Pelikan Vs. Montblanc?

[thygreyt]

My opinion, and purely my opinion.

 

Montblanc and Pelikan are by all standards, pretty equal pens.!

 

Montblanc has PLENTY of sometimes radical limited editions (with a huge price!), while pelikan is more conservative... yet the pens are just as gorgeous! I love MB UNICEF Skeleton, or Ludwig II 888 version, but what about Pelikan's Raden Sunrise, or Royal gold (to simply name 2 of each).

 

Once you have the tools from montblanc you can take them apart and service them. The tools are readily available online.

Pelikan allows you to use your hand (i rather use tools.. but thats just me, an engineer!)

 

I also love the fact that montblanc has the "Bespoke Nib Program" in which they create "the perfect nib" for you.

 

The only place where i give Pelikan an edge is on the option to simply buy a nib! Thats amazing!

[zaddick]

Pelikan has a bespoke nib program too, although it appears more limited and less expensive.

 

MB offers more variety at the higher end of the market and more nib width options.

 

Pelikan offer easier swapping of nibs and greater consistency in model form factors. In the M800 and M1000 variants the piston is more robust.

 

For me mb149>m1000>m800>mb146

[sirgilbert357]

I prefer Pelikan. Being able to simply unscrew the nib for cleaning, greasing the piston, or replacement in case of damage is a huge plus. That alone might seal the deal for me, but I like the look of the Pelikans more than pretty much every Mont Blanc I've ever seen.

 

If I were blindfolded and subjected to a writing test, I might have a different answer - I've never written with a Mont Blanc before. Maybe someday I'll give one a try...

[Ron Z]

I have owned, and repaired both brands of pens. I still own my Pelikan 800s. I have sold every 146 and 149 I've owned.

 

Montblanc pens can be problematic to repair. The sections on many are just a sleeve, held captive by the nib collar, sealed with a low shear strength silicone compound. Taking the nib unit out risks cracking the section. If something at the back end like the spindle breaks on them, replacing it is a pain in the tush. I really don't like working on them because its difficult to find parts. Lubricating the seal requires disassembly of the back end of the pen.

 

Pelikans on the other hand seem to be much less fragile. They are repairable, and as has been noted, the nibs are interchangeable. The piston seals are more resilient and last longer. No special sealant is needed. I don't like that the lower end pens (600 and below) have a snap in mechanism which makes pulling them a bit of a challenge, but it rarely needs to be done if you put a little silicone grease on a cotton swab and wipe the inside of the barrel with it. The mechanism on the 800 and 1000 pens screws into the barrel, but outside of that the parts are the same (including piston seal size) 100 through 1000.

[Bo Bo Olson]

"""I don't like that the lower end pens (600 and below) have a snap in mechanism which makes pulling them a bit of a challenge,"""" And that from a well established professional.

 

And there are folks that yank them apart, want to yank them apart to clean ghost ink from behind the piston.

They are not an Ahab nor Twisbi.

 

Good info.....no, great impute.....

......but I do prefer the 600/400/200 size, nimbleness and balance when posted.

I have a lot of Pelikans '50-65 era and '90-97 era pens. I've had no problems. But I've only my cup full. I don't see that a week, like a repairman might.

 

Did have a vintage 234 1/2 have plastic gasket problems after a few years in my possession, Plastic Gasket 1.0, and a stuck down piston in a gold plated 742....the cork still looked mint. Both corked and good to go. But those are telescope pistons, which are real fragile, so I'd not dream of DIY.

Going to have to send off another early '50's MB because of plastic gasket problem. Will get it corked.

I got a couple newer ones that are just fine.

 

Rick suggested greasing a Pelikan every three years....if you want to do it every two, no big deal...but I don't think it needs to be done very frequently. When needed the pen will tell you.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[Calabria]

Although my MB146 - also an 80s model, refurbished - is pretty much the gold standard of pens IMHO, I have more fun with Pelikan. The different sizes and color combinations make for a lively and accessible line up.

 

That said, I find Pelikan's price increases hard to stomach, and their factory nibs dull to say the least. I'm just not in the market for a pricey pen with a minimally finished nib - the tip is often just slightly flattened for a writing surface, the rest is a blob.

