What does "M" stand for?

[ko6]

Pelikan used to give just a number to each model of pen, such as 100 and 400. I just wonder why M was added and what the letter "M" stands for. I hope that someone here gives me an answer.

Edited September 6, 2007 by ko6

[KCat]

hmm.. Rick?

 

All I know is that it distinguishes it from ballpoint, rollerball, and pencil. B is ballpoint, R is rollerball, K is pencil.

 

 

[girlieg33k]

Wild guess on my part, but it could stand for "Modern" to distinguish it from previous versions of the 100, 400, and so forth......until Rick Propas or someone else chimes in with the correct answer, I'd say it stands for "Mystery"

[saintsimon]

OK, time for some Pelikan nomenclature lectures

 

There are M, P, K, R and D.

 

P = "Patrone" = cartridge in German; all cartridge Pelikans, except the piston filled P1, start with Pxxx. E.g. the Epoch line FPs are P36x.

M = most likely "Mechanisch/Mechanik" or something like that, for the mechanical piston filling system. A M1050 is obviously a piston filler.

R = Rollerball, like a R620.

K = "Kugelschreiber" = ball pen. E.g. Epoch line ball pens are K36x.

D = both "Drehmechanik/Drehbleistift" (twist MP) and "Druckmechanik/Druckbleistift" (press knob MP). A D200 is a a mechanical pencil with a knob on the top, while a D800 is a twist action mechanical pencil.

 

Obvious, isn't it?

Edited September 6, 2007 by saintsimon

[girlieg33k]

Thanks, saintsimon! I was obviously wrong on both counts -- but I contend I'm still a good guesser, yea?

[saintsimon]

Thanks, saintsimon! I was obviously wrong on both counts -- but I contend I'm still a good guesser, yea?

Look, I've no official sources, but that system is so consistently followed by Pelikan nowadays and it is consistent with the German usage for such kind of pens (maybe except for the M).

Edited September 6, 2007 by saintsimon

[girlieg33k]

Thanks, saintsimon! I was obviously wrong on both counts -- but I contend I'm still a good guesser, yea?

Look, I've no official sources, but that system is so consistently followed by Pelikan nowadays and it is consistent with the German usage for such kind of pens (maybe except for the M).

Oi! I believe you -- despite the lack of official sources. Yours was the better answer; mine was merely in sarcasm....

[KCat]

K = "Kugelschreiber" = ball pen. E.g. Epoch line ball pens are K36x.

D = both "Drehmechanik/Drehbleistift" (twist MP) and "Druckmechanik/Druckbleistift" (press knob MP). A D200 is a a mechanical pencil with a knob on the top, while a D800 is a twist action mechanical pencil.

 

Obvious, isn't it?

 

Thanks - I got the K&D wrong. Shouldn't rely on memory at times like these.

[saintsimon]

I assume that the current "meaning" of M and P developed over time, while the R, K and D were directly introduced to have a complete system.

Edited September 7, 2007 by saintsimon

[PAKMAN]

Good info Saint!! Thanks!

[saintsimon]

Ah, I forgot the L of the Level line, like the L5 and L65 valve fillers.

[ko6]

Thank you very much for the prompt replies. This was a question someone had asked in a Japanese fountain pen blog.

 

By the way, the site is one of the most informative fountain pen sites for me, particularly for pen repair and adjustment. Even though you cannot read Japanese, the detail images of "before" and "after" are very helpful to understand how to solve the problem regarding the fountain pen. I cannot put the URL here, because I don't have permission. But you can google by the key words, "Pelikan", "1931" and "blog".

 

Thank you very much again.

[jmkeuning]

M stands for

 

 

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[PelikanPenman]

Good question and good answers Saintsimon. Again shows why FPN is so good.

[Rick Propas]

Honestly, I don't know what the M stands for, other than to distinguish the modern from th vintage models.