Modern Pelikan M80X Om Nibs

[invisuu]

I have finally tracked down a modern Pelikan M800 OM nib (single chick). My M800 is a modern pen, so I absolutely want a fitting nib. It is quite expensive at around ~220EUR.

My question is how do these nibs write? Are they just balls or do they have any stubby character to it, such as excellent Lamys oblique nibs? I dont need a full on oblique stub, but at the very least stubbish character would suffice.

I know I can send it to a nibmeister, but thats extra expense and effort, so I have to calculate that into purchase.

 

Just to make sure: I'm looking for difference in diagonal lines. So top left to bottom right line should be fatter than bottom left to top right.

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks!

Edited December 6, 2017 by invisuu

[Bo Bo Olson]

I don't know about the 800's...which are nails. I do have a Lamy 18 K nail OB on a Persona.........that was only for folks with left eye dominance who cant the nib automatically to see the top of it....or left handers. I had absolutely no line variation.

Pendelton Brown turned it into a straight CI....and line variation.

 

 

 

I have '50-65 Pelikan, MB, Geha and other makes in stub semi/maxi-semi-flex Obliques and even lucked into some 30 degree grind one each in OBB, OB, OM and OF.......and my Pelikan 500 is a pure signature pen, OBBB and 30 degree maxi-semi-flex.

 

Out side my 500 which as bling signature pen, I have the feeling in no one else reports factories offering it, that the 30 degree grind may have been from the Fabled Ol'Corner Pen Shoppe's back room........."Want a bit more flair to your Oblique? Wait five minutes."

 

I have tested modern regular flex 200's oblique nibs I trans-mailed to a pal in England in there are a lot of Idiots in Germany who refuse to mail outside of Germany ....nothing....I did have a nail 99 Lamy OM....nothing at all....

 

I have a W. Germany 200 OM, I won in a live auction, and hoped the fabled extra springy nib would do the trick.....nope....would have to mash to the max all the time to get anything.

 

I have some 12 Oblique 15 degree nibs in a mix of semi&maxi...... 4 in 30 degree in OBBB, OB, OM, & OF also mixed, semi-maxi..................you can have fun with a 140, 400, 400nn, Geha 790, or MB 234 1/2, or a Mercedes from the '50-65-70 era.

 

A Stub or straight CI in the 800 would give you line variation.....I really don't think stubbing an OM nail is going to do much at all.....but perhaps some folks will show what a stubbed nail does.

I tend to doubt that an Oblique stub or Oblique CI does much or everyone would be bragging them, which they don't.

If you don't like the 140-400 size....a '50-65 nib will fit the 600.

 

A lot of folks talk of the 'line variation' their modern nail, semi-nail oblique gives them.....I look and don't see much at all....one has to look and wish dream......in comparison to German '50-65-70 era, where you have clear line variation due to a stubbed semi-flex oblique.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[invisuu]

I am well aware of shortcomings of modern M800 nibs. I already have a cursive italic nib, a flex nib, a flexy oblique nib, etc. I would like to have a stiff oblique nib with line variation from approx. ~0.5mm in one diagonal and ~0.6mm in the other diagonal. Preferably on a M800 body.

 

I am fully capable of using any nib whatsoever, so I'm not looking for an oblique because I wouldn't be able to write with a normal nib. I want it for a specific task, and that task doesn't include flex nibs, cursive italic nibs, etc.

 

So my question is if modern M800 oblique nibs are also ballpoints?

[invisuu]

I really don't think stubbing an OM nail is going to do much at all.....but perhaps some folks will show what a stubbed nail does.

I tend to doubt that an Oblique stub or Oblique CI does much or everyone would be bragging them, which they don't.

 

At work, where I don't have time to practice calligraphy, but just want to scribble down a note, this is what my oblique medium Lamy 2000 does. More than enough for me!

 

For more line variation, there's time and place, but it's not with a hooded nib during work.

 

P.S.: a normal stub and an oblique stub give completely different results.

 

Edited December 6, 2017 by invisuu

[Bo Bo Olson]

Who practices calligraphy.....defiantly not me.....I scribble away big enough to read, be that regular flex, semi-flex or semi-flex Oblique.

My use of nails is as limited as I can limit it. I have no problems writing in regular flex....stubb semi-flex....and I have no problems in being slow in scrubbing with a semi-flex be it regular or oblique.

 

Yes an 800 is a double ball nib...........just like a modern 400 or 600.

[JulioPB]

My experience on modern Pelikan 'Oblique' nibs is limited to two M400 OM,

Sorry to say, not oblique at all, a huge iridium ball that makes the nib a B or BB nib, but not oblique like a 50's OM 14k Kaweco, a 50's 14k Montblanc OB, both real obliques;

or even an 80's Pelikan M200 or M150 gold plated steel OM nibs, a little oblique,

 

Hope helps,

 

Julio MX

[invisuu]

My experience on modern Pelikan 'Oblique' nibs is limited to two M400 OM,

Sorry to say, not oblique at all, a huge iridium ball that makes the nib a B or BB nib, but not oblique like a 50's OM 14k Kaweco, a 50's 14k Montblanc OB, both real obliques;

or even an 80's Pelikan M200 or M150 gold plated steel OM nibs, a little oblique,

 

Hope helps,

 

Julio MX

 

Yes, that is very helpful Julio, thank you!

