If You Could Only Choose One Ink for a Lifetime...

[Mercian]

8 hours ago, MHBru said:

For the first 15+ years of my adult fountain pen use I had one pen (Pelikan M800) and one ink (4001 Royal Blue).  Even though I was quite happy on my single ink journey today I think I would select Iroshizuku Asa Gao.

An M800 is quite the ‘introduction’ to ‘adult’ fountain pens!

 

Where the vorsprung durch technik can one go from there?
😁

[2ouvenir]

30 minutes ago, Mercian said:

An M800 is quite the ‘introduction’ to ‘adult’ fountain pens!

 

Where the vorsprung durch technik can one go from there?
😁

Very far, at least for me. The M800/M805 was such a disappointment, a classic example of the more expensive does not mean better.

 

Actually, I'll just put it out in the universe, if anyone wants to buy it off of me, it's a clear demonstrator (with silver trim, and not the one with markings/annotation) and it's an EF. I'll gladly release it at a marked loss.

[Mercian]

4 minutes ago, 2ouvenir said:

Very far, at least for me. The M800 was such a disappointment, a classic example of the more expensive does not mean better.

Ooh! Interesting! 
Would you be willing to say what it was about the M800 that you found to be so disappointing?

 

I definitely agree with you that a high purchase price does not guarantee ‘penfection’.
But I love my own M805 & my M800, and so I am keen to be told how this example of Pelikan’s ‘best’ pens has failed to satisfy you.

 

Not least because reading your explanation of your own experience of being disappointed by the M800 could save a future prospective-purchaser from wasting their own money on buying a very expensive pen that would disappoint them for the same reasons that it disappointed you.

 

Slàinte,
M.

[2ouvenir]

38 minutes ago, Mercian said:

Ooh! Interesting! 
Would you be willing to say what it was about the M800 that you found to be so disappointing?

 

I definitely agree with you that a high purchase price does not guarantee ‘penfection’.
But I love my own M805 & my M800, and so I am keen to be told how this example of Pelikan’s ‘best’ pens has failed to satisfy you.

 

Not least because reading your explanation of your own experience of being disappointed by the M800 could save a future prospective-purchaser from wasting their own money on buying a very expensive pen that would disappoint them for the same reasons that it disappointed you.

 

Slàinte,
M.

I purchased it online from a reputable US retailer, a detail that's somewhat relevant since I hadn't tried the pen before making the purchase.

 

However, upon receiving it, I found that the nib didn't provide the smooth writing experience I had hoped for. In a moment of impulse, I purchased three additional nibs from another retailer when they were on sale. To my disappointment, all of them exhibited the same subpar performance. Despite tinkering with the nib, I couldn't improve the situation. Seeking validation for my experience, I scoured through reviews, finding a mix of opinions – some echoed my sentiments while others did not. Navigating through this sea of reviews, it's hard to discern genuine feedback from mere echoes in the chamber. Nonetheless, I'm presenting my honest assessment. (For context, even their entry-level model, the M205 EF, writes beautifully, though it rarely sees any use in my hands. Consequently, both Pelikan pens have remained untouched since their purchase.)

 

This turned out to be a costly misstep in my fountain pen journey. It's become a regrettable mark, and I'm contemplating disposing of it if there are no takers. If I do hold onto it, it'll serve as a stark reminder not to repeat the same error.

 

At this juncture of my fountain pen journey, drawing from experience with various brands beyond just Pelikan, I'm inclined to believe that steel nibs offer a superior writing experience compared to non-steel counterparts, such as gold nibs. Gold nibs, it seems, are primarily employed to enhance the pen's aesthetic appeal, albeit at the expense of writing performance.

 

Please note, this is my personal observation and opinion. I wouldn't presume to generalize this perspective to others, lest I face the wrath.

[Mercian]

40 minutes ago, 2ouvenir said:

I bought it online via a reputable US retailer. This is somewhat relevant, as I didn't try the pen before buying it.

