Pelikan M800 Italic

[Guest Pjay]

With some considerable anticipation, I made the trip to my local Post Office this afternoon to collect a couple of new pens from Niche Pens in the UK. The subject of this brief review, and a Blue 'o Blue. I won't follow the usual review headings, because this is just a variant of such an already familiar pen.

 

I ordered green striated because of the tradition associated with that finish, and most of my existing Pelikans are of that colour. The price differential was about US$85 over a regular M800 - for the extra money you get a broad Italic nib (soon available as an add-on), a different outer box (pictured below) and a small leaflet with some comments about the use of an Italic nib.

 

No time was wasted in unpacking the pen, rinsing it with rain water, then filling it with Pelikan black ink. For me, the result was a great disappointment. Compared to other Italic nibs I have (Parker Duofolds) this one is really broad and bold. I honestly cannot imagine a use for this pen with this nib, unless preparing posters of some sort. For the sort of lettering it produces, I'd happily use my cheap and cheerful Manuscript calligraphy kit, at about 10% of the cost.

 

The biggest issue, apart from a line width approaching 1.5 mm, is the flow problem this pen has. Every other Pelikan pen I've had has always been an instant starter, even when stored for a couple of weeks in between use. This nib just will not flow, and the continuous false starts became very irritating very quickly. This may be unique to this particular nib, but is certainly very out of character for a Pelikan pen.

 

If you like very broad Italic writing, then this pen may be for you. I'm now faced with the decision of either posting the pen back to the UK for warranty attention, or having the nib tweaked by a nibmeister. It will be interesting to read of the results obtained by other users of this pen.

 

EDIT A couple of flushes with a weak dishwasher solution and a change of ink did not make much difference. The nib reacts very differently to different papers. On rough cheap and nasty and absorbent copy paper, it only gives about 10% dry starts, but on premium inkjet paper, really smooth and less absorbent, it is a very reluctant writer. Once it does get flowing there's no skipping, but getting it started is the problem. Horizontal strokes are a little worse than down strokes. Anyway, it's day one, and I will persevere with a few more flushes and try a few more inks before taking any other action, but it's a very different experience to starting any other new Pelikan that I've had...

Edited September 16, 2010 by Pjay

[robeck]

The skipping and ink flow problems you are experiencing are a disappointment and I hope this is a one-off and that you get it sorted. Did you really use rain water to flush the pen? Rain water can contain all sorts of air borne contaminants and could they be causing a blockage? Personally, I tend to flush using tap water (yes, I know that strictly I should use distilled for absolute purity but I think tap would generally be safer than rain - unless you filtered it I guess). I have been following the arrival of Pelikan italic nibs with interest as I would dearly like one for my M1000.

 

The line width you quote is, however, very similar to the standard Conway Stewart broad italic and Lamy 1.5mm italic nibs, both of which I own. I use the CS IB nib all the time for correspondence and journal keeping and find it to be one of my favourite nibs - wet and consistent flow with a line width that packs a real punch. I certainly don't think it is fit for poster drawing only.

 

Good luck with resolving your issues with the nib.

 

Dean.

 

Edited to add: Ah, I've just noticed you were using Pelikan ink. I have found that to be a very dry running ink that causes several of my pens to skip which otherwise would not. I would suggest you try another, non-Pelikan ink.

Edited September 16, 2010 by robeck

[Signum1]

I have a couple of Pelikan M200 steel nibs with ink flow issues too.

 

I found that the ink flow improves by pulling the tines a part for a 10 seconds or so. This is an easy fix that you can do yourself.

[mori45]

Sorry to hear it was a bust. I was quite looking forward to buying the M800 nib when they come out next in 2011, but now I think I'll have to reconsider.

[timbrown]

consider buying a broad regular nib and giving to to Richard Binder or Mike Masuyama ($40 max) to have it made into a good italic. I was told at the D.C. show that Pelikan is not all that good at off the beaten track nibs.

[fabrimedeiros]

Is very easy to fix it. You need increase the ink flow, and for it you need press gently the edges nib with your both nail thumbs like that pic. The pen must be loaded, because you need press, then try to write. Do it again, if the ink flow will not be good.

 

I learned it on John Mottishaw's site: http://www.nibs.com/Article6.html

 

Don´t be afraid, I've increased many of my dry pens and always it works!

