Enhancements/changes To Future Pelikans

[Guy007]

Another thread got me thinking about some minor changes to future Pelikans, that all though not crazy to do, would make the pens even better (in my opinion)

 

1) For the M80x/M1000 striped Green/Blue/Red bodies having the internal piston changed from the silver brass to a black coated/anodized brass, so that the silver piston wouldn't shine though half the body and detract the eye. Then having the piston as an optional extra to retro fit on existing models if so desired.

 

2) The option for single tone nibs.
On the Mxx05 range rather than a dual tone nib or rhodium plated nib, I think a 18C White Gold nib would look great, and no concern for plating coming off.
On the MXX00 range an option for a single tone gold nib. On a black and gold pen, I think an all yellow Gold nib would set it off more.

 

What would you change ?

Edited February 19, 2014 by Guy007

[pajaro]

Steel nib option in lieu of gold. If you ever bent an M1000 nib and ended up selling it off cheap, you might think about something a tad stiffer.

[inBOIL]

i still really hate the [no longer] new cap logo, and feel like it totally ruins the design of the pen. So ... i'd like to see them find a better solution. (Ideally: keep the frosted thing--which looks nice, in isolation--but go back to a disc kinda' thing?...)

Other than that: They could improve their pens by not constantly increasing the prices without actually making any improvements.... (i know the price of plastic is on the rise, and all ... but ... c'mon! Give me at least a CHANCE to actually save-up for one!)

[Xof72000]

 

 

What would you change ?

 

 

Me ?

Absolutely nothing !

[irrigger]

I would like to see every pen in the Souveran range have an easliy removable piston ( threaded ).

[DrCodfish]

Another thread got me thinking about some minor changes to future Pelikans, that all though not crazy to do, would make the pens even better (in my opinion)

 

1) For the M80x/M1000 striped Green/Blue/Red bodies having the internal piston changed from the silver brass to a black coated/anodized brass, so that the silver piston wouldn't shine though half the body and detract the eye. Then having the piston as an optional extra to retro fit on existing models if so desired.

 

2) The option for single tone nibs.

On the Mxx05 range rather than a dual tone nib or rhodium plated nib, I think a 18C White Gold nib would look great, and no concern for plating coming off.

On the MXX00 range an option for a single tone gold nib. On a black and gold pen, I think an all yellow Gold nib would set it off more.

 

What would you change ?

 

Good luck with changes to nibs. If recent history is any indication it would seem that consolidating nib options is a place where Pelikan sees opportunities to save on costs. Apparently high inventory and long shelf times for unique elements takes away from the bottom line. I an assuming that this is a business decision. They apparently can make more from a vistor to the factory waitng for a custiom grind than putting a whole range of nibs into inventory.

 

Here is a question for you though. If they had a factory custom nib exchange option, would you take advantage of it? If you could send yor bi-color nib to the factory to exchage for white gold, would you do it? If so, how much would you be willing to pay? I'm not picking on you but seen from the manufacturers POV, options = costs. So the question is would any additional revenue cover the additional costs?

 

Personally, I would appreciate a little more certainty. If we knew that every two (three?) years they were planning to come out with a new SE series (cities, nature, writers, whatever) and that they would on alternate years offer additions to existing lines ( i.e. a new color or pattern to the Traditions) and perhaps one or two LE pens it would make it easier for me to decide what to do with my limited pen budget.

 

I'd like to see a line of pens and peripherals dedicated to travel (auto mfgrs have SUV's, why not 'extreme' or rough stuff pens?). Hardier pens, perhaps a clever travel inkwell (incorpoated into a sturdy pen case?) a travel ready pelikan portfoloio, stainless or grippy hard rubber binde's click lociing caps, something that you could jam in a pocket or pack and know that it would still look good after a day, or a week on the road. Pelikan could do this with class and it would certainly set them apart from other high end mfgrs.

 

They would be filling gap however the question begs: Why is that gap there? Is there a market opportunity or is there no product because there is no demand? But these are different times: There was no demand for touch phones, then someone brilliant figured it out and look what hapened to Blackberry. I can already hear people saying things like: "looks interesting but it's not to my liking" ,,, because that's not how we see Pelikan now.

[Garageboy]

A hard case sounds amazing

 

 

I vote a throwback to the old engraved cap top

[sargetalon]

I'm all in favor of the old (1997-2009) cap top. The new ones don't do it for me. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the pens just a tad bit cheaper but I know that will never happen.

[Lady P]

What I'd love to see is an "M415." That is to say, a pen roughly the same as M400/M405, but metal on the inside. I'd be willing to pay perhaps 20-30 EUR more than I paid for my M400 in order to get it.

[Lady P]

Double post.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Lady P

[AoKiu]

Bring back the 4-pen leather pouch (former TL 41, 924 753).

[Guy007]

 

Good luck with changes to nibs. If recent history is any indication it would seem that consolidating nib options is a place where Pelikan sees opportunities to save on costs. Apparently high inventory and long shelf times for unique elements takes away from the bottom line. I an assuming that this is a business decision. They apparently can make more from a vistor to the factory waitng for a custiom grind than putting a whole range of nibs into inventory.

