Great video! The biggest jump for me is between the M600 and M800 - adding that metal piston really changes the feel of the pen in the hand (and for my preferences awkwardly back-weights the pen). The M600 is the sweet spot for me.
That is a really useful video - thank you! One of the features that you do not mention is the weight of the pen, which may be significant for those choosing which to buy. All four have a wonderful piston filling mechanism, but in the two larger pens (M1000/M800) this is in brass, and in the two smaller pens it is plastic. So those larger pens have a real 'heft' to them. Because the piston mechanism is towards the rear of the pen, it means the weight sits between the thumb and forefinger when writing and provides a wonderful sense of balance without being 'top-heavy'. I really think the best way is to try them out if you possibly can.
I think the nib of m400 and m600 are more beautiful and balanced in shape than the nibs of m800 and m1000, the m800 and m1000 nibs are like sort of bulky nibs. Is it right?
On 3 of my pens the logo was oxidizing. The Pelican rep suggested my hands might be causing it. Aqua-regia, hydro-chloric/nitric acid is the only chemical that attacks gold, so apparently the gold plating was faulty.
Hi there do you know which size would compare to a pilot custom 823? It’s by far the best pen I’ve used and would love to get a pelikan M similar in size, to cut out of the cigar shaped fp
Hi! I'm a newbie in the fountain pen world, less than a week to be honest. But your content is awesome. Still nowadays the Lamy Safari/Al Star a good first pen or there are better options? (I'm a lefty). Keep the good work. Viele Grüße
rejahn Thanks much! The Safari/AlStar are great options. Scroll a bit through my channel - I once made a video on Top Entry Level Fountain Pens. Maybe this helps you
Danke für das Video! Besonders der Vergleich am Schluss ist hilfreich, wenn Du die Füller ohne Kappen nebeneinanderlegst. Da wird dann zum Beispiel deutlich, dass zwischen dem M400 und dem M600 ohne Kappe fast gar kein Größenunterschied besteht - der M600 ist bloß etwas dicker, aber eigentlich nicht wirklich länger!
Wow, Michael, that's a serious array of Pelikans !! Fortunate, too, to own at least one of each of those sizes; like yourself, I have large hands, so there is no discomfiture in using any of them. My M1000 is in black gloss, the Stresemann M805 was purchased after viewing your review of same; the M600, in red, & the M405, in blue (I prefer the silvered accents to the gold). All write beautifully, & it is why, personally, Pelikan are my go-to scribes. There is no doubt, they are not inexpensive, & it has taken me a considerable time to amass these incredible writing instruments; I invariably always carry at least one in my pen roll, daily. This was an excellent overview - giving the viewer a real sense of perspective, in terms of one's own hand size, & what (ultimately) would be a comfortable writing experience, therein. Thank you very much, my friend !! :)
Certainly, Michael - the earlier models are as consistently good as their later counterparts, & in some cases, better, although, in terms of cleaning them up/disassembly, they require the gentle touch - & only due to the fact that they're a little more fragile. I recently restored an original 1956 120 - a friction-fit piston mechanism - took me two days of soaking barrel in cool water to tease it out - never use boiling water because it can fracture the material - then just lightly tap it out. Have a great weekend, my friend :)
Michael, yes, I restore as many pens as I possibly can - but that's entirely governed by my having to balance that against my work schedule. I can recommend three very good vendors - two of whom have e-bay businesses; they are as follows: www.ebay.co.uk/str/yesteryearsfountainpens - This lady is my favourite - Evelien; a Dutch lady, based in Germany; she's a real sweetie, & I've known her for quite a few years - super helpful, & always sells high quality fountain pens. Tom Westerich - A German gentleman, based in Berlin - what this guy doesn't know about Pelikans, you could write on the back of a stamp - very knowledgeable, & you may know him if you've ever visited the penboard.de website - he sells a lot from that site. I actually met him & his wife at the London Pen Show, this past October. Really nice guy !! twesterich@gmail.com Finally, another German gentleman - Waldemar. great guy, & also has an e-bay shop: www.ebay.co.uk/usr/suse-troedel?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 Also, has a website, www.wasupen.de These are my go-to people for Pelikan pens, & without who, I would not have the fine collection that I currently own. If you mention my name, they'll understand how you came to find them in the first instance - I do not gain any personal commission/favour for mentioning these three, fine sellers - it is my way of saying a, "thank you" to them for all the wonderful help & inspiration they have given me. Take care, & I'll speak to you soon :D
Very good comparison as always! I was wondering on your thoughts on M600 vs M800. I am looking for a pen as a daily writer (so long writing). I really like Lamy 2000 (although the section is too small). I was considering getting the M600 as it seems to be the balanced option. I am an experienced fountain pen user but I don't got to pen shows or stores so I have not held many pens in my hands. I really like the dimensions of the TWSBI Eco (except weight and section). Do you think the M800 is a good option for my use case or are they too big? Comfort is a must. Thanks for the great videos.
Hearing what you say, I recommend you to go with the M800. I believe you will be happy. The M600 is very close to the Lamy 2000 and it’s wider point of the section. The M800 is that tad beefier. If you don’t have rather small hands, the 800 is PERFECT. 😊 Also, a general rule if thumb is always: better a bit too wide than too small grip. Former relaxes your grip, latter makes you cramp.
@@Scrivelynotes Thanks a lot for the recommendation. Just to add another point of reference I have a Visconti Van Gogh which according to measurements has the same grip size as the M600. I find the grip perfect, maybe a tad small. I was concerned about the weight as the Lamy 2000 has an amazing weight. Feels amazing on the hand just right, such a dream to use for extended periods. My Van Gogh has a similar weight to the M800 and it feels a kind of heavy (total pen, and unposted). Grip heavy. Is the M800 well balanced (posted or unposted) and is the weight comfortable for an average male hand? Lastly how much thicker are the M800 nibs than standard German nibs. I usually use a medium as its perfect for me. Should I go for a fine (to get German medium equivalent). Thank you so much for all your help!
Glumfish as said before, to me personally, the M800 is perfect. Balance, weight, everything. If it’s really the same for you, I can really not tell - you would need to try it. From what you say, I would still go with the 800. But in the end, I can not know for sure. Only you can feel this. Pelikan is in line with normal German nib widths. But they do have a nib exchange policy. So just go with whatever nib you think may be right, and if it’s not, you can swap it to another nib width in first couple of days. Just check that policy and how it’s in practice fulfilled beforehand with the retailer of your choice.
@@Scrivelynotes many thanks for the recommendation! I got the M800 and I really love it. The size is great. The nib is on the thick size (especially the tipping) but I find it depends on the ink a lot.
Went thought the same process when I purchased my M200, and actually gasped at how small it was out of the box. Probably a scientific reason for the disconnect. Between the brain knowing dimensions and the eye seeing. I bought the M200 on sale and found an M400 nib unit, also on sale. So I have a M200/400 for about $150 US less than a M400.
Scrively by the way my M600's piston has become dry and is getting harder to operate. But the only problem is trying to get the piston out to re-lubricate it is a bit of a problem. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks again.
Hi my friend! I recently had the same problem with my M600. It's a quite easy fix, actually. Screw out the nib unit (they are all screw - just be careful, maybe use a towel), put some silicone grease (maybe the one that comes with the TWSIBs) on a q-tip (like a ear cleaner cotton stick), and go through the hole of the removed nib unit into the barrel and grease the piston a little. You can screw the piston half way down or so, then it is easier to reach with the q tip. Just grease the piston a little on the edges towards the barrel. Screw up and down and see if it operates more smoothly. It should by now. Otherwise add a little more grease. That did the trick for me and mine now operates again like on the first day :-). Let me know how this goes. ((Technically, the TWSBI wrenches also fit the Pelikan pistons and you could take out the whole piston like this. It's just normally not necessary and a little more complex to fix. So I would not do that, if you don't exactly know what your are doing. Better go with my suggested 'easy fix').
Scrively thank you my friend for the tip i have bottle of TWSBI silicone grease at hand so i will lubricate the piston as you mentioned in the with the first suggestion which seems the safest option. Thanks again and very much appreciated.
M805 I think is a good starting point for me with gold blue or green. Love the Pelikan clip and nib. Prefer the compact size of the 800 but the thousand has that over sized nib that's very nice.
Scrively, thanks for the Pelikan comparison video! I love my Pelikan's and to date in my flock of i have got the M120, M400 and M600 and planning on working my way up to the M1000. And what i really love about Pelikans apart from being amazing pens overall of course has got to be the nibs they have the best nibs. And to me they excel over a lot of the other high end pen manufacturers out there by a long shot. Just my opinion of course. Thanks again for another excellent video keep up the great work my friend, and see you on the next video.
