I just ordered one of these vintage Pelikans in OB! Really looking forward to getting it, so this video was amazingly timely! Yours is in beautiful condition;)
Personally, I would take the 400NN over the M400. As for the ring on the section separating it from the nib, well I have one of those MontBlancs with similar rim and it has definitely corroded over the years. Thanks for sharing. Very nice overview of these 2 pens and thanks for sharing.
fwiw - my 400nn is about a full turn to uncap - you might check to make sure none of the threads are crossed on yours. Nice breakdown of these two great pens.
Nice! One recommendation though, give the 400NN a try with the cap posted, that is how they were designed to be used. I have 20+ vintage Pelikan fountain pens (100N, 101N, 400, etc.) plus one M200 Blue Marbled (F steel nib). They all feel better posted, with better balance, etc. Posting the cap also alleviates the problem some people have with the perceived shortness of the pen as it helps the pen grow to a very respectable and usable size. I love those pens, and all three of my EDC/daily users are vintage Pelikans. That trio has remained inked for years now (the 100N that is the #1 pen for me for over six years continuously). They still write like there is no tomorrow despite being 60-70 years old. That is a pretty amazing achievement and a testament to their quality.
I love writing with my pelikans posted- unfortunately due to the 400NN having a cap crack and it not being mine, I chose not to do it in this review. They are fabulous pens though, there’s a reason they’ve been making them for so long!
Oliver, If I may correct you on one issue: The M600 series can only accept M600 nib units - as well as the M800's & M1000's - all size specific ; the 100, 200, & 400 series all have the same collared dimensions, so can be interchanged, irrespective of year of manufacture. I have over 40 Peli's, from the 1930's right up to current models, so when purchasing a vintage issue, ensure you communicate with the vendor to check for hairline fractures or defects; certainly, they can be fragile, but I've never personally bought one that is defective - distance selling (of course) can be problematic, so I tend to buy from sellers that I know to be reliable, with quality stock. As to the assertion that the section rings (may) corrode, well, again, that's never been a concern with any Pelikan (or indeed any modern pen) I own - but then I am fastidious about cleaning off excess ink prior to writing, & when rinsing out my scribes, I tend to remove the nib/feed & flush it extensively, along with the barrel interior - but hey, each to their own. In terms of ink type (iron gall etc), it matters not what I use, just to be mindful & clean accordingly; this all said, I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation - keep yourself safe & well, Best, Andrew :)
Olivier, thanks for another interesting and informative comparison. I prefer the 400 NN...less bling, but greater ink capacity, and better nib quality. I own a M600 and its medium gold nib is a disappointment. It isn't as smooth as the steel nib on my two M200s, and frankly not enjoyable to use for longer stretches. I know paper differences can affect nib performance, but I've tried several quite different types, and it has been some version of mediocre on all of them. Yes, I know a nibmeister can make it better, but for the price of a M600, I expected a better nib right out of the box. Your reviews have sparked - or rather, ignited - my growing interest in vintage pens, and the lure of the hunt for them.
Pelikan’s nib inconsistency is pretty abysmal- my m600 wrote so poorly out of the box that I decided to grind it to a stub. Quite a good looking pen though. You might want to look out for a vintage M600 nib- they’re quite lovely, and would upgrade your experience quite a bit.
with the proper ink level you can actually fill a pelikan without dipping that ring into ink I have a M600 my self and I've tested and it filled, slowly, but it did xD
personally, I am eternally grateful that pelikan caters to the interests of the avid collectors of foreign-minister-themed fountain pens
Right? I knew this was a niche hobby, but this is another level 😅
The clip of the NN has such a nice shape, I love it ❤
I just ordered one of these vintage Pelikans in OB! Really looking forward to getting it, so this video was amazingly timely! Yours is in beautiful condition;)
I bet you’ll like it! Be careful going down the vintage Pelikan rabbit hole. :)
Personally, I would take the 400NN over the M400. As for the ring on the section separating it from the nib, well I have one of those MontBlancs with similar rim and it has definitely corroded over the years. Thanks for sharing. Very nice overview of these 2 pens and thanks for sharing.
