M800 demo

[fmp]

Got a M800 from Joon this week. Here are some thoughts and review on the construction of the pen.

 

http://www.joonpens.com/db_image/PE_800_demoGT_fp.jpg

 

A litter bit of background. I have a Lamy 2000, M205 and other pens, but these are the main workhorses for me. So I am going to make comparison to them when reviewing the M800.

 

I got the demo because a variety of reasons. I always want to look at the construction of a M800 and compare it to Lamy 2000 (L2k). Overall the M800 demo is is a very solid pen.

 

First let's talk about the cap. It has four parts, the inner cap, outer cap, retainer ring and clip. The inner cap, outer cap, and clip are the same design as M205 and the retainer ring is metal. The retainer ring and inner cap thread together to lock the clip and outer cap. Because the Pelikan logo is directional, unlike MB, for example, there is a notch on the outer cap to index the location of the clip. For M205, the construction of the notch is not as good, as there will be a bit of "play" for movement possible with the clip upon trying to move it hard (despite threading the retainer ring with a medium force), whereas the the clip and notch work together better with the M800. Outer clip has same threading as M 205 (four grooves). Inner cap is not as transparent as M205 though, anybody can confirm the slight translucent appearance? Compare with L2k, the L2k cap has more sub parts, and I would said is more robust.

 

Let's move to the nib unit, which consist of the nib feed and the retainer sleeve which thread to the section. The nib is medium point and I am surprised at how firm the nib is! Not much flex, but a solid nib. It is also set very well and symmetrical. (For M205, I have to reset it). There are two small notches on the sleeve (similar to 146) but I can unscrew the nib unit by using finger alone, (still my most reliable tool), Despite the gigantic difference in size, L2k, which has a smaller nib and has a name for wet flow, is indeed more wet and has better flow out of the box. I suspect for M800, due to the big nib, it will be better 5, 10 years down the road.

 

The section appear to be two pieces with the half inch front section friction fit to the back half. The gap traps ink for M205, but not on M800 so far.

 

Pump unit! smooth, very smooth, like butta! Is it due to the brass part? Notice there is only one brass part, the rest of the piston mechanism is plastic. Yet it is much smoother than L2k and M205. Given the construction, I do not think the brass will necessarily contribute to the longevity of the pen, but it does balance out the pen when uncapped. The brass is reverse threaded to the back section of the pen, opening the blind cap a little bit and it is obvious that one can use a special tool to service it. (If I did not get a demo, I would not have know, now if I get a non demo M800, I know how to open it) Compare with M205 (which is friction fit ), the pump is certainly better. I did not open it, because it is a labeled version and I fear that I may not be able to get it back aligned.

 

Overall, the only part that may wear down is the plastic seal for the piston, anybody know if it is rubber or silicone and if one can get a replacement? I like to store parts up front.

 

To conclude, this is my first higher end pen (price wise ) and given the balance of value between each components, it is indeed a well made pen. Compare with 146, I do not know which will be viewed as better constructed?

Edited December 16, 2008 by fmp

[andyk]

Hi,

 

Nice review of a nice pen, still undecided if I want (or can afford) to spend the sort of money I would have to get one of these (the fallback nest egg of banking shares now worth less than 10% of what they were so have to economise somewhere I guess).

 

As far as the piston seal is concerned, not sure what they are made of but I have three Pelikans from the 1950s several others around 20 years old and none have given any problems.

 

I have no doubt the seal might wear over a long period of usage but probably not a big issue, unless someone out there knows better.

 

Andy

[wykpenguin]

The piston seal will take a lot of abuse. I acquired my M205 by picking it up in a carpark. It was on the concrete, but not scratched. It had been lying there for a while guess because the ink had partially evaporated to give a stain along the barrel instead of the usual "ring" pattern.

 

The 205 is a press fit, not a friction fit because it isn't held there by friction, instead two ridges hold the piston assembly in place.. The ridges prevent you from getting it out. This is also why it moves around a bit. If it were truly friction fitted as those of the Pel100s, with two smooth surfaces jamming against each other, there would not be any play.

 

It remains a mystery to me as to why Pelikan didn't put screw in pistons in all their FPs.

[hari317]

Very nice review. Thanks for sharing!

 

I think you can adjust the flow for wet writing right now, it may not improve dramatically over time.

 

Regards,

Hari

 

[PAKMAN]

Nice review of a very beautiful and well built pen.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Thank you for the review.

