I own three Pelikan 1000 sized pens, one green striped, one Urushi, and one limited edition "Silver Screen" (very heavy with a sterling silver mountings and rubies). I love the size of this model and the large 18k nib - for me the nib is the soul of the pen and so should be made from gold and glide across the page. Not all Pelikans write well out of the box unfortunately, and so having a nib meister tune it may be worth the extra money for some. I find the smaller Pelikan nibs actually write better out of the box than the large ones for some reason (maybe the shorter distance that the ink has to travel through the nib makes a difference - IDK). Blake, you are correct in that the $800+ price tag for the regular 1000 edition is a bit much, unless it is your only fountain pen and that's the extent of the damage to your bank account - you have made an excellent choice for the one fountain pen in your employ! For the Japanese lacquered and limited editions we're looking at 4 figure prices but of course, you're paying for the decoration which has little to do with the internal functioning of the pen itself.
Sounds like you have an amazing collection. I've always enjoyed looking at pictures of the urushi and maki-e versions of the M1000. They rival the best from Namiki while offering a different user experience.
THakn you for a very good review/comparison video. In my own experience, the M1000 is not only softer, but more importantly for me, springy-er than the MB 149. My first 149 came along in 1974, and had that huge capacity that the later models and the M1000 do not. I must admit that I do appreciate that Pelikan treats me like an adult, capable of changing my own nibs and giving me a bit better opportunity to thorough clean the ink chamber. Montblanc's approach was defensible in the day when the pen was guaranteed for a lifetime, now it's harder to justify.
Hi Joel, thank you for the comment! When was your M1000 made? I do not have experience with many M1000s so I don't know if they have changed over the years but I find the M1000 nib to have a slower "spring back" than my 149. I haven't compared the M1000 side by side with a modern 149 though and there have been many changes to the 149 nib since it was introduced. Montblanc has comparatively good service for a pen company but considering the price Montblancs now cost they should come with a lifetime guarantee.
I didn't know Montblancs used to be warrantied for life, like Namikis are still these days. Says something about what they think of their pens. Thanks for your insight, I often see your comments in most fountain pen videos I visit! A point about the MB 149: the nibs are threaded, along with the piston. Both can be screwed out with ease, without stressing the pen. Only the older pens have friction-fit nib units/pistons as far as I know. These are harder to remove safely.
I consider the M1000 significantly superior to the 149. The m1000's build quality, manufacturing materials (brass vs. plastic in the filling system), weight, balance, springy smooth writing nib, consistent ink flow, and customer support. My m1000 is inkedvnearly all the time and writing with daily. I don't even know when I last inked the 149 and I don't miss it.
Great Review, Blake. I got my 2 M-1000 pens way back in round about 2000 or so. One is a fine nib and the other is a medium nib. However, I have had the nibs on both pens adjusted to be a bit drier, to make both pens more suuitable to my way of writing. Both pens are wonderful, and I really love them, they are very much on par with my MB 149 pens, all 4 of them. Thanks
Your point about the grip section rings particularly true for the smaller pens -- my M800, for example, pushes my thumb towards the end of the section given its steeper slope and thinness relative to my Montblancs. This is a major sticking point for me against Pelikans.
I've found the M400 to be a very comfortable pen and I think it is just as comfortable as the Montblanc 144. I don't have enough experience with Peilkan M600 and M800 to know how they compare with the 145/146 etc. The M800 is a heavier pen than a 146 though so I suspect the 146 would be more comfortable.
I’ve just purchased a M1000. It has a couple problems… the first one is baffling me - the cap doesn’t post? It just rattles around and falls off very easily. There’s no friction at all. The second issue is that the pen occasionally skips when writing. It isn’t too bad, potentially a bit of babys bottom, and might go away with some use. The first one concerns me the most - maybe the latest model (with opaque black and green stripes) doesn’t post at all? Very strange
Hmm, that is strange. It should post. Modern Pelikan nibs don't always have the best QC. If you bought it new, it might be worth trying to exchange it for another one.
I own a special edition M1005 (black with silver trim), it has a medium nib and it's a gusher. Your more traditional green/gold trim version is beautiful, I am rather tempted to buy one with an extra fine nib....just to keep the other one company.
The Pelikan M1000 sells can sell for more than $1K but now it can sell for around $832 but is it really worth $832? The M1000 pen makes me question whether it have an ebonite feed, what type of expensive body materials there is, and any unique characteristics of the pen.