Yes it's sad that so many MB corroded in that place 😑
Thanks for another good video. I have never used either, but prefer the look and style of the 400NN, I think.
fwiw - my 400nn is about a full turn to uncap - you might check to make sure none of the threads are crossed on yours. Nice breakdown of these two great pens.
Nice! One recommendation though, give the 400NN a try with the cap posted, that is how they were designed to be used.
I have 20+ vintage Pelikan fountain pens (100N, 101N, 400, etc.) plus one M200 Blue Marbled (F steel nib). They all feel better posted, with better balance, etc.
Posting the cap also alleviates the problem some people have with the perceived shortness of the pen as it helps the pen grow to a very respectable and usable size.
I love those pens, and all three of my EDC/daily users are vintage Pelikans. That trio has remained inked for years now (the 100N that is the #1 pen for me for over six years continuously). They still write like there is no tomorrow despite being 60-70 years old. That is a pretty amazing achievement and a testament to their quality.
I love writing with my pelikans posted- unfortunately due to the 400NN having a cap crack and it not being mine, I chose not to do it in this review. They are fabulous pens though, there’s a reason they’ve been making them for so long!
Just became a subscriber. Nice videos you put out . Thanks and keep loving pens
Good one ! Valid points.And fun.
Nice comparison thank you!
Oliver, If I may correct you on one issue: The M600 series can only accept M600 nib units - as well as the M800's & M1000's - all size specific ; the 100, 200, & 400 series all have the same collared dimensions, so can be interchanged, irrespective of year of manufacture. I have over 40 Peli's, from the 1930's right up to current models, so when purchasing a vintage issue, ensure you communicate with the vendor to check for hairline fractures or defects; certainly, they can be fragile, but I've never personally bought one that is defective - distance selling (of course) can be problematic, so I tend to buy from sellers that I know to be reliable, with quality stock.
As to the assertion that the section rings (may) corrode, well, again, that's never been a concern with any Pelikan (or indeed any modern pen) I own - but then I am fastidious about cleaning off excess ink prior to writing, & when rinsing out my scribes, I tend to remove the nib/feed & flush it extensively, along with the barrel interior - but hey, each to their own. In terms of ink type (iron gall etc), it matters not what I use, just to be mindful & clean accordingly; this all said, I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation - keep yourself safe & well,
Best,
Andrew :)
Nope, the M600 has the same nib unit thread dimensions as the 200 and 400. Source: Swapped them on my own pens.
@@murkser4149 indeed, only the nib size itself differs.
Olivier, thanks for another interesting and informative comparison. I prefer the 400 NN...less bling, but greater ink capacity, and better nib quality. I own a M600 and its medium gold nib is a disappointment. It isn't as smooth as the steel nib on my two M200s, and frankly not enjoyable to use for longer stretches. I know paper differences can affect nib performance, but I've tried several quite different types, and it has been some version of mediocre on all of them. Yes, I know a nibmeister can make it better, but for the price of a M600, I expected a better nib right out of the box. Your reviews have sparked - or rather, ignited - my growing interest in vintage pens, and the lure of the hunt for them.
Pelikan’s nib inconsistency is pretty abysmal- my m600 wrote so poorly out of the box that I decided to grind it to a stub. Quite a good looking pen though. You might want to look out for a vintage M600 nib- they’re quite lovely, and would upgrade your experience quite a bit.
I'm syringe filling my 400nn. It's less messy for me.
You need an early m400. They have semi-flex nibs, no trim at the section and they used to be available with oblique nibs.
with the proper ink level you can actually fill a pelikan without dipping that ring into ink I have a M600 my self and I've tested and it filled, slowly, but it did xD