Pelikan 140

[EasyOgre]

Hello everyone, 

 

I’m new here and have a question. If I am doing this incorrectly feel free point me straight. I purchased a Pelikan 140 that I was told was from the ‘50s. Is it possible to buy nibs that will fit these old pens? If so, where? 
 

Thank you in advance 

Ogre

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

Why?

(I'm making an assumption from your post count, you have not been around fountain pens much, and or not around German vintage factory stubbed, semi-flex '50-65 Pelikans.)

 

The 140's nibs are great factory stubbed semi-flex nibs ....unless you have a hard H or a nails-nail D nib, which are rare to very rare.

 

The nib bottom is supposed to be flat, it has been stubbed. It does not have a ball under the nib; be that teardrop shaped or the later double ball.

That semi-flex stubbed nib will give you a nice clean line; like the '82-97 era teardrop tipped springy regular flex nibs.

 

Go to Richard Binder's great site...spend three days there...but the section you want first is nibs. That will clarify what stubbed is. It is the bible of fountain pens, filling systems, nibs, beautiful pens, and good advice on inks. I still go over there to refresh.

 

Semi-flex gives you line variation from normal writing pressure.....when one has a light enough Hand to use it...one can 'demand' line variation also...for later. 

The natural pressure used in forming a letter will make the nib expand a bit, giving one flair...style without doing anything at all.

 

It is a flair nib, not a calligraphy nib.

 

You may be like I was....in the 140 was my first semi-flex nibbed pen... be Ham Fisted.

So are pressing too hard on the nib. Most noobies are, and do.

 

On a modern 200, '85 to now, is a regular flex...springy nib, is a nib where you can mash it out to a 3X line width vs a light down stroke. One can not write so mashed....regular flex is a good nib for two toned shading inks.

 

Semi-flex takes half that pressure to reach 3 X tine spread. It is a wetter nib, and can overwhelm two toned shading.

 

The Semi-flex nib will hold that pressure of max use, but that pressure is way too heavy. It took me some 6-8 weeks to get my Hand pressure light enough that I wasn't always maxing the nib. Another six weeks to have a much lighter Hand, so I could demand, line variation, when I wanted some.

...................

A while later after I got my 140 and finally wans't being so Ham Fisted, (12-14 years ago...time flys), Conklin??? one of those guys who can really write came over to this section of the com from the writer's section, and showed us how to do the forefinger up method of holding a fountain pen...an automatic light grip. 

Similar is used by dip pen users. 

 

Ball points gave us pain, hand pain from the Death Grip and it's Kung Fu Thumb Pinch grip; fatigue from always maxing pressure to make a ball roll instead of a nib tip floating in a small puddle of ink.

The forefinger up, eliminates all that.

Takes three minutes to learn how to do it, and 3-5 days of switching back and forth to settle in with it.

...........................

An old post of how to hold a fountain pen, and lightly.....rests is a key.

 

Italic nibbed pens are held before the big index knuckle (like a ball point) and the nib is canted @ 45 degrees, and the drawing of letters is done in a push-pull movement.

 

Regular pens 'rests' after the big index knuckle at 45 degrees, or 40 degrees at the start of the web of the thumb.....depending on how long and heavy the pen is. If long and heavy, it rests; in the pit of the web of the thumb....at 35 degrees, taking weight off the nib.

 

Classic tripod (Death Grip) the thumb is at 10 O'clock, the forefinger at 2, and the middle finger at 6.

However, because of the 10-2, pressure is often until one spends some 6-9 months learning to hold very lightly, way too much time, leading to the Death Grip with accompanying Deadly Kung Fu Thumb Pinch.

 

Folks are use to plowing the south 40 without the mule with a ball point, so use too much pressure. No pressure is needed, in if the pen is held after the big index knuckle, it floats on a small puddle of ink.

If held before the big index knuckle, it has too tiny a puddle and one gouges little grand canyons into the paper. (or one has to buy a fat and blobby Pelikan double ball nib.)

(Italic of course is different.)

 

I use the 'forefinger up', way of grasping a fountain pen, an automatic light grip, which takes three minutes to learn.

Standard or medium-large pens should be posted for better balance, and then they are not 'too small', as some claim who refuse to post a pen so designed.

Many Large and Oversized pens are too clunky posted....

 

Finally made some pictures of the 'forefinger up' method of grasping a fountain pen. An automatic light grip...............no more Death Grip.....and remember to keep the thumb a flat dam....no Kung Fu Death Pinch....

