What Are Your Experiences With The Pelikan M30?

[EH86055]

Hello,

Does anyone here own a Pelikan M30 (or variants, i.e. MK10,M25, etc.)? Im planning to buy one (or a Montblanc 14, depending on price and availability) and have a few questions. How well does it hold up to EDCing? What are the dimensions? Does then pen have any special mainatncence needs? Are Pelikan EF nibs very scratchy and are they true <0.5mm EFs? How does it compare to a Montblanc 14 (or 24,74,12, etc.)? What would be a good base price for a NOS M30 in EF?

Thanks.

Edited June 6, 2019 by Eric_H

[OCArt]

dimensions here https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Models/Revised-Piston-Fillers/P1-Other/index.html

similar question here https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/288970-opinions-wanted-pelikan-m30-vs-montblanc-224/

[EH86055]

Thanks, Ill read those.

Edit: From what I read in that post, the M30 has a problem with cracking. The 14 isnt as fragile as the triple digit pens of the same style form what I have heard, so I think Ill go with it. I plan to EDC the pen so I dont want any durability issues.

Thanks.

Edited June 6, 2019 by Eric_H

[LyaT]

Why not an M200 or M205? They are the best EDC pens. I take my M205 on all my travels and it holds up really well. Never have to worry about cracks or leaks.

 

Edit: Never mind. Just noticed the M30 has a completely different nib style. You must be looking for a very specific nib. M205 wont do. Good luck in your hunting!

Edited June 6, 2019 by LyaT

[MsRedpen]

Eric, I used MK10 more than 10 years as my only school/university pen, writing from 3 to 10+ A4 pages a day, inked with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black - no issues with pen durability. Very easy to maintain pen.

 

Perhaps some other users will comment better on the MK30 nib line width.

My MK10 steel F was always on the generous F size, and wet flow, so Pelikan ink balanced it well.

[chravagni]

I had two M480 at school, about 1983 or 1984. It is the successor model, after the restyling of the nib. Bigger nib, pen a little thicker. They leaked without mercy in the pen case, I had to use them at home (They didn't leaked in the drawer).

And it wasn't me to mishandle them, i think, because i used the same model with cartriges (m465) and others piston pelikans without any problem.

 

So, for me it may be pretty risky using one of them as edc, also given the age of the pen and the cracking problem.

[OMASsimo]

I have a M30 with OB nib, which is an excellent writer and a rock solid EDC pen. No leaking, no cracks, no hard starts, no skipping, no nothing. An almost perfect pen from the 1965s-80s. The "almost" is only because Pelikan decided to make the nib stiffer than for the previous 140/400 models due to the impact of the ball pen. I prefer the earlier semi-flex nibs but the M30 is still fun to write with. The patented Kovacs feed design makes this a pleasantly wet writer. And most of all, they can be had for very little money because they are not sought after.

[stephenchin]

I have to offer a few caveats to what has been written above.

 

I have nearly a dozen examples of the M30/25/15 series, and in my experience over the last few years, the plastic can definitely crack. Three of mine have developed cracks, some not even from use, so the problems of differential shrinkage of early injection molded Pelikan plastics reported in the earlier 25 cartridge pen were probably not solved with this later seies. Perhaps this is not the best EDC pen.

 

The later series P28 and P478 Silvexas ( cartridge-only) have metal barrels and caps, but the thin clear plastic threads on the section are also delicate. They can crack, particularly if you are cranking down on the threads to pierce and secure the cartridge. And their nibs are even closer to modern Pelikan nibs in grind and reduced flex/spring.

 

other issues of note on the original M30 series: the Kovacs feed does work well, especially for an early injection-molded plastic feed--but if the nib begins to separate from the feed (as sometimes happens with these pens), it is not easy to remedy, and that lovely wet flow becomes intermittent and unreliable. There is a thread here discussing this problem, which others have experienced as well. A third issue is that replacements for the friction-fit piston filler have dried up, and no one is as yet making replacement piston seals if you ever need to service it (unlike the vintage 400 and 100n series). Some 60's plastics are holding up well, but often the plasticizers migrate, soft plastics get stiffer and seals begin to leak and piston rods can fail.

 

Most of these issues have been reported on earlier threads here. While probably a more reliable pen than the earlier 25, the M30 series is still not the tough, reliable workhorse that current model Pelikan 200/400 series are. And they don't write nearly as well as the magical 400 series nibs.

 

They are also skinnier than the 200 series, though well-balanced--in that sleek 60's Parker 61 way. For a smaller hand, they can feel great.

 

There's a reason why these M30's were once quite inexpensive. They became popular as a cheap alternative to vintage 400's, but at the current higher prices, the m30 series may not be such a great deal any more. A broken pen or pen that doesn't work may is not such a good buy in the long run.

[peroride]

I just posted my reply to the wrong thread but I agree with all the excellent advice especially @stephenchin Thank you!

[stephenchin]

I just posted my reply to the wrong thread but I agree with all the excellent advice especially @stephenchin Thank you!

 

if you are finding your pen dry, you should fill the pen and soak the front section in pen flush overnight. These feeds can clog.

 

There is a tool to remove the section (some have used a screw or a toothpick), but beware. the section may have shrunk more than the feed, making the fit tighter and removal (and later reinsertion) more difficult. This is where it can be easy to crack the plastic of the section. It is obviously much easier to clean your feed then, but I recommend you try to flush the feed without removing it if at all possible.

 

enjoy your pen, sorry you did not get one with a very springy or wet nib. It looks great. Be kind to it, it has survived 50 years already, in perfect shape. if you are careful with it, it will last many more.

Edited June 13, 2019 by stephenchin