Thanks for the comment. $832 is a lot of money for a pen. I cannot say if it is worth that price. The feed is plastic, not ebonite, but the ink flow is very good. The body material, I believe, is a cotton based resin. The piston mechanism is quite smooth and robust feeling and of course the nib is exceptionally nice to write with. The nibs are also threaded so you can change them out, though they are rather expensive.
I love Pelikan's classic style, quality materials/finish, and reliability...but in choosing a nib size, you’re really in the dark-my Medium Stresemann M1005 is way wider and wetter than my M1000 green/black Broad. That said, I love writing with both pens (strictly with dry-ish Pelikan/Edelstein inks, mind you...). Thanks, Blake-another sharp and helpful review.
Hi Jack, wow that is wild. I have heard of people having their M1000 nibs tuned to be less wet. It is strange that they don't have tighter tolerances when they test these nibs (if they test them).
I've always enjoyed the look of Pelikan's higher end pens but I'm not huge on gold nibs as they don't have the feedback I enjoy/get from steel nibs, on top of that, I've always wondered why pen brands don't have steel nib options for their higher end pens as it would probably cut down on cost by a considerable amount.
Thank you for the comment. In my experience gold nibs can have just as much feedback as steel. I tend to find that most gold nibs are nicer than their steel counterparts but not always. Back during WWII several European pen manufacturers did steel alloy nibs on high end pens. I had a Montblanc 234 with an alloy nib and it was one of the nicest and most flexible nibs I've ever had.
Hi James, thank you for the comment. The M600 is an excellent pen and probably the best sized Pelikan for everyday use. Nuuna notebooks look great. I've added one to my Amazon cart, so yes, I will do a review. Thank you for the suggestion!
@@BlakesBroadcast Thanks for the reply. Yep, it really is! The grail would be an Ocean Swirl or Renaissance Brown. Or something like your 149 OBB. I managed to get an OB Parker Duofold, but it's a bit much for the everyday. Ok, great - look forward to your thoughts and testing of the Nuuna notebook when you get a chance.
I've seen reviews that recommend you don't overdo the flex side of things with this nib as it's 18K gold and expensive to spring. New nibs can cost about a third the price of the pen. I usually use a medium so l'll get a fine as it also gives the best line variation.
A very helpful review of this gorgeous classic. A grail pen for me. I hope to own one, though perhaps not in this lifetime. I hope I'm reincarnated with an opposable thumb.
Hello, sorry for bothering you with such issues but I'm just a student and such an investment means a lot to me. A pen like this is a "lifetime investment". I have been following your channel for a very long time and I have watched most of your reviews regarding flex nib fountain pens. Today please help me to choose 1 between these two. For me the doubts are, 1) 912 FA is a bit scratchy if even a little amount of oil is on the paper. How big of a problem is this 2) I couldn't totally be sure if the line variation of M1000 is the same as that of 912 FA. Please let me know your thoughts. 3) Is the extra investment for M1000 really worth it? Please help me.
Thanks for the comment! I have never tried the 912 FA. I had a 743 FA which has a slightly larger nib and I have also had the Pilot Falcon in an Extra Fine. The Pilot Falcon was too scratchy for me. I returned that pen. I have a pretty old review of the Pilot 743 FA here: blakesbroadcast.com/2014/05/30/pilot-custom-743-falcon-fountain-pen-review/ The Pilots will offer you more line variation than the Pelikan, especially if you write slowly and firmly; they flex more. The Pelikan has a softer nib and is much smoother. It really depends on your purposes. If you want a pen for journaling and note taking then I prefer the Pelikan. The Pilots would be good if you needed a very fine nib and wanted to practice your handwriting with a somewhat flexible nib. I don't think the Pelikan M1000 is a good value if it is anywhere near the retail price. A Santini Libra with a flexy nib writes very smoothly and flexes more then the Pelikan M1000 for 269 Euros.
When you’re buying a $500+ fountain pen, another $40 to have a superstar nibmeister make it perfect seems like a worthwhile investment. When I get a new electric guitar I always budget $100 for a pro setup.
I own three Pelikan 1000 sized pens, one green striped, one Urushi, and one limited edition "Silver Screen" (very heavy with a sterling silver mountings and rubies). I love the size of this model and the large 18k nib - for me the nib is the soul of the pen and so should be made from gold and glide across the page. Not all Pelikans write well out of the box unfortunately, and so having a nib meister tune it may be worth the extra money for some. I find the smaller Pelikan nibs actually write better out of the box than the large ones for some reason (maybe the shorter distance that the ink has to travel through the nib makes a difference - IDK). Blake, you are correct in that the $800+ price tag for the regular 1000 edition is a bit much, unless it is your only fountain pen and that's the extent of the damage to your bank account - you have made an excellent choice for the one fountain pen in your employ! For the Japanese lacquered and limited editions we're looking at 4 figure prices but of course, you're paying for the decoration which has little to do with the internal functioning of the pen itself.
