Shocked My Pelikan M805 Broke In Half Today

[Dan P]

 

 

And shocked Pelikan only offers a 3 year warranty on their pens. My pen is 3 1/2 years old. Charpak says I need to pay for a new barrel and labor costs. I'm wondering if anyone's Pelikan has broken apart between the black finger grip (not sure if this black section is part of the nib assembly) and the barrel? I love the nib and keep this pen on my desk and basically use it every day to write checks or make some notes while on the phone. I'm wondering if Pelikan glues the barrel to the nib and this failed or if this was a fracture of the barrel per se. It seems like a clean separation and two parts simply separated that were somehow connected at one point. I'm scratching my head on how could this break apart? Thanks for any feedback. I've only got a handful of fountain pens and this is my only Pelikan. Wondering if quality control at Pelikan has become a problem or this is a freak occurrence. Dan

[Dan P]

Let me try again to attach photos.

[Lam1]

Wow, that is indeed shocking. I'm so sorry.

 

I would imagine this is a freak occurrence, since we don't hear many (if any) reports of this happening.

 

I would think that if you contacted Pelikan Germany they would fix it for free. I've seen reports here of people with barrels in bad shape and due to owners fault (which is not your case) who sent their pens to Germany and had it fixed for free. I can't imagine them charging to fix this.

 

Chartpak, on the other hand, is completely different story.

 

Good luck.

[Nanor]

I had a similar break repaired by Pelikan's UK customer service without proof of purchase or warranty for a £15 handling fee about 6 months ago.

 

 

Stone Marketing Limited
10 Sovereign Way
Tonbridge
Kent
TN9 1RH

 

repairs@stonegift.com

 

I understand this type of break is not uncommon, and is usually the result of the pen being dropped.

 

Hope it works out for you.

[Dan P]

Thanks. I didn't know I could even contact Pelikan Germany....I thought being in the US I had to contact Chartpak. They're quoting me a little over $150 to replace the barrel. The Pelikan website directed me to Charpak.

[Dan P]

I had a similar break repaired by Pelikan's UK customer service without proof of purchase or warranty for a £15 handling fee about 6 months ago.

 

 

Stone Marketing Limited

10 Sovereign Way

Tonbridge

Kent

TN9 1RH

 

repairs@stonegift.com

 

I understand this type of break is not uncommon, and is usually the result of the pen being dropped.

 

Hope it works out for you.

Thanks. I absolutely did not ever drop the pen but I wouldn't expect Pelikan to believe me.

[Sabin]

You shall be more careful..

[piscov]

I can't be certain because of the picture, but that does look like the weld failed. Does not look broken (it´s too clean and linear). Those barrels are welded to the section, I believe ultrasonically welding process is used.

 

You probably can try to glue it back using special acrylic glue. Go to a acrylic shop and get some drops of the liquid glue they use.I have one called Acrifix 1R0192 ( gel type- works by reaction and welds the plastics- needs UV to cure, so sun exposure after gluing is essential to a good cure. They have several types, from completely liquid to gel.

 

Take the nib unit out and glue the section back in. It will probably work and you will spend a lot less than sending it to repair. If it does not work you can always send it for repair as it will not be more unusable than it is now

Edited January 22, 2016 by piscov

[Ron Z]

No, the cone at the front of the barrel over which the section fits snaps. Pelikan uses the same barrel for rollerball and FP. The rollerball gets a brass sleeve for weight, a different grip knob, and a cone instead of a nib unit.

 

This is a repair that I do, and have done several times. For some reason the 800 series seems to be more vulnerable than the 400 or 60o pens. The repair holds quite well - I'm using one in rotation myself that I did 3 or 4 years ago just to prove that the repair is durable. Feel free to contact me by email to follow up. The repair is quite a bit less than a replacement barrel.

[sargetalon]

I've seen that kind of clean break a few times from other members. Thankfully not too often. It is not a common occurrence. I would look to Ron and seek out a repair. Being in the US, it might be hard to get Pelikan to act outside of Chartpak. The few times I've tried, my correspondence was just forwarded to Chartpak and their fees are fixed. Hope you're able to get it fixed in short order and with minimal hassle. The pen is worth the rehab. Good luck.

[GatzBcn]

Does this also happen with the M1000?

[fplover01]

I too have seen this a couple of times.

 

For some strange reason, it seems to affect the Blue M805 more than other models, ie I have never seen a green M800 fail like that, (unless it had been dropped of course). But with the blue 805, I have seen and read this a couple of times, all over again, no drop according to owner, pen in outstanding condition, you could see it hadnt taking a beating or so, and just a clean welding failure at that particular point. Also I have never seen it happening to a M1000 (but again not so many M1000s around to have a sample).

 

In Germany Pelikan would probably take care of this with minimal cost. Probably the US representative has different procedures. The pen is definitely worth to be fixed.

Edited January 22, 2016 by fplover01

[Bo Bo Olson]

Send it to Pelikan in Hannover, they will fix it for free.

It is Chartpack that needs to make money. They are contracted to Pelikan, but are not Pelikan.

 

Email Pelikan Hannover over this. There have been a number of folks that sent to Germany, for free outside the postage, that would have had to pay for US work. In Germany they are still Life long....out side of the Vintage '50-70's where they don't have the parts any more.

[Dan P]

I love this Pelikan pen and plan on getting it repaired even though it sounds like there is a manufacturing/material problem with this color/model pen. I appreciate all the responses; it's nice to have a site to get answers and help. What is not nice is the bizarre experience of having a pen break in half, or perhaps I should say fall apart, while writing with it. At first one questions what is going on.....am I imagining my pen feels funny, is something not tightened, is my pen really in two pieces, is that ink all over my fingers and how in the world did this happened? Yeah, bizarre. And then to find out about Pelikan's paltry three year US warranty just peeves me off considering what I paid for the pen. Well, enough venting. Thanks again for all your feedback.

[Christopher Godfrey]

If you <should> end up sending your lovely pen to Ron Zorn, the work will be <good>, rest assured! (Shameless plug by a happy customer)

[fjf]

If Pelikan fails to repair it for free I would try epoxy resin. The good old Araldite. Mix VERY well equal parts of both compounds, put a thin layer around the cone, put the section in place, press a little, eliminate (if any) the glue that gets out around the glued part and leave it (nib up) vertically to cure for 24h. You may try to sand (with a fine sandpaper) the parts to be glued before putting the araldite on, to make the parts rough and improve the bonding increasing the surface area of the glued plastic.

[fountainbel]

If Pelikan fails to repair it for free I would try epoxy resin. The good old Araldite. Mix VERY well equal parts of both compounds, put a thin layer around the cone, put the section in place, press a little, eliminate (if any) the glue that gets out around the glued part and leave it (nib up) vertically to cure for 24h. You may try to sand (with a fine sandpaper) the parts to be glued before putting the araldite on, to make the parts rough and improve the bonding increasing the surface area of the glued plastic..

+1, This what I've already done a few times.

Francis

[Ron Z]

it seems to affect the Blue M805 more than other models, ie I have never seen a green M800 fail like that,

From the evidence that I've seen, it's an equal color failure. Note that the color is simply a binde - a casing that goes around the barrel tube that the section attaches to. The same part is used for the inside of all of the colors, the same section for RB and FP, just that the RB gets a cone that screws in, in place of the nib.

 

It is possible to simply epoxy the front end on, but I much prefer to replace the tube inside to reinforce the area. There is a surprising amount of stress placed on the section of a pen as you write, especially if heavy handed. It isn't straight along the axis of the barrel, but at an angle.

 

This is the front end of an 800 barrel. The section came off, leaving the tube at the front end intact. You can see that with a tube there, and epoxy over the taper up to the barrel, the area will be much stronger than if the tube is missing or not intact.

 

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/Pelikan800front.jpg

[Dan P]

Thanks for all the help. Chartpak was very nice but the bottom line is all they can do is replace the entire barrel for $150. I'm not keen on gluing the sections together myself nor thinking shipping it to Pelikan in Germany would help in that the pen might just be forwarded to Chartpak. Again, I think this break is due to a manufacturing issue. I have never abused the pen and the clean break I think supports the manufacturing or material problem that one would think Pelikan would be eager to address. Apparently not. I've shipped the pen off to Ron Z. to repair and will post a photo once I get the pen back. As I understand things he will machine a new part to replace the weak joint that separated. For $50 I think that is the best solution. Who knows, I may get a pen back that is stronger than the original. Dan

[Dan P]

Posted about the same time as Ron. I've shipped it yesterday to you. Thanks for your help and email. Dan