The Classic Tripod puts pressure down on the pen from the 10&2 positions.

With the thumb held flat at 08:30-09:00 there can be no down pressure. The forefinger rests on the top of the pen.

The pen will not somersault out of your hand.

Move the pen from the nail joint to 1/3 inch into the fat of the finger pad.

 

Pens used in the pictures, is a '90's springy regular flex Pelikan 400, and a semi-nail 605.

 

It takes three minutes to learn, will take some three days to become real accustomed to it....which is better than the 3 months to a year it takes to lighten a Classic Tripod with it's built in over pressure finger and thumb positions....along with the cocked high pressure Kung Fu Thumb Death Grip.

 

I learned this on the com....having a painful dent at my middle finger joint...that was a bit of nerve damage more than likely from Death Grip ball points; that didn't go away with Death Grip held fountain pens.

 

This shows a flat thumb. Bow of the forefinger good....as you will see one can bend it a bit....but you don't want an 'elbow' bend in the forefinger....in that will cause unneeded pressure.

Showing where the pen should rest on the middle finger pad....away from the nail junction. And a 12:00-12:30 resting forefinger position.

 

Fairly good forefinger up positions. The thumbnail is 1/3 past the forefinger crease....for a higher hold.....a tad too much forefinger bend...but acceptable, in comfort is the main thing...but it is not bent. No mid finger joint poking up in the air like an elbow.

Here the thumb is higher up the barrel...near the forefinger pad crease.

 

With the thumbnail at the crease of the forefinger joint the pen will rest deeper into your hand, more at a 40 degree angle at the start of the web of your thumb....If the thumbnail is a tad before the forefinger crease the pen will rest higher close to 45 degrees.

If you are more comfortable there with 'that' pen. A pen should rest where it wishes....if heavier or longer a bit deeper in to the web of the thumb.

It's your decision, but by moving just the thumbnail a bit down from the forefinger crease, your pens angle will be higher to right after the index knuckle....if you wish.

Above...flat thumb.

 

A fairly straight forefinger up.....comfort is part....a bit of bow in the forefinger is not bad....as long as it's only a bit.............when you have bent the knuckle that is too much.

Just a slightly wider pen.

•  

•  

 

[EasyOgre]

Why? Because I got it for a good price with a damaged NIB. While I haven’t been around much. I understand the flex NIB. It’s the reason I would like another NIB. there is a pretty bad divet in the side of one of the tines. I’m afraid it’s going to break with continuous use. I am a very light handed writer which is what drew me to fountain pens barely any effort and it glides across the paper. 
 

Thank you for all your assumptions, you have given me a lot of information. 
 

You obviously are a  great source of information and very knowledgeable. It’s also evident you want to be helpful, you spent a lot of time with such a long response and I certainly appreciate that and look forward to reading your posts in the future  
 

All that being said, I still don’t know if I can get a replacement nib if this does break. Nor do I know where to get it if it can be had. 
 

thank you again I have copied and pasted your post in note pad for future reference. I don’t have time scour Mr. Binders site tonight. I do however have his link saved. 

[stoen]

3 hours ago, EasyOgre said:

Why? Because I got it for a good price with a damaged NIB. While I haven’t been around much. I understand the flex NIB. It’s the reason I would like another NIB. there is a pretty bad divet in the side of one of the tines.

Hello,

 

The 140 in known for having been a professional office pen. 

Clerks and accountants often used steel rulers to help draw straight lines in tables and charts, which would eventually wear the contact points on the tine. 

As long as the edges of the divet are smooth, not jagge, the danger to break is not high.

 

One could ask a goldsmith to slightly smooth jagged edges with a goldsmith file.

 

There are nib repair shops which can weld-reconstruct the missing nib material. This is not cheap.

 

P140 nibs occasionally surface on eBay, they sell for 50+ $ a piece.

 

Hope this can help.

[USG]

7 hours ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

Why?

(I'm making an assumption from your post count, you have not been around fountain pens much, and or not around German vintage factory stubbed, semi-flex '50-65 Pelikans.)

 

The 140's nibs are great factory stubbed semi-flex nibs ....unless you have a hard H or a nails-nail D nib, which are rare to very rare.

 

The nib bottom is supposed to be flat, it has been stubbed. It does not have a ball under the nib; be that teardrop shaped or the later double ball.

That semi-flex stubbed nib will give you a nice clean line; like the '82-97 era teardrop tipped springy regular flex nibs.