 

I guess at this point I'm more interested in vintage pens and nibs. I recently obtained a factory M600 2 chick OM which is a dream. Fitted into a newer pen I am having a lot of fun with it.

[Matlock]

That said, I find Pelikan's price increases hard to stomach, and their factory nibs dull to say the least. I'm just not in the market for a pricey pen with a minimally finished nib - the tip is often just slightly flattened for a writing surface, the rest is a blob.

 

 

A lot has been said about Pelikan's price rises but, here in the UK at least, a MB 146 costs £500 against the M800 (the nearest equivalent to the 146 I would say) at £325. Quite a difference I would say. I think the point about nib choice is well made though.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Although my MB146 - also an 80s model, refurbished - is pretty much the gold standard of pens IMHO, I have more fun with Pelikan. The different sizes and color combinations make for a lively and accessible line up.

 

That said, I find Pelikan's price increases hard to stomach, and their factory nibs dull to say the least. I'm just not in the market for a pricey pen with a minimally finished nib (No, actually often over polished so the baby bottom)- the tip is often just slightly flattened for a writing surface, the rest is a blob.....

 

I guess at this point I'm more interested in vintage pens and nibs. I recently obtained a factory M600 2 chick OM which is a dream. Fitted into a newer pen I am having a lot of fun with it.

(Wait until you get a vintage Oblique....I have a semi-vintage small 600 OBB, and sadly it's nothing compared to stubbed semi-flex vintage.)

The fat and blobby nib (outside the 200/150) is made so the ball point and roller ball user can step right into fountain pens, with out having to take three minutes to learn to hold a fountain pen behind the big index knuckle.

The Germans had a vintage K nib to go with their flat stubbed semi-flex nibs. It was a ball on the top of the nib, so one could if one wished hold the fountain pen like a pencil...if one wanted the flat and stubbishness, on the bottom of the nib was still there.

 

The modern Pelikan....is a double kugal/ball nib with a thick tip so it can be held like a ball point. Such a dull boring round tip, that does not have the clean line of yesteryear, needs to be butter smooth, in it is a stiffer ride of semi-nail and nail..........the regular flex 1000's nib is the same fat and blobby. (Once semi-flex when Bock made that nib.)

 

 

The nibs went from the nice springy regular flex of the '82-97 era to fatter by half a width, semi-nail on the 400/600 and nail on the 800 to reduce repair costs..............a hundred stories here of some ham fisted ball point barbarian taking a fountain pen in it's hands for the first time and easily making the nib into a pretzel.

IMO Pelikan might well sell as many ball points and rollerballs as fountain pens, and don't want to frighten off their main users, by putting a fountain pen tip on their fountain pens.............One Size Fits All........they don't have to 'think' and take three minutes to learn how to hold a fountain pen. No little drawing on the folded instruction page..............(Perhaps its just a blind spot,....the managers and most of the workers learned to hole a fountain pen properly in German schools....so assumptions are assumed.)

 

Learning to hold a fountain pen properly is some of the main advice I give here often on scratchy , along with align the tines................in many come over to fountain pens from ball points and were never taught better. A extra fat and blobby characterless butter smooth nib keeps them using a fountain pen, even if they hold them wrong.

 

At least with the 400/600 one can go get better nibs of the semi-vintage and vintage eras.

[nottmbantam]

Hello All,

Been a while since I posted on here, but this thread caught my eye. I have both the MB 146 ( Platinum trim, EF nib ) and also the Pelikan M805 ( blue/black with silver trim, EF nib).I bought the MB first, as a reward for getting a promotion at work. The prices ( for me) are still a little eye watering. I also splashed out on a MB two pen leather case. Patent Leather. Looks great, but the leather started cracking not long after buying it.

 

So – my view – bearing in mind this is entirely subjective based upon my own preferences and how I think each pen handles my writing style. My handwriting is very small, so always need a EF nib.

 

MB146. Looks nice, classic look. Disappointed in the nib, it writes more like a Medium – nowhere near an EF for me. The cap , once screwed on, has a little play and at times feels a little loose. I took this back to the shop I purchased from, and apparently, this is due to the very fine threading on the barrel, so symptomatic of MB ( is this true? ) . Writes quite ‘dry’ which I prefer. However, after spending so much, I was a tad disappointed with its performance. It has of course a solid nib, feels nice in the hand, although just a touch slimmer than I prefer. The 149 I felt was just a little too big.

