Anyone use a Pelikan Ball Point?

[Sallent]

I need advise from someone who owns and uses Pelikan ball point pens (I know this is a FP forum, but please help).

 

Here is the deal, there are times in the day where using a fountain pen is not practical and ball point pens are needed. For example, when writting with carbon copies, fountain pens do not put enough pressure to leave a duplicate or triplicate carbon copy, so i have to use a ball point. Also, when stuck in an endless meeting that requires fast and prolonged periods of writting, it is cumbersome to have to stop and fill the fountain pen or to take extremely fast notes with one.

 

I don't like to use cheap and disgusting Bics, so i was looking at getting a Pelikan ball point pen. If you use Pelikan ball points, are they as high quality as the fountain pens? Are they built well? Would you recomend a specific ball point pen model, the 200? 400? 600? I would appreciate any information you can provide.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Dr Ozzie

[PAKMAN]

At the Dallas Pen show I brought my Red Stripe 800 to try to sell it or trade it for a Blue Stripe 800. Well I ended up selling it outright for a good price and a fellow offered me an 800 Blue Stripe 800 FP, BP and MP for about what I got out of the Red Stripe. I couldn't resist even though I wasn't in the market for the Ball Point or Mech Pencil. However! The Pelikan 800 Ball point is one of the sweetest ball points I have ever owned, it looks as nice and is built of same materials and design as the FP. It takes Parker BP and Gell refills. The 800 BP is a very nice size, same length as the FP but not as much girth. They reversed the cap and body so that the cap is blue striped and body black which makes a nice contrast with the FP. Hope this helped.

[Greg D]

I need advise from someone who owns and uses Pelikan ball point pens (I know this is a FP forum, but please help).

 

Here is the deal, there are times in the day where using a fountain pen is not practical and ball point pens are needed. For example, when writting with carbon copies, fountain pens do not put enough pressure to leave a duplicate or triplicate carbon copy, so i have to use a ball point. Also, when stuck in an endless meeting that requires fast and prolonged periods of writting, it is cumbersome to have to stop and fill the fountain pen or to take extremely fast notes with one.

 

I don't like to use cheap and disgusting Bics, so i was looking at getting a Pelikan ball point pen. If you use Pelikan ball points, are they as high quality as the fountain pens? Are they built well? Would you recomend a specific ball point pen model, the 200? 400? 600? I would appreciate any information you can provide.

 

I have been using a Pelikan K800 ballpoint in the blue stripe for about six months and it is the best ballpoint I have ever used. As Perry pointed out, it's quality is consistent with the M800's and it takes the Parker Gel refills. It has great balance and feels very solid. I simply have to have at least one pen that can be ready to write by using only one hand, and the K800 fits the bill perfectly. If you have access to a B&M store, I would suggest writing with both the K600 and K800, as there is a pretty significant difference in the feel. I hope this helps.

 

Greg~

[Woody]

What do you mean fountain pens do not put enough pressure? Have you ever tried an Esterbrook with a "Rigid" nib? Their Manifold nibs are specifically meant for making carbon copies. I've got two of them, and believe me, you can put a lot of pressure on these nibs. I just wrote on a Tops (brand) Carbonless Form. This is the kind of form that doesn't have carbon paper; however, works in just the same way. By applying pressure to the top copy, your writing is transferred to the lower two copies. I'm able to make my writing show up on the 3rd page without any problems at all.

 

Ok, out of sheer curiosity I tried it again, this time with 3 sets of carbonless forms, stacked one on top of the other. Each set of forms has 3 forms each, so 9 sheets total. The writings on the last page appeared a little "faded" but still readable.

 

For example, when writting with carbon copies, fountain pens do not put enough pressure to leave a duplicate or triplicate carbon copy, so i have to use a ball point.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Woody

[KCat]

My hubby uses the 200 BP and we both use the 200 MP. They seem very well made. One problem on the MP is the cap on the eraser. Has a tendency to crack. But that shouldn't be an issue on the BP.

 

 

[Alriel]

I like using my K800 and as Greg mentions, it can use the Parker gel refill for really smooth writing. It feels very solid in the hand the twisting mechanism is also smooth.

 

Here is the deal, there are times in the day where using a fountain pen is not practical and ball point pens are needed. For example, when writting with carbon copies, fountain pens do not put enough pressure to leave a duplicate or triplicate carbon copy, so i have to use a ball point. Also, when stuck in an endless meeting that requires fast and prolonged periods of writting, it is cumbersome to have to stop and fill the fountain pen or to take extremely fast notes with one.

 

If you don't have one already, try using a 51. I noted in your signature about the Parker pens and a 51 for those carbon copies and long meetings as it would surely fit your needs. A properly working fountain pen should be able to keep up with any writing speed!

Good luck and let us know what you have decided to do!

 

Al

[andyk]

Hi,

 

The quality is pretty high, I have a selection including several 200s, several 400s (including a couple of vintage (well late 50s/early 60s), a couple of 600s (including one of the old ones from when they looked like the 400) and an 800.

 

All write well, especially when fitted with Parker Gel refills (except the vintage ones which only take the old style thin refills). Why not try a rollerball basically the same body as the FP but with a different secton and the blind cap unscrews to change the refill, the refills are fairly easy to get as opposed to the Level ones which aren't.

 

Andy

 

Edit, just to clarify:- The vintage ones also write well, just won't take Parker refills.

Edited November 28, 2007 by andyk

[OneRiotOneRanger]

I own and use several Pelikan ballpoints and rollerballs.

 

Each and every one is attractive - read my article in The PENnant about how I mix and match caps and bodies: currently in the rotation are two rollerballs, an R361 and R362 (these are Epochs) where I switched the caps, and a K360 and K363 where I did the same. When I use them in public places, they invariably get compliments.

 

The rollerballs are fitted with Pelikan medium blue refills and the ballpoints with Visconti 1.0mm turquoise refills, so they all write comfortably and colorfully.

 

Highly recommended!

[Sallent]

Thank you for all the information. I am convinced, am going to buy me a Pelikan ballk point pen, either a 600 or 800 model. Thanks for helping me make up my mind.

[kitch]

My lovely wife bought me an M200 FP pen together with a matching ball point, which conveniently takes parker refils, so are freely available and cheap. i use the parke gel refils which writely nicely.

 

I agree with you though, there are just some occasion where u cant use a fountain pen... i.e when writing carbon coppies or trying to write on blood bottles.... believe me i have tried..... smudge city