I liked my M600. M1000 was a disappointment. Very top heavy and way too wet. I wish they would use plastic not brass for the piston mechanism. I have Lamy 27 from early 60 and plastic piston mechanism still looks like new. It’s unnecessary to make it from brass.
alex mood to me personally: yes, a lot less top heavy. Just because it is shorter and hence, has the heavy top part of the barrel closer to the web of my hands. So for my handsize, the M800 is perfect. I also find the M1000 a little too large.
Scrively thanks. I’m eyeing M800 Stresemann for a while. I also like Renaissance Brown. I have love/hate relationship with the Souveran line. In some aspects it is brilliant but in others I don’t like it as much. I don’t like how the cap leaves the micro scratches on the barrel after a while. I used to have M400 and M600, I still have M1000. M800 is now inevitable 😏
Thanks for the video. For those coming skip the first minute with no issues. Wish someone had told me this. It's and utter waste of the first minute which adds nothing to the video and I nearly left.
Great video! The biggest jump for me is between the M600 and M800 - adding that metal piston really changes the feel of the pen in the hand (and for my preferences awkwardly back-weights the pen). The M600 is the sweet spot for me.
Fergal Shortall i agree about the M600 i love mine and it is a daily writer.
The M600 is a great size, yes. Likely a good size for many people.
That is a really useful video - thank you! One of the features that you do not mention is the weight of the pen, which may be significant for those choosing which to buy. All four have a wonderful piston filling mechanism, but in the two larger pens (M1000/M800) this is in brass, and in the two smaller pens it is plastic. So those larger pens have a real 'heft' to them. Because the piston mechanism is towards the rear of the pen, it means the weight sits between the thumb and forefinger when writing and provides a wonderful sense of balance without being 'top-heavy'. I really think the best way is to try them out if you possibly can.
Good input. Thank you!
I think the nib of m400 and m600 are more beautiful and balanced in shape than the nibs of m800 and m1000, the m800 and m1000 nibs are like sort of bulky nibs. Is it right?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like the aesthetic of the
M800 and M1000, too.
Great video. Ought to be more by left-handers as it's easier to relate to physical properties of whatever is being demonstrated. Thanks!
Well said!
I thought M300 is the smallest. Only In green striped or Ruby red as M320.
It is the smallest, yes. But I did not have one around.
It is ridiculously funny. :D I love my M300, super super cute! :D It is also tiny. :D
On 3 of my pens the logo was oxidizing. The Pelican rep suggested my hands might be causing it. Aqua-regia, hydro-chloric/nitric acid is the only chemical that attacks gold, so apparently the gold plating was faulty.
Hm, I never had this on any of my Pelikans, and I have reviewed and owned quite many.
Send me an address and I’ll show you a picture.
Hi there do you know which size would compare to a pilot custom 823? It’s by far the best pen I’ve used and would love to get a pelikan M similar in size, to cut out of the cigar shaped fp
I would think the M800, but not entirely sure. Maybe look up the physical measurements online.
Exceptionally helpful.
Thanks! Happy to hear/read
Thank you for an overview and comparison. Had the same problem as you.
Thanks very much!
Hi! I'm a newbie in the fountain pen world, less than a week to be honest. But your content is awesome. Still nowadays the Lamy Safari/Al Star a good first pen or there are better options? (I'm a lefty). Keep the good work. Viele Grüße
rejahn Thanks much! The Safari/AlStar are great options. Scroll a bit through my channel - I once made a video on Top Entry Level Fountain Pens. Maybe this helps you
Pelikan M200 , Sailor sapporo profesional gear ,Platinum 3776 .
Danke für das Video! Besonders der Vergleich am Schluss ist hilfreich, wenn Du die Füller ohne Kappen nebeneinanderlegst. Da wird dann zum Beispiel deutlich, dass zwischen dem M400 und dem M600 ohne Kappe fast gar kein Größenunterschied besteht - der M600 ist bloß etwas dicker, aber eigentlich nicht wirklich länger!
Stimmt! Freut mich, dass es dienlich war.
Wow, Michael, that's a serious array of Pelikans !! Fortunate, too, to own at least one of each of those sizes; like yourself, I have large hands, so there is no discomfiture in using any of them. My M1000 is in black gloss, the Stresemann M805 was purchased after viewing your review of same; the M600, in red, & the M405, in blue (I prefer the silvered accents to the gold). All write beautifully, & it is why, personally, Pelikan are my go-to scribes. There is no doubt, they are not inexpensive, & it has taken me a considerable time to amass these incredible writing instruments; I invariably always carry at least one in my pen roll, daily.
