

 

Of course you could learn to write wider....but the miss marked nib will always bother you....in you started out in Japanese nibbed pens....there for all western pens will always be too fat for you.

By being stubborn, you will never have any fun with a wide nib.

 

I can write tiny if I put my mind to it.....but have enough paper I don't need too......besides which, I like shading inks, which start shading at F and M, and not at EF and especially Japanese EF.

So you condemn your self to vivid supersaturated inks. I believe sheen starts with wider nibs also.

 

Take 2 sheets of paper, fold in half....write front and back....write as wide as possible on the first quarter, slightly smaller on the next quarter, and so on down to the last quarter where you have your tiny 'normal' script.

There are free templates that allow you to make wider than collage lines, so a wider than skinny nib won't be crowded by the narrow line. ....help you learn to write wider.

 

An 800, 400/600 are fat and blobby double ball nibs, made for Ball Point Barbarians who hold their pens like ball points so a fat tip and a stiffer nib is needed.

I once got to play with a W.Germany 800....with that fabled springy regular flex nib....it was also much thinner than modern. It had it's very own nib size, narrower than the then narrow 400. I do have such nibs....to bad they won't fit the 800....and they are regular flex, not a nail.

 

In fact I have a chart, showing before Japanese pens became mainline, Parker, Sheaffer being fatter than the normal 400..........the 800 had it's very own width half way between Pelikan and the skinny Waterman (Considered Fat by miss marked Japanese pen users, today).

 

As much as I don't like the clunky 800, I would consider a W. Germany one. Now that had been a nib.......

My advice sell the used gold nib nail, ..Japanese F in what is actually a true EF nib.....and you are right a modern 800 is a fat F...even in western now....once...well once it was something worth having. After '97 all the Pelikans got fat and blobby but the 200.

 

You could get a once narrow W. Germany 800 nib in a narrow F, make near western EF or close to Japanese F(EF). But not cheap....see Penboard de...ask in they may have that in the back room and not displayed for sale.

 

Humm go to Pablo....that W. Germany 800 would be that fabled slightly more springy regular flex nib....which for a nail user would write wide for some 3 months or so until you lighten your Hand.

 

In Spain there is good paper, have you ever thought of using the ink the nib was made for??? Pelikan ink. Better paper and a dryer ink will make a pen write 1 size narrower.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[PAKMAN]

I had a M800 fine that was too wet and wide for me and I let Mike Masuyama work on it and now it is my favorite!

[Antonio90]

 

Of course you could learn to write wider....but the miss marked nib will always bother you....in you started out in Japanese nibbed pens....there for all western pens will always be too fat for you.

By being stubborn, you will never have any fun with a wide nib.

 

I can write tiny if I put my mind to it.....but have enough paper I don't need too......besides which, I like shading inks, which start shading at F and M, and not at EF and especially Japanese EF.

So you condemn your self to vivid supersaturated inks. I believe sheen starts with wider nibs also.

 

Take 2 sheets of paper, fold in half....write front and back....write as wide as possible on the first quarter, slightly smaller on the next quarter, and so on down to the last quarter where you have your tiny 'normal' script.

There are free templates that allow you to make wider than collage lines, so a wider than skinny nib won't be crowded by the narrow line. ....help you learn to write wider.

 

I don't mind wider nibs, I actually have a manuscript calligraphy set which is not the best quality but has a few italic nibs of varying sizes. I enjoyed them a great deal, but they have line variation and add some character to your writing, plus they can be narrow or very wide. That's fun and gets you shading and probably sheen. The problem with this nib is that it's neither fine for work and study, nor wide or "italic-y" for fun. It's just too fat or too narrow, that boooring middle spot which is only barely acceptable if it is your only pen. Also, for shading, I'll get some zebra G nibs tomorrow and have already a couple of calligraphy dip pen nibs. I'll practice wider and bigger writing though, I have some pretty inks that are truly wasted with my extra fines.

 

 

An 800, 400/600 are fat and blobby double ball nibs, made for Ball Point Barbarians who hold their pens like ball points so a fat tip and a stiffer nib is needed.

I once got to play with a W.Germany 800....with that fabled springy regular flex nib....it was also much thinner than modern. It had it's very own nib size, narrower than the then narrow 400. I do have such nibs....to bad they won't fit the 800....and they are regular flex, not a nail.

 

In fact I have a chart, showing before Japanese pens became mainline, Parker, Sheaffer being fatter than the normal 400..........the 800 had it's very own width half way between Pelikan and the skinny Waterman (Considered Fat by miss marked Japanese pen users, today).

 

As much as I don't like the clunky 800, I would consider a W. Germany one. Now that had been a nib.......

My advice sell the used gold nib nail, ..Japanese F in what is actually a true EF nib.....and you are right a modern 800 is a fat F...even in western now....once...well once it was something worth having. After '97 all the Pelikans got fat and blobby but the 200.

 

You could get a once narrow W. Germany 800 nib in a narrow F, make near western EF or close to Japanese F(EF). But not cheap....see Penboard de...ask in they may have that in the back room and not displayed for sale.

