Family Photos Of Your Flock - Please Add Yours!

[inkstainedruth]

5 hours ago, DilettanteG said:

@inkstainedruth I've always heard Star Trek: The Motion Sickness 😃

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[stoen]

The two pens from my previous post, now joined by three “100N” cousins:

 

Top to bottom:

EF - super flex

F - flex

M - super flex

ST (most likely)

ST

[RedPie]

My small Pelikan family.

[stoen]

Five generations of the 400 family, 30 year span (from top):

400   (1952)     - M   nib

400N (1955)    - OF  nib

400NN(1959)  - KEF nib

M&K    (1974)   - EF   nib

M400  (1982)   - F    nib

 

All are excellent writers. As writing pleasure and versatility are concerned, the prefered ones are:

1. the 400N

2. the 400

Both have nibs which are dry, springy, moderately flexible, and can efortlessly accomodate ink flow changes with pressure controed line width variation. The 400N (OF) is a tad more versatile yet.

 

This opinion is about these particular pens, not necessarily about models.

 

Yet, the Modern M400 unfortunally never really felt right when trying to write with them.

[Christopher Godfrey]

OK, stoen, <now> I am impressed!  (I don't know anyone who owns a 400N -- until now!)  Brilliant!

[carola]

4 hours ago, Christopher Godfrey said:

OK, stoen, <now> I am impressed!  (I don't know anyone who owns a 400N -- until now!)  Brilliant!

 

Yes, you do. Me. 😉

(Although mine is not a green striped one like Stoen's, but rather a tortoise striped one.)

 

 

[stoen]

Dear @Christopher Godfrey, dear @carola,

 

Thanks for your comments. IMHO, the 400N is a lovely, and underappreciated pen, much like the 300.

In fact, it has never been even been a marketed model (on cap tube it says “Pelikan 400”), but rather a service shop designation for parts.

The “legit” 400N should consist of following specific parts:

1. “fir tree” pattern nib, patterns meeting at the slit

2. slightly elongated conical turning knob

3. elongated, slightly narrower cap tube, cap top and “crown” nut.

4. the clip which is longer than either 400 or 400NN

 

Yet, I’ve seen factory boxed NOS pens which had 400N turning knobs, but 400 caps and clips. They felt like neither of them, but there is no indications these would have been frankenpens. Possibly a small transitional batch, marketed in Denmark (?).

 

There’s been a discussion on the subject in the “Dating Peilkan Fountain Pen” thread, which happened to turn out rather inconclusive. What makes these pens even more elusive has to do with the evidence that they’ve been in production for hardly five months (Dec.55-Apr.56). The production stopped rather abruptly. No “transition pens” between 400N and 400NN known. Only frankenpens.

🙂

Yet, this particular OF nib green 400N is one of the finest writers so far…

 

 

[Christopher Godfrey]

<Yes, you do. Me>  

 

A thousand apologies!  Of course...  😉

[carola]

1 hour ago, Christopher Godfrey said:

<Yes, you do. Me>  

 

A thousand apologies!  Of course...  😉

 

😁

[carola]

5 hours ago, stoen said:

Dear @Christopher Godfrey, dear @carola,

 

Thanks for your comments. IMHO, the 400N is a lovely, and underappreciated pen, much like the 300.

In fact, it has never been even been a marketed model (on cap tube it says “Pelikan 400”), but rather a service shop designation for parts.

The “legit” 400N should consist of following specific parts:

1. “fir tree” pattern nib, patterns meeting at the slit

2. slightly elongated conical turning knob

3. elongated, slightly narrower cap tube, cap top and “crown” nut.

4. the clip which is longer than either 400 or 400NN

 

Yet, I’ve seen factory boxed NOS pens which had 400N turning knobs, but 400 caps and clips. They felt like neither of them, but there is no indications these would have been frankenpens. Possibly a small transitional batch, marketed in Denmark (?).

 

There’s been a discussion on the subject in the “Dating Peilkan Fountain Pen” thread, which happened to turn out rather inconclusive. What makes these pens even more elusive has to do with the evidence that they’ve been in production for hardly five months (Dec.55-Apr.56). The production stopped rather abruptly. No “transition pens” between 400N and 400NN known. Only frankenpens.

🙂

Yet, this particular OF nib green 400N is one of the finest writers so far…

 

 

 

My 400N has an M nib and thus isn't one of my most beloved writers. It is unquestionably a very good nib, but... well, it's an M. Probably my finest writer is my 400NN Tortoise with a heavenly stubby B nib.

