Pelikan Pen "stripes"

[bemon]

Anyone know how the stripes are created in the Pelikan Souveran line up? Is it just a metallic paint? Are there any precious materials in the composition? Is the process different for the fountain pen vs the ballpoint or rollerball?

 

I've got a green straited M400 and M600, a tortoise M400 and K400, and a blue straited K400. Would love to know more about how these pens are made.

 

I'm sure I've seen this information somewhere, but I can't recall it.

[joss]

The Souverän barrel is laminated plastic. This movie briefly shows the material from which the barrels are constructed (from 2:22 min onwards):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWhEytzwVmA

[Driften]

Right off the pelikan.com site:

The production of the sleeve is work-intensive. Adhering to a special Pelikan recipe, the raw material cotton is processed through many different steps until it is shaped into a striped sheet. It is then formed into the right shape, cut and sanded with a diamond.

[bemon]

The Souverän barrel is laminated plastic. This movie briefly shows the material from which the barrels are constructed (from 2:22 min onwards):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWhEytzwVmA

Interesting video. I had to turn the sound off since I'm at work, but it seemed like the audio was in German. Do they mention what it's made with? Tinted plastic? I'm curious about what makes the colour shimmer.

[joss]

Interesting video. I had to turn the sound off since I'm at work, but it seemed like the audio was in German. Do they mention what it's made with? Tinted plastic? I'm curious about what makes the colour shimmer.

 

I understood that they make blocks of laminated plastic consisting of thin sheets of coloured (green, red or blue) plastic each alternating with thin sheets of transparent plastic. Cutting a narrow sheet from this laminated block results in a striated sheet that is then moulded into a cylindrical form.

[bemon]

 

I understood that they make blocks of laminated plastic consisting of thin sheets of coloured (green, red or blue) plastic each alternating with thin sheets of transparent plastic. Cutting a narrow sheet from this laminated block results in a striated sheet that is then moulded into a cylindrical form.

 

Well that's a little disappointing. I was hoping there'd be something special in there to make the colour so vibrant and sparkly. I don't know what I was expecting- maybe crushed pegasus horn or something. You know, more exciting than plastic.

[MHBru]

Pretty cool. Think that was an m1000?

[joss]

 

Well that's a little disappointing. I was hoping there'd be something special in there to make the colour so vibrant and sparkly. I don't know what I was expecting- maybe crushed pegasus horn or something. You know, more exciting than plastic.

 

As Driften mentioned above, the manufacturing process of the laminated blocks is labour intensive but I guess that crushed pegasus horn may not be an essential additive to produce vibrantly coloured acrylics...

[bemon]

 

As Driften mentioned above, the manufacturing process of the laminated blocks is labour intensive but I guess that crushed pegasus horn may not be an essential additive to produce vibrantly coloured acrylics...

Youd think it would be for the price. That video is fairly dated too, I wonder if its a more automated process now.

[JulieParadise]

Youd think it would be for the price. That video is fairly dated too, I wonder if its a more automated process now.

 

No, it is not. With some other penthusiasts from the German Penexchange forum I had the chance to make a trip to the Pelikan production plant in March 2018 where they showed us the material before it is shaped. Pelikan gets it from an undisclosed supplier as sheets of plastic (maybe about A3 size?), ca. 1,1-2 mm thick. In Peine near Hannover they then cut this into strips depending on the pen it will have to fit, then they roll it, glue ... as described above.

[bemon]

 

No, it is not. With some other penthusiasts from the German Penexchange forum I had the chance to make a trip to the Pelikan production plant in March 2018 where they showed us the material before it is shaped. Pelikan gets it from an undisclosed supplier as sheets of plastic (maybe about A3 size?), ca. 1,1-2 mm thick. In Peine near Hannover they then cut this into strips depending on the pen it will have to fit, then they roll it, glue ... as described above.

I guess for the k and r series its the same plastic just laid over a sold backing rather than left holllow?

[JulieParadise]

I guess for the k and r series its the same plastic just laid over a sold backing rather than left holllow?

 

Sorry, I only paid attention to the fountain pens.

[Bo Bo Olson]

It was pretty cool, way back in 1950. Must have been hard to do, in there is no real copycats.

 

The other pretty pens from the '30's were sheets wrapped around a mandrel. The Vac was a very pretty pen.

 

In 1940 Parker came in with pressed plastic for the P-51....as soon as the war was over many to most went over to that much cheaper production.

Esterbrook held to the pretty material until 1960.

Pelikan stayed with it's '50's trademark, stripes.

Edited June 11, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[joss]

I guess for the k and r series its the same plastic just laid over a sold backing rather than left holllow?

 

Also the fountain pen binde is just a cylindrical sheet that is placed over a transparent barrel.

Check for instance these great pictures on how the original binde can be replaced by a new one with truly attractive patterns:

 

www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/291734-pelikan-binde/?hl=streseman

https://newtonpens.com/binde-and-barrel-process/

[Karmachanic]

The Souverän barrel is laminated plastic. This movie briefly shows the material from which the barrels are constructed (from 2:22 min onwards):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWhEytzwVmA

 

Almost makes me want to run out and buy a Pelikan!

[praxim]

Pegasus was winged, but not a unicorn.

[TassoBarbasso]

Its not just plastic though, its cellulose acetate. Its a lot more difficult to manufacture and far more prestigious than a random plastic. Think of the difference between an IKEA glass and a Murano glass, for comparison Its the cellulose nitrate that allows to create those deep, ever-changing shades in the striped binde.

[bemon]

Its not just plastic though, its cellulose acetate. Its a lot more difficult to manufacture and far more prestigious than a random plastic. Think of the difference between an IKEA glass and a Murano glass, for comparison Its the cellulose nitrate that allows to create those deep, ever-changing shades in the striped binde.

That helps me swallow the purchase price better

[Nyanzilla]

I've never seen a Chinese copy of a striped Pelikan. So I presume that material isn't easy or cheap to produce.

[1nkulus]

I never warmed to the stripes and hence, only have the plain black. I do like the new M815 but would prefer it in the M1000 series.