 

The nib just didn't write smoothly for me, and I impulsively bought three extra nibs as they were on sale from another retailer. Much to my dismay, they all wrote the same, badly. Not smooth at all, and no amount of fiddling with the nib made any difference. I looked up reviews to see if there were other people who felt the same way: some do, some don't. I can't tell if their opinions are honest or not because, you know how it is, sometimes it's just an echo chamber out there, we don't know what influences what they say. But this is my honest opinion. (For reference: at the bottom of their range, their M205 EF, writes beautifully, but I actually never am compelled to use it either. So both Pelikans have been sitting unused since when I first bought them.)

 

So it was an expensive mistake for me. It is such a stain on my FP journey, that I am thinking of just tossing it in the bin if nobody wants to buy it from me. I defniitely won't bring it with me if and when I move home someday. If I keep it at all, it's to remind me not to make the same mistake again.

 

At this point of my FP journey (with experience from many other brands not just Pelikan), I am quite convinced that steel nibs write better than non-steel nibs, e.g. gold nibs, and that gold is only used to "improve" the "aesthetic" factor of the pen and actually decreases the writing experience.

 

Please note, disclaimer, of course, all of this applies only to me. I will not dare to extend this opinion/fact/whatever for other people because I don't want to be burned at the stake or be banned from this forum lol.

 

That is a great post! 

 

I think that it is very important that people should feel able to relate their experiences of having felt less-than-satisfied with any purchase, but especially if they have felt that after having bought something that is as-expensive as an M800, or e.g a Montblanc Meisterstück.

Your account of your experience provides a refreshing, and honest, ‘dissentient opinion’ from the chorus of praise for what is a not-inexpensive product.
Although I personally find that I love my own M8xx pens, your willingness to point out that making a more-expensive purchase does NOT necessarily equate to one receiving a more-satisfying writing experience will, undoubtedly, be a useful note of caution for any future prospective purchasers, and give them a better sense of the range of possible experiences of ownership of this pen.

 

I do though urge you to NOT decide to throw your M800 & M205 in the trash!

There are many people who love these pens and sing their praises, and many people who would like to buy them.

If you are willing to ‘take a hit’ on the price that you paid for your Pelikans when you sell them - and even if you are not - I am certain that there is definitely a large number of people out there who would be willing to buy them from you.
Why add your unloved pens to the mountains of landfill, when you could instead - by selling them - enable somebody else to buy their ‘Grail pen’?

 

Slàinte,
M.

[2ouvenir]

19 minutes ago, Mercian said:

Why add your unloved pens to the mountains of landfill, when you could instead - by selling them - enable somebody else to buy their ‘Grail pen’?

 

Slàinte,
M.

In the chance that they might feel the same as I do, hence perpetuate negative emotions, even directing some of it back to me. It's just a small piece of plastic after all, I am sure it would make no difference to the ecosystem of the Earth.

 

Also: the process of selling a pen can be quite laborious. I used to sell items on Facebook Marketplace. But after learning of a tragic incident in my own city where a seller was fatally stabbed during a transaction I've stopped using Marketplace. (I don't want to make it sound like I live in some dangerous place, it's a relatively safe city, just that there are lots of desperate people nowadays.)

[SLinkster]

So many choices...

 

Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia. Parker Quink blue-black would be the runner-up. 

[Dip n Scratch]

Parker Super Quink Blue/Black with Solv-x. I first started my fountain pen journey with that ink while at school. Which was a handful of decades ago.

Does that mean I get a crate of 20 fl oz bottles?

 

[Misfit]

I was going to blather on how this was such an impossible choice.  But I behaved, and started thinking. I think I’d choose Diamine Eclipse. It’s a sneaky ink. Is it dark purple, dark blue, or even black? The smaller the nib, the more it might look black. In my beloved stubs, ah the purple comes out. 
 

Today I filled a pen with Diamine 150th Anniversary Terracotta. It looks so wonderful coming out of my Conklin Duragraph Amber pen with 1.1mm stub nib. That was on my mind when I found your topic. I’m so glad this is a what if scenario, and not a real choice. 

[Mercian]

11 hours ago, 2ouvenir said:

In the chance that they might feel the same as I do, hence perpetuate negative emotions, even directing some of it back to me. It's just a small piece of plastic after all, I am sure it would make no difference to the ecosystem of the Earth.