[kaisede]

Good review.

[RevAaron]

I got the demo because a variety of reasons. I always want to look at the construction of a M800 and compare it to Lamy 2000 (L2k).

 

Do you have a Lamy 2000 demo? If so, I will raid your house. I will aikido you for your 2k demo!

[fmp]

I got the demo because a variety of reasons. I always want to look at the construction of a M800 and compare it to Lamy 2000 (L2k).

 

Do you have a Lamy 2000 demo? If so, I will raid your house. I will aikido you for your 2k demo!

 

 

I do not have a L2k demo, but i have the pictures of disassembled L2k, MB Noblesse and old style Safari...

 

For L2k pump, keep unscrewing firmly, but slowly.

[Shelley]

My gad! You are a butcher!

 

Nice photo.

[fmp]

My gad! You are a butcher!

 

Nice photo.

 

Thanx. I have this weird OCD that I need to disassembled it in order to fully appreciate the product. I have to said that the friction fit of Noblesse was disappointing, cap of Lamy 2000 is better built than M800, but the piston is not as good as M800.

 

Oh, get this, the picture is from polorized subglasses infront of camera, you can see that the inner cap is injection molded, hence the stress pattern, and it seems that the trasnparent material is either stress free, or made of materials that do not show stress under cross polarized light.

 

Also, I just notice that because the M800 pump is cut in on one side, the pen is anti-roll.

[scaredyet]

how much are these pens worth

[Ed Ronax]

Excellent review, thanks.

[inkcoffee]

how much are these pens worth

 

The MSRP is $455, I've seen them at most online shops at ≦$360.

 

Edited: I would check out a certain seller in MI though, great price right now, that is if you were looking to buy...

Edited April 10, 2010 by inkcoffee

[nicholasyeo]

<!--quoteo(post=848663:date=Dec 17 2008, 05:45 PM:name=RevAaron)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RevAaron @ Dec 17 2008, 05:45 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=848663"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=846697:date=Dec 16 2008, 10:53 AM:name=fmp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fmp @ Dec 16 2008, 10:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=846697"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I got the demo because a variety of reasons. I always want to look at the construction of a M800 and compare it to Lamy 2000 (L2k).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

Do you have a Lamy 2000 demo? If so, I will raid your house. I will aikido you for your 2k demo!

<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

 

I do not have a L2k demo, but i have the pictures of disassembled L2k, MB Noblesse and old style Safari...

 

For L2k pump, keep unscrewing firmly, but slowly.

 

Ooh! A great example of disassembly.

[nicholasyeo]

Wonderful. Just a beauty. Great review!

[breaker]

nice pics

[mori45]

Nice review. I was going to get this but decided to go for the M205 because of the springiness of the 2xx/4xx nibs, but I haven't ruled out a future acquisition.

[ahab78]

Great review. Thanks.

[PatientType]

My first really good, brand new pen was a Pelikan M800 Sovereign Demonstrator. About a year later, I bought a second Demonstrator - also new - because I liked the pen even more than I thought I might.

 

These are beautiful pens. The combination of crystal and gold are elegant in a minimalist way. When you load the pen with ink, the pen dramatically frames the ink and your crystal pen becomes Florida Blue or Sherwood Green.

 

What I didn't realize when I first got one of these was how practical they are for daily use. First, you never need to wonder how much ink you have or what color you might have loaded. You glance at the pen and you know.

 

That sounds like a small thing, but with most of my other pens I don't know how much ink is left - so I'm reluctant to take them to meetings or where I'll be away from a bottle of ink. And, with most of my other pens I need to touch the nib to scratch paper so I'll remember what the ink color is. I like a variety of colors but I don't want to launch into a business letter using Habanero. I could keep an ink log but being able to just see the ink requires a lot less organization on my part.

 

The other factor is that the M800 comes with the very, very good Pelikan nib and the Pelikan integrated piston-fill ink reservoir. Some of my pricey pens have intermittent flow issues. These don't. Some of my pens are finicky about which brand of ink I use. These aren't.

 

The one compromise, and one that comes from my concern about staining the pen, is that I don't load my M800 demos with red inks. They might stain, they might not ... but I know I'm too fussy about the look of the pen to take a chance and find out.

 

All in all, of the various brands and models of pens in my pen box (and there are a pretty good number now), I'd rate the Pelikan M800 Sovereign as one of my top five pens.

Edited March 1, 2011 by PatientType