Pelikan sizes

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Can someone please confirm the sizes of the various modern Pelikans for me?

According to nibs.com the M600 and the M800 have the exact same barrel length and barrel and section diameter. Is this correct?

Also, the same site lists the M1000 as having a barrel length of 4.3 inches (10.9 cm), which is a mere 5 mm longer than an M600. Considering the various reviews that speak of the humongous size of the M1000 I have to ask again if these measures are correct.

[Fermata]

M1000 14.7cm, Ø14.1mm
M800 14.1cm, Ø13.3mm
M600 13.3cm, Ø12.5mm
M400 12.5cm, Ø11.8mm
M300 11.0cm, Ø9.9mm

These are total lengths, I dunno about barrel length but from a comparison of the total lengths, what you are sumising looks to be true.

The 1000 looks to be fattish doesnt it.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

The total lengths are less useful than the barrel lengths. The sizes given by nibs.com do not correspond well with the way these pens are described by reviewers. I was hoping there might be an official dimension chart somewhere - or failing that, someone with a Pelikan collection and a ruler!

[amk]

I'm not sure if there's a single page that will give you everything you need to know, but there's a pretty exhaustive load of dimensions at https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Excellent, thanks.

Now, having had a trawl through that site I discover that the difference between an M600 and an M800 is 2mm in barrel length and 0.6mm in barrel diameter. That is a pretty small difference. The M1000 is only 5mm longer than the M600, but has 1.7mm more girth.

The biggest difference, according to the website, is in the total length including the cap, where the M1000 is now 13mm longer than the M600.


I guess what is confusing for me about all this is the number of reviews both video and written that extol the increased sizes of the M800 and M1000, when the differences are marginal.

What conclusion can the reader draw from this?

For example, I have an Pel 400 that I can (at a pinch) use un-posted. An M1000 would only add 5mm in the length of the barrel. That forces me to make a value judgement based on price versus dimension, and finding it unfavourable.

I am asking because it was my birthday yesterday and I was really considering getting a modern Pelikan to go with my three vintages (100N, 400 and 400NN). Now I am unsure of this course of action.

If anyone has other information that may help in this, please say.

[dneal]

Assuming the numbers are accurate, there’s still a significant difference for feel in hand. I prefer the construction of the M800, particularly the threaded brass piston mechanism; but the 800 never sits well in my hand. For some reason, the barrel of the pen won’t lay in between my thumb and forefinger. It wants to sit at the first knuckle.

I don’t have this happen with the M600.

[carlos.q]

Assuming the numbers are accurate, there’s still a significant difference for feel in hand.

PelikanSizeComparison.jpg

In numbers it does not seem like much but once you hold one in your hand the difference is a lot. I found my M1000 to be too large to be practical and I also didn't like the mushy gusher it had for a nib so I traded it for a M805.

I believe Pelikan pens are great so most of my pens are from this brand. But there is a caveat: once you grow accustomed to vintage Pelikan nibs (like the 100N, 400 and 400NN) you will find the nibs on the newer models to be kind of... lacking. They are smooth, efficient and practical for rapid note taking but they are inexpressive nails. I find that even my vintage Pelikan 400 DEF nib feels a lot better than a modern nib.

But then again, everyone's tastes are different.

[BayesianPrior]

You are correct, EoC. A lot of the difference is in the cap.

[Blue Note]

Measuring from the top of the barrel (excluding the piston filler knob) to the top of the threads: M800-64mm, M600 64mm.
Measuring to the bottom of the section: M800-83mm, M600-82mm. The M800 is noticeably larger in barrel diameter, but I don't have caliper to say how much.
As has been said the M800 cap is considerably longer.