Pelikan M1000 Review

[Roger]

does anybody have expierence on the fine nib??? Is it still silky smooth and as good as the medium nib??

I have the EF (in green stripe). Smoooooooth. If only the M1000 came in as many colors as the smaller Souverans...

I agree!!! I would love to see a Pelikan M1000 in a black and brown tortoise shell. Then again, I would hate to see the price of something like that!!!

Maybe you know that Chris Burton will put a custom binde on your Pelikan. $75.00 on Pels up to the 800 size and $100.00 on the 800s and 1000s.

 

Check out his work here: http://home.earthlink.net/~custombindes/

[pearlfox]

Maybe you know that Chris Burton will put a custom binde on your Pelikan.

I've been eyeing those for my 100N, but I wouldn't want to cover the inkviews on my moderns. :-/ Much rather see blue or red striped M1000s from the factory. Or the M400's white/honey motif. :-)

[KendallJ]

Maybe you know that Chris Burton will put a custom binde on your Pelikan.

I've been eyeing those for my 100N, but I wouldn't want to cover the inkviews on my moderns. :-/ Much rather see blue or red striped M1000s from the factory. Or the M400's white/honey motif. :-)

hmmm... what if the binde was semi-transparent? like on an Athens or Shanghai? They don't have ink-views.

 

Chris, is the material you use semi-tran?

[woodwindmaster06]

It would be amazing to have the M450s in the 1000 size: just imagine that beauty, and it would be nice if they brought back those M1050s!.

[Maja]

I'm a little late in posting this but....

 

Thanks for another fun 'n informative review, NS!

 

I myself have an M800 (red striped) with a M nib. A great pen to use, but I am seriously considering getting it stubbed, just to get some line variation out of it. I think the M1000 would be a bit too big for my hands, but then again, it has that springy nib....

 

My question is this:

How is it that the M1000's nib is springy and yet the nibs on my M800, M200 and M150 are not? Is it something to do with the size of the nib? Anyone know?

 

Thanks in advance,

~Maja

[wimg]

Hi NS,

 

Like Maja, a little late, but thank you for your very informative, thorough review. A pleasure to read, as always.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Maja,

I myself have an M800 (red striped) with a M nib. A great pen to use, but I am seriously considering getting it stubbed, just to get some line variation out of it.

Hey, that is the same model I happen to have. I bought a OM nib for it, and I reworked it a little to get better performance from it. I think getting it stubbed sounds like a good idea .

I think the M1000 would be a bit too big for my hands, but then again, it has that springy nib....

 

My question is this:

How is it that the M1000's nib is springy and yet the nibs on my M800, M200 and M150 are not? Is it something to do with the size of the nib? Anyone know?

Yes, it is mostly the size. The metal is the same thickness as the M800 nibs, but it is much bigger, and has much longer tines. The length of it causes the springiness. The pen itself isn't really that much bigger than an M800, btw, so you may consider it. It can be made into a flex nib fairly easily as well. John Mottishaw does this, just check out his site.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Maja]

Hi Maja,

I myself have an M800 (red striped) with a M nib. A great pen to use, but I am seriously considering getting it stubbed, just to get some line variation out of it.

Hey, that is the same model I happen to have. I bought a OM nib for it, and I reworked it a little to get better performance from it. I think getting it stubbed sounds like a good idea .

I think the M1000 would be a bit too big for my hands, but then again, it has that springy nib....

 

My question is this:

How is it that the M1000's nib is springy and yet the nibs on my M800, M200 and M150 are not? Is it something to do with the size of the nib? Anyone know?

Yes, it is mostly the size. The metal is the same thickness as the M800 nibs, but it is much bigger, and has much longer tines. The length of it causes the springiness. The pen itself isn't really that much bigger than an M800, btw, so you may consider it. It can be made into a flex nib fairly easily as well. John Mottishaw does this, just check out his site.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Thanks for answering my question, Wim. It's always something that puzzled me a bit, as I know that many vintage flexy nibs are not necessarily large in size.....

 

As for my pen's size, I love my M800 so I am content to stick with it but your ideas re: nib modification are very useful, thanks!