 

Here is a question for you though. If they had a factory custom nib exchange option, would you take advantage of it? If you could send yor bi-color nib to the factory to exchage for white gold, would you do it? If so, how much would you be willing to pay? I'm not picking on you but seen from the manufacturers POV, options = costs. So the question is would any additional revenue cover the additional costs?

 

Personally, I would appreciate a little more certainty. If we knew that every two (three?) years they were planning to come out with a new SE series (cities, nature, writers, whatever) and that they would on alternate years offer additions to existing lines ( i.e. a new color or pattern to the Traditions) and perhaps one or two LE pens it would make it easier for me to decide what to do with my limited pen budget.

 

I'd like to see a line of pens and peripherals dedicated to travel (auto mfgrs have SUV's, why not 'extreme' or rough stuff pens?). Hardier pens, perhaps a clever travel inkwell (incorpoated into a sturdy pen case?) a travel ready pelikan portfoloio, stainless or grippy hard rubber binde's click lociing caps, something that you could jam in a pocket or pack and know that it would still look good after a day, or a week on the road. Pelikan could do this with class and it would certainly set them apart from other high end mfgrs.

 

They would be filling gap however the question begs: Why is that gap there? Is there a market opportunity or is there no product because there is no demand? But these are different times: There was no demand for touch phones, then someone brilliant figured it out and look what hapened to Blackberry. I can already hear people saying things like: "looks interesting but it's not to my liking" ,,, because that's not how we see Pelikan now.

 

I would take advantage of the custom exchange. Now if it was a free option I'm sure more would too i.e. within the 30 days and through an official reseller. Otherwise I think a $25 fee would be reasonable. But they would have to have stock in both the US ( North and South America ) and Europe ( Rest of World ) as return places to keep their costs in line.

 

I see no cost difference to say from dual tone gold to a single tone white gold nib as it does away with the plating process and therefore reduces steps in the nib creation. Only Pelikan can know the break down of current sales, I'm sure certain pens do better in different territories, i.e. preference for colour or size. Who knows in the future, they might offer a buy direct from source.

 

I also understand your point of release cycles and editions. I think the last few years though with the change in ownership they have focussed on costs and core products and not gone 'too crazy' with excess editions.

Some other interesting ideas for sure, but maybe there isn't too much people would change.

[Azura]

Maybe the reintroduction of the nn model, I really like the cap logo design in my 400nn...

[JulioPB]

I would love an M215 'rings' all navy blue with chrome trim,

or 'M210' with gold plated trims.

 

Julio MX

[MarkTrain]

2) The option for single tone nibs.

On the Mxx05 range rather than a dual tone nib or rhodium plated nib, I think a 18C White Gold nib would look great, and no concern for plating coming off.

On the MXX00 range an option for a single tone gold nib. On a black and gold pen, I think an all yellow Gold nib would set it off more.

 

I would agree that a white gold nib would be much more desirable than a completely rhodium plated gold nib, but I don't see Pelikan doing this. It is probably easier for them to plate the nibs than set up a separate production run of white gold nibs.

Edited February 24, 2014 by MarkTrain

[Charles Rice]

I'd like to see a wider selection of off-the-shelf nibs.

[conib]

2) The option for single tone nibs.

+1

And just say no to plated nibs.

 

I would like to see every pen in the Souveran range have an easliy removable piston ( threaded ).

+1

 

My wish list:

• I would be thrilled to see m4xx demonstrators with threaded pistons that took a range of single-tone non-plated 14k (yellow and white gold) nibs.*

• And please be sure to remove that metallic trim ring from the end of the section closest to the nib on the m4xx series.**

• A factory (non-custom) 0.7mm cursive italic (like the Prera's CM nib), offered in stainless steel as well as single-tone non-plated 14k would be great.

• An option for single-tone non-plated 14k nibs on the m8xx/m1xxx series (for fewer incidents of sprung nibs).

• A single-tone non-plated 14k nib on the upcoming M101N release.

 

-- Constance

 

* made especially for playing with inks -- you can see the ink color in the barrel, the threaded piston means that the pen can be easily and thoroughly cleaned between ink changes, and because it's a demonstrator you can see when the pen is in fact clean.

 

** a non-plated nib along with the absence of that section trim ring means that iron gall inks could be used without risk of plating loss.

Edited February 24, 2014 by conib

[Joe in Seattle]

The M800 Tortoise does have a black chrome plated piston to avoid show through.

[bizhe]

Better quality control.

[lurcho]

The number-one thing Pelikan should do is stop making Mr Blobby nibs and get back - at least - to their old, pre-1997 (so I'm informed) slightly footed, slightly stubbish points.

 

I love Pelikan so much, for their reliability, their solidity, their amazingly-wet feeds, that I have decided upon the reckless path of incompetent grinding of both my M200 nib, and, even worse, my M400 medium point in a M205 body.

 

The 1.0 and 0.3 um lapping film were ordered tonight.

 

I'm either going to create a foot resembling the extraordinary one on my circa-2000 M800 I had perfected by good-old Binder (shading, line-variation, writes on any paper, and absolutely unbeatable), or stub them.

 

You need that foot, at least. Look, with a 10X loupe, at an old Pelikan, or the current Lamy 2000. Foot. It's a rounded one, but that's what makes a nib any good. A bit of a foot, at least.

 

This is just my taste and opinion, of course.