Bb/bbb Nibs On Pelikan Pens $200 And Under?

[nishikori]

I'm looking to spend $200 or less on a Pelikan pen. I'm interested only in ones that I could EASILY obtain a BB or BBB nib for.

 

Anything that stands out to you?

 

Thanks.

[Gobblecup]

I would go for a used vintage M400 or a modern M200. It is easy to swap nibs or even find the vintage ones with a BB nib if you look around a bit.

[LyaT]

There is a M205 duo shiny green listed on LcdC now. It comes with BB nib and an extra nib that you can pick. For 95 euro. If you like green demonstrators, it is a great choice. Pelikan steel nibs are really good.

[Bo Bo Olson]

200's nibs are nice springy regular flex nibs.....1/2 a width narrower than modern 400/600 which are fat and blobby semi-nails.

The 200 like the semi-vintage '82-97 pens, has a clean line.

The 200's nibs = the gold semi-vintage 400/600/then 800 (800's nib don't fit the 200/400/600, and is no longer a regular flex nib) .

 

I'd once been a fool gold snob......if not for that I might have 8-10 200's instead of only 4.

 

 

On German Ebay...Ebay.de, it is possible if you Hunt to get semi-flex nib vintage 400/400nn pens for E100-120..............be aware the Pirate Cartel has been offering their priced for idiots in the States Buy Now pens, at E10 start bid under their buy now price in regular auction section.....to drive up the prices 'noobie's will offer their pens for so Idiots will think a Buy Now is a good deal.

 

Not to me, but wasn't but a few years ago, there was no Buy Now, so the prices were good.

 

BB will be rare there (as it is now anyway).............IMO and you DO NOT want a BBB or OBBB.

I have a 4 of OBB nibs, two vintage semi-flex (Osmia) and one semi-vintage Pelikan 600, and a modern 1005 in regular flex.

 

I have a semi-flex 30 degree grind maxi-semi-flex 500 in what appears to be OBBB...................the 500 was made between '51-54, and they didn't mark the nibs then, and the rolled gold piston cap covers where the nib size would have been....on the cap.

That OBBB is a pure signature nib.........to write a Legal signature takes up 2/3rds to 3/4ths of a page.

 

 

I also have a BBBB Manuscript pen, and that is good Only for Headings.

 

However just thinking, just tried my Lamy Joy 1.5mm. which would be a BBB.........1.2=BB, 1.4=BBB.

But that is my practice italic calligraphy nib, in it writes large enough I can readily see all my mistakes. (I have a full Osmiroid set (EF-BB) for my Esties, but use the wider Joy, in I practice too little and need to see my mistakes.)

Yep, a legal signature with the 1.5 takes up 2/3rds-3/4ths of a page.

It would be your best buy, a Safari (E-23 for a Joy)....or if you have a Safari, then a spare 1.5 nib costs @ $7-8.00......and you can get a 1.2 nib just as cheap in case as I think, you find a 1.5 a bit wide for normal use.

 

I find BB/OBB to be as wide as I want to go.

You can make a BB wider by using wet ink and poor paper, narrower by using dry 4001 ink and slick paper.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[mana]

There is a M205 duo shiny green listed on LcdC now. It comes with BB nib and an extra nib that you can pick. For 95 euro. If you like green demonstrators, it is a great choice. Pelikan steel nibs are really good.

This is actually pretty much a no-brainer of a deal even with the extra +17€ for the other nib. Tempting...

 

https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/webstore/main/pelikan-m205-shiny-green-fountain-p-4760.html

[LyaT]

It is a really good deal, selling cheaper than the Olivine. I dont really need another M205, but it is tempting.

[stylophilly]

Bo Bo Olson mentioned this already. With that budget, I'd recommend a vintage 400/N/NN. Or a vintage 140. These pens have wonderful responsive nibs. The broad ones are stubby. If you want to go through a reputable dealer stateside, I can recommend Rick Propas. He's on FPN under his name. His website is as follows. https://thepenguinpen.com/main He can easily outfit you with a vintage Pelikan with a wide nib in your price point. Good luck.

Edited August 7, 2019 by stylophilly

[Lam1]

A BB nib can be easily obtained for the M200/205 line well inside your price range, as others mentioned.

 

A 1980's-1990's M400 or a vintage 400/40NN (a little harder) can also be found under $200 with a BB.

 

But a BBB nib?

You'd be lucky to find one and when you do you'll have to pay through your nose (unless you are very lucky and very patient).

[Kalessin]

As far as I know, the nibs for the M200, M400 and old-style and new-style M600 basis pens (all of these are post-1980) only go up to size BB and OBB, there was and is no 3B (BBB) or O3B option. There are wide calligraphy nibs that will fit the M200/M400.

 

The M800 and M1000 used to have 3B and O3B as nib options, but not since Pelikan narrowed the normal nib choices to XF, F, M, B.

[andyk]

Not sure about the USA, but in the UK it's unusual to find nibs wider than a B (assuming you wanted one). Must admit I have small writing, so anything bigger than an M is too wide for me, I prefer F/EF usually.

 

However I do have one BB nib in a vintage M400 great for signatures but I find it too wide for day to day use guess there is more choice in the USA, as there seems to be a preference for wider nibs.

 

Andy