Edited September 11, 2005 by Maja

[woodwindmaster06]

Yea the nib is really big and that causes the flex, a very beautiful nib not cramped up with space as the other nibs so the decoration/logos are not looking stuffy it can envelope the whole nib and flourish a true beauty.

[papyrus]

Damn, the M1000 size is the only Pelikan size I don't own, and I have the largest hands of all people I know, so it would make a lot of sense I hardly even use my M4xx and M6xx Pelikans because they are too small, but I do use my M350 occasionally although it's like writing with a toothpick... I passed up a couple of good occasions to acquire a M10x0 model (especially with x=5), mainly because at the time I considered its poor ink capacity to be a major design flaw, but meanwhile I figure I rotate so many pens and enjoy filling them anyway so that ink capacity would not be a problem (although I still think it's a design flaw). And I tremendously regret not getting a Tighe M1000 in solid titanium at the time his pens were still Pelikan models with upgraded materials, quite opposite to his present offerings. Anyway, my interest in a M1000 based model is now rekindled (too bad all special editions in this size are so expensive, though I would consider paying a lot for a M1000 sized Toledo which does, unfortunately, not exist). And based on my experience with various M800 nibs, I would probably choose an EF nib, assuming the pen would be used to write a lot rather than just for signatures (and because of the poor ink capacity).

[Roger]

The ink capacity isn't that small, Papyrus. It's as much capacity as any other modern Souveran and about average as piston fillers go. Certainly more than most c/c fillers, so no big deal, though some vintage folk complain that in spite of the physical size of the modern 800s and 1000s, they hold less ink than the vintage Pels of smaller dimensions.

 

I got one just like Savage's and from the same vendor. It is a sweet price and really a deal in today's market. If you have the big mitts that you describe, this pen cries for your attention!

[papyrus]

The ink capacity isn't that small, Papyrus.   It's as much capacity as any other modern Souveran and about average as piston fillers go.

Not quite... The M1000's absolute ink capacity is lower than that of the M800. Its relative ink capacity with respect to the pen's total volume seems to be the smallest of the whole Souveran series. As I said, not a big problem, but definitely a questionable design decision that puts off some people from buying it. (And I consider c/c fillers in this size and price range as pieces of junk that deserve no further consideration.)

[Roger]

Not quite... The M1000's absolute ink capacity is lower than that of the M800.

To put a finer point on it, I guess I'll have to ask you for your source on this one. Have you measured it vs. an 800 of similar vintage, or are you citing someone else's findings?

 

I can acccept the "relative" capacity argument, but the "absolute" finding is puzzling. If they use the same screw mechanism, with the same length of travel within the barrel as the 800, it may well be that the absolute capacity is very similar to the 800. Even then, one would think that the I.D. of the barrel in the 1000 would be slightly larger than the 800, therefore the same length piston travel would equate to slightly more capacity for the 1000.

 

Above are merely my ramblings, however, and I'm willing to be shown. I can measure this 1000's capacity to within a couple of tenths of a ml., so if somebody can do the same with a recent 800 we could get a comparison that would be "close enough for government work".

[papyrus]

Not quite... The M1000's absolute ink capacity is lower than that of the M800.

To put a finer point on it, I guess I'll have to ask you for your source on this one. Have you measured it vs. an 800 of similar vintage, or are you citing someone else's findings?

According to a discussion on the yellow board a few years ago (their archive appears to be broken but there are google caches

here and here), the M800 holds 1.6 ml of ink while the M1000 holds 1.4 ml of ink.

 

The M1000 was designed from scratch in 1997 or so, when the M800 was already around for a while (at first with the nicer brass logo and button and the ends, later silk screen logo only; the M1000 was only available with silk screen logo, I think), and it was apparently decided that the smoothness of the piston mechanism of the M1000 was more important than its ink capacity.

[Roger]

Very interesting, but sure does puzzle me. You'd think that to get the 1000 up and running, they would have 'borrowed' the piston mechanism, lock stock and barrel, from the 800, modifying it only for any I.D. dimensional differences in which case the 1000 would have held at least as much as the 800.

 

Obviously, they didn't do that, and due to whatever the design differences are, they ended up with a 1000 gulping less ink than the 800. The older 800s had the brass mechanisms like the newer 800s, right? Perplexing to say the least. Thanks for the links.

