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A while ago, the piston on my M205 snapped as the ink I had in there seemed to have made the piston stuck in place, twisting the piston rod just enough to snap. I tried to contact Pelikan and Chartpak, but both require a fee of $120 for a replacement barrel (I paid $95 for this pen). Also, I have a LAMY 2000 with a few micro cracks on the grip section, right where it meets with the barrel. It leaks everywhere and renders the pen useless unless I want blue fingers. Are there any repair services or options available?

The only key differences between these two models is that the one has a gold plated nib and trims and the second one has rhodium plated nib and trims. To the people who have used both: Is there a differences in the way those nibs feel? And question regardless of the topic. I have found a special edition m205 petrol in my local retailer for 107 euros, while on ebay is 140+ and I'm thinking od getting it. Have you ever regretted using a special edition pen for daily writing?

Via thepelikansperch and Pelikan's FB page. Just when I thought the m205 in blue bought used was enough... Better start saving. Whoops, didn't see the annoucement in the mall section, sorry.

My first post here! I started a fountain pen frenzy five months ago. I did a lot of research before buying my very first fountain pen since high school, a lovely m205 Olivine, in F nib. Now I have four birds, how did I get here so quickly! After getting Olivine, like many members who have posted here, I found the F nib not as smooth as I was expecting. Now I know that feeling is toothy, not scratchy. Yet a few months back, I knew very little. I went off track and bought a TWSBI Eco and a Lamy Al-Star Bronze. They are ok pens, I liked them very briefly and but I quickly moved back to Pelikans. Next to come was the Ghost, M605 white transparent. How much I love the Ghost! The gold nib is so smooth. How ignorant was I! Until I started reading about all the flexy vintage, the modern gold nib was great for me. Now I put the steel F nib in it cz it works great with the coral pink limited edition of Ironshizuku ink. In between I bought another m400 nib in M for Olivine. The two toned gold nib is lovely to look at. Next was a 400nn green stripe, with M nib. I guess it is semi-flex. I got it on eBay for Euro 95 shipped, from Germany. The pen has some scratches on the cap, the nib is not very smooth unless I use very wet ink. I guess the tipping material is partly worn off. Despite all these, I like the pen a lot. The flexy writing is fun. I thought I was content, until I saw an M101n red tortoise showed up on Niche pens at very reasonable price. It was only available in M. I ordered one after thinking and torturing myself for a week. That was the last one! I had it grind to cursive Italic. Now I use Kon-peki in it. What a stunning pen. My favorite pen and favorite nib. I promised myself I wont buy another pen until Christmas. Well, if I havent seen a lovely excellent condition 400 tortoise in OM nib, a script nib, not a logo. That one is coming in the mail from Germany. Now I plan to get an M805 Stresemann for my husband. He only uses ballpoint, but after trying my pens he showed some interest. His birthday is coming up soon. Maybe it will get him hooked and he wont be so angry of me spending over 1000 in merely 5 months on pens! Big hello to everyone! Lya

I have long followed a utilitarian approach to fountain pens, which ultimately serve as the vehicle for inks, with a collection mainly of Lamy Vistas and Mujis; but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good looking pen, even if many of those are way out of my budget. I have better pens in terms of their nibs or ergonomics, but with the arrival of an m205 it made me think about design, as I find this pen mesmerizing, so here are my four finalists: Pelikan m205, Faber Castell Ambition in pearwood, Lamy Studio in Imperial Blue and Black. Which are yours? Pictures please!