This was an excellent overview - giving the viewer a real sense of perspective, in terms of one's own hand size, & what (ultimately) would be a comfortable writing experience, therein.
Thank you very much, my friend !! :)
Thanks much my friend! Pelikan must be my fave pen brand, as well. Need to explore some vintage ones soon, I guess :-)
Certainly, Michael - the earlier models are as consistently good as their later counterparts, & in some cases, better, although, in terms of cleaning them up/disassembly, they require the gentle touch - & only due to the fact that they're a little more fragile. I recently restored an original 1956 120 - a friction-fit piston mechanism - took me two days of soaking barrel in cool water to tease it out - never use boiling water because it can fracture the material - then just lightly tap it out.
Have a great weekend, my friend :)
Andrew Tongue thanks for the great tip! Any tips where to buy from? Do you restore a lot of older pens?
Michael, yes, I restore as many pens as I possibly can - but that's entirely governed by my having to balance that against my work schedule. I can recommend three very good vendors - two of whom have e-bay businesses; they are as follows:
www.ebay.co.uk/str/yesteryearsfountainpens - This lady is my favourite - Evelien; a Dutch lady, based in Germany; she's a real sweetie, & I've known her for quite a few years - super helpful, & always sells high quality fountain pens.
Tom Westerich - A German gentleman, based in Berlin - what this guy doesn't know about Pelikans, you could write on the back of a stamp - very knowledgeable, & you may know him if you've ever visited the penboard.de website - he sells a lot from that site. I actually met him & his wife at the London Pen Show, this past October. Really nice guy !! twesterich@gmail.com
Finally, another German gentleman - Waldemar. great guy, & also has an e-bay shop: www.ebay.co.uk/usr/suse-troedel?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
Also, has a website, www.wasupen.de
These are my go-to people for Pelikan pens, & without who, I would not have the fine collection that I currently own. If you mention my name, they'll understand how you came to find them in the first instance - I do not gain any personal commission/favour for mentioning these three, fine sellers - it is my way of saying a, "thank you" to them for all the wonderful help & inspiration they have given me.
Take care, & I'll speak to you soon :D
Andrew Tongue thanks much for the elaborate information, my friend. Here I go, checking out these potential treasure boxes!
Very good comparison as always! I was wondering on your thoughts on M600 vs M800. I am looking for a pen as a daily writer (so long writing). I really like Lamy 2000 (although the section is too small). I was considering getting the M600 as it seems to be the balanced option. I am an experienced fountain pen user but I don't got to pen shows or stores so I have not held many pens in my hands. I really like the dimensions of the TWSBI Eco (except weight and section). Do you think the M800 is a good option for my use case or are they too big? Comfort is a must. Thanks for the great videos.
Hearing what you say, I recommend you to go with the M800. I believe you will be happy. The M600 is very close to the Lamy 2000 and it’s wider point of the section. The M800 is that tad beefier. If you don’t have rather small hands, the 800 is PERFECT. 😊 Also, a general rule if thumb is always: better a bit too wide than too small grip. Former relaxes your grip, latter makes you cramp.
@@Scrivelynotes Thanks a lot for the recommendation. Just to add another point of reference I have a Visconti Van Gogh which according to measurements has the same grip size as the M600. I find the grip perfect, maybe a tad small. I was concerned about the weight as the Lamy 2000 has an amazing weight. Feels amazing on the hand just right, such a dream to use for extended periods. My Van Gogh has a similar weight to the M800 and it feels a kind of heavy (total pen, and unposted). Grip heavy. Is the M800 well balanced (posted or unposted) and is the weight comfortable for an average male hand? Lastly how much thicker are the M800 nibs than standard German nibs. I usually use a medium as its perfect for me. Should I go for a fine (to get German medium equivalent). Thank you so much for all your help!
Glumfish as said before, to me personally, the M800 is perfect. Balance, weight, everything. If it’s really the same for you, I can really not tell - you would need to try it. From what you say, I would still go with the 800. But in the end, I can not know for sure. Only you can feel this. Pelikan is in line with normal German nib widths. But they do have a nib exchange policy. So just go with whatever nib you think may be right, and if it’s not, you can swap it to another nib width in first couple of days. Just check that policy and how it’s in practice fulfilled beforehand with the retailer of your choice.
@@Scrivelynotes Thanks for all the help and all the videos! I will probably go with the M800.
@@Scrivelynotes many thanks for the recommendation! I got the M800 and I really love it. The size is great. The nib is on the thick size (especially the tipping) but I find it depends on the ink a lot.