 

Go to Richard Binder's great site...spend three days there...but the section you want first is nibs. That will clarify what stubbed is. It is the bible of fountain pens, filling systems, nibs, beautiful pens, and good advice on inks. I still go over there to refresh.

 

Semi-flex gives you line variation from normal writing pressure.....when one has a light enough Hand to use it...one can 'demand' line variation also...for later. 

The natural pressure used in forming a letter will make the nib expand a bit, giving one flair...style without doing anything at all.

 

It is a flair nib, not a calligraphy nib.

 

You may be like I was....in the 140 was my first semi-flex nibbed pen... be Ham Fisted.

So are pressing too hard on the nib. Most noobies are, and do.

 

On a modern 200, '85 to now, is a regular flex...springy nib, is a nib where you can mash it out to a 3X line width vs a light down stroke. One can not write so mashed....regular flex is a good nib for two toned shading inks.

 

Semi-flex takes half that pressure to reach 3 X tine spread. It is a wetter nib, and can overwhelm two toned shading.

 

The Semi-flex nib will hold that pressure of max use, but that pressure is way too heavy. It took me some 6-8 weeks to get my Hand pressure light enough that I wasn't always maxing the nib. Another six weeks to have a much lighter Hand, so I could demand, line variation, when I wanted some.

...................

A while later after I got my 140 and finally wans't being so Ham Fisted, (12-14 years ago...time flys), Conklin??? one of those guys who can really write came over to this section of the com from the writer's section, and showed us how to do the forefinger up method of holding a fountain pen...an automatic light grip. 

Similar is used by dip pen users. 

 

Ball points gave us pain, hand pain from the Death Grip and it's Kung Fu Thumb Pinch grip; fatigue from always maxing pressure to make a ball roll instead of a nib tip floating in a small puddle of ink.

The forefinger up, eliminates all that.

Takes three minutes to learn how to do it, and 3-5 days of switching back and forth to settle in with it.

...........................

An old post of how to hold a fountain pen, and lightly.....rests is a key.

 

Italic nibbed pens are held before the big index knuckle (like a ball point) and the nib is canted @ 45 degrees, and the drawing of letters is done in a push-pull movement.

 

Regular pens 'rests' after the big index knuckle at 45 degrees, or 40 degrees at the start of the web of the thumb.....depending on how long and heavy the pen is. If long and heavy, it rests; in the pit of the web of the thumb....at 35 degrees, taking weight off the nib.

 

Classic tripod (Death Grip) the thumb is at 10 O'clock, the forefinger at 2, and the middle finger at 6.

However, because of the 10-2, pressure is often until one spends some 6-9 months learning to hold very lightly, way too much time, leading to the Death Grip with accompanying Deadly Kung Fu Thumb Pinch.

 

Folks are use to plowing the south 40 without the mule with a ball point, so use too much pressure. No pressure is needed, in if the pen is held after the big index knuckle, it floats on a small puddle of ink.

If held before the big index knuckle, it has too tiny a puddle and one gouges little grand canyons into the paper. (or one has to buy a fat and blobby Pelikan double ball nib.)

(Italic of course is different.)

 

I use the 'forefinger up', way of grasping a fountain pen, an automatic light grip, which takes three minutes to learn.

Standard or medium-large pens should be posted for better balance, and then they are not 'too small', as some claim who refuse to post a pen so designed.

Many Large and Oversized pens are too clunky posted....

 

Finally made some pictures of the 'forefinger up' method of grasping a fountain pen. An automatic light grip...............no more Death Grip.....and remember to keep the thumb a flat dam....no Kung Fu Death Pinch....

The Classic Tripod puts pressure down on the pen from the 10&2 positions.

With the thumb held flat at 08:30-09:00 there can be no down pressure. The forefinger rests on the top of the pen.

The pen will not somersault out of your hand.

Move the pen from the nail joint to 1/3 inch into the fat of the finger pad.

 

Pens used in the pictures, is a '90's springy regular flex Pelikan 400, and a semi-nail 605.

 

It takes three minutes to learn, will take some three days to become real accustomed to it....which is better than the 3 months to a year it takes to lighten a Classic Tripod with it's built in over pressure finger and thumb positions....along with the cocked high pressure Kung Fu Thumb Death Grip.

 

I learned this on the com....having a painful dent at my middle finger joint...that was a bit of nerve damage more than likely from Death Grip ball points; that didn't go away with Death Grip held fountain pens.

 

This shows a flat thumb. Bow of the forefinger good....as you will see one can bend it a bit....but you don't want an 'elbow' bend in the forefinger....in that will cause unneeded pressure.

