Did I damage the Pelikan M200 nib?

[Mysterious Mose]

My delight with this pen was shortlived.

 

I got it from Wasupen on eBay. It was listed as "Nice Vintage Pelikan M200 W. Germany Pistonfiller." The pen is Old Style version, 1985 - 1989.  At my request, Wasupen replaced the OB nib with a gold plated Fine nib.

 

Although it's small, I was initially delighted with the way it wrote.  The nib is springy and somewhat flexy.  It can produce line variation.  However, it suddenly stopped writing.

 

The pen is inked but even if I dip it in ink it doesn't write.  Nor does it write if I extract a few drops of ink.  Dunking it in water doesn't help.  If I remove the nib and dip it in ink, it writes a little bit but if I screw the nib back into the pen, it stops writing.  (I'm not exactly sure of this.)0

 

Any ideas on what's wrong and how to fix it?  Could I have damaged the nib by pressing too hard or screwing and unscrewing it?  Any other ideas?

 

???

[Bo Bo Olson]

42 minutes ago, Mysterious Mose said:

At my request, Wasupen replaced the OB nib with a gold plated Fine nib.

Was that one of the great W.Germany nibs that you had? or a modern?

Have you the nib section screwed in properly?

 

In you have Plastic Gasket 2.0 that shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

[Mysterious Mose]

3 hours ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

Was that one of the great W.Germany nibs that you had? or a modern?

Have you the nib section screwed in properly?

 

In you have Plastic Gasket 2.0 that shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Wasupen didn't know anything about the nib other than that it was used or vintage.  It appears gold plated, not steel.

 

Is the nib section screwed in properly?  I've tried gently screwing it in loose or tight.  Same problem.

 

Plastic Gasket 2.0?  Again, I don't know.  How do I tell?

 

Sorry, but I can't provide any pictures.

 

 

 

[sansenri]

difficult to tell, I would probably swap in another M200 nib and see what happens. If the pen writes, it's the nib, viceversa it's the pen...  your best bet is likely asking the seller for assistance, he has spare nibs and can check where the problem is.

If the problem is the pen then he should especially be taking care of that (possibly even if it's a problem with the nib, I doubt you could have damaged it just by writing with it).

 

btw, M200 nibs are gold plated steel (unless they come in a M205, in which case they are rhodium plated).

[sansenri]

Just noticed you are in NY and the seller is in Germany... due to distance it might also be useful to step into a good B&M pen shop in NY city and ask if they could take a quick look at your pen to see if they can understand what's the problem with it...

[senzen]

These are robust pens, I would simply clean it with a drop of dishwashing liquid in a cup of water before messing with the nib; if the pen was unused for a long time there might be dried ink between the nib and feed, just leave the nib assembly soaking for a few days and clean again. My mom had an m600 she had not used in 15 years, it took quite a few cleanings but has not failed since.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Plastic Gasket 1.0 @ 1938-1954/5.

Plastic Gasket 2.0...'55- now, and less problems in the plastic is better.

 

The W.Germany nib is a slight tad more springy...so slight one has to have both the W.German nib (for a 200-'85-90/91) and a '91-97 Germany.

Both are regular flex nibs and the gold is as good as the steel.

[Mysterious Mose]

Thanks for all these ideas.

 

Sansenri: Bringing it to Fountain Pen Hospital might be a good way to fix this.  But, isn't this imposing on them?  Would I be expected to buy something, e.g. ink, while I'm there?  Too bad there won't be any pen shows soon.

 

Bo Bo Olsen:  Is the gasket part of the Pistonfiller?  If so, it has Plastic Gasket 2.0.  So, what does that mean?

 

At one point in the 30 hrs. I've had this pen, the nib and the feed separated.  It reminded me of my Santini, whose nib doesn't unscrew.  This one definitely unscrews.

 

Remember, the pen wrote fine when I first got it.

 

Zenzen: Do I soak the nib in plain water, or water with dishwashing liquid?

 

One more fact:  the pen cost $50.00 plus $14 shipping

[Mysterious Mose]

1 minute ago, Mysterious Mose said:

Zenzen: Do I soak the nib in plain water, or water with dishwashing liquid?

 

Senzen

[Bo Bo Olson]

Yes, you have a gasket on the piston end...keeps the ink from flowing out the back....makes sure you have air pressure to keep the ink flowing down, and not up.

 

Plastic Gasket 2.0  means it's probably OK, in it's a better plastic than Gasket 1.0.  Most bad gaskets I've read about seem to be the first version, not the second. ....how ever I'm not a repair man.

 

Boiled in Oil and Beeswax Cork is the smoothest gasket but that's only for repair, by someone who knows and cares.

Many just use a 2.0 cut to fit gasket. More than likely cheaper; but I go deluxe my self.

[A Smug Dill]

29 minutes ago, Mysterious Mose said:

At one point in the 30 hrs. I've had this pen, the nib and the feed separated.

 

Uh, how, or why?

 

https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Nibs/Nib-units-since-1929/index.html#heading_toc_j_13

 

I don't have an ‘old style’ M200, but my understanding is it has the same sort of screw-in nib unit as the current production M200 models. I've never found the need (or desire) to further disassemble the tightly put together nib unit and separate the nib from the feed.

 

2 hours ago, Mysterious Mose said:

Sorry, but I can't provide any pictures.

 

That could help others help you; but, if you can't, oh well.

 

29 minutes ago, Mysterious Mose said:

Bringing it to Fountain Pen Hospital might be a good way to fix this.  But, isn't this imposing on them?  Would I be expected to buy something, e.g. ink, while I'm there?