Pelikans and this model in particular have been reviewed at length, so I'll keep it short and hopefully useful. Preamble: Anyone who knew me at school would scoff: Twenty something fountain pens? You?? But no one understands your handwriting, not even yourself! True, but I decided to retrain myself, so after much effort it is now legible, if not particularly pretty; but more importantly it helps me organize my very dispersed thoughts. I tried mostly utilitarian pens, with seven Lamy Vistas, four Mujis and a Pilot Metropolitan, and eventually realized it's a lot more about the inks than the pens for me; still there were a few designs I drooled over, particularly Pelikans which are way above what I would be willing to pay for a pen, no matter how beautiful or well made: m1005, the mythical dunkelblau m405, m406 and m805, the clear and aquamarine m205 demonstrators, but I'd never been able to see them in person, save for a Marine Blue m605 which I didn't care for. So I kept away from Pelikan, and ended up with a Sailor Professional gear, an Ambition in pearwood, two Lamy Studios (one in Imperial Blue to scratch the dunkelblau itch), besides the other pens I already had, Le Man 100, m600. Enter serendipity? Used m205 blue demo for about $60 on that well known online bazaar, I can't remember if thanks to a coupon. Too good to be true? I took the plunge, sent it to a friend who resends stuff to me... It took six months to get to me, but it was well worth the wait: It's beautiful, even better than I though. And it was in almost perfect condition, save for some barely visible ink trapped in the inner cap. Design: 5/5. In its clear blue and silver trim pen this is now my most beautiful pen, dislodging a Faber Castell Ambition in pearwood, which looks awesome. Even the inner workings of the piston look great, in a futuristic way. It's a timeless design few brands are able to achieve. To me Pelikan Souverains and classics are the closest thing to perfect pens, although I must confess I dislike most of their special editions, marbled finishes and gold trims, which means the vast majority. It's so good looking I think I might be done with looking for a solid blue with rhodium trim model, and even the new clear (2018) m205. Ergonomics: 5/5. It's a small pen but with a decently wide section, works fine with my large (L size gloves) hands. I don't post but that works too. It's light and well balanced. I wouldn't mind a slightly bigger pen, at a reasonable price. Construction: 5/5. Looks good, feels good, works good. I disassembled the cap and in the process a tiny speck fell off, which might have been my fault or the previous owner's, but the inner cap and ring still work well to provide a good seal. Someone less clumsy shouldn't have a problem, and I'm leaving caps well enough alone from now on. Nib: 5/5. Smooth fine nib, writes thinner than the fine 18k on my old style m600. It makes Rohrer & Klingner look good, and that ink in turn makes all pens write a little more smoothly. Take into account I write on HP LJ 32 lbs, Clairefontaine, Rhodia, Fabriano and Tomoe River. Filling system: 5/5. Easy to fill, holds a lot of ink, doesn't evaporate so inks don't change colour, what more could you want. Reliability: 5/5. This is a seldom seen parameter, but one I care for a lot. Zero starting or skipping problems, smooth nib. My m600 has been my most reliable pen, by far, and I expect the same from this m205, since they are basically the same design. Maintenance: 5/5. These are very low maintenance pens, although I wouldn't use them with inks that produce gunk. If you swap inks a lot like I do, the nib and feed units are not as easy to clean as others which disassemble easily, but after much rinsing it can be done. Price: 6/5? Hit the jackpot, particularly for a brand in which any pen above the m200 range is way too expensive for me. Even at msrp it's a pen you could use for a long time without any problems. Conclusion: 5/5. This is sort of my accidental holly grail, if I'd seen this in person I would have got it a long time ago. I can't stop looking at it and it makes me want to write more, which is my ultimate test. My other pens would get ratings ranging from 2/5 to 4/5, even my m600 which has a slightly smoother nib can't compete on looks.

We are happy to announce a new Demonstrator pen from Pelikan, the Pelikan Classic M205 Special Edition Demonstrator piston filler. It will be available in May 2018 and has a recommended retail price in Germany of € 125.- for the F, M and B nibs. EF nibs are still more expensive in Germany and cost € 138.-. We offer this lovely looking Demonstrator for € 100.- including the German VAT or € 84,04 without the VAT for exports to the outside of the European Union. EF nibs are € 92,77 without the VAT. Here is the link to our offer: https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Classic-M205-Special-Edition-Demonstrator-Kolbenfuellhalter.html Regards Fritz Schimpf

Pelikan Classic M205 White-Silver is available on Massdrop for possible price of USD 127.99 + shipping. This drop is limited to 12 pens. At checkout, you’ll have your choice of available nib sizes, which may include Extra-Fine, Fine, Medium, and Broad. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/pelikan-m205?referer=QPNTJS

Today my feed showed me the most beautiful news! I love this colour...and I'm super excited. Someone here photoshopped exactly this pen as in wishful thinking. Yes, some dreams come true, here is one of them. What do you think? "Yay Aquamarine" or "nay, not my colour"? https://thepelikansperch.com/2016/07/03/pelikan-m205-aquamarine-announced/ http://i64.tinypic.com/or4ftx.jpg

Five years ago this beauty was very popular and sadly they discontinued it. Well we would like to welcome back the Pelikan M205 Special Edition Classic Blue Demonstrator!!!! ( Only for a short time)

