Pelikan Id?

[Aysedasi]

I wonder if someone can kindly help me with a definitive ID of this new acquisition?

 

The pen is around 12.6cms closed and 14.7cms posted. It still bears a '14c' sticker and a 'PELIKAN W-GERMANY' identification on the cap band. The nib is broad, very smooth and has some flex. Both pen and box are in very good condition.

[Oobly]

Pelikan M400 Brown Tortoise, old style, 1982 to 1990 model.

[Bo Bo Olson]

No matter what you paid...you got a deal..M400....W.Germany '82@ '90...Tortoise one year less, '83-90, instead of the Green striped '82-97. Mine, a Germany one , a tortoise is @ '90-96.

 

The W.Germany nibs, be it a steel one of the late 80's old 200, the no piston ring M 400 the or the grand nibbed W.Germany 800..."88?-90"....all have a very nice springy 'true' regular flex nib.

Reputed to be some of the best ever made....a slight tad better than the '90-97 Germany M400...or the Germany 200- to now.

 

I find 'true' regular flex no matter who made it, to be a very nice nib for shading inks..........you need 90g minimum laser paper and a shading ink to have shading. The semi&maxi-semi-flex nibs need a better ink and paper match in they are wetter. They do have more line variation than the 'true' regular flex.

 

That is Not Semi-Flex.....but a flex rate most pen companies once made outside of Parker and Lamy. Some folks who have lived with nail nibs...have thought it semi-flex in the tines bend and spread .

 

It is a part of a 3 X vs a light down stroke flex set. Regular flex, semi-flex & maxi-semi-flex. The latter two are from the '50-65 era. Don't try to go past 3 X a light down stroke....actually there is no real need to try and force your nib to max of 3 X often....once just to see where that max is, is enough.

I don't max my many semi-flex or maxi-semi-flex nibs often.....more seldom now I have a lighter hand.

 

Richard Binder's site, is well worth the 3 days it will take to read it. The Bible of Fountain pens, nibs, filling systems, good advice on inks and very, very many pretty pens. He has an article of how to $pring your nib....or how not to really. It has to do with metal fatigue. That is a 100% need to read.

 

 

I call it 'true' regular flex in some might be confused by modern regular issue thinking them regular flex....which they are not.....most are nails or semi-nails, in they are harder for the Ball Point Barbarians to turn into pretzels.

 

I have a W.Germany 200...it is a slight tad...very slight tad more springy than the nibs from '90-97.(Have 4 of them.)

The W.Germany 800's is that good too. I'd never buy an 800...out side of the W.Germany one....In I find them too Large and clunky. Before trans-mailing an 800 to Spain (there are many Germans who refuse to mail outside of Germany) , that nib was all that Legend said it was.....as is the M400 you have.

 

I once asked a passed poster here who was then one of the Pelikan Experts in I had a '90's M400 if I should chase a W. Germany 400. She said, no. In I was spoiled by my '50's semi-flex 140 and maxi-semi-flex*** 400nn.

 

****Outside of Osmia, maxi-semi-flex is willi nilly to get one.....less than 1 in 5, from the '50-65 era; unmarked of course......

 

IMO...don't waste any money buying a new 400/600 they have semi-nail nibs....you can use your better nib on one of the very, very many beautiful 600s. Sometimes I put my '50's semi-flex B on my 605.

No one but you would know a 600 should have a two toned gold nib, instead of solid gold........and if they do know...they should know why....yours is the better nib.

The 200's are only a very slight touch less good than yours and are = my '90's Pelikans, most gold but one steel= to gold.

 

So if you wish to try other widths.....buy a much cheaper steel 200's nib. I find the gold plated ones expensive.

What width is your nib?

I find M&F very good for shading. B being wider can be a tad wet...depending on the ink.

 

Ah, almost forgot, your nib or any Pelikan semi-vintage or vintage nib & the 200's are 1/2 a width narrower than than the modern fat and blobby semi-nail 400/600's nibs.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Aysedasi]

Thank you very much. indeed! A lot of information.

 

I've only written a few words with the pen, which is a tad too small for my taste and I need to work out if I'm going to get on with the nib. I put quite a wet ink in it, but I think it needs something a bit drier.

 

I've no idea what the pen is worth - I took a flyer on it on Ebay and didn't ask the seller for dimensions or any real details until after I won it!

Edited July 28, 2017 by Aysedasi

[Bo Bo Olson]

It is made to post....and is very well balanced posted.

Unposted it is too small.......

It is a standard sized pen....like an Esterbrook DJ, P-75, a Vac or many others. Medium-large pens were like the P-51 or the modern 600.....back in the day '60-70's the only Large pen...not counting the 20-30's, was the Sheafer's PFM, Pen for Men, which I never saw in real life, just in ads.

 

When folks wrote all day on the job they wanted a light and nimble pen....it wasn't until folks no longer wrote all day,...notes at the conference table or 'signature' pens that Large seen across a table, clunky pens came in. I'm not prejudiced....I even own four of five modern Large pens. The 146 went from a very nice balanced medium large to a Large 146 in the '70's.

I am however opinionated. ....Grumpy old man is another name for that.

 

If you fear posting mars.....use Carnauba car Wax.....other waxes might well do. I've used others and have no damage.

 

I wax my pens and even though few of the old used pens....vintage, semi-vintage ever had a mar. I've had none at all, in I wax my pens. (Mars can be finger polished out by something like semi-chrome, before waxing your pen....which I don't expect you to have to do with your other large pens; in large pens don't post well, being overbalanced.)

 

Pelikan makes a dry ink, so made it's nibs wetter to meet in the middle ground. Waterman made narrower dryer nibs, and a wet ink so to meet in the middle.

 

What ink were you using? (Pelikan 4001, Herbin, MB and R&K make drier inks. They are good shading inks also.)

What nib width?

 

If you tell us....we can tell you if you are an 'Official Somegi' or how lucky you were. German prices....UK prices are a lot less than US prices.

 

A few years ago, I thought E130 too much for a green striped W.Germany 400....but the prices have climbed drastically. I chased a '50-54 Tortoise for E105 instead.

That W.Germany can add to the price.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Aysedasi]

Thanks again. I actually used Robert Oster Fire and Ice but I'm thinking of putting some Pelikan or Herbin in it. I paid around the £100 mark for it. As soon as I saw it I thought I'd have to give it a go. I may have paid over the odds? Its a broad nib.

[mulrich]

Thanks again. I actually used Robert Oster Fire and Ice but I'm thinking of putting some Pelikan or Herbin in it. I paid around the £100 mark for it. As soon as I saw it I thought I'd have to give it a go. I may have paid over the odds? Its a broad nib.

 

I don't have a ton of knowledge about this specific model and year but I think you got a pretty good deal.

[sargetalon]

That is a nice late 80s/early 90s M400 Tortoise. I agree that the M400 was made to be posted for the near perfect balance. Pelikan nibs are very wet by nature and tend to do better with drier inks. Hope you are able to get along with it.

[Chrissy]

Pelikan M400 Brown Tortoise, old style, 1982 to 1990 model.

 

This pen. 1983-1990

[Chrissy]

I don't post mine, and I feel it's a tad small. I sometimes wish I had a M600 instead. I would have thought mine was later than 1990.

 

Is there an obvious difference between the 1983-1990 version and the 1990-1996 version?

[sargetalon]

I don't post mine, and I feel it's a tad small. I sometimes wish I had a M600 instead. I would have thought mine was later than 1990.

 

Is there an obvious difference between the 1983-1990 version and the 1990-1996 version?

 

 

"W.-Germany" vs "Germany" on the cap band and the nib quality are the major differences. The older nib from the 80s version is a bit more highly regarded than the 90s version.

[Jebus]

I have the green striated one from '82 - '89. One of the best nibs I own. Truely a stunning pen! Enjoy it.

[Chrissy]

 

 

"W.-Germany" vs "Germany" on the cap band and the nib quality are the major differences. The older nib from the 80s version is a bit more highly regarded than the 90s version.

 

Thank you.

[Aysedasi]

Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to get on with it. I'm struggling with it for size and the nib is a bit to wide and springy for me as a leftie underwriter. Look out for it in the classifieds some time soon..... Shame.

[Chrissy]

I've established that my M400 brown tortoise has W.- Germany on the cap band. So can I assume that means it was definitely made between 1983 and 1990?

[Bo Bo Olson]

a leftie underwrite.................lefties have lots of troubles. To bad...it's a grand pen.

There are enough Large pens with nail nibs.

A 600 has a wider girth...is light and nimble...and posted has very good balance....as good as the P-51. It has a semi-nail nib which might be more to your liking....sort of like the nib of a semi-nail P-75.

 

An 800 IMO is a Large, thick clunky pen......not all that well balanced.....the only Large pen that has great balance I know, is the thin Snorkel. Posted it has great balance...un-posted....well, one can write with it, but balance wise....posted is better.

 

The MB146 is ok (better balanced than the 800) somewhat light and nimble....in the later Large model....but I like the '50-60's medium-large version....very well balanced....better nib if one is right handed. My 1970-80 one has a 'true' regular flex nib....which would be too much like the nib you don't like.

The modern 146 has a 'Springy' nib...good tine bend but only 2 X tine spread. That might be a pen for you. Check with other left handers.....can be had used at almost a fair price.

 

There are very many Large nail pens..........that are good for Lefties. I'm glad I don't have such, as a right hander.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chrissy...yep, Tortoise started one year after green stripped...'83.....W. Germany ended @ 1990...(I've seen it said...up to '91 by some poster or another.)

M400 Tortoise ends '96....green '97.

Any of the 400's before '97 have a nice clean line...including the '50-65 era.

 

The amount of 'flex' more is minute, but 'there'. I have a W.Germany 200.....and a number of '90's ''''true' regular flex nibs.....that I've grown to like a lot............ Once I was a semi-flex snob....gold snob too.

 

I'm sure many know I think the modern M400/600 to have fat blobby semi-nail sub-standard nibs.

[mitto]

I wonder if someone can kindly help me with a definitive ID of this new acquisition?

 

The pen is around 12.6cms closed and 14.7cms posted. It still bears a '14c' sticker and a 'PELIKAN W-GERMANY' identification on the cap band. The nib is broad, very smooth and has some flex. Both pen and box are in very good condition.

 

I got the same pen with a friction fit nib unit. What is strange this this pen is that the nib on this pen is more flexible than all of my 50s' 400s/400NNs. I suspect it is full flex. And it is a ink gushing wet pen. The tip size is M. But the pen writes more like a real B.

 

Is yours the screw-in nib unit or the friction fit one?

[Aysedasi]

I have a nice black M800 that I acquired a few weeks ago and now have a fine nib in it (swapped with an FPN member) that writes to my taste. The pen is near-perfect on size for me. The OM nib that I bought for it will appear here soon for sale!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Well, you can always brag...when in the Flock...I had once a W. Germany 400 Tortoise and bask in the admiring glow.

 

In today's modern world ...save a picture, and use what ever pen you have, to cross the modern doubting Thomas, of your social calendar.

Surely not fountain pen addict would doubt you .....only Ball Point Barbarians.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Erik Dalton]

Too bad you're not happy with the pen. It is a beautiful and sought after model. I'm sure you will have no problems finding an eager buyer.

I share your preference for the M-800's