 

The M805 looks far nicer in the blue black combo with silver trim. A little wider in the girth, so for me, a little nicer to hold. Again this is not what I consider an EF nib, even though thats what it claims to be. However, I find it writes a little ‘sharper’ than the MB if that makes sense, so for my writing style , I prefer it overall. I also bought a Pelikan three pen nappa leather case, which doesn’t look as nice as the MB Case, but has lasted better. I find the Pelikan nib to be a little wetter than the MB, but then try to off set this with a dry ink, like MB or Parker. The cap fit nicely and feels quite sturdy in the hand. Again, I find the M805 nib smoother than the MB.

 

So, my own conclusion is that I prefer the Pelikan. So much so, that I have literally just ordered the matching Pelikan ball point pen, so for the first time , I can actually have a matching FP and BP set! One other slight ( side ) issue, is that I think Pelikan tends to be a little more ‘cult’ than an MB, which really tends to be used as status icons, so a lot of people have them. Pelikan on the other hand, are in my opinion, aimed at more of the pen enthusiast and are a bit more ‘real’ in that regard.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all critical of MB pens, only telling you of my experience.I'm not a pen expert by any means, but have always enjoyed writing with a FP, and have over the years enjoyed using a few of the older classics such as the Parker 51 and Parker 25 - have a few of each now. I think it really comes down to what you prefer, how which pen suits your writing style. You need to try both.

Edited January 24, 2019 by nottmbantam

[Calabria]

I agree with everything said here. Pelikan is still a bit "cheaper" than MB. I'm not sure I buy the argument that round-tipped nibs are made for ballpoint pen users. I think it's just cheaper for the company to attach the tipping material, grind a bit of writing surface and polish the whole thing - than sculpting a more complex tip. The result is a boring line which, as many mention, is also rather broad.

 

I will say I got some nice nibs on my M8xxs - the M6xx not so much. But as I get more picky, it's also more fun to look for rareties! 😉

[PAKMAN]

I like them both but have 7 MB's and 21 Pels. So it appears I like the Pelikans more! Between the two I am also more likely to buy another Pelikan for my next pen.

[Bo Bo Olson]

nottmbantam.

If you started with Japanese pens, all western pens will be forever fat.

If you started with semi-vintage 'pre'98 in Pelikan, not so. A half a width narrower than modern......not Japanese 1 size narrower but an EF would still be a EF/F in Japanese.

 

Not sure when MB went to a fatter nib, but a 146 was a regular flex and '50s wide in the '70-80 Large 146. The '50-60's Medium Large 146 had better balance and a semi/maxi-semi-flex nib. Nibs then are narrower than modern.

I have a '50's MB 234 1/2 KOB that could be a M-F in modern. Thinner than my Pelikan OB.

 

 

All Pelikans but the 200/150 are 1/2 a width wider and have a round blobby nib.

I don't know about MB, but my 2005/6 has a wide stubbish nib.

I'd tested A Virginia Woolf in M, that I expected to be wider than semi-vintage or Vintage, due to my reading, in the B&M, where on their paper it tested to the B I wanted. At home on better paper it wrote to a M . So I had MB put a B on it. I neglected to tell them I wanted a B in the Middle of tolerance....so ended up with a Fat modern B =BB.

 

Advice send both pens off to be ground Japanese EF or western XXF.

The chances of finding a MB semi/maxi vintage nib is slim, with out buying the better pen....and vintage won't fit the 800.

[Barutti]

In my oppinion the better question is- "Why you choose Pelikan?".

And again short story

Some years ago I get promotion and bonus possibility to choose premium watch by myself. I make short investigation and visit premium watch seller there in Lithuania. Their has a lot of brands Panerai, Omega, Rolex, Tag Heur, Ulysse Nardin,.Breguet and others.. couple of times asked the shop man,- which is the best? And every time don't get the exact answer as all have their advantages, style, price limit, size, movement mechanics.. and I choose Ulysse Nardin. Why? Just because this watch/brand have what I need: inhouse made movement (1), style which is modern classic without extra adornments (2) , historical background and influence to watch market and development (3) and finally this brand is not like commodity, its has something individual (4).