In April 2016 Pelikan will start shipping, beside the M805 Vibrant Blue, the Special Edition M205 Demonstrator blue transparent fountain pens. We offer these pens for pre-order for € 80.- including the German VAT of 19% (only applicable for deliveries within the EU) or € 67,23 without the German VAT (for all shipments outside the EU). Here is the link to our offer: http://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Schreibgeraete/Fuellhalter/Pelikan-Special-Edition-Classic-M205-Demonstrator-Blau-Transparent-Kolbenfuellhalter.html Should you wish to pre-order we recommend using the payment method "Vorauskasse" (pre-payment) which allows to transfer the money once the pens are about to be shipped. Please contact us in case of questions. Best regards Fritz Schimpf

Dear Friends, We are pleased to present you ANOTHER novelty of our beloved Pelikan for this 2016! The newly released Pelikan Classic M205 Demonstrator Transparent Blue. Are you able to recognize this piece? If so, you are definitely a Pelikan Expert! This M205 Demonstrator transparent blue has been one of the most popular models of Pelikan's history. So that and after it's great success 5 years ago, the brand will re-launch this piece for a limited time this April of 2016. This Special Edition will keep the materials used at that time. It's transparent blue barrel will allow to a total vision of the inner motion of this piston fountain pen. The brand will introduce just one change: the ring at the top of the cap is now made of chromium plated, instead of black, matching the clip and the rings. This model will be available with EF, F, M and B nib from this April of 2016. At Iguana Sell we are already accepting preorders! Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to acquire yours! If you need any additional information about the product, it's price or availability, please feel free to ask! We'll be delighted to help you! Please contact us to info@iguanasell.com or at +34 91 441 50 41. Have a great day! Kind regards, Gabriela Iguana Sell

This is a review of a Pelikan M800 F Cursive Italic and an M205 0.3mm, with customizations done by Michael Masuyama (a.k.a. "Mike-It-Work"). Pelikan M800 and M205 Demonstrators Pelikan’s demonstrators are among my favorite pen designs of all time, with a Bauhaus-like emphasis on function in form. While Lamy remains the standard-bearer in functional design, the Pelikan demos bring together a similar simplicity and elegance in an intentional, practical way. Best of all, the opportunity to watch Pelikan’s much-admired piston filling system in action is always a lot of fun. No one can deny that the mechanics of the Pelikan piston filler are amazing. And the quality of the pens, overall, is likewise amazing. The resin feels solid and is surprisingly tactile, with a nice polished finish. The only thing that fell short of my expectation was the QC details of the M800. First of all, there’s an acrylic thread left over from the molding process inside the barrel behind the piston. Though it does not interfere with the piston mechanism, it seems like an obvious oversight that this was not removed prior to assembly. Also, though I really like the cut-away in the brass spindle housing, there are two brass shavings stuck in the barrel. Again, while not affecting function in any way, the shavings should have been cleaned out in the assembly process. These small but (in a clear demonstrator) obvious defects are disappointing, especially given the high expectations for an M800 “Special Edition.” Overall, though, the construction is solid and the quality of the materials is readily apparent. Pelikan Piston Filling Mechanisms Writing with the nibs, on the other hand, was somewhat disappointing. I’ve never been totally thrilled by a Pelikan factory nib out of the box: the tipping, while abundant, is very round. What’s more, the line put down even by a factory EF is so broad that I struggle to write legibly with it. The nibs are ok, but I am not sure why Pelikan does not produce a wider range of factory-ground nibs; it seems that for their market, Pelikan could produce a wider variety of grinds. Fortunately, there is a ton of tipping on modern Pelikan nibs and they can be readily customized by a nibmeister. (Unfortunately, that route adds expense in both of time and dollars to every Pelikan purchase -- but read on!) Pelikan Demonstrator Nibs When I finally decided to go ahead with customized nibs for these pens, Richard Binder (who had tuned my Matador 811 and reground my Pelikan Pharo) had closed up his mail-in nib service. I had previously swapped my M800 EF nib for an already-ground F italic via the FPN Classifieds, but the italic – while producing extraordinary line variation for its relatively narrow width – turned out to be quite crisp and way too sharp for everyday writing. I sent the nib to Masuyama of “Mike-It-Work” renown to be reshaped as an even narrower cursive italic. The result was an italic grind of truly miniscule proportions (finer even than the 0.4mm stub grind on my Pharo) with a relatively dry-ish flow that perfectly suited my small handwriting. Most amazingly is that despite the small scale, the line is still clearly an italic. The dryness of the flow helps preserve the sharpness of the line and allows for small, tight lettering. I appreciate having a pen so well adapted for my writing style. The only drawback is that due to the dryness of the line (sometimes maybe a little too dry), the color saturation changes dramatically when the surface finsih of the paper is uneven. I think a slightly wetter nib would produce a more consistent line, but I was concerned about losing definition (especially in the cases of "a" and "e"). Pelikan Demonstrator Writing Comparison I was less disappointed initially with the factory steel M205 nib, which was closer to what I was expecting in an EF – but even that nib was too broad in the long run. And, again, the out-of-the-box writing experience left me rather disappointed. This time, a Masuyama 0.3 nib, listed as a “Japanese F” (equivalent to a Western XXF), came up in the Classifieds and I was lucky enough to get it before someone did. I had used one of Richard Binder’s XXF “Waverly” nibs on an M205 in the past, but could not get used to the curved tip (even though the Waverly nib wrote perfectly). I appreciated that the Masuyama 0.3 grind maintained the straight profile of the nib. This super-fine steel nib writes a very consistent, wettish line and is one of the best nibs I have used. Close-Up Writing Samples Pelikans are mechanical marvels and the demonstrators superbly showcase the awesome filling system. However, I find the factory nibs, while reliable, somewhat lacking in the character that makes fountain pens so enjoyable for me to write with. Because Pels are well suited (perhaps even intentionally built) for customization, additional investment results in pens that are awesome for serious writing. Pairing the functional and awesomely minimalist demonstrator design with a customized nib epitomizes the modern fountain pen experience. In the future, perhaps I will even add an M1005 Demo to the lineup…with a customized nib, of course.