 

Also: the process of selling a pen can be quite laborious. I used to sell items on Facebook Marketplace. But after learning of a tragic incident in my own city where a seller was fatally stabbed during a transaction I've stopped using Marketplace. (I don't want to make it sound like I live in some dangerous place, it's a relatively safe city, just that there are lots of desperate people nowadays.)

Good points.

But, if your M805 is the same type of pen as the following ones…

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176278317536

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313740923883

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225827963857

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163587014420

…then it is NOT an item that I would ever consider just ‘binning’!

 

Here’s a ‘sold’ listing for one of the labelled demonstrators:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225963958938

IMO the pen is too valuable to just throw out.

 

I think that you could reduce the likelihood of personal danger by selling your Pelikan(s) via the web.

 

I also think that, if you state in your ‘for sale’/‘auction’ posting why it is that you are selling the pens…

 

…i.e. that you find that you don’t ever reach for your M205, so are ‘letting it go’ and; that you have found the M805’s nib(s) to not write as smoothly as you wish…

 

…then ‘fair warning’ has been given to any prospective purchaser, and they can then have no grounds for complaining to you if their experience with the pen(s) matches your own.

 

If you still do not want to face the hassles of attempting to sell them yourself, rather than throwing them in the trash, I would urge you consider donating them to a local charity/‘goodwill’ store, so that they can sell them, and the value that the pens fetch go to a good cause.

 

Slàinte,
M.

[XYZZY]

There are so many threads on this topic, but my answer hasn't changed: Sailor Souboku.

[Lennart Wennberg]

Simple: J. Herbin "Perle Noire"

[Karmachanic]

I'll spend a month writing with each of my 76 inks and get back to you. 🤪

[AmandaW]

18 hours ago, 2ouvenir said:

the nib didn't provide the smooth writing experience I had hoped for.

Nibmeister? If you still like the look and feel of the rest of the pen, it seems to be an opportunity to have it adjusted to suit you perfectly.

[2ouvenir]

51 minutes ago, AmandaW said:

Nibmeister? If you still like the look and feel of the rest of the pen, it seems to be an opportunity to have it adjusted to suit you perfectly.

Yes, indeed I have gone that route without much success. I think I am just really unlucky with this pen or this pen is just not meant for me... or I am incompetent with it or I do not know how to appreciate it... Even nib aside, I do find the pen to be a bit heavy for me. Maybe I can just gift it to a friend one day.

 

In anycase, I do not want to dwell on it anymore.

[TSherbs]

On 3/22/2024 at 7:49 AM, Ron Z said:

Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue

 

same for me

[Surlyprof]

This would be tough because I prefer violet for writing and sepia for sketching.  Lately, if I focused on writing, my answer would be Noodler’s North African Violet or DeAtramentis Document Violet.  I get the impression that I would not agree with the Noodler’s owner’s politics and I thought it strange that the N.A.V. label is covered with warplanes.  That might tip me toward the DeAtramentis if I had to chose just one forever (even though I prefer the color of the Noodler’s).  I really like the DeAtramentis sepia and black, too.

[Bo Bo Olson]

A 400nn holds 1.95 or 2.0ml, OB maxi-semi-flex. Have that in OF. Semi-flex B would do also.

OB then, is 1/2 a width narrower than today, so it would be a fat OM.

Herbin Lie de Thee`, a fine light brown shading ink.

[arcfide]

I am having a really hard time narrowing my choice down to either a black or blue, with the main issue being that I cannot seem to ever commit to either color, and I keep oscillating between them. I think if absolutely pressed, right now, I'd probably say a black ink, and I'd be strongly tempted by Waterman Black, but Perle Noire, Pelikan Brilliant Black, and Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi would all be in the running. I think the thing that might sway me is simply that black always works, or almost always. It would be hard to find a situation in which I couldn't just use black ink, excepting some companies preferring blue wet signatures. 

 

Still, I'm only slowly narrowing down my ink preferences, and I still struggle to choose between the Black, Blue, Blue-Black, and Turquoise inks of Pelikan, Waterman, Herbin, Sailor, PIlot, and Platinum. 

[RedPie]

Noodler's Luxury Blue would be my choice, I use it often.