 

If you have any doubt, please, tell me!

 

Good luck!

 

Fabricio

Edited September 18, 2010 by fabrimedeiros

[fabrimedeiros]

I love both modern & vintage Pelikans. Maybe, Peli pens are the wettest writers, cause their feeder has been designed on this intention. And Stub nibs are my preferred! Although I own a M800 Blue Striated, I'll order one Green Striped for sure. Fortunately it is Broad, cause almost my pens have Broad nibs and Peli B writes like a dream!

 

No doubt my best writer is a M1000 Green Striated <M>, then it is different from other Souverän, which have spherical nib tips. In fact, M1000 Medium and other broader nibs are almost Stub. Thechnically, they're not Stub, but vertical strokes are wider than the horizontal ones. Vintage Pels also have stubish nibs.

[777]

I'm sorry to hear that it's not working out for you. Please let us know what happens next. Hopefully the issue will be resolved.

 

Regards,

777

[blopplop]

I had the same thing happen when I bought my P800 demo from someone. Very sporadic flow. But I had intended to send it to Mike M for a stub job and of course it can back flowing perfectly.

 

It's a shame your having the problem with such a beautiful looking nib. Try the fix mentioned above and see how it fairs.

 

Dave

[RMN]

I have also got this nib, and it produces a good wet line.

Ofcourse, being an italic and a really broad one you have to make sure the whole of the nib-tip touches the paper, if you tilt the pen the slit between the tines, where the ink comes from, won't touch the paper, giving flow problems, not unlike baby-bottom.

 

I find the nib to write nicely, but it is indeed too broad for normal note taking. But it is great for lettering getting well cards (etc), writing envelopes etc.

 

D.ick

[AlanE]

I had a broad Pelikan M800 Nib changed into an Italic by John Sorowka in the UK. The guy is a genius and very friendly with it. The nib writes beautifully.

 

I must say though, if you buy a broad italic nib, dont you expect to get a broad line ? Try Watermans ink, it will flow through anything. If that dont work contact Ray at Niche, he is very helpful.

 

All the best and good luck.

 

Alan

[Guest Pjay]

Rather than take the well intentioned advice above about improving ink flow, I sent the nib back to the helpful folk at Niche Pens for replacement. The new nib arrived in today's mail, and it's a real contrast to the one originally fitted to this pen. It's now a juicy wet writer and and instant starter.

 

AlanE expressed some surprise at my reaction to a broad Italic nib. Most of my writing is done with EE or EEF nibs, so I guess the width of this nib came as a bit of a shock. I have some lovely Italic nibs in a couple of Duofolds, and #98 (fine Italic) stays inked permanently.

 

However, as RMN suggests, this broad Italic nib will be useful for greeting cards and for addressing envelopes. I hope that a range of Italic nobs is offered by Pelikan eventually, or I might just pay to have this nib reduced in width. Now that the ink is flowing as it should, it is a lovely smooth writer.

[AlanE]

Nice one PJay. Glad you got it sorted. I have always had 1st class service from Niche. Like you I have a Duofold Italic (medium) its a beaut huge contrast in line width between thick and thin. I also have an old 1970s Parker 45 with a D nib, should be medium Italic but its huge, thats great for addressing envelopes.

[SnowLeopard]

I've switched to Aurora Black....no miscues since, no shading, just pure line variation .....what a pen! The italic requires that you maintain a light pressure and the proper angles....you can use it all day...wo fatigue.

[fabrimedeiros]

I've switched to Aurora Black....no miscues since, no shading, just pure line variation .....what a pen! The italic requires that you maintain a light pressure and the proper angles....you can use it all day...wo fatigue.

 

 

I'm quite satisfied with M800 IB too! I'm using J.Herbin Éclat de Saphir , and the italic 1.5mm nib produces awesome lines, very precise, with great line variation. Smooth nib, no doubt that's my best italic pen.

[redisburning]

I've switched to Aurora Black....no miscues since, no shading, just pure line variation .....what a pen! The italic requires that you maintain a light pressure and the proper angles....you can use it all day...wo fatigue.

 

FWIW I think your original post, which looks like it had some minor shading, looked quite pleasing to me.

 

glad that you got it worked out.