Show your Pelikan M200 series

[syngent]

So my "new" Pelikan 200 showed up today, I thought it was a gray body but it is actually blue, a newer design then the gray i think
and this picture has it look green, but its just the picture

View attachment 310931

the ink window is clear, the nib looks to be perfect, but i havent inked it up yet as i have a problem



thats water, behind the piston, happened when i ran the body under the tap to flush, not sure how to get it out of there, if there is a leak to the piston... i dont know how to take that part of the pen apart though

 

[nemo]

They don't come apart and that is a lot of water. Not a good sign.

Turn the pen upside down (nib up) and slowly run the piston back and forth, listening and looking for the water to come out by the fill knob. A good thing is that the water behind the piston is clear, so it hasn't been leaking ink (or was very carefully washed out).

A properly working piston can suck water through the fill knob threads if the knob is turned when the entire pen body is submerged.

 

[syngent]

Thanks Doug, I want to get water out so i can find out if its getting in through the piston before i put ink into it

Flipped it over, at first nothing was happening gave it a few shakes did it again, and it released most of the water out of the back cap its almost all gone now, is that good or bad ?

 

[nemo]

Thanks Doug, I want to get water out so i can find out if its getting in through the piston before i put ink into it

Put the tiniest bit of pure silicone grease in the barrel from the nib end before filling, that can help seal things.

 

[syngent]

couldnt wait any longer, guess ill find out if ink gets behind the hard way, i did test with water and no new water was getting behind the piston after ten or so ins and outs

I have a new work pen

Put the tiniest bit of pure silicone grease in the barrel from the nib end before filling, that can help seal things.

I used a pipe cleaner with a little bit, you couldnt even see it there but i backed the piston up to the top and covered the sidewalls hope enough got there

 

[oc_in_fw]

View attachment 310955

couldnt wait any longer, guess ill find out if ink gets behind the hard way, i did test with water and no new water was getting behind the piston after ten or so ins and outs

I have a new work pen



I used a pipe cleaner with a little bit, you couldnt even see it there but i backed the piston up to the top and covered the sidewalls hope enough got there

Looks good. Hey Doug, is the sight window on the older pens clearer than the new ones? On my solid black 200, the window has a greenish tint to it.

 

[nemo]

James, it looks like a winner!

Looks good. Hey Doug, is the sight window on the older pens clearer than the new ones? On my solid black 200, the window has a greenish tint to it.

The windows are not consistent, some are green, light blue, clear, and I have a newish (2007) green marbled pen with a dark smoke.

 

[syngent]

Im not a fan of the green ones, I dont mind the smoke, or the clears myself

 

[oc_in_fw]

The windows are not consistent, some are green, light blue, clear, and I have a newish (2007) green marbled pen with a dark smoke.

There must be a rhyme or reason. It is not like a German to do things willy nilly.

 

[Dave258]

Doug, do you never disassemble any of your Pelikans besides unscrewing the nib? When I bought my first M800 I wondered and even posted here asking if the TWSBI wrench (I know you do not have one) would work to unscrew the piston from the back of the pen and pull it out. I never tried, but I have seen videos and now know that it will work. I am not sure if it fits all the size Pelikans. Can new Piston seals be purchased to replace bad ones, and what do you use for the old ones with bad cork seals?
***I am not advising anyone to do this, and will not assume the responsibility if you try working on your pen, and end up ruining your pen!

 

[nemo]

M200, M400, M600 pens are not serviceable like the M800. I made a wrench for my M800, I ground a regular 7mm wrench flat enough to fit (reverse threads by the way). I've noticed that the latest Tortoise M800 has a new plastic filler, unlike the heavy standard brass mech on the older M800s ... hmmm. But you really shouldn't need to ever get in there, Dave.

Again, the Pelikan pens really shouldn't need service, the robust build will last for years and Chartpak will usually take care of you (they replace the barrel assembly, piston, and turning knob as a unit). You probably will never need a new piston during your lifetime unless you do something stupid.

The older 400 and 140 will come apart for cleaning but I don't really recommend it for the novice. Really, rarely do they go bad. I see lots of 50 year old pens that only need a dab of pure silicone grease and they are as good as new. Only recently have these seals been reproduced, I used to have to find a donor pen for a seal. Those days are now over, thanks to a guy in the UK.

The older cork seals occasionally dry up and a good long soak or hot parrafin can't expand the cork and the piston needs to be replaced. Not so easy ... this may require opening a bottle of champagne! It's a process, lots of X-acto blades and sanding, or use the modern double o-rings that VintagePens sells will be much easier and more reliable.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Excited for mine to show.

 

[Dave258]

I've noticed that the latest Tortoise M800 has a new plastic filler, unlike the heavy standard brass mech on the older M800s ... hmmm.

I got quite a bit worried when I read this, wondering why Pelikan would use a plastic filler mechanism when the brass works great and give the pen the added weight that I personally love in the 800 series(it is my favorite overall fountain pen right now).
I found evidence that the filler is indeed the same brass material that they have been using on all other 800's. Someone on FPN even went as far as doing an x-ray on the pen.
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/f...7-the-piston-of-new-m800-tortoiseshell-brown/

 

[nemo]

I got quite a bit worried when I read this, wondering why Pelikan would use a plastic filler mechanism when the brass works great and give the pen the added weight that I personally love in the 800 series(it is my favorite overall fountain pen right now).
I found evidence that the filler is indeed the same brass material that they have been using on all other 800's. Someone on FPN even went as far as doing an x-ray on the pen.
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/f...7-the-piston-of-new-m800-tortoiseshell-brown/

OK, my bad, it looked black. Black brass is good.

 

[Dave258]

OK, my bad, it looked black. Black brass is good.

No worries, Doug. It looks like there were many people that thought it was plastic. I would have been very unhappy!
Sorry to derail your 200 thread!

I came across a 200 Tortoise this morning somewhere on the web, it looked really nice! I am developing a thing for Tortoise lately!

 

[RichieRich3902]

Excited for mine to show.

I can't wait to see some good pics!

 

[andrew98]

Excited for mine to show.

You, sir, are an enabler. (what is it they say about pots and kettles?)

I came across a 200 Tortoise this morning somewhere on the web, it looked really nice! I am developing a thing for Tortoise lately!

That's very understandable. I don't normally like yellow gold trim on anything, but it looks amazing with tortoise, to my eye.

 

[nemo]

I came across a 200 Tortoise this morning somewhere on the web, it looked really nice! I am developing a thing for Tortoise lately!

Mmmm, tortoise M200. I over-exposed this to bring out the brown in the cap, it's actually a bit darker.

 

[Dave258]

That is a winner in my book!
I like the brown with the Tortoise better than the white that Pelikan did with the 400 and 600 more recently, not that I would turn away those pens...

 

[whavens]

Doug, you have some of the most beautiful pens. You make me want to become a dedicated Pelikan collector. Honestly though, I really do like them and am not sure I would buy anything else at the moment, might have to go up to a 400 at some point though. That Tortoise is just stunning.