Jump to content

First Pelikan!

addylo

By addylo
in Pelikan

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 31
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Bo Bo Olson

    3

  • ENewton

    3

  • biancitwo

    2

  • addylo

    2

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

ENewton Collectors Item

ENewton

Posted
Posted

I just inked my Pelikan 140 for the first time. Expecting it to be wet, I filled it (or think I filled it) with Rohrer and Klingner Sepia.

 

It turns out that the pen is on the dry side. I will probably use it on absorbent papers until it is empty and then wed it to a wetter ink.

 

Is there a historical moment at which Pelikans began to be very wet pens? They are typically characterized as such on this forum, but they are also characterized as smooth, and it has already been explained to me that one can expect a vintage Pelikan to have feedback.

 

I'm not complaining about the pen. I am open to a range of writing experiences. I'm just surprised.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Oobly Near Mint

Oobly

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just inked my Pelikan 140 for the first time. Expecting it to be wet, I filled it (or think I filled it) with Rohrer and Klingner Sepia.

 

It turns out that the pen is on the dry side. I will probably use it on absorbent papers until it is empty and then wed it to a wetter ink.

 

Is there a historical moment at which Pelikans began to be very wet pens? They are typically characterized as such on this forum, but they are also characterized as smooth, and it has already been explained to me that one can expect a vintage Pelikan to have feedback.

 

I'm not complaining about the pen. I am open to a range of writing experiences. I'm just surprised.

 

I find vintage Pelikan nib and feed combinations react well to flow adjustments. A previous owner could have set the nib/feed positioning and tine "tightness" to give a dry flow.

 

If you compare the amount of nib extending past the end of the feed with other 140 pens you should be able to determine if it's set normally or not. More nib extended will be drier, less nib will be wetter (as the feed presents ink closer to the tip). This is the proper way to adjust the flow, assuming the nib is correctly "set" and has properly aligned tines.

 

The other is the tightness of the nib tines pressing each other. If the tines are tight, it will restrict flow, if they're looser, it will allow more ink to flow. Extremes are bad, however, since if it's too tight it will stop the flow completely and if it's too loose (with an actual gap between the tines) it can also prevent flow. This can be adjusted without removing the nib unit or taking the collar off, but should be done carefully. By grabbing the "wings" of the nib from underneath (using your fingernails), you can pull the tines apart gently and then test the flow. Repeat and test, but don't overdo it. To tighten you can press the wings together gently. It can change the relative angles of the tines to each other if it's overdone, but small adjustments are fine. If this doesn't give enough flow you'll have to remove the nib unit, knock the collar off with a nib block and reinsert with the nib extending a little less.

 

EDIT - Forgot to mention that the feed could also have a partial blockage from dried ink which can cause flow problems, so if the nib and feed look like they're set correctly and the tines are not too tight, it could be a blocked feed. This again requires the nib unit to be removed and separated to clean out the feed.

Edited by Oobly
Link to comment
Share on other sites
sirgilbert357 Antique

sirgilbert357

Posted
Posted

 

I went with a fine even though I had read before buying that they run wide. Kind of wish I had listened to my instincts and gone EF but there will always be other pens. In fact, I'm seriously considering adding an M200 with an EF nib as a daily carry pen.

 

A pic just for fun.

 

i-Ct2TjmN-X3.jpg

 

The gold two tone nib is gorgeous, but just know that for about 30 bucks you could get a steel M200 nib in Fine that will screw right into that pen and give you a thinner line (the steel nibs run slightly thinner than the gold nibs).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
biancitwo Extremely Rare

biancitwo

Posted
Posted

I just inked my Pelikan 140 for the first time. Expecting it to be wet, I filled it (or think I filled it) with Rohrer and Klingner Sepia.

 

It turns out that the pen is on the dry side. I will probably use it on absorbent papers until it is empty and then wed it to a wetter ink.

 

Is there a historical moment at which Pelikans began to be very wet pens? They are typically characterized as such on this forum, but they are also characterized as smooth, and it has already been explained to me that one can expect a vintage Pelikan to have feedback.

 

I'm not complaining about the pen. I am open to a range of writing experiences. I'm just surprised.

My vintage Pelikans date back to 1933. Three of them are 140s. They are all smooth and wet, but one. That 140 has misaligned tines. It is an EF. The misalignment is hardly visible with a 10 power loupe. I haven't the courage to try any harder to realign them. It is wet, but until aligned, it will scratch. Once aligned, I expect it to perform like all the rest, beautifully.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

Posted
Posted (edited)

Clean that R&K Sepia out of the pen 110%...in it clogs up with traces of other inks of any kind.

Could be it's already clogging up on a trace of older ink in the pen...!!!!!

 

R&K Sepia is not to be mixed with any ink. Don't know if I'm going over board with a drop left in the pen.

 

A Pelikan 4001 ink is what the Pelikan pens are designed to use..other inks will make it write wider.....and it is semi-flex so any trace of heavy hands will make it write wider.

 

I've got an unopened bottle of R&K Sepia so didn't know it was so dry.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ENewton Collectors Item

ENewton

Posted
Posted

Clean that R&K Sepia out of the pen 110%...in it clogs up with traces of other inks of any kind.

Could be it's already clogging up on a trace of older ink in the pen...!!!!!

 

R&K Sepia is not to be mixed with any ink. Don't know if I'm going over board with a drop left in the pen.

 

A Pelikan 4001 ink is what the Pelikan pens are designed to use..other inks will make it write wider.....and it is semi-flex so any trace of heavy hands will make it write wider.

 

I've got an unopened bottle of R&K Sepia so didn't know it was so dry.

 

Thank you. I have used Sepia in several other pens, and switched to and from other inks, for a number of years with no clogging problems.

 

Yesterday I flushed out the pen and switched to Waterman Purple, which is not the most intriguing ink but provides a clear line and a pleasant writing experience on all the papers I customarily use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
airmechqa NOS (New Old Stock)

airmechqa

Posted
Posted

Enjoy the first bird!!! It probably won't be lonely for long! I have the same pen, although it is out for repair at the moment!

 

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PAKMAN Ancient Artifact

PAKMAN

Posted
Posted

Love those Pelikans! Congrats!

PAKMAN

minibanner.gif                                    Vanness-world-final.png.c1b120b90855ce70a8fd70dd342ebc00.png

                         My Favorite Pen Restorer                                             My Favorite Pen Store

                                                                                                                                Vanness Pens - Selling Online!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
JRWhite NOS (New Old Stock)

JRWhite

Posted
Posted

Enjoy Addlyo. As others have suggested, this will be the first in a series of rich relationships with Pelikans. Each one is as unique on the page as it is seductive to use. I've not encountered a brand that so consistently meets expectations while spurring one on to wonder what more can I discover with these pens?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Christopher Godfrey Vintage

Christopher Godfrey

Posted
Posted (edited)

addylo, as Newjelan implied, above ("...I’ll be interested to know how many you have in your flock in a years time..."), it's all downhill from here! You have your first; it is almost guaranteed that it will lead to...more! Have fun!

Edited by Christopher Godfrey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33583
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26772
    5. jar
      jar
      26105

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      Links to web pages or articles about Chinese typesetting, signwriting, etc.

      By Shanghai Knife Dude · Posted

      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...