How popular might a replacement Pelikan nib unit actually be?

[Chrissy]

I have the vast total of three Pelikan pens. M400 x 2 white/green striped, brown/brown striped and M600 x 1 black/green striped. All have 14ct gold nibs and none is earlier than the 1990's.
I never write with any of them and can't even remember if they have all even been filled. Two of them have F nibs that I never liked and I don't like the EF nib either so all three just sit there in a collector box.

I've decided to try a B nib to see if I like that any better. I'm considering whether to just keep the as new and maybe dipped once or twice EF nib in a box somewhere or try to sell it to get back at lest some of the cost of the new nib.

Do people readily buy Pelikan replacement nib units on the second hand market? After all you get one with your pen and presumably choose the one you want when you buy the pen. I believe I even free exchanged one of my nibs with the original seller, but didn't like the second nib any better than the first one and felt I should stick with that.

I guess I could sell the pens like all other brands sell, but not so sure about the nib that is going to be a spare. I have seen some Pelikan nibs on ebay but they are mainly monotone gold older nibs. This EF is a two-tone modern version that many Pelikan people consider to be "a nail." Not exactly sure which way to go. Any advice gratefully appreciated.

[carlos.q]

Do people readily buy Pelikan replacement nib units on the second hand market?

I would say yes. I have bought used Pelikan nib units in the past, including some from other FPG members. One of the wonderful things about Pelikan pens is the fact that you can exchange nib units with ease. Many times I have used a modern pen body with a vintage nib. Today I'm using a Pelikan M600 with a second hand EF nib, which is great for rapid note taking.

PS. A little known fact is that caps can also be exchanged across certain models. For example I have used a spare 100n cap on a modern M200 pen. Wonderful engineering consistency across many decades!

[FredRydr]

Chrissy, I found Pelikan M4xx-size nib units were easy sellers, especially gold. Member Zhivago has sold them here regularly enough to give the same impression.

I've seen your handwriting and I'm sure you can achieve your nib preference with your Pelikans. If you are happy with the size of the M400 in your hand, trade or buy a modern Pelikan 14k BB nib unit, or a B and have it ground to "cursive italic" (or whatever your nibmeister calls it). The M600 size will be harder to find, though the M400 unit fits. See: http://www.richardspens.com/ref/nibs/pel_nibs.htm

It worked for me when I was heavily into both Pelikan and broad writing style. Today, the seven Pelikans I've held on to are all M400-size barrels, sections and nibs, five of which have gold B nibs that Richard Binder modified to his cursive italic grind. When I want broad strokes, they remain my favorite writers.


Everyone likes pictures:

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Five of my keeper Pelikans. The four on the left are B cursive italic. (If anyone has an original dark red M250 derby/finial or even whole cap, please contact me.)

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All five B nibs ground to cursive italic. The tip of each appears different in the photo.

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I snagged this one off FPG classifieds sans nib, to install the fifth gold B cursive italic nib that was swapped out of from a pen I sold. It is the only demonstrator pen I own, and it is always filled with Red Dragon for those times I need to insert a word that needs emphasis or underlining. (Photo was the seller's.)

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Remember these? I miss Richard's nib work (all the while a great raconteur while grinding).

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Three Pelikans (and nine others) when writing correspondence on a picnic table in Pine Grove Furnace State Park.

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[Chrissy]

Thanks Carlos and Fred,

The nib I bought is a B. It's the broadest nib I could find anywhere in the UK. I quite like it and am sure it will mean I might write more with the pen. If I could get a BB for a reasonable price and sell one of the F nibs I have then I might consider it. Meanwhile I will try to sell the new two-tone EF nib. The 1990's brown/brown striped pen has a monotone nib and I guess it's the oldest of the three pens I have.

If I visit the US again next year I might bring all three pens with me. Then I can have the B ground and potentially swap the other two for something with a stub nib.

[Barry B. Gabay]

[QUOTE=Chrissy;403022] Do people readily buy Pelikan replacement nib units on the second hand market?

Hi Chrissy,

Yes, people do buy spare nibs on the second hand market. I have bought two extra Pelikan M800 nibs recently: one on ebay & one at a pen show. They tend to be very reasonably priced, as are most second hand Pelikans. I believe this is because there are so many Pelikans in circulation. People who are not serious about fountain pens may buy Pelikans because of their great reputation. Later those people unload them, not because there is anything wrong with the pen or nib, but because the buyer isn't committed to using a fountain pen.

Hope you are able to find the nib you want.

Good luck
Barry