Pelikan Special Edition M120 Green/Black: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Pelikan Special Edition M120 in green and black is a tribute to the vintage version from the 1950s. Like its predecessor, the pen is cigar shaped with a black cap and piston knob, green barrel, and Pelikan-beak clip.

My pen came in a cardboard presentation box with a drawer. The pen is nestled inside a leatherette Pelikan pen envelope tied with brown ribbon.

The cap top is engraved with the Pelikan logo, but it's hard to see except in direct light.

The Pelikan-beak clip is gold plated. And the cap ring is engraved with the words "Pelikan Germany."

The barrel is solid green plastic with an ink window and a black grip.

The M120 nib is gold-plated stainless steel engraved with a retro design.

I am quite impressed with the nib on my review pen. Even though it is an extra-fine, it is not scratchy at all. It writes smoothly and even has a bit of spring.

I inked the M120 with Pelikan's new 4001 Dark Green ink. It's a perfect match for the pen and is a beautiful shade of green. The piston on the M120 works smoothly and draws in about 0.9 ml of ink.

The M120 is a small pen at only 4.75 inches unposted and 6.1 posted. It is bigger than its vintage predecessors (the M140 and M120) which measure 4.5 inches unposted and 5.5 inches posted. The pen weighs only 14.5 grams.

You can purchase the Special Edition M120 in green and black at Goldspot for $211.95 (retail is $265!). For such a simple plastic pen with a steel nib, that's a pretty steep price. I think Pelikan should have priced this around $100 or less, making it more competitive with other EDC pens like TWSBI, because the M120 could be a wonderful every-day writer.

Pros

• The simple design of the M120 and piston filling system make this a great EDC pen.
• The gold-plated, stainless steel nib writes beautifully. Pelikan nibs are consistently good (in my experience) though the size of the nibs can vary (i.e. one fine Pelikan nib might write more like a medium, whereas another fine might write like a true fine). The EF on this review pen is a true EF.
• The pen is light and well balanced posted or unposted. It won't weigh down a shirt pocket and will fit easily in a small notebook.
• The M120 comes in a nice presentation box and would make a great graduation gift or Father's Day present.

Cons

• I honestly think this pen is overpriced. It is a piston-filler, which may add a bit to the cost, but it's plastic with a steel nib. It really shouldn't be over $100.
• Because the pen is small, people with larger hands may find it too light even when posted.

Thanks to Goldspot Pens for lending Pen Addict the M120 for review.

J. Herbin Straight Body Frosted Glass Dip Pen (or, my favorite ink testing pen)

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

In all of the different reviews and discussions about the various types of pens that we talk about in the community, there's one type that doesn't get much attention. It's probably because there aren't many of them out there, but that doesn't make them unworthy. Amidst all the talk of gold- and steel-nibbed fountain pens, gel pens, pigment markers, brush pens, and pencils, there's a small, delightful category of glass pens.

Glass dip pens are works of art in the own right, hand-crafted by someone trained in working with glass. Have you ever watched someone craft handmade glass ornaments? It's really something to behold. Obviously, a straight pen isn't as impressive as an intricate ornament, but it's still a thing of beauty.

But when it comes to the writing aspect of these instruments, they have a unique advantage: they're extremely easy to clean. Yes, metal nibs are also easy to clean, but I'm arguing that the glass dip pen is still easier.

I'll be the first to admit that I have absolutely no skills when it comes to lettering and calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I haven't put in the hours to become skilled at this art. That being said, I like to think my hand-writing is fairly legible if I want it to be. I'm sure there are more artistic uses for glass dip pens, and that's wonderful. But, my main enjoyment comes from the ease of use and cleaning that come with this pen.

The J. Herbin (get ready for this incredibly long name) Straight Body Frosted Glass Dip Pen, Small is an affordable way to enter this market. It's a simple pen — a smooth, 5 inch body attached to a spiraled tip. In between the two, a small bulb to rest your fingers. The color I chose is the amber tint, which is great because it's mostly see-through.

At $16, this is a great choice for anyone wanting to try out dip pens without having to choose nibs and nib holders. Those have their merits and advantages, but you can't beat the simplicity of the glass dip pen. It's one piece, and each one is unique.

Yes, it's a thing of beauty and each one should be admired and appreciated. But, how does it write?

Let's break this down into pros and cons, starting with the pros.

Pros

Open the package, grab the pen and a bottle of ink, and you're ready to go. It couldn't be simpler. There's no filling, no cartridges to fuss with, and no cleaning of the nib and section after dunking it into a bottle to suck up the ink. You dip the nib into the ink, dab it on the edge of the bottle to prevent drops, and start writing.

In my experience, I usually get 3-5 lines of writing before I need to re-dip. I'm never able to write for this long when using metal nibbed dip pens. The spiral grooves on the tip of this pen do an amazing job of storing ink, and they do an even more amazing job of feeding the tip consistently. The only time I notice any heavy flow issues is when I've dipped the nib too deep or done a poor job of dabbing before starting to write.