[Runnin_Ute]

I have an OB on a M200 old style (W. Germany) and it has little to no line variation.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Runnin_Ute

[sargetalon]

My experience on modern Pelikan 'Oblique' nibs is limited to two M400 OM,

Sorry to say, not oblique at all, a huge iridium ball that makes the nib a B or BB nib, but not oblique like a 50's OM 14k Kaweco, a 50's 14k Montblanc OB, both real obliques;

or even an 80's Pelikan M200 or M150 gold plated steel OM nibs, a little oblique,

 

Hope helps,

 

Julio MX

 

 

This has been roughly my experience as well. Older obliques act as such and are a joy. Modern ones are too blobby to really transmit the same effect.

[Mulrich]

I asked Dan Smith about Pelikan OM nibs a while back and he said they arent very stubbish but the broader obliques can be.

[invisuu]

Thanks everyone. So if I wanted an oblique stubby nib I'd have to send it to a nib meister, bringing the price of a nib to ~250-260 EUR. Pricey. Or I could just continue using my Lamy 2000 to satisfy my oblique stubby nibs...

 

Pelikan not offering any interesting nibs in their modern line up is the single biggest factor why I'm not acquiring more. Pretty finishes are fine and dandy, but they all write exactly the same, save for the diameter of the ball at the end of the nib. And don't you dare go above medium size, because then you'll get lots of skipping and baby's bottom.

 

What a shame.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I asked Dan Smith about Pelikan OM nibs a while back and he said they arent very stubbish but the broader obliques can be.

 

He was talking about modern, I'd bet....modern from '82.

 

'50-65 are stub and semi-flex. The semi-vintage and vintage nibs are narrower than modern....and my first semi-flex was a 140 OB....

OB is a writing nib not a signature nib like modern.....sort of like a fat M....................and I lucked out with some 5 of 16 nibs being 30 degree grind instead of the normal 15. OBBB, OB, OM & OF.

The underlined I have also in 15 degree.

That is a mix of semi-flex and maxi.

In both amount of flex; semi&maxi, and degree of grind 15 or 30 degree, was 100% luck.

 

The only company that had differentiated in semi&maxi was Osmia.

 

The 400nn even if the same width as the 400 is medium-long, would be your 'best' replacement for an 800 for having a stub nib with oblique.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Jezza]

I had a Pelikan M800 with an oblique triple bold (O3B) about five years ago. It was many things: smooth, reliable, perfect flow. However, stubbish wasnt one of them. The line variation was so minor as to be non-existent. Lots or nib material there for someone to grind into pretty much any kind of nib you wanted, though.

[invisuu]

Curiosity got the better of me and I bought the nib anyway. I couldn't imagine them either a.) pushing the ball onto the nib at an angle (terrible for residual stresses) or b.) polishing out a perfect ball under an angle.

 

And I was right, the nib has a great stubby character to it. So for any future people googling this thread up, the M80x oblique nibs have a very pleasant stubby character to it and they're not a simple ball at all.

Edited December 13, 2017 by invisuu

[carlos.q]

Some pictures would be nice...

[invisuu]

Sure thing!

 

Just to make it clear: I was looking for a firm oblique nib with some stubby character. Not a flex nib. Not a full on stub nib, etc. I already have a dedicated italic, a bunch of stubs, and a whole bunch of flex nibs ranging from semi flex to full flex. This is what I'd call "stubby"; i.e. not really a stub, but not a ball either. Something to give just a little bit of flair to ones' handwriting. This nib delivered. It was waaay too closed together and it was completely out of alignment, but 15 minutes of adjusting I got it to absolutely perfect state now.

 

[invisuu]

Managed to track down a modern, single chick design, M800 OB nib. This is most definitely not a ball - point grind. Liking this nib a whole lot! Took quite some time to get it in writing shape, as it came in pretty bad condition; and it was brand new. One tine longer than the other, one tine rotated around its axis, misaligned, the whole shabang.

 

Anyhow, this nib yet again goes against the statements that modern oblique Pelikan nibs are rounded ball nibs. I see a lot of line variation with this one.

 

Expensive, but I'm enjoying this one a whole bunch.

 

Edited May 3, 2018 by invisuu

[carlos.q]

We all love happy endings.

[Driften]

I agree. I am happy things turned out great for you!

[invisuu]

Thanks! I really am happy with the set of oblique nibs I have now for my M800s. I was also hoping to add the pictures above as a resource for anyone googling for info on them in the future. I think pictures tell more about the nibs than hearsay and the like. I find these nibs pretty tough to find, and when you do, they seem to be pretty expensive (I paid 220 EUR each for OM and OB).

It really saddens me Pelikan removed some of these fun sizes from their offering.