The same preferences are valid by me for Pelikans. But others may have at least one different preference and their will choose MB (or Rolex), or Omas (or Panerai), or Soennecken ( Heuer).

[nottmbantam]

nottmbantam.

 

Advice send both pens off to be ground Japanese EF or western XXF.

The chances of finding a MB semi/maxi vintage nib is slim, with out buying the better pen....and vintage won't fit the 800.

 

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Have done some investigation on FPN and found a potential nibmeister in the UK. Will follow that up and report back. Cheers.

[praxim]

In my oppinion the better question is- "Why you choose Pelikan?".

And again short story

Some years ago I get promotion and bonus possibility to choose premium watch by myself. I make short investigation and visit premium watch seller there in Lithuania. Their has a lot of brands Panerai, Omega, Rolex, Tag Heur, Ulysse Nardin,.Breguet and others.. couple of times asked the shop man,- which is the best? And every time don't get the exact answer as all have their advantages, style, price limit, size, movement mechanics.. and I choose Ulysse Nardin. Why? Just because this watch/brand have what I need: inhouse made movement (1), style which is modern classic without extra adornments (2) , historical background and influence to watch market and development (3) and finally this brand is not like commodity, its has something individual (4).

The same preferences are valid by me for Pelikans. But others may have at least one different preference and their will choose MB (or Rolex), or Omas (or Panerai), or Soennecken ( Heuer).

 

I will add my flag to this post.

[javierba73]

I have used both, MB and Pelikan, and for me Pelikan is better. I have sold all MB that i had got.

[TLMG]

Compared to MB pens (which I find extremely wet and to put down a line thicker than what I would expect) what do the Pelikans write like?

[Lam1]

Compared to MB pens (which I find extremely wet and to put down a line thicker than what I would expect) what do the Pelikans write like?

 

Although I have received a few M800 that are a little drier, I would say you should expect Pelikan to be as wet as MB.

And the M1000 even more wet! Pools of ink... just as I like it (ok, a bit of exaggeration ).

[Bo Bo Olson]

I believe a Bock made 1000 nib is the semi-flex one, Pelikan went to a nice springy regular flex when they took that nib back in-house, some 9 or so years ago. The 1000's nib was the last taken in house. Bock made Pelikan nibs from @ 1998 to @ 2010.

 

All the complaints aimed at the Bock nib continued with the Pelikan nib. Same O, same O.

 

Sadness is looking to see about when Pelikan took the nib back in house I ran into the name of a fine passed poster, Piembi, who was then one of our more knowledgeable Pelikan posters.

She was the one that told me not to chase the W.Germany 400's tad more springy regular flex nib in I'd been spoiled with semi-flex. She was right.

 

I learned from her about Oxford Optic 90g paper, a good affordable shading paper.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[Amaryllis21]

I will add my flag to this post.

 

In my oppinion the better question is- "Why you choose Pelikan?".

And again short story

Some years ago I get promotion and bonus possibility to choose premium watch by myself. I make short investigation and visit premium watch seller there in Lithuania. Their has a lot of brands Panerai, Omega, Rolex, Tag Heur, Ulysse Nardin,.Breguet and others.. couple of times asked the shop man,- which is the best? And every time don't get the exact answer as all have their advantages, style, price limit, size, movement mechanics.. and I choose Ulysse Nardin. Why? Just because this watch/brand have what I need: inhouse made movement (1), style which is modern classic without extra adornments (2) , historical background and influence to watch market and development (3) and finally this brand is not like commodity, its has something individual (4).

The same preferences are valid by me for Pelikans. But others may have at least one different preference and their will choose MB (or Rolex), or Omas (or Panerai), or Soennecken ( Heuer).

 

Ha - Same for me - But i want to add a thought:

 

When I was like 5 years of age, I learned to write in school. And there was two sorts of pens for pupils: "Geha" and "Pelikan", both with cartridges. Later the years, everybody doing studies and making career, "Montblanc" occured on the menu, luxury, price tag, "bling"-type of pen. And people went for Montblanc. I stuck to Pelikan, as I thought, this pen taught me to write - So why to change? Just be grateful and stick to your history. Nowadays, colleagues look at me with my Pelikan M805 and sometimes I hear "Well, you are consistent, aren't you". And this is one of the biggest compliments these times IMHO.

 

Best from Germany, Stephan