 

I am mildly interested in an 800 in green stripe. If I can find a smokin' deal on one, I'd like to have Chris do a custom binde for it. If I do get a recent vintage 800, I'll have the ability to measure each and see if I can corroborate those capacities.

 

This interest is not helping my OCD!

[wimg]

Hi Roger, Papyrus,

 

I think the difference in ink capability measured between the M800 and M1000 is entireky due to measurement and filling inadeqacies. Supposedly, both hold the same amount of ink, as they used the same, bronze, filler mechanism originally. Some M800s do use a plastic (nylon) filler mechanism.

 

Anyway, to come back to the difference measured: a tenth of a millilitre is difficult to measure, unless you have very good equipment.

 

Secondly, it is very difficult to fill a pen completely to the brim, without any air whatsoever staying behind or getting into the ink chamber, especially as you can't really see what is going on internally. That alone can make the difference.

 

Thirdly, it is no sinecure to expel all ink from the pen either. Don't forget the M1000 has a much bigger nib and feed, which holds more ink than an M800. Of course, there is a way around this, but even so, if one pen flows more freely than the other, you might just get more ink out of the feed when trying to expel all ink.

 

Finally, how do you deal with wiping off a pen after filling it? How much ink do you suck out with a tissue when making sure it doesn't shed drops prior to witing? I am sure you take out more ink from an M1000 than from an M800, purely because of the larger area exposed due to the larger nib and feed.

 

Therefore, as far as I am concerned, measuring ink capacity of pen with an integrated filler system liek the Pelikans of the Souverän series, is an art, not a science.

 

And this may well explain the difference of a few tenth of millilitres measured, IMO.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[rangjung]

For years I used my Watermans (Executive). Bought them in the 80"s

They had a terrible feed problem that couldn't get fixed.

When I sent it in for repair, the nib came back replaced with a very poor quality nib.

I thought maybe I should let go of Waterman.

I was looking at Monte Blanc... A good friend of mine had a MeisterStuck for years.

Then I saw the Pelican M1000. I've a big hand and it's size was important.

I think I just fell in love with it, so I don't know how reliable I am.

The see through piston really sold me.... It seemed to hold so much ink that maybe I could just have a long love affair.

 

Well.... I shopped around and got one for $329. A couple of weeks after it arrived, the price jumped to $440.

 

This pen is really a dream lover. It feels so good in my hand and the ink flows beautifully. I got a broad nib and that feather touch and generous flow of wet black ink is really beyond words.

I'm now so in love with my Pelican that I ordered a mate for it. As I write, I await delivery of another lover, the Italian Stipula SUPREMA PELAGO Limited Edition Ultramarine Pelago Blue Celluloid and Sterling Silver with the 1.3mm nib.

 

Life is good.....

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Well, the M300 does hold more ink that the M1000 and the same amount as the M800 (0.7-1 ML). The M400 and M200 pens hold the most: 1.3-1.5 ML (Depends on how your pen was assembled)

 

Dillon

[Jopen]

Some time ago I got a green stripped M1000 with F nib... well I found this pen gorgeous but first surprise was that F was more like an M and this M had some problem which did not make ink flow easy from the reservoir, no matter how and how often it was rinsed, ferce washed... well I decided and changed the nib to an EF, now all was smooooth and I finally could use the pen for real pleasure. :)9

 

I find the nib to be on the rigid side, no special line variation and 'some' force is needed... it does not seem designed for that, if you want flex, better to go to a 14K nib designed for this kind of work or let yours to be tuned by one of the experts showing here and there in this forum, they know what they do...

 

I did just a small scan in which the EF 1000 and a normal small Waterman 14K nib (from a 32) are compared, the difference is obvious as pressure given to the Waterman's was far less than the half given to the M1000

[Roger]

Hi Jopen,

 

The nibs on the M1000s are, because of their size and tine length, a bit "springy", but "springy" in no way translates to "flex"! "Springy" only means that when you put the nib to paper with authority, it gives a little as opposed to a "nail" which hits the paper like a 12 pound sledge hammer.

 

If someone advised you that the M1000 nibs were "flexy" and that was a determiner in your purchase of it, I'm sorry for you as it was poor advice.

 

The learning process can be difficult.