A Tale of Two M600’s

November 29, 2014 By Joshua in Reference Tags: Fountain Pen, M600, Nibs, Pelikan 14 Comments

This is the first installment of a multi-part series looking at what I consider to be the middle child of the Souverän family, the M600. This first post will explore the history, features, and variations of the M600. In a follow-up post, I will be reviewing both the old and new style M600 pens in a head to head match-up. The M600 has one of the more interesting histories amongst Pelikan’s Souverän line-up and therefore is also prone to generate confusion amongst collectors. As I’ve described previously, the year 1997 saw many changes to the trim styles of both the Souverän and Tradition series of pens. Perhaps no pen was more affected than the M600 because not only did the trim change, the actual physical dimensions of the pen did as well. The M600 was originally introduced in 1985, a few years after the M400 was debuted. At that time, it had the same exact dimensions as the M400 but included an upgraded trim package. The initially available barrel colors included black (1985), burgundy (1989), and the familiar green striated (1990) variations. A tortoise version also exist but these are much less frequently encountered due to its limited production run.

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How-To: Safely Remove & Replace a Pelikan Nib

November 22, 2014 By Joshua in How-To's Tags: Fountain Pen, How-To's, Maintenance, Nibs, Pelikan 22 Comments

There are many reasons, some subjective and others objective, as to why Pelikan pens are as popular and lasting as they are. Undoubtedly, one feature that clearly endears them to novices and enthusiasts alike is the fact that the nibs are interchangeable and, by and large, have been so since the inception of the model 100. The nib is the business end of the pen and if it is not performing as expected or becomes damaged, even the most beautiful fountain pen in the world is rendered useless. I previously discussed these nibs and their ability to be easily exchanged (amongst other attributes) in my post, The Evolution of the Collar, Feed, & Nib. What’s more, not only are the nibs interchangeable but that this can be accomplished by the end-user and does not require a sometimes lengthy trip back to the manufacturer or a certified dealer, certainly a boon to the user. These facts combine to allow one pen to take on a significant amount of character as Pelikan’s catalogue of nibs over the years has contained a wide variety of expressive options, not to mention the variety of custom grinds available from third parties today. Even if you only own one nib, the ability to change nibs can come in quite handy in the event of accidental damage (why is it that all uncapped pens insist on landing nib side down?). I could continue to expound on the virtues of the interchangeable nib but that is not our purpose today. Today, I want to review for you exactly how to safely remove and replace a nib because this can be an area of confusion for many and some forethought should be employed prior to attempting. Rest assured, however, that this is a safe procedure which can be carried out without much difficulty or skill.

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Special Edition Spotlight

November 16, 2014 By Joshua in Reference Tags: Fountain Pen, M150, M200, M250, Pelikan 5 Comments

A subtle distinction exist between limited and special edition pens. Pelikan has manufactured many limited edition pieces which are characterized by production in a defined run of finite number. In contrast, special edition pens are often produced in an unlimited number but only for a limited period of time. Since the mid-1990’s, Pelikan has released many limited edition pens. These are often targeted at a specific consumer group with sufficient purchasing power as the price of these models usually comes at a premium. Since these pens are only available in a known limited quantity (with individual pieces often numbered), the company builds in an incentive to buy. Examples would include; The Pyramids of Giza, The Hanging Gardens, The 1000 Years of Austria, Golden Phoenix, The Originals of Their Time series, Hunting, Golf, and Wall Street just to name a few. These are pens designed to commemorate certain events in history, places, historic pen models, or activities. There is also a subset of special edition pens produced in a limited quantity which are made at the request of a specific consumer or for a particular region. This practice within the company dates back to before World War II with the production of the Emege pens and has continued since that time. This has resulted in several variations based off of mainstream model lines that were produced only in small runs for a specific customer though were not themselves numbered. Six of those pens from the modern era will be detailed in this post.

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How-To: Tighten a Loose Piston Knob

November 9, 2014 By Joshua in How-To's Tags: Fountain Pen, How-To's, Maintenance, Pelikan 1 Comment

Pelikan M200 Cognac and Amber Demonstrators

Left: Pelikan M200 Cognac Demonstrator, Right: Pelikan M200 Amber Demonstrator

From time to time, I plan to focus on simple ‘How-To’ pieces that address fixes and/or maintenance that can be undertaken by the pen enthusiast at home. Since I am not a pen repair professional, the advice that I convey should not be construed as coming from such and professional help should be sought for more advanced issues. I will focus on issues that arise from regular use which can be repaired with a certain degree of ease resulting in a high likelihood of success. My first such post was about lubricating the piston, perhaps the single most important maintenance a Pelikan piston filler would ever require. While thinking about this post, I recalled one question that I see asked fairly often and it has to do with a loose piston knob. While not necessarily affecting the function of the pen, it can be very disconcerting to an enthusiast who wants their pen to function according to factory specifications. This is a problem that can develop on some models, especially lower tier ones, owing to the fact that they more commonly have a friction fitted or snap fitted piston assembly. The normal behavior of the piston knob should be for it to sit securely against the barrel and not have any travel or play when the piston is in it’s fully retracted position. Please note that I am not discussing the normal 1/8th of a turn delay in piston engagement which is actually quite normal. What can happen though is that travel or play develops in the piston knob, even when the piston assembly is in the retracted position, keeping the knob from seating itself securely against the barrel.

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Review: A Trio of M101N’s

November 1, 2014 By Joshua in Reviews Tags: Fountain Pen, Lizard, M101N, Pelikan, Tortoise 16 Comments

The M101N Tortoiseshell Red was recently released in September of 2014 and I wanted to mark the occasion by reviewing all three of the pens available in the series. The M101N is the modern version of a line of pens that Pelikan first introduced in the 1930’s. There were several variations released in that series, all of which command top dollar in today’s market due to their desirability amongst collectors. Included in the original series were pens such as the highly sought after Lizard and the Tortoiseshell Red. This new series pays homage to that lineage with an updated design while still retaining the original’s dimensions. The first pen released in the series was the Tortoiseshell Brown followed by the Lizard and then the Tortoiseshell Red.

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