 

I love that "Ball Point Barbarians" naming , I will call someone that as soon as I have the opportunity. I like the size of the M800 mainly because I have really big hands, but I don't have any problem with smaller pens. I can always post them.

 

And for the w.Germany 800 nib, do you know if it will fit the newly made pelikan m800? I remember reading somewhere they don't always fit. I'll ask in that penboard.de website, did not know it existed. Also, it is maybe easier to sell the full pen than just the nib, and buy a 400 (or maybe a 100nn?) with a vintage regular flex

 

As for using the pelikan ink with the pelikan pens, I did, it was better, but still the same problem: either boring or useless. At least in both the papers I have right now: Rhodia R lined pad and oxford optik.

 

Sending it to Pablo is still an option. I can ask him to ground it extra fine or cursive italic. And reduce the flow a bit. Thank you very much for your answer! A load of info, as always , it is greatly appreciated.

 

 

I had a M800 fine that was too wet and wide for me and I let Mike Masuyama work on it and now it is my favorite!

 

And this. Sigh, I'll never settle for anything money for a new pen is great, but an old pen reborn by a nibmeister is almost as good.

Thanks!

Edited December 6, 2017 by Antonio90

[Bo Bo Olson]

I would think an 800's W.Germany nib would fit....the 800 don't fit the 400/600 or 1000....and it was nib size and flex (regular flex) that was different pre '98....not the fitting of the nib section.

 

I've suggested getting an older 800 nib, some have or came to that on their own....never heard the pre and after '97 don't swap.

An 800 don't fit a 1000 either.

 

 

Down the road, look at the vintage semi-flex....and I have no problem scribbling fast with them...some think they do.....

[Calabria]

I understand your feelings about the Pelikan. I was in the same predicament a few years ago and had two Pelikans reground by Mike to Sailor F type nibs. His work is as always outstanding, but I don't use the nibs that much anymore, or Sailors in general, because I've grown tired of fine lines and like a bit of shading.

[jmccarty3]

My first Pelikan, bought back in the '80s, is an M800 green stripe with one of those wonderful true fine nibs with a little spring. It's a real shame they don't make them like that any more.

[Mew]

Street price is about 370 euros without any discounts which are easily available. So maybe 250 euros?

 

Assuming that you bought it from EU and not some other market and did avail the discount.

[awilliamson]

I understand where you’re coming from, I felt the same about the first 149 I bought, it was a M, and I just didn’t get on with it. I thought about selling it, but in the end got John Sorowka to regrind the nib for me. I absolutely loved it from the moment I received it back. It is still my favourite pen several years later.

[Mew]

I really don't understand, Bo Bo Olson keeps talking about older Pelikan nibs and how they were superior to the current lot of Pelikan nibs. Isn't that too shallow? Saying that a nib is superior to another just because it is soft/flexible? Companies change, get over it.

I tried the older Pelikan nibs, here are my observations:

1. The pens are small, except those M800 (I am not sure when they were introduced) but those 400's from 40-50's were just painful to use. I never post my pens, and I posted they are unusable for me.

2. Nib was indeed soft, but my hand pressure is not sufficient to flex even flexible nibs, let alone the firm nibs on the newer pens. So both of them are same for me.

[DrCodfish]

I like Pelikans, for all their features, and I have a coupe dozen. But the ones I like the most are ones which have customized nibs. What I am saying is, if the nib is your only complaint then by all means I would have it worked, and I have heard only good things about Pablo.

 

On the other hand, if you are bent on selling it, consider selling it here. There is no commission and I have bought and sold a number of pens through the FPN classifieds with no problems. This is also a good ploace to figure out what your pen is worth, M800's come up here all the time.

 

Don't worry, I am not trying to snatch it from you, M800 is too big for me.

[sargetalon]

I agree with the other's here recommending getting the nib ground so that it is more to your liking. A small expense to pay to bring a great pen more in line with your taste.

 

As for fair price, I probably wouldn't go lower than $275. I'd start an auction there and see where it goes. I'd anticipate anywhere from $275-350 would be fair.

[Antonio90]

Thank you everyone for your responses! I appreciate it a lot.

 

I'm a bit more inclined now to get a regrind from Pablo. Still in doubt whether to customize it to a cursive fine, or grind it down to an extra fine. Bock nibs with the conid are probably good candidates too to get stubby-cursive work on them.

 

As for selling it here, I would love to, but I cannot as of yet write a post in the classifieds subforum. I don't know how many post do I need (like 100 maybe?). Also, many of you are from outside the euro zone, not a problem with that buy you could be hit by customs quite a bit.

 

The price I'm thinking about rounds the 250€ mark, I've noticed the all black and gold trimmed pelikan is usually cheaper than the blue or green ones.

 

EDIT: In regard to the pre-97 M800 nibs, that would be a great option if they weren't so ridiculously expensive and hard to find. I'm not paying 300-500€ for a springy nib, however good is it, there are a lot of pens that would give me that out of the box for way less than that.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Antonio90