Adding To The Flock -2018

[Lam1]

Congrats Lam1. Neat haul there.

 

Thank you, Daenghafez.

 

I'm very happy with them. Particularly because I didn't think I'd find a 300 or a M1050.

 

Those are all very nice new additions to the flock Lam1. Very nice chatting as well. I picked up a 300 and a reverse trim black 140. The NON-Pelikan that Lam1 is referring to is a LAMY Dialog in Piano White ground to a fine cursive italic by Dan Smith. I actually got that one in the mail a few weeks before the show but def had it with me yesterday. This D.C. show had some of the nicest selection of Pelikan pens that I remember seeing in some time. Was happy to go.

 

Thank you, Sargetalon. Your additions are also great!

 

Although I had never been to a show before, I was also impressed by the selection of Pelikans. It seems everything could be found there, even the M450 Green tortoise and the M800 red (but the prices on those were sort of crazy IMO).

[mana]

My latest addition to the flock came from a surprising place, my spare parts collection.

I was going through them this morning for another project and realized that I had parts for a transitional/frankenpen 100N... who knows why I hadn't noticed that before.

Long story short, I cleaned the older gen barrel internally, fitted a post war piston unit to it with a new seal (black from vintagepens.com), plonked in a spare EF nib and assembled a cap with the original older gen ebonite cap top. All nice crisp imprints, nib size matches the nib and no major (or even minor) flaws there.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with the binde... as in, it is loose. That faded green/grey one is very nice but I also have a black one from another older gen 100N that had a cracked barrel.

I could of course go crazy and get something else entirely (sterling silver would sound appealing, something along the lines of the work of Henry Simpole...). Anyway, the pen is in a need of some TLC in the form of a gentle polish. And maybe recondition the cap top at some point... Anyway, other than that it is pretty much good to go as it is.

EDIT / PSA: Was about to fill the pen and noticed that the nib and feed had been set too high (bumped on the top of the cap ever so much but enough to twist the tines apart). Ooooooh-kay. Compared it to other 100N and noted that that seemed to be the case. What to do then? Decided to check if it was twisted in properly.

Ok, what follows is something to be veeeeeery mindful of in the future: Ebonite on ebonite can get mighty tricky mighty fast.

I gave the nib unit a gentle twist, and it seemed to set in place (about 15° turn). Also observed? A short, dry, ominous creak. Ooops... now there was a sound I had hear before.

At that point I very quickly went through the process of getting the pen up and running before leaving for work in my mind and noted that I hadn't put any silicone grease on the collar/threads. Oh boy...

I tried to twist it back open but it was stuck fast. Finally, after repeated tries and soaking, the nib and feed twisted away ( this was on purpose and I was being very mindful to not bend or twist the nib but rather get it out of the danger zone). Naturally, the collar was left stuck in the section.

More soaking, and as gentle as possible efforts to get the collar unstuck using a combo of a previously broken 100N nib (got it that way) and feed I finally managed to ease it out. It took a very long and frustrating hour but I managed not to break anything (which is kind of the point so yay!). Note: It pays well to get all of the parts involved as clean and dry (grippy) as possible.

Ok, what next? Setting the feed and nib to a proper depth in the collar. Before that I had made sure that I had cleaned the section interior thoroughly (more soaking and swabbing followed). I have spare 100N nib units so I tested the "stickiness" of the section repeatedly after having cleaned it and even with silicon grease applied it seemed to have a risk of getting stuck if twisted beyond that point X.

Went through the process further by repeatedly closing and opening a nib unit, feeling where it started to stick and how much force was required to open it. More grease (applied gently using a cotton swab), more tries and found a sweet spot where I was comfortable with the amount of force required. You can definitely get a feel for it and it is pretty much the same where it was before that 15° or so turn...

Then? The process of setting the feed and nib in place. I went through all the parts of the nib unit cleaning everything again until I was happy with the results.

How did I set it in place? I took the collar (with a thin coating of silicone grease applied on the threads) and screwed it in the section as far as it went without difficulty. Then, I set the nib to the feed so that it sat centered and at the right depth grasping both using the sticky/clean side of a medical glove (I think this one was vinyl) wIth the feed grasped in the crook of my index finger slightly in front of it and my thumb on top of the nib. I then proceeded to push it into the collar/section. A very thin coating of silicone grease on the surface of the feed and nib (not between them however) assisted in the operation. Slow and steady it pushed in and set in place.

I checked the depth, found it satisfactory and unscrewed the nib unit to inspect it properly as is. Depth was excellent, the nib and feed were centered spot on and everything else was ok. Yay! Happy me...

I went around the section inner threads and the collar threads once more with a cotton swab, first cleaning them and then applied a layer of silicone grease on them before screwing the nib unit in place.

I slowly and gradually twisted it in until it was "just right" and left it there.

Whew... With a sigh of relief I proceeded to fill the pen with a Pelikan 4001 Blue Black and started writing. All good so far, the nib in it is a very nice EF flex nib (0.2 to 1.4 mm or something along those lines).

