My second Pelican polished

[Laurie]

My second Pelikan is this M400 which I purchased the otherday in Australia for $150 ($118 USD) It was in very very good condition but had just a few minor scratches mainly on the cap and a few on the body. I am also interested in plastic aeroplane modelling so I had a few micro pads and liquid micro mesh liquid to polish the plastic models. I used it on the pen and it worked perfectly. Unfortunately I didnt do a before and after so you can only see the after. Also my photographing skills are pretty ordinary together with my basic camera. But I can assure you that the pen just glistens and no signs of any scratches. I am so thrilled with the result and can recommend my polishing on this model to everyone. Just love this pen as well. I know the other 600, 800 and 1000 are bigger but do they improve in the writing experience?

[Chrissy]

Just so that you are aware, it's 'Pelikan' with a k. I always do a misspelling search on ebay for 'Pelican' when I think I might find a bargain.

Ahh I now see it's only a misspelling in the title.

[Hawk]

Do the larger pens improve the writing experience. Personally, for me, yes. I like bigger pens but I am quite happy with smaller diameter pens as well. The size, diameter, weight, balance of a pen varies as much as the number of people commenting on their preferences. your best bet would be able to try one to see if it works for you. Have fun with your journey.

[tandaina]

I know the other 600, 800 and 1000 are bigger but do they improve in the writing experience?

For me? No. The opposite perhaps. For me the 400 size is about perfect. Balance, weight, girth. The 600 is... Well I have one and I like it, but it isn't any better *at all.* And the 800 and 1000 are too big and heavy for me to use comfortably.

[mhosea]

The M600 is barely large enough to tempt me. The M800 is right-sized for my hand. The writing experience with the M800 is quite good but unremarkable--the nibs are a little on the stiff side. The one time I handled an M600 and did a little "dry writing" with it, I felt that the nib was much more flexible than the M800 nibs that I have.

The M1000 is a tad large for me, but the M1000 is a thing unto itself in terms of the writing experience--just how much depends on the nib. Unfortunately, it's often a "fire hose" as well. Both my nibs were too wet to be useful to me, and that's saying something. The solution was beyond my knowledge, apparently, so I had Michael Masuyama fix my two M1000 nibs. He adjusted the medium and ground the broad to a cursive italic. One wishes for that kind of money that the pen would make it into a personal top 5. The M1000 and Sailor King of Pen Green Mosaique are my two most expensive pens by far, and neither has made it into my top 10. Both hover just below that, a respectable showing but disappointing given the cost.

[ac12]

Its all about fit.
For me I prefer the smaller 1xx series or the 3xx series.
The 2xx and 4xx are just barely comfortable, they feel just a tad large for me.
So the larger pens would be UNcomfortable.

[Special K]

Looks good, Laurie. There are also certain car polishes that can be used on Pens. Head light restoration polish can safely be used. Synthetic polishes that don't leave a haze on black rubber can be used.

[naimitsu]

Wow! Good job on the polishing, Laurie! It's so shiny that it almost sparkles

As for the writing experience, I'll parrot the others who have said it is a personal preference.
I have small hands, but I tend to like the pens with wider barrels, but smaller necks. It seems to put the pen at a better angle for my writing style.
On the flip side, I also like slender pens with quite a bit of heft to it, especially in the cap so that when I post it, it brings the back down to a proper position. I write rather vertically with lighter pens and it seems that most nibs do not like that.
With the vintage flexes, I seem to write well with small, slender, light pens (granted that's the only way I've written with them as both of mine are that way), but it is also a combination that I have gotten used to.

I have a left-handed friend who has started writing with his hand over the line he is writing on, which looks unbelievably uncomfortable to me, but seems to be working for him. Granted it's a position he's worked himself into getting comfortable with as that seems to allow the nibs to work the best for his writing hand.

[inklord]

I know the other 600, 800 and 1000 are bigger but do they improve in the writing experience?

For me? No. The opposite perhaps. For me the 400 size is about perfect. Balance, weight, girth. The 600 is... Well I have one and I like it, but it isn't any better *at all.* And the 800 and 1000 are too big and heavy for me to use comfortably.

And originally the M600 was simply a M400 with 2 extra gold rings and a super flexy 18k nib... Like you, I love the compact size and light weight of the M400. Which was also the "original" Souveraen!

[Special K]

My second Pelikan is this M400 which I purchased the otherday in Australia for $150 ($118 USD) It was in very very good condition but had just a few minor scratches mainly on the cap and a few on the body. I am also interested in plastic aeroplane modelling so I had a few micro pads and liquid micro mesh liquid to polish the plastic models. I used it on the pen and it worked perfectly. Unfortunately I didnt do a before and after so you can only see the after. Also my photographing skills are pretty ordinary together with my basic camera. But I can assure you that the pen just glistens and no signs of any scratches. I am so thrilled with the result and can recommend my polishing on this model to everyone. Just love this pen as well. I know the other 600, 800 and 1000 are bigger but do they improve in the writing experience?

They look good. I just watch a vid that steph did. He used paper in coarseness from 1500 all the way to 12000 grit. Then he used some simichrome, and finished off with some wax I can't remember.