Showing where the pen should rest on the middle finger pad....away from the nail junction. And a 12:00-12:30 resting forefinger position.

 

Fairly good forefinger up positions. The thumbnail is 1/3 past the forefinger crease....for a higher hold.....a tad too much forefinger bend...but acceptable, in comfort is the main thing...but it is not bent. No mid finger joint poking up in the air like an elbow.

Here the thumb is higher up the barrel...near the forefinger pad crease.

 

With the thumbnail at the crease of the forefinger joint the pen will rest deeper into your hand, more at a 40 degree angle at the start of the web of your thumb....If the thumbnail is a tad before the forefinger crease the pen will rest higher close to 45 degrees.

If you are more comfortable there with 'that' pen. A pen should rest where it wishes....if heavier or longer a bit deeper in to the web of the thumb.

It's your decision, but by moving just the thumbnail a bit down from the forefinger crease, your pens angle will be higher to right after the index knuckle....if you wish.

Above...flat thumb.

 

A fairly straight forefinger up.....comfort is part....a bit of bow in the forefinger is not bad....as long as it's only a bit.............when you have bent the knuckle that is too much.

Just a slightly wider pen.

•  

•  

 

 

Thanks, that was very educational. 😀👍

 

[EasyOgre]

4 hours ago, stoen said:

Hello,

 

The 140 in known for having been a professional office pen. 

Clerks and accountants often used steel rulers to help draw straight lines in tables and charts, which would eventually wear the contact points on the tine. 

As long as the edges of the divet are smooth, not jagge, the danger to break is not high.

 

One could ask a goldsmith to slightly smooth jagged edges with a goldsmith file.

 

There are nib repair shops which can weld-reconstruct the missing nib material. This is not cheap.

 

P140 nibs occasionally surface on eBay, they sell for 50+ $ a piece.

 

Hope this can help.

 

Thank you. This is alot of help. I wondered what could have created the divot. Your explanation makes perfect sense. 

[Bo Bo Olson]

 

USG, thanks, I spent a long time picking brains, who gave me everything to work with.

 

EasyOrge, it helps to say which continent you are on, to refer you to repair folks....good to better paper, and inks.

There are folks that could help you in the States. Living in Germany, I don't keep them in mind.

 

I am glad you have a Light Hand, then you can learn to demand line variation on decenders at the end of a sentence or paragraph to put a bit of dash in your style. With semi-flex even with regular pressure, even if light handed, will add a bit of natural flair to your writing.

 

IMO There is a 3X tine spread set of nib 'flex's'. Springy regular flex (Pelikan 200 is better than Pilot 'soft' nibs), semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex. One should not try to flex them more than 3X, or one will spring the nib, sooner than later. The latter two, are flair nibs, not calligraphy nibs.

 

I don't see much asking for Pelikan nibs, in they (most) come in a screw in unit.

 

Soak the nib in a glass for a couple of hours, to loosen any old ink. Fold a paper towel, in four and place in the crook of your left hand's forefinger...in the longitudinal combs/rills of the feed are very delicate.

Place your left thumb on top of the nib.

Turn the pen body towards you. That will get screw out the nib, feed and collar out of the pen. If the collar is broken...happens..seldom but does, there is a guy in England that is making is 3 D making them.

 

.......If the piston seems stiff, and it happens every 20-30 years, unscrew the nib section, take a half a rice corn of silicon grease, or a rub with a Q-tip, swab it around after drawing the piston all the way up. A tiny, tiny bit goes a long way, and it is not something one has to do often...every couple of decades.

 

For a new nib and feed unit, (which is what you would need, Penboard.de. Is not inexpensive, but is a high quality vintage pen seller. He should have various width's of 140 nibs available.

Vintage (stubbed) and semi-vintage nibs (teardrop) are 1/2 a width narrower than modern Pelikan nibs. (Double Ball)

 

If you have an oblique nib, or want one, you have to learn to cant your nib...some folks call that rotating the nib. 

The 140 has a longer cap than the other German medium-small pens (Geha-Kaweco) of that era, actually equalling the 400 in length posted. So has that great balance.  I think it is a pen that writes so much nicer posted. 

 

Look at how much cant the nib has, by looking in the light and guesstimating if it had a 15 degree or 30 degree grind. I've not seen any with a grind in the middle of that grind set, like a 22 degree grind.

