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View Full Version : Pelikan 140, a lucky nib!



Kurus
October 31st, 2016, 04:20 PM
Hello everyone,
I know I'm not very active on this forum but I'm too lazy and I prefere to write on the italian forum; I should force myself to speak english!
Now, I want to introduce you this pen:
27989

It's the Pelikan 140 I've bought at the last LWES (still many thanks to the London Geek group for inviting me) and I've a story to tell you about this.

I've bought this pen principally because I didn't have a Pelikan here in London (yes, it doesn't make sense, but every excuse is a good excuse to buy a new pen) and this was the only one I could find at a decent price in what I tought they were good working conditions.
Once at home since I had too many inked pen, I didn't fill it untill a couple of weeks ago before taking a flight to Naples: I needed a little pen with a screw cap for the flight.
I didn't even polish the nib and so I didn't notice anything strange on that.

Once in Naples I've tried the pen and the nib was a total disaster! The worst scratchy experience ever!
It was so scratchy that often one wing jumped sprinkling ink all around.
I've checked the balance of the nib and it was all OK. Even a friend of mine, a very skilful repairer, after a quick check couldn't figure out what was the problem with this nib. After polishing the nib we've noticed what looked like a strange folding near the point so we've tought that this nib was kaput.

Once back in London I've washed the pen and putted it back in its box where it's been untill this evening.
The idea was to dismount the nib to give it a better polishing and once I've removed the ring that keeps it on the feed... SURPRISE!
There was engraved the abbreviation "KF" that stands for Kugelsplitze Fein that is basically a double-face fine nib.
With this nib one can write on the normal side to get a Pelikan proper F stroke or on the other side to get a thinner line.

It's actually the second nib I find like this here in London but the first one is an M and the "folding" is bigger. :D

So I've decided that it deserved another chance.
After a further examination I've figured out that the problem with this nib was a bad repaired big folding on the right wing.
I've used the smooth round big back of a spoon to straighten the folding against a block of paper. Now its not perfect but it writes well, it only clicks a little if I rotate the nib but for tonight it's ok.

Why do I always write this much!?
I hope I've not been too boring for you.

Thanks for reading me,
Ciro

P.S.: I'll make a proper review of this pen and its nib ASAP.

carlos.q
November 3rd, 2016, 09:34 AM
Hello Ciro!

Vintage Pelikan K nibs (sometimes called "ballpoint nibs") are excellent as an introduction to vintage nibs, as they tend to be a lot more forgiving as to the angle you write with. Here is a comparison chart of the various vintage Pelikan nibs taken from The Pelikan's Perch (https://thepelikansperch.com/2014/08/28/pelikan-fountain-pen-nib-sizes/):

28015

PS. We await your review!

FredRydr
November 4th, 2016, 04:39 AM
I like how "Pelikan" is spelled with an EEF nib. Looks like my signature on cashier's signature pads.

Fred

christof
November 4th, 2016, 11:41 AM
it's steno, I mean shorthand writing. most certainly...

c.

Kurus
November 4th, 2016, 03:04 PM
Hello Ciro!

Vintage Pelikan K nibs (sometimes called "ballpoint nibs") are excellent as an introduction to vintage nibs, as they tend to be a lot more forgiving as to the angle you write with. Here is a comparison chart of the various vintage Pelikan nibs taken from The Pelikan's Perch (https://thepelikansperch.com/2014/08/28/pelikan-fountain-pen-nib-sizes/):

28015

PS. We await your review!

Hello Carlos,
thanks for your reply but I have to confess that I already knew this kind of nibs as I actually have a 1915 Waterman 14 PSF with that kind of nib. :baby: