Inexpensive Pelikan Pens

[Mike7]

Pelikan makes fantastic pens. If I felt like being unkind, I'd suggest that Pelikan fountain pens are what Montblanc fountain pens wish they could be. But I'm too nice to suggest that. Even though it's true. :)

Here are a couple of deals on Pelikan pens, the first is Brick and Mortar, the second is web-based:

1. Office Max seems to be blowing out Pelikan R200 and R250 rollerball pens. These are first rate rollerball pens, and many places sell them for $45 and up. Office Max used to sell them for $40 (and they were a bargain at that price). Currently, they're marked down 50% from that price, so you can pick one up for 20 bucks. I found some still in the pen case at one area Office Max store, and at the other store they were on the Discount Table. Either way, a Pelikan R200 for an Andy Jackson is a sweet, sweet deal, should you be a pen person, or be looking for a nice gift for a pen person.

Now, good as the Pelikan R200/250 is, it's not the perfect rollerball pen. To make it perfect, you'd have to use it with the incredible Pilot G2 gel refill. Unfortunately the metal tube that holds the ball on a G2 refill is ever so slightly too large and will not fit through the tip of a Pelikan barrel.

Solution (which I found on alt.collecting.pens-pencils; I can't take credit for it, myself) -- Get a G2 pen and remove the refill. Take an electric drill and find the bit that just barely fits the end hole on the G2 barrel.

Just use a steady hand and drill straight into the end of the barrel. You'll probably need to drill it 3 or 4 times as you have to work it around inside the barrel to gradually enlarge it. The inside of the 200 barrel is lined with metal (you maybe thought it'd be plastic?) and you have to wear that away.

Check it after each drilling until you get it to where you're happy with the fit. I suggest you leave the fit a tiny bit tight, meaning you have to push gently on the point of the refill in order to remove it from the pen.

If you do it correctly you'll never know any adjustment was made. You won't have to any filing or clean up whatsoever on the pen, it looks untouched and brand new. And the good news is you can still use Pelikan refills in the pen even after the modification is done.

You now have the perfect rollerball pen. (But even the non-modified pen is really, really good.)

2. Pelikan-SRW has represented Pelikan in the US for some years. Sadly, this relationship is now over. Consequently, Pelikan-SRW is having a monster sale on Pelikan pens and accessories. The website is http://www.pelikan-srw.com Once there, click on "Shopping Cart." Lots of stuff at 50% off. Even if you're not a pen person, you could score some excellent gifts here. Like, in the "Discontinued, Specials & Closeouts" category, there's a Michael Graves Organizer, with an original retail price of $175. The old sale price was $87.50. It's now going for $37.50 -- or even less, if you buy 5 or more. (Some businesses will undoubtedly buy 5 or more, to give as Christmas presents to clients or junior executives.) BTW, at the bottom of this page is the 200/250 rollerball, selling for $25. Which is 5 bucks more than Office Max, but if there's no Office Max near you, or your Office Max is out of the pens...

(Just for the record, many people -- and I'm among them -- consider the Pelikan M800 fountain pen to be the modern fountain pen against which all others should be measured.) (The M1000 may be even better, but it's just too big for many people.)

[i eat dogs]

not that im knocking your adoration of pens, but what is it about these pens that necessitates such praise? im curious as to why you couldnt just pick up a Pilot G2 gel pen (or whatever type of pen uses a Pilot G2 gel refill...) is there any special feature to this pen other than the obviously luxurious styling and what not?

[Mike7]

> not that im knocking your adoration of pens

That's okay, even if you were. I know that most people figure a pen is a pen, and spending $300 for a pen that doesn't write better than a $3 pen seems ridiculous to them.

But it's like wristwatches. A $4000 Rolex or Patek Philippe watch doesn't keep time any more accurately than many $30 quartz watches. However, the $4000 watch has great styling, is made of premium materials, is manufactured by a company that'll stand behind its products, and is assembled by master craftsmen. In essence, it's both jewelry, and time-keeping instrument. And in wearing such a watch, one may derive psychological and emotional benefits far out of proportion with the aforementioned, arguably modest, concrete advantages. There's nothing particularly shameful about getting a lift from knowing that you're wearing the same model watch that was used by an expedition to the South Pole or Mt. Everest. Or from getting a warm feeling at wearing a watch that's a material extension of awatchmaking tradition dating back centuries. Nor is it even inexcusably shallow to take satisfaction from knowing that other people will recognize your accessory as one of quality, and of limited (if only due to price) availability.

Well, much the same applies to fine pens.

Moreover, I really do find the Pelikan R200 to be more comfortable with which to write, than are most inexpensive pens. (I prefer pens with broad, smooth barrels.) I like it's balance, it's weight, the secure way the cap screws onto the pen when closed, etc.

And I like that it's styling matches that of my Pelikan fountain pens. (And while it's not really relevant to this discussion, I honestly do find that my Pelikan 800 writes better than any other pen I own, regardless of price. Although perhaps "differently" would be the better word, since a fountain pen's strengths and weaknesses are so different from those of a ballpoint or rollerball that direct comparison is of questionable value. However, I will say that the Pelikan 800 fountain pen is a better fountain pen -- at least for me -- than any other fountain pen with which I'm familiar.)

But yeah, a $2 Pilot G2 rollerball pen really is good. And most people just won't find a $20 Pelikan R200 to be enough better to justify its price. And that's fine -- there will always be a place for the $30 wristwatch, the Ford automobile, and the $5 bottle of wine. Just as Rolex, Rolls Royce, and Chateau Lafite Rothschild, will probably continue to appeal to their [much smaller] market share for many years to come.

And lest anyone dismiss the whole idea of psychological and emotional advantages having their importance, ask yourself how brides-to-be would be just as happy receiving a cubic zirconia engagement ring, as a diamond ring. Even though the former can do nearly everything the real diamond can do. (No, it might not be as good at scratching glass or serving as the needle of a phonograph stylus, but few engagement rings are put to such purposes.)

[GideonJr]

I collect fine pens. I have dozens of Mont Blanc's, Cartier's, Visconti's, Parker's, Waterman's, Delta's and even Pelikan's. I must say, the lower end Pelikan's are very nice pens. I have 4 of their fountain pens ( 2x R250, 1 R800, 1 R1000) and they work great. They last for ever had have a great writing style. Because of this price, they are an EXCELLENT deal. Thanks for letting me know, I'll go pickup a couple!

PS - For any of you who want to see what makes higher-end pens different from your $.10 bic, check out

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com

Ciao!

[helius]

Originally posted by GideonJr
PS - For any of you who want to see what makes higher-end pens different from your $.10 bic, check out

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com

Ciao!


Can't find any information on just why they're better/different. Come to think of it, I don't write nearly enough (less than a sentence a week on average :heh: ) to justify such a purchase anyways. :)