If the more normal, 15 degree grind, the easiest way is to post the cap using the clip to aim at the middle of the nib, right of the slit, between it and the shoulder. Grasp in air and set to the paper; no need of twisting hand, arm, or hanging from chandlers.

If, the more rare 30 grind, aim the clip of the pen at the right-hand shoulder of the nib. Grasp in air, put to paper and write. It will set just right to the paper.

If you don't cant your pen with an oblique, it will be scratchy.

 

I've had no nib problems with my vintage, or semi-vintage Pelikans, so don't know the go to guys, for nibs.

You don't need it, it seems, but I have a repair guy in Belgium. There are others in GB and Spain.

Where ever you live, you should have someone on your continent to do the work. 

 

Stoen is a very fine poster, one I go out of my way to read....just like his info about steel edged rulers.

I don't have any pen that was used in such an office.

 

 

 

 

[Christopher Godfrey]

EasyOgre, stoen is absolutely right about previous use of a steel ruler -- one of my very best, flexible Pelikan nibs has a similar dent in the left-hand tine; but it affects performance not one iota.  Looking for a replacement nib, the first place I would try is Tom Westerich of penboard.de -- he sells plenty of Pelikans and I suspect that he will have spares.  Good luck!

[mana]

I also have one vintage Pelikan nib with wear consummate to it being used with a ruler (I suspected as much).

[stoen]

7 hours ago, mana said:

 

I also have one vintage Pelikan nib with wear consummate to it being used with a ruler (I suspected as much).

 

This “ruler habit” must have been a notorious office practice, dragging on for decades. I’ve seen dozens of 100s and 140s with ruler nib damage.

One of my favorite 100s had this issue, but being a “dream writer” made me consider leaving it as is. So I just smoothed the dent ends with a goldsmith file.

Here it is: F Flex, writes perfectly!

One can see a bit of cosmetic problem, but it is fail-safe.

 

 

[Penguincollector]

  My 140 must’ve had something happen to it, because it’s had an old steel EF 120 nib (which is an amazing nib, to be honest) since a few owners before me. I’ve been looking on and off for a replacement for a couple of years now. 

[EasyOgre]

That’s interesting mine has a steel EF. I’m just now beginning to understand that this might be unusual. 
 

i made a very bad mistake last night i was cleaning out the cap and stuck a cotton swap all the way to the top. I thought i was gentle. Not gentle enough though. It knocked the finial of and broke the threads. 🥴it made me sick. 1 of 2 things happened. I had removed the finial the day before and I may have over tightened it or I was rougher than I thought with the swab. It looks fine now it’s back together but it will unfortunately never come apart again. 
 

Stoen I did that very same repair to my steel nib with very fine sandpaper and a thin dowel. No more divot and nib is shiny. 
 

Thank you for the affirmation Christopher. 
 

Ja, Bo Bo Olson. Ich lebe in den USA. Meine Mutter ist Deutsche. Sie kommt aus Bremerhaven, und meine Großmutter lebt in Bremen. Ich liebe Deutschland, obwohl es schon viel zu lange her ist, dass ich dort war. Fünf Jahre sind seit meiner letzten Reise vergangen. Den Rest schreibe ich auf Englisch, damit jeder ihn lesen kann. 
 

I will write the rest in English so everyone may read. Thank you for the instructions they again are helpful.

Yes the piston does feel stiff I have some silicon grease standing by for just such an issue. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

 

 

[Christopher Godfrey]

I am certain that I myself used to rule straight lines with my fountain pen in my young schooldays, too!  (Ballpoints were not allowed in my day!  From age 8 we used proper pens).

[Bo Bo Olson]

7 hours ago, EasyOgre said:

Ja, Bo Bo Olson. Ich lebe in den USA. Meine Mutter ist Deutsche. Sie kommt aus Bremerhaven, und meine Großmutter lebt in Bremen. Ich liebe Deutschland, obwohl es schon viel zu lange her ist, dass ich dort war. Fünf Jahre sind seit meiner letzten Reise vergangen. Den Rest schreibe ich auf Englisch, damit jeder ihn lesen kann. 

Your German is better than mine...being an American who eventually worked in Ikea, where there was no 'sie' (formal you)...just the informal you like in English. German customers tended to think I was Swedish, from my informality in my German.

Everyone wanted to practice their English on me...

 

I got by with my Ami-deutch, take an American sentence and hammer the German words into it.

The Germans have something called the split -infinitive, which means you don't really know what is going on until the last word. Then they shrink-wrap half a sentence into one word.

My written German is like a demented second-grader.