 

Maybe the store will have a replacement/spare M200 nib unit to sell you. They're pretty cheap, as far as not-made-in-China nib units go. I keep a dozen or so spare M20x nib units on hand.

 

2 hours ago, sansenri said:

M200 nibs are gold plated steel (unless they come in a M205, in which case they are rhodium plated).

 

I don't believe so. The M205 nibs are just polished stainless steel, and not plated or otherwise coated (e.g. by PVD) by any other metal.

 

https://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US_INTL.FWI.displayShop.252288./classic-205-black-silver?variant=150040

Quote

The fountain pen Classic 205 black is equipped with a tried and tested piston-filling mechanism. The polished nib made of high-quality stainless steel is available in several nib sizes.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

45 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Uh, how, or why?

 

https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Nibs/Nib-units-since-1929/index.html#heading_toc_j_13

 

I don't have an ‘old style’ M200, but my understanding is it has the same sort of screw-in nib unit as the current production M200 models. I've never found the need (or desire) to further disassemble the tightly put together nib unit and separate the nib from the feed.

 

I wish I knew how or why. I panicked when I saw this. My first thought was that it was like my Santini and unlike my Pelikan M805.  I quickly put it together.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

17 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Uh, how, or why?

 

https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Nibs/Nib-units-since-1929/index.html#heading_toc_j_13

 

I don't have an ‘old style’ M200, but my understanding is it has the same sort of screw-in nib unit as the current production M200 models. I've never found the need (or desire) to further disassemble the tightly put together nib unit and separate the nib from the feed.

 

I wish I knew how or why. I panicked when I saw this. My first thought was that it was like my Santini and unlike my Pelikan M805.  I quickly put it together.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Here's how things stand Monday at 4:00 PM, about 50 hours after receiving the pen.

 

The pen is filled with ink.

 

It does write after I dip it in ink.  Specifically, Edelstein blue-black ink.  However, it doesn't write if I wipe Ink off the nib.  It's tricky to wipe ink off the section without wiping ink off the nib.  Messy -- ink on my fingers.

 

After that, even if I keep the cap on, it remains writeable for only 5 - 10 minutes.  After that, I have to repeat the whole dipping process all over again in order to write with the pen. I think that if I keep writing with it, it remains writeable.

 

So, my choices are a) live with it as it is, b) take it to Fountain Pen Hospital for an opinion, or c) return it.  Replacement nibs seem to cost at least $25.00.

 

Moral: When buying a vintage pen, get it with the original nib. This was my first purchase of a vintage pen.

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

83 of my 90 pens are vintage; most to 95% worked; the few that didn't were cheap enough or had a good nib so didn't matter.

 

Take it in for repair...they will charge you...a fair price. They are well known for fair prices on pens they sell and repair.

Who knows it might be something real simple.

You are close enough....It's not like you have to take a taxi from Kennedy. I understand they don't give change for a Bitcoin.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

2 hours ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

83 of my 90 pens are vintage; most to 95% worked; the few that didn't were cheap enough or had a good nib so didn't matter.

 

Take it in for repair...they will charge you...a fair price. They are well known for fair prices on pens they sell and repair.

Who knows it might be something real simple.

You are close enough....It's not like you have to take a taxi from Kennedy. I understand they don't give change for a Bitcoin.

 

As it turns out, if I write with the pen, it stops writing after about one page.  I have to dip it in ink again to keep writing. ☹️  Is the ink in the pen blocked?  Is it using up the ink it got from dipping?  I don't think I'll keep it as-is.

 

Bo Bo, it's funny you should mention Kennedy Airport.  I live across the street from LaGuardia Airport!  Anyway to get to FPH, I take bus and subway for 1 hour 20 minutes each way, total fare $2.70.

[Bo Bo Olson]

How about sending it by mail???

 

Take a good book? The price is right.

I always wanted to go to Strand Bookstore, but I'd have to go by ship....books by air were always paying gold bar weight.

 

I have landed in both LaGuardia and Kennedy. So long ago the 707 was still new. Could well have landed with an Air Icelandic Turbo prop (14 hour flight) ...on a baby flight from Germany. All the young GI married women around me just loved for 17 year old me to hold their squalling babies.

[Mysterious Mose]

1 hour ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

How about sending it by mail???

 

Take a good book? The price is right.

I always wanted to go to Strand Bookstore, but I'd have to go by ship....books by air were always paying gold bar weight.

 

I have landed in both LaGuardia and Kennedy. So long ago the 707 was still new. Could well have landed with an Air Icelandic Turbo prop (14 hour flight) ...on a baby flight from Germany. All the young GI married women around me just loved for 17 year old me to hold their squalling babies.

Sending it by mail defeats the whole point of using a B & M store!  There are many other places I could send it to.

 

 

Were your flights to NYC so long ago that Kennedy Airport was called Idlewild?

[GardenWeasel]

I recently had a similar problem and found the tines were too tight together. I used the appropriate brass sheet (from Goulet’s) between the tines. Fixed it. 

[Mysterious Mose]

 

 

On 10/10/2021 at 7:06 PM, A Smug Dill said:

 

Maybe the store will have a replacement/spare M200 nib unit to sell you. They're pretty cheap, as far as not-made-in-China nib units go. I keep a dozen or so spare M20x nib units on hand.

If my problem is with the  nib, would you part with one of them?  In fact, one of your nibs might be useful in determining the cause of the problem.

 

How common is this: buying a vintage pen and then spending more to get it working right?