Pelikan P200 - eyedropper candidate?

[inklord]

Hey folks - has anyone here among us experience with the Pelikan P200/205 (the C/C version of the M200/205)? - I am wondering if it can be eyedropper filled... are there any internal metal parts or vent holes to make that difficult?

[Blackhorse]

The M200 is a piston fill mechanism...right? So how could it work for an eyedropper? And why?

[Jeph]

The P200 is the relatively new C/C version of the M200. That I know, but I don't know if it will work as an eyedropper. I imagine that you could, as there is probably no metal involved other than the nib. But I have no proof.

Edit: I watched a video from Pen Chalet and I did not see any internal metal. So I have more confidence in my yes guess.
Pen Chalet Pelikan P200 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0IHIJBXjDI)

Edit 2: Unless they did something weird with the barrel finial. I guess we should wait for somebody that has one to chime in.

[Neo]

There is no ink window, that might make inky accidents more likely.

[Blackhorse]

Oops! Didn't notice the newer version designation. Sorry.

[inklord]

Thanks for sharing your observations and link, Jeph! Yeah, it pretty much looks like all pla.. well, RESIN, right?!? Some German pens have unexpected finial vents (for whatever reason), and I hope that's not the case here.
So why am I pestering you all on this topic? Well, it came to my ears that someone got me a Pelikan Tradition pen that is a C/C filler for a birthday present... due in about a month. Since that bombshell was accidentally dropped, I was on one hand charmed by having my hobby/obsession recognized by a regular rollerball user, but also a bit apprehensive... A Peli that looks like an M200, and I have to drop in a converter?!? (Nothing against converters, but in a Pelikan Tradition pen, that just seems odd.) Also I lately strongly gravitated towards eyedropper filled pens, so...

Thanks again for yer input.

[inklord]

Oops! Didn't notice the newer version designation. Sorry.

:):):wave:

[Laura N]

Actually, I would love to have a compact but nice pen that takes cartridges. So thanks for mentioning this pen. If I could use international short cartridges in this, and could swap in a gold nib from an M400, I'd put this on my Christmas list. Must go research. :)

Anyway, I'd advise you to at least try the cartridges; cartridges get a bad rap on pen forums, for some reason, but they are clean, convenient and last a long time.

[inklord]

Hello Laura N! I'm unsure if the M-series nibs will swap into the P200/205 since Pelikan mentions on their site that in order to change nibs you will have to swap the entire section of the P200/P205. I assume that's because M-series feeds lack the nipple that holds the cartridge or converter... The nib may still unscrew from the section in a way the feed detaches from the cartridge joint in a Pilot pen, but I'm not sure about that. I'd love to install my vintage 14k nib from a 'broken beyond repair' Pelikan 140, which easily screws into modern M400/M200 units. Imagine a cartridge/converter/eyedropper compact pen with loads of style and a 14k nib from Pelikan!

[Jeph]

OK, you made me look and you can use a 140/400/M250/M400 gold nib on the P200. You just have to transfer the nib to the P200 feed to get the nipple. The collar securing the nib to the feed is just friction fit. Still, not a trivial removal but possible.

Info and pictures from VanRocket at FPN http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/279779-pelikan-p205-fountain-pen/

[inklord]

There is no ink window, that might make inky accidents more likely.
Hello Neo - yeah, last week I opened up the barrel of my wife's Pilot Falcon and spilled Stipula ink all over me because I'd forgotten that she had the pen eyedropper filled... Well, I DID find out that there had been plenty of ink still in it.:)

[inklord]

Thanks a bunch, Jeph! We owe you one! And, Laura N: about 47 years ago I was outfitted with a blue Pelikano with stainless steel cap and a 6-cartridge box of Pelikan 4001 'koenigsblau' (in 2nd grade we lil' Germans graduated from slate pencils to FP's), so you can perhaps guess what feelings a Pelikan cartridge pen evokes for me. Nothing bad, just, well, that was school! :) I was smitten once I learned about converters and piston fillers, and my first 'serious' post-school pen was an M400 back in '84 (DM 150.- = $75.- at the time!!) But still, I think you are right: the P200 could be a very neat travel pen! Especially with an M-series 14k nib!
P.S. if there's a near-duplicate of this post floating around, that's an earlier version that I thought had ended up in cyber-oblivion!

[inklord]

Just checked the FPN lin you included, Jeph - looks like one could just swap the entire nib/feed assembly if eyedropper fill is desired and do-able, since no C/C nipple is needed for that and the rest of the feed looks just like M-feeds... Thanks again!