fountainpenkid
July 22nd, 2012, 04:43 PM
Hi all!
After a week or so of trial, I feel comfortable reviewing my grail pen, the m400 White Tortoise!
If anybody has trouble reading my handwriting, just say so, and I'll type it out :)--I already have! (Pictures from the original handwritten draft will be included in the review though :)
863
INTRO:This is my second Pelikan m400. My first was blue black, with a fine nib. I got it as a graduation gift from 8th grade, but I always wanted (from the time I first discovered these things) a m400 in the White Tortoise color. Something about the green/honey striations, in stark contrast to the white acryllic caught my fancy. The problem was always the price and availability...the white tortoise color left U.S sales a couple of years ago, and the ones that dealers still had got a price hike. When Pelikan raised their prices recently (m400=$305 MSRP), I thought I was out of luck. But a pen seller on Ebay (and FPN) named printhardcopy came along and had a promotion..aka lower prices, and so I used the money from my first m400 to buy this one. $200 Shipped from Singapore! To save money, I ordered it without the box.
No Rating Here, Folks!
864
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A funky postwoman arrives at my door one afternoon, saying that I have a package from Singapore..and I must sign to confirm its shipment! I eagerly did so, and then tore open the padded package immediately. Inside was the old style warranty, and a silver eyeglass case (quite like vintage Aurora 88 cases). Oh no, tape! Like a ravenous lion, I quickly covered myself in scotch tape stickiness. The tape wasn't coming off! So I pulled both ends of the case really hard...and..POP!Out comes a little plastic shammy. Inside...the Treasure!
For lack of Box, 9/10
865
INKED: I decided to fill the upscale model with the upscale ink--Pelikan Eidelstein Topaz. Piston smooth...sucking up a nice full load...Eheu! The grip section *seemed* to be stained! Luckily, with a damp paper towel, it easily came off. The end of the grip section (the rim) WAS stained though. Not a huge deal, but still annoying to know its there. This staining problem would become one of the key problems with this pen. Any dark, waterproof (or even just dark)ink can ruin this pen! I can only imagine the horrid resuts with BSB in this pen.
For limited ink selection due to grip color, 8.5/10
866
FILLED: Classic Pelikan piston filler. Plastic internals keep the weight down, and here we encounter the second flaw with this pen--this type of piston filler is, for most, not user serviceable--to remove it, you must *carefully*heat up the barrel and pry out the piston knob and mech. without crushing it. (According to Binder.) This deems a pen with a non moving or VERY stiff mechanism a piece of trash that is very hard to repair. Now, the m800 piston (and possibly the m1000 also) is simmilar to the TWSBI 540 piston, and can be removed safely with a wrench. Much better for the user who desires a bit more silicone grease, and no more waisted barrels. :) Minus the repair glitch, is this piston excellent? You bet!! Butter smooth (effortless movement) and it fills full every time on the first cycle.
For the repair glitch, 8/10
867
QUALITY: Pelikan is known for very high tolerances in manufacturing, and it shows. No loose rings, scuffs, uneven finish, miss alignments..you get the idea. The attention to detail is top notch...until you unscrew the cap (for cleaning purposes) and notice injection molding nobbins at the top lip. Yeah, most people won't see this, but the knew that it is very easy and helpful to uscrew the cap crown, and yet they left traces of the manufacturing process.
9/10
COMFORT: For me, this is a very comfortable pen to use. The size unposted is actually nice and full, because the pen fills up the cap completely. Some complain about the threads on the larger m-series pens, but I find them to be a great reference point for your grip. Some larger hands could happily use this pen posted. For most hands, I think the pen is perfectly sized. The weight is light though, but surprisingly the pen doesn't feel cheap. General excellent design!
9.5/10
WRITTEN: A boring fine nib. Hey, its the only practical nib for school! Out of the eyeglass case (;)), the pen wrote great! Not amazing, but with a nice 5/10 wet line. The two-tone nib looks especially great on the white tortoise. No flex, not even much spring. On the other hand, there is no skipping, late starts overflows...etc on any paper I've tried so far. The other side of the nib though, is quite atrocious. Vey toothy, dry..etc. But the pen was never advertised as having a double sided nib, so I won't deduct.
For lack of flex or spring, 8.5/10
DESIGN NOTES: The contrast b/w the white and the tortoise really makes this pen worth the scouring. The incredible cellulose acetate shimmers as you twirl it around in your hand. The demonstrator feature is also a big plus. Not too clear, but you don't need to hold the pen up to the light to be able to see the ink level. Filling is fun to watch also! But now, on to the flaws:
1. The screw on cap makes thread marks on the barrel, making pen look prematurely worn. (After a week of use, mine already has slight marks). At least you can polish the pen without worrying about rubbing off an imprint!
2. Posting makes a similar type of mark on the barrel. Some subtle threads (hint: Edison DelCornado) would be great here. Slip on posting with a plastic pen is waiting for an accident to happen.
3. The piston mechanism is not optimized to full capacity like the vintage 400s.
Otherwise, this pen's classic lines look quite refreshing on the white tortoise. 8/10
PRICE: For me, this will always be a $200 and under pen. In that range, (even at $205-$210), it is one of the best mid sized gold nibbed user pens out there. The great piston filler and interchangeable nib is a big plus. As a $250 pen, this pen loses some of my interest. It is mainly injection molded, with a all plastic mechanism. The binde may be costly, but it doesn't justify that kind of price. At $300 I lose all interest in the pen.
For what I bought it, 10/10. For what most will pay ($250), 7/10
Conclusion: A great everyday user pen with an awesome look, filler, and a classic design that never goes out of style. A flawed but loveable pen!
67.5/80 84% B
After a week or so of trial, I feel comfortable reviewing my grail pen, the m400 White Tortoise!
If anybody has trouble reading my handwriting, just say so, and I'll type it out :)--I already have! (Pictures from the original handwritten draft will be included in the review though :)
863
INTRO:This is my second Pelikan m400. My first was blue black, with a fine nib. I got it as a graduation gift from 8th grade, but I always wanted (from the time I first discovered these things) a m400 in the White Tortoise color. Something about the green/honey striations, in stark contrast to the white acryllic caught my fancy. The problem was always the price and availability...the white tortoise color left U.S sales a couple of years ago, and the ones that dealers still had got a price hike. When Pelikan raised their prices recently (m400=$305 MSRP), I thought I was out of luck. But a pen seller on Ebay (and FPN) named printhardcopy came along and had a promotion..aka lower prices, and so I used the money from my first m400 to buy this one. $200 Shipped from Singapore! To save money, I ordered it without the box.
No Rating Here, Folks!
864
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A funky postwoman arrives at my door one afternoon, saying that I have a package from Singapore..and I must sign to confirm its shipment! I eagerly did so, and then tore open the padded package immediately. Inside was the old style warranty, and a silver eyeglass case (quite like vintage Aurora 88 cases). Oh no, tape! Like a ravenous lion, I quickly covered myself in scotch tape stickiness. The tape wasn't coming off! So I pulled both ends of the case really hard...and..POP!Out comes a little plastic shammy. Inside...the Treasure!
For lack of Box, 9/10
865
INKED: I decided to fill the upscale model with the upscale ink--Pelikan Eidelstein Topaz. Piston smooth...sucking up a nice full load...Eheu! The grip section *seemed* to be stained! Luckily, with a damp paper towel, it easily came off. The end of the grip section (the rim) WAS stained though. Not a huge deal, but still annoying to know its there. This staining problem would become one of the key problems with this pen. Any dark, waterproof (or even just dark)ink can ruin this pen! I can only imagine the horrid resuts with BSB in this pen.
For limited ink selection due to grip color, 8.5/10
866
FILLED: Classic Pelikan piston filler. Plastic internals keep the weight down, and here we encounter the second flaw with this pen--this type of piston filler is, for most, not user serviceable--to remove it, you must *carefully*heat up the barrel and pry out the piston knob and mech. without crushing it. (According to Binder.) This deems a pen with a non moving or VERY stiff mechanism a piece of trash that is very hard to repair. Now, the m800 piston (and possibly the m1000 also) is simmilar to the TWSBI 540 piston, and can be removed safely with a wrench. Much better for the user who desires a bit more silicone grease, and no more waisted barrels. :) Minus the repair glitch, is this piston excellent? You bet!! Butter smooth (effortless movement) and it fills full every time on the first cycle.
For the repair glitch, 8/10
867
QUALITY: Pelikan is known for very high tolerances in manufacturing, and it shows. No loose rings, scuffs, uneven finish, miss alignments..you get the idea. The attention to detail is top notch...until you unscrew the cap (for cleaning purposes) and notice injection molding nobbins at the top lip. Yeah, most people won't see this, but the knew that it is very easy and helpful to uscrew the cap crown, and yet they left traces of the manufacturing process.
9/10
COMFORT: For me, this is a very comfortable pen to use. The size unposted is actually nice and full, because the pen fills up the cap completely. Some complain about the threads on the larger m-series pens, but I find them to be a great reference point for your grip. Some larger hands could happily use this pen posted. For most hands, I think the pen is perfectly sized. The weight is light though, but surprisingly the pen doesn't feel cheap. General excellent design!
9.5/10
WRITTEN: A boring fine nib. Hey, its the only practical nib for school! Out of the eyeglass case (;)), the pen wrote great! Not amazing, but with a nice 5/10 wet line. The two-tone nib looks especially great on the white tortoise. No flex, not even much spring. On the other hand, there is no skipping, late starts overflows...etc on any paper I've tried so far. The other side of the nib though, is quite atrocious. Vey toothy, dry..etc. But the pen was never advertised as having a double sided nib, so I won't deduct.
For lack of flex or spring, 8.5/10
DESIGN NOTES: The contrast b/w the white and the tortoise really makes this pen worth the scouring. The incredible cellulose acetate shimmers as you twirl it around in your hand. The demonstrator feature is also a big plus. Not too clear, but you don't need to hold the pen up to the light to be able to see the ink level. Filling is fun to watch also! But now, on to the flaws:
1. The screw on cap makes thread marks on the barrel, making pen look prematurely worn. (After a week of use, mine already has slight marks). At least you can polish the pen without worrying about rubbing off an imprint!
2. Posting makes a similar type of mark on the barrel. Some subtle threads (hint: Edison DelCornado) would be great here. Slip on posting with a plastic pen is waiting for an accident to happen.
3. The piston mechanism is not optimized to full capacity like the vintage 400s.
Otherwise, this pen's classic lines look quite refreshing on the white tortoise. 8/10
PRICE: For me, this will always be a $200 and under pen. In that range, (even at $205-$210), it is one of the best mid sized gold nibbed user pens out there. The great piston filler and interchangeable nib is a big plus. As a $250 pen, this pen loses some of my interest. It is mainly injection molded, with a all plastic mechanism. The binde may be costly, but it doesn't justify that kind of price. At $300 I lose all interest in the pen.
For what I bought it, 10/10. For what most will pay ($250), 7/10
Conclusion: A great everyday user pen with an awesome look, filler, and a classic design that never goes out of style. A flawed but loveable pen!
67.5/80 84% B