Sounds like you have an amazing collection. I've always enjoyed looking at pictures of the urushi and maki-e versions of the M1000. They rival the best from Namiki while offering a different user experience.
THakn you for a very good review/comparison video. In my own experience, the M1000 is not only softer, but more importantly for me, springy-er than the MB 149. My first 149 came along in 1974, and had that huge capacity that the later models and the M1000 do not. I must admit that I do appreciate that Pelikan treats me like an adult, capable of changing my own nibs and giving me a bit better opportunity to thorough clean the ink chamber. Montblanc's approach was defensible in the day when the pen was guaranteed for a lifetime, now it's harder to justify.
Hi Joel, thank you for the comment! When was your M1000 made? I do not have experience with many M1000s so I don't know if they have changed over the years but I find the M1000 nib to have a slower "spring back" than my 149. I haven't compared the M1000 side by side with a modern 149 though and there have been many changes to the 149 nib since it was introduced.
Montblanc has comparatively good service for a pen company but considering the price Montblancs now cost they should come with a lifetime guarantee.
I didn't know Montblancs used to be warrantied for life, like Namikis are still these days. Says something about what they think of their pens. Thanks for your insight, I often see your comments in most fountain pen videos I visit!
A point about the MB 149: the nibs are threaded, along with the piston. Both can be screwed out with ease, without stressing the pen. Only the older pens have friction-fit nib units/pistons as far as I know. These are harder to remove safely.
I consider the M1000 significantly superior to the 149. The m1000's build quality, manufacturing materials (brass vs. plastic in the filling system), weight, balance, springy smooth writing nib, consistent ink flow, and customer support. My m1000 is inkedvnearly all the time and writing with daily. I don't even know when I last inked the 149 and I don't miss it.
Great Review, Blake. I got my 2 M-1000 pens way back in round about 2000 or so. One is a fine nib and the other is a medium nib. However, I have had the nibs on both pens adjusted to be a bit drier, to make both pens more suuitable to my way of writing. Both pens are wonderful, and I really love them, they are very much on par with my MB 149 pens, all 4 of them. Thanks
Thank you! They are great pens. Maybe I should have mine adjusted to be drier.
Your point about the grip section rings particularly true for the smaller pens -- my M800, for example, pushes my thumb towards the end of the section given its steeper slope and thinness relative to my Montblancs. This is a major sticking point for me against Pelikans.
I've found the M400 to be a very comfortable pen and I think it is just as comfortable as the Montblanc 144. I don't have enough experience with Peilkan M600 and M800 to know how they compare with the 145/146 etc. The M800 is a heavier pen than a 146 though so I suspect the 146 would be more comfortable.
I’ve just purchased a M1000. It has a couple problems… the first one is baffling me - the cap doesn’t post? It just rattles around and falls off very easily. There’s no friction at all. The second issue is that the pen occasionally skips when writing. It isn’t too bad, potentially a bit of babys bottom, and might go away with some use. The first one concerns me the most - maybe the latest model (with opaque black and green stripes) doesn’t post at all? Very strange
Hmm, that is strange. It should post. Modern Pelikan nibs don't always have the best QC. If you bought it new, it might be worth trying to exchange it for another one.
Thank you for your detailed review.
My pleasure!
I own a special edition M1005 (black with silver trim), it has a medium nib and it's a gusher. Your more traditional green/gold trim version is beautiful, I am rather tempted to buy one with an extra fine nib....just to keep the other one company.
Thanks for the comment Mark! The M1000 nibs definitely are very wet. If I get another one I would probably go extra fine.
The Pelikan M1000 sells can sell for more than $1K but now it can sell for around $832 but is it really worth $832? The M1000 pen makes me question whether it have an ebonite feed, what type of expensive body materials there is, and any unique characteristics of the pen.
Thanks for the comment. $832 is a lot of money for a pen. I cannot say if it is worth that price.
The feed is plastic, not ebonite, but the ink flow is very good. The body material, I believe, is a cotton based resin. The piston mechanism is quite smooth and robust feeling and of course the nib is exceptionally nice to write with. The nibs are also threaded so you can change them out, though they are rather expensive.
I love Pelikan's classic style, quality materials/finish, and reliability...but in choosing a nib size, you’re really in the dark-my Medium Stresemann M1005 is way wider and wetter than my M1000 green/black Broad. That said, I love writing with both pens (strictly with dry-ish Pelikan/Edelstein inks, mind you...). Thanks, Blake-another sharp and helpful review.
Hi Jack, wow that is wild. I have heard of people having their M1000 nibs tuned to be less wet. It is strange that they don't have tighter tolerances when they test these nibs (if they test them).
I've always enjoyed the look of Pelikan's higher end pens but I'm not huge on gold nibs as they don't have the feedback I enjoy/get from steel nibs, on top of that, I've always wondered why pen brands don't have steel nib options for their higher end pens as it would probably cut down on cost by a considerable amount.
Thank you for the comment. In my experience gold nibs can have just as much feedback as steel. I tend to find that most gold nibs are nicer than their steel counterparts but not always. Back during WWII several European pen manufacturers did steel alloy nibs on high end pens. I had a Montblanc 234 with an alloy nib and it was one of the nicest and most flexible nibs I've ever had.
Thank you, Blake. I've got this in the M600 size and it's just perfect. Could you please try and review Nuuna notebooks?
Hi James, thank you for the comment. The M600 is an excellent pen and probably the best sized Pelikan for everyday use. Nuuna notebooks look great. I've added one to my Amazon cart, so yes, I will do a review. Thank you for the suggestion!
@@BlakesBroadcast Thanks for the reply. Yep, it really is! The grail would be an Ocean Swirl or Renaissance Brown. Or something like your 149 OBB. I managed to get an OB Parker Duofold, but it's a bit much for the everyday. Ok, great - look forward to your thoughts and testing of the Nuuna notebook when you get a chance.
I've seen reviews that recommend you don't overdo the flex side of things with this nib as it's 18K gold and expensive to spring. New nibs can cost about a third the price of the pen. I usually use a medium so l'll get a fine as it also gives the best line variation.
Hi Andrew, thank you for the comment. I agree that caution should be used when applying pressure to these nibs as they are so expensive to replace.
Excellent review
Thank you! I appreciate it.
How often do you reply to comments?
I am usually able to reply within a day or two.
Best pen ever made.
It is definitely one of the best pens you can buy today.
A very helpful review of this gorgeous classic. A grail pen for me. I hope to own one, though perhaps not in this lifetime. I hope I'm reincarnated with an opposable thumb.
Thank you! It is definitely worthy of being a grail pen.
Hello, sorry for bothering you with such issues but I'm just a student and such an investment means a lot to me. A pen like this is a "lifetime investment". I have been following your channel for a very long time and I have watched most of your reviews regarding flex nib fountain pens. Today please help me to choose 1 between these two. For me the doubts are,
1) 912 FA is a bit scratchy if even a little amount of oil is on the paper. How big of a problem is this
2) I couldn't totally be sure if the line variation of M1000 is the same as that of 912 FA. Please let me know your thoughts.
3) Is the extra investment for M1000 really worth it?
Please help me.
Thanks for the comment! I have never tried the 912 FA. I had a 743 FA which has a slightly larger nib and I have also had the Pilot Falcon in an Extra Fine.
The Pilot Falcon was too scratchy for me. I returned that pen. I have a pretty old review of the Pilot 743 FA here: blakesbroadcast.com/2014/05/30/pilot-custom-743-falcon-fountain-pen-review/
The Pilots will offer you more line variation than the Pelikan, especially if you write slowly and firmly; they flex more. The Pelikan has a softer nib and is much smoother. It really depends on your purposes. If you want a pen for journaling and note taking then I prefer the Pelikan. The Pilots would be good if you needed a very fine nib and wanted to practice your handwriting with a somewhat flexible nib.
I don't think the Pelikan M1000 is a good value if it is anywhere near the retail price. A Santini Libra with a flexy nib writes very smoothly and flexes more then the Pelikan M1000 for 269 Euros.
Sir, thank you very much for your help and suggestion. It is very helpful. 😊
When you’re buying a $500+ fountain pen, another $40 to have a superstar nibmeister make it perfect seems like a worthwhile investment. When I get a new electric guitar I always budget $100 for a pro setup.
If you want a specific grind then yes $40 is totally worth it but the standard nib on a $500+ pen should write properly out of the box.
I subscribe man😄
Thank you for the sub!