Yes, there are also a pen with a BB and one with a truly incredible 3B nib in my little collection, but when it comes to everyday writers, it is this humble 400NN with its B nib that has found a way to my heart.

[inkstainedruth]

Now I want to know the all the details which differentiate 400s, 400Ns, 400NNs, and M400s.  Because this turn of the discussion is just fascinating....  Especially since I only have modern M400s & M405s.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[stoen]

2 hours ago, carola said:

It is unquestionably a very good nib, but... well, it's an M.

Well, thanks for your comment, @carola. It’s still a great pen! Experience teaches there can be quite a few differences among M nibs not only in flexibility and grind finish - probly has also to do with how precisely is the whole system “tuned”. 

For example, the nib in this 1952 400 (top pen in the picture) is the most versatile M nib I’ve come across: such an ease in writing and line width variation. Inviting and efortless. Nothing special about it, smooth, dry and springy, yet all components and features make a pefect match!

Still lacking a tad of the oblique “adventure” this green 400N has to offer.

🙂

 

[Lam1]

On 12/7/2024 at 1:24 PM, stoen said:

Five generations of the 400 family, 30 year span (from top):

400   (1952)     - M   nib

400N (1955)    - OF  nib

400NN(1959)  - KEF nib

M&K    (1974)   - EF   nib

M400  (1982)   - F    nib

 

All are excellent writers. As writing pleasure and versatility are concerned, the prefered ones are:

1. the 400N

2. the 400

Both have nibs which are dry, springy, moderately flexible, and can efortlessly accomodate ink flow changes with pressure controed line width variation. The 400N (OF) is a tad more versatile yet.

 

This opinion is about these particular pens, not necessarily about models.

 

Yet, the Modern M400 unfortunally never really felt right when trying to write with them.

 

Very nice, @stoen!

 

I just went back to look at the nibs of my two 400n (Brown and Black). Both F!  Which explains why it has been ages since I last used them, since I much prefer broader nibs. 

My 300, on the other hand has a delightful stuby B.

[stoen]

On 12/9/2024 at 3:25 AM, Lam1 said:

My 300, on the other hand has a delightful stuby B.

I wish I had a 300, @Lam1. F nibs can also be exciting to write with, if springy and well tuned. M nibs too.

🙂

Here’s the “fine-tuned” M nib of my 1952 400:

The feed is the earliest model (the same cut as in latest 100N pens), the collar has one or two more threads than average. So, the nib sits a bit deeper in the section…

 

Quote

Now I want to know the all the details which differentiate 400s, 400Ns, 400NNs, and M400s.

 

Here’s the best place to look at, as for the 400 model and all its variations, @inkstainedruth:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/358957-dating-pelikan-fountain-pen/page/11/#comments

 

[Lam1]

That nib is beautiful, @stoen.

And you're right, some F nibs are really great, particularly if they have flex. The ones on my 400n are not bad, but also not particularly flexible.

 

300's are, indeed, hard to come by (although last week there was one on ebay ... and I forgot to bid 🤦‍♂️).

But I got very lucky: the 300 was my first vintage Pelikan. I was at a pen show, during the first day, and a very nice vendor made me a nice price on it.

I also got very lucky with my 2nd and 3rd vintage birds: a 400N Tortoise, marked as 400 on ebay and a 400 Green on Green sold as green/black.

[carola]

1 hour ago, Lam1 said:

But I got very lucky: the 300 was my first vintage Pelikan. I was at a pen show, during the first day, and a very nice vendor made me a nice price on it.

I also got very lucky with my 2nd and 3rd vintage birds: a 400N Tortoise, marked as 400 on ebay and a 400 Green on Green sold as green/black.

 

You should definitely play in the lottery! 😳

[Lam1]

2 hours ago, carola said:

 

You should definitely play in the lottery! 😳

 

The problem is that I spent all my luck in those three pens. Before and after it has always been like that line of the old blues: "if it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all" 😂.

[christof]

some new familiy fotos of the flock:

 

 

[stoen]

15 hours ago, christof said:

some new familiy fotos of the flock:

Such beautiful pens deserve such an impeccable family photo. BTW, are there any new members pictured?

[Lam1]

19 hours ago, christof said:

some new familiy fotos of the flock:

 

 

 

That is an amazing collection, @christof!

I will likely never see any of these "in the flesh".