The pen takes some practice before you can write with your normal hand, but that doesn't take long. As for the shape and grip, I enjoy the way the pen fits in my hand. I imagine that plenty of people will discover that it doesn't fit their hand at all, though. It has the shape of something that will polarize users. Either you'll do well with it, or you'll loathe it. For me, it's delightful.

Writing with the pen is a fun experience. The thoughfulness behind periodic breaks to dip the pen back into the ink bottle forces you to slow down and focus on what you're writing. Take your time, form the words, and dip for some more ink. It's pleasant.

The writing feel is slightly scratchy at times depending on how much ink is stored in the nib, but it's generally pretty nice and smooth. Since this isn't a standard nib with two tines, it has several "sweet spots" that work better than other spots on the tip. One of the sweet spots on this pen writes like a medium fountain pen, while another writes like an EF. If you can remember where these spots are, it can be quite handy.

Finally, did I mention how easy it is to clean? When you're done using it, simply run the tip under water for a few seconds, and wipe it dry with a paper towel. Done! No flushing, no rinsing — just rinse it, dry it, and start using it with a new ink. That is the #1 attraction of this pen for me. When I want to do some ink testing and sampling, this is my go-to pen. I can fly through different inks because of how quickly I can "reset" the pen to a clean state.

Cons

As much as I love the pen for its character and easy cleaning, it has some downsides. For one, it feels fragile. For normal use, it feels great. But, I worry that if I drop it on the desk or into the sink while cleaning it, it might chip or shatter. This is to be expected for anything made of glass, but most glass objects are decorative and not meant to be handled.

Remember those "sweet spots" I mentioned? Yeah, it also has a couple of dead spots that write like an EF fountain pen that's running out of ink. These are dead spots no matter what usable angle you hold the pen. Luckily, the dead spots are very few and easy to avoid once you learn the pen. Keep in mind, the tip on this pen is very small, so every millimeter gives you a different feel.

Along with the dead spots, there are some scratchy angles to the pen. Luckily, you can smooth out the tip just like you would a fountain pen nib. Grab some micromesh and draw a couple dozen figure-eights and infinity signs, and you will notice an improvement. Just don't get too carried away.

My final complaint is that the pen loves to roll on a flat surface. There's no clip or flat side, so it obviously will have issues staying still on its own. Minor issue, but worth noting.

Conclusion

This definitely isn't an every day carry pen, but it's been so fun to use for testing inks and playing with lettering over the past several weeks. This isn't a pen that I use all the time, but it has a few specific purposes that I wouldn't trade it for. Next time you want to get out that box of inks and play, try using one of these to maximize your fun.

You can grab these on JetPens in several colors, as well as a larger size.

Pelikan M205 Special Edition Transparent Blue Demonstrator Review

Pelikan is one of the top brands in the fountain pen market for a reason. The history behind the company is strong and the quality they produce year in and year out is outstanding. They like to have fun with colors too, outside of their main product offerings like the Souveran lineup, and the M205 Special Edition Transparent Blue Demonstrator is a prime example of this.

For many years, Pelikan has used the M205 lineup to dabble in colored demonstrator barrels. Their fluorescent highlighter models have been some of the most popular releases (with matching ink no less) and the reissuing of this blue model shows how popular it is. It doesn’t hurt that they released this same color in larger models like the M605 either. Was it that popular, or did they have that much extra material? Hmm…

Regardless, this is a cool pen. The M205 is one of Pelikan's smallest offerings with a piston filling mechanism, so don’t go into it thinking this is a big pen. It’s small and lightweight, making it perfect for every day carry almost any way you would like it to travel. In a pocket, purse, or backpack it will work just fine.

I find Pelikan steel nibs better than their gold nibs right out of the box. The gold nibs are amazing, but are wider and wetter than their steel counterparts. Every Pelikan gold nib I own I had to have modified to write how I want them. Every Pelikan steel nib I own is on the mark from first ink and a joy to use.

I mentioned earlier that this is a piston filler, and it is an excellent one at that. The mechanisms across the lineup are easy to use and allow for easy cleaning. In fact, my Pelikan pens may be the easiest pens to clean that I own.

After all the fawning over this pen and the brand as a whole, there has to be a kicker, right? There is, and it is the price. Up and down Pelikan’s product lineup they are more expensive than comparable pens from other brands. This model is no exception. $140 for a steel nib fountain pen puts it in the same category as gold nib offerings from Lamy and Pilot. You will have to determine what you are looking for in a pen to decide if this pen is right for you.

I’ve yet to be let down by a Pelikan pen, and I have bought several. Yes, you are paying a premium, but you know you are getting a quality product backed by 175 years of manufacturing history. Consider me a fan.

My thanks to Pen Boutique for sending this pen to me at no charge for review purposes. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post where I’ll be giving it away to one lucky reader!

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