I am thinking of purchasing a M205. I have read a number of reviews - some good, others bad - would you recommend getting one?

I will print the review as well. No one should have to read my handwriting. Sorry, pen pals! Pelikan M205 White pen 14K M nib from Richard Binder--Diamine Grey Clairefontaine Pupitre At first, when I saw ads for this pen, I didn't like the grey window. Then I started looking at grey inks, and I decided I needed it! This is a gorgeous pen. It is not bright white. It is the color of old-fashioned vanilla ice cream. It has a slightly more vivid or stronger color than G Lalo Verge White or Original Crown Mill Pure Cotton, both of which have a cream color, nearly identical. I highly recommend both these papers. Back to the pen, what can I say? This 14k M nib from Richard Binder writes like "hot butter on glass." I haven't tested it on the Verge paper, but I don't think texture would be a problem. I don't think writing in a car traveling over potholes would be a problem! In other words, it's smooth! James Bond smooth. Jackie O in casual wear smooth. This is a pen you wouldn't even notice you were using if it weren't so damn pretty! (Along the margin) There is a reason they went with silver-colored furniture. It's a pinkish ivory. It almost clashes with the 14k nib.

This is going to be a short and sweet review of this somewhat diffcult describe pen. I like Red. I prefer bright Red. So this pen was a no brainer. The pen itself has classic looks which will never go out of fashion. It is available in other shades like Black, White and Taupe(?). But I knew I wanted Red. It is a difficult shade of Red to qualify. I had to pump up the vividness of the images to get close to the brightness. But still it is just an approximation of the actual shade. I got this pen originally with a broad nib which turned out to be a mistake. It is a wet writer. And strokes were too thick. So it was just lying there while I was busy with life. Then on EBay I found "Mr Missing-Pen" selling the fine nib. His English leaves something to be desired but he makes up for that by putting a packet of Gummy Bears in the parcel. The pen is rather small. Which was kind of a surprise. But then it fits in the hands very well. The fine nib is really very very smooth but with just a hint of deep growl. If that is the right word for it. Because I am not going to use the words Toothy or Scratchy. That will be blasphemy. Though the traditional shades like Black are timeless, but I will suggest go for this Red if you are buying it.

Hi everyone, I've got a M205 clear demonstrator coming in the mail and I'm wondering what Blue inks have been tried and tested as not causing stains. I've read that Waterman Florida Blue is a good one, any others? I've been using blue-black so now I want a bright blue.... Thanks!

I have been planning on buying the m205 red-silver, I really love the pelikan pens, i own a m200 and it is the best in my collection, should I buy it? I would like some reviews.