One funny/weird thing that I noticed though... compared to the post WWII 100N this one seems somehow smaller and not as ergonomic. The ever so slightly longer section and the lack of that step on the later gen 100N (or in 400/N/NN for that matter) makes a surprising difference for me as the step is just where I am used to grasping the section. Hmmm, might have to clean and store it, don't really see it becoming one of the daily users. It really is funny how seemingly insignificant differences can have such a large impact...

I will continue restoring the pen at a later date, give it a tasteful/modest polish etc. It will most certainly look the part after that.

Edited August 6, 2018 by mana

[jmccarty3]

While at the DC show, I had the opportunity to see the M815 stripe for the first time. I thought it looked very elegant, yet businesslike, so I got one with a fine nib from Tom Baley.

[BillH]

M760 with OBB nib... haven't inked it up yet though. Soon.

 

[dannyboy]

Very nice find, Bill! Would love to see a writing sample with that gorgeous nib!

[PJohnP]

The M750 and M760 are, in my opinion, two very much underestimated Pelikans...

[mrjustice]

The M750 and M760 are, in my opinion, two very much underestimated Pelikans...

Agreed-I have the M760 and really want the M750 to go with it.

[Lam1]

M760 with OBB nib... haven't inked it up yet though. Soon.

 

 

 

Gorgeous pen, BillH! And that nib...

Congrats.

[AL01]

That pen must weigh 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 lbs or somethin' like that. ( )

 

The nib on your pen looks really nice.

 

Enjoy!

[Kalessin]

That pen must weigh 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 lbs or somethin' like that. ( )

 

The nib on your pen looks really nice.

 

Enjoy!

 

The metal of the cap, binde and turning knob sleeve is kind of thin, and doesn't weigh all that much, and the M750 is a pen I've had on my buy-someday list for a while.

 

The Montblanc Martele, on the other hand, is a current example of a weighty metal pen.

[1nkulus]

The Montblanc Martele, on the other hand, is a current example of a weighty metal pen.

 

or YoL Viceroy Grand Victorian/Barley.

[MHBru]

Heading to berlin in a few weeks. A new M8xx is in my near term future

[Eccles]

Agreed-I have the M760 and really want the M750 to go with it.

 

I had the M750, and managed to get a reasonably priced M760 from Martini Auctions. Neither has the box or papers, but still beautiful and it did make them more affordable.

 

The most recent, irresistible temptation was from Cult Pens. An M800 blue stripe with italic broad nib, a free Pelikan pen case & free shipping via DHL for GBP 210.30 - You'd pay close to that for the nib alone!!

 

Glenn.

[AL01]

 

The metal of the cap, binde and turning knob sleeve is kind of thin, and doesn't weigh all that much, and the M750 is a pen I've had on my buy-someday list for a while.

 

The Montblanc Martele, on the other hand, is a current example of a weighty metal pen.

 

That's cool!

 

(But it still looks heavy.)

 

[Penman222]

Cult Pens is 10% off today FYI.

 

 

I had the M750, and managed to get a reasonably priced M760 from Martini Auctions. Neither has the box or papers, but still beautiful and it did make them more affordable.

 

The most recent, irresistible temptation was from Cult Pens. An M800 blue stripe with italic broad nib, a free Pelikan pen case & free shipping via DHL for GBP 210.30 - You'd pay close to that for the nib alone!!

 

Glenn.

[debraji]

Cult Pens is 10% off today FYI.

 

 

 

Enabler!

 

The m120 iconic blue ordered from Cult Pens arrived today. Lovely, springy nib. Inked it up with Noodler's Ottoman Azure.

[Claud]

The old birds have returned to roost! Having spent several months at Rick Propas place, they have returned rejunivated and restored and brought a buddy. According to Mr. Propas, what I sent him were a 400NN from either 1957 or 1959-63. Also a 100N from 1940 and a 100 with smooth turning knob with a CN nib from 1939, as well as a 100 with milled turning knob from 1935-37. The birdies brought a 400 tourtise from the 50s that they had befriended.

[Claud]

The old birds have returned to roost! Having spent several months at Rick Propas place, they have returned rejunivated and restored and brought a buddy. According to Mr. Propas, what I sent him were a 400NN from either 1957 or 1959-63. Also a 100N from 1940 and a 100 with smooth turning knob with a CN nib from 1939, as well as a 100 with milled turning knob from 1935-37. The birdies brought a 400 tourtise from the 50s that they had befriended.

[BillH]

VERY nice Claud! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy them for a very long time.

[WJM]

 

Doesn't really count as a new pen, but yesterday I got new a new nib for my old style M200. The original nib was scratchy and with a few attempts I managed to make it a little better before making it much worse. Got tired of trying and got a new medium nib. The vendor didn't have gold plated ones in the size I wanted so I got a plain steel one.

 

The new nib is great and I really enjoy this color scheme - reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s Pelikans with gold trims and CN nibs