Went thought the same process when I purchased my M200, and actually gasped at how small it was out of the box. Probably a scientific reason for the disconnect. Between the brain knowing dimensions and the eye seeing. I bought the M200 on sale and found an M400 nib unit, also on sale. So I have a M200/400 for about $150 US less than a M400.
Perfect!
Scrively by the way my M600's piston has become dry and is getting harder to operate. But the only problem is trying to get the piston out to re-lubricate it is a bit of a problem. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks again.
Hi my friend! I recently had the same problem with my M600. It's a quite easy fix, actually. Screw out the nib unit (they are all screw - just be careful, maybe use a towel), put some silicone grease (maybe the one that comes with the TWSIBs) on a q-tip (like a ear cleaner cotton stick), and go through the hole of the removed nib unit into the barrel and grease the piston a little. You can screw the piston half way down or so, then it is easier to reach with the q tip. Just grease the piston a little on the edges towards the barrel. Screw up and down and see if it operates more smoothly. It should by now. Otherwise add a little more grease. That did the trick for me and mine now operates again like on the first day :-). Let me know how this goes. ((Technically, the TWSBI wrenches also fit the Pelikan pistons and you could take out the whole piston like this. It's just normally not necessary and a little more complex to fix. So I would not do that, if you don't exactly know what your are doing. Better go with my suggested 'easy fix').
Scrively thank you my friend for the tip i have bottle of TWSBI silicone grease at hand so i will lubricate the piston as you mentioned in the with the first suggestion which seems the safest option. Thanks again and very much appreciated.
Wayne Clarkson welcome!
M805 I think is a good starting point for me with gold blue or green. Love the Pelikan clip and nib. Prefer the compact size of the 800 but the thousand has that over sized nib that's very nice.
Andrew Hoffman I do like the 400 and 800 most myself
why no a quick writing sample? :'(
Mesut Cenan Konal to keep the video shorter and also because I have reviewed all this pens in single videos - you can find writing samples there.
Scrively, thanks for the Pelikan comparison video! I love my Pelikan's and to date in my flock of i have got the M120, M400 and M600 and planning on working my way up to the M1000. And what i really love about Pelikans apart from being amazing pens overall of course has got to be the nibs they have the best nibs. And to me they excel over a lot of the other high end pen manufacturers out there by a long shot. Just my opinion of course. Thanks again for another excellent video keep up the great work my friend, and see you on the next video.
This is great review, thanks a lot
Ali M thank you very much!
This was a very helpful video. Thanks!
Thanks for leaving this comment, Ryan!
Really an helpful video 👍
thanks
I liked my M600. M1000 was a disappointment. Very top heavy and way too wet. I wish they would use plastic not brass for the piston mechanism. I have Lamy 27 from early 60 and plastic piston mechanism still looks like new. It’s unnecessary to make it from brass.
Guess this is a matter for preference. Personally, I like the heft that the M800 adds on, as opposed the the M600 for instance.
I guess I need to try M800. Is it less top heavy compared to M1000?
alex mood to me personally: yes, a lot less top heavy. Just because it is shorter and hence, has the heavy top part of the barrel closer to the web of my hands. So for my handsize, the M800 is perfect. I also find the M1000 a little too large.
Scrively thanks. I’m eyeing M800 Stresemann for a while. I also like Renaissance Brown. I have love/hate relationship with the Souveran line. In some aspects it is brilliant but in others I don’t like it as much. I don’t like how the cap leaves the micro scratches on the barrel after a while. I used to have M400 and M600, I still have M1000. M800 is now inevitable 😏
Hello@@Scrivelynotes Can you please compare size of M800 to a Diplomat Excellence A Plus? Which on is bigger, specially uncapped?
That's really help, thank you.
Thank you. I am glad this was helpful.
Thank you> this was indeed helpful video.
The prices of these pens are CRAZY !!! People and their money will soon be parted .... 😳
M200 100euro P200 81euro , just don't buy Souveran with gold nibs
Over here in US there's usually a 50% markup. Take the coming m605 Stressman: around $375 from Appelboom, but in the US it's about $500.
Thanks for the video. For those coming skip the first minute with no issues. Wish someone had told me this. It's and utter waste of the first minute which adds nothing to the video and I nearly left.
So glad you stayed. Made my day.
Only a big girl's blouse would announce their flounce. Grow up. The guy put up a video to help others, and you complain.
Awww for fuck sakes. I thought i hit the jack pot but these are new pens.
Tell me about the